Northern Express / Special Double Issue / Dec. 20 - Jan 02, 2022

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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • Special Double Issue • dec 20 - jan 02, 2022 • Vol. 31 No. 51 & 52 Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 1

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2 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

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letters Crossing the Line Big Brother Biden and his administration continue to amaze me with their befuddled decisions. Why aren’t illegal immigrants tested and vaccinated while our heroic medical personnel, first responders, military, and police are given an ultimatum to get vaccinated or get fired?

With reports of thousands of illegal immigrants approaching our southern border, will they be tested for COVID and other communicable diseases before being released and transported to different states? Is Biden and his administration that incompetent or is this a plan to further weaken our country so they can issue more mandates and lockdowns? How many illegals do we have in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, and if so, have they been tested and vaccinated? Wake up — our health, safety, and welfare is at stake. Do you care?

Wally Juall, Traverse City What’s That Sound?

In 1787, our Founding Fathers wrote: “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

No single political party owns our Constitution or flag, regardless of how many times it might duck and weave behind them. These hallowed words and this sacred symbol stand for all Americans and Americans-to-be. Lately, there are those Republicans who appear to be mocking them with Trump banners expressing “Brandon-inspired” language unsuitable for any printed page. Conspiracy theories, lies, misinformation, vulgar insults, and death threats are now the “God-given Rights” of these new Republican “patriots.”

An anthem from my era was “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield.

For some reason we thought, we hoped,

and we prayed that we could have resolved the issues of that time. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out. As my generation fades away, a torch will be passed down. It rightfully belongs to a much younger crowd anyway, and that crowd should take a stand now before it’s too late.

If I could again sit on Santa’s lap, here’s what I would ask for: Those who have a more distant time horizon become more informed, more involved, and then influence and elevate the debate. Hopefully these inheritors could heal this one and only planet, acknowledge the generational damage of injustice and discrimination, recognize economic disparity for what it actually represents ... and fully realize that truth must never be confused with fiction.

John Hunter, Traverse City Eliminate High-capacity Magazines The recent tragedy at Oxford High School in which a Sig Saurer 9mm semiautomatic pistol with a 15-round magazine was used, is a strong reason for change.

Although there are many factors that contribute to these shooting incidents, I believe that a significant factor is civilian access to military-grade weapons and highcapacity magazines. Yet today, the public has access to 17–50- round magazines for some pistols and 30–100-round magazines for a rifle.

Currently, the basic military armaments are a Sig Sauer M-17 pistol with a 17-round magazine and an M-4 rifle with a 30-round magazine. If these capacities are considered adequate for combat, what is the need for higher capacity magazines in public life?

Efforts to pass legislation to limit public access to 10-round magazines have not been successful, so the high-capacity magazines remain available to kill more people faster.

When shooters are forced to stop to reload, it creates opportunities for potential victims to escape and for interventions to terminate the shooting.

Please contact your legislators at the state and national levels to demand legislation to outlaw the sale of high-capacity magazines to the public. This is something you can do — in addition to your thoughts and prayers — for the families of the victims of gun violence.

Bill Holland, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Elk Rapids

For Traverse City area news and events, visit TraverseTicker.com

CONTENTS features

Comfort & Wine.............................................10 Honey Baked Ham........................................13 Independent Bookstores................................14 New Year’s Rockin’ Eve................................16 Bahle’s........................................................20

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columns & stuff

Top Ten........................................................4 Spectator/Stephen Tuttle...............................7 Opinion.........................................................8 Weird............................................................8 Dates........................................................18 Film..........................................................27 Nitelife..........................................................26 Advice......................................................28 Crossword.................................................29 Astrology...................................................29 Classifieds................................................30

Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com Executive Editor: Lynda Twardowski Wheatley Finance & Distribution Manager: Brian Crouch Sales: Kathleen Johnson, Lisa Gillespie, Kaitlyn Nance, Michele Young, Randy Sills, Todd Norris, Jill Hayes For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Dave Anderson, Linda Szarkowski, Sarah Rodery, Roger Racine Matt Ritter, Gary Twardowski Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Contributors: Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny, Ross Boissoneau, Jennifer Hodges, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle, Anna Faller Craig Manning, Al Parker Copyright 2020, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly.

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Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 3

this week’s

top ten Lake Erie’s Win Shows Promise for Our Shores

One of the Great Lakes got a big win late last week.

Gov. Whitmer released the final adaptive management plan to help state-led and partner-supported projects reduce the amount of phosphorous entering Lake Erie.

Of all nutrients, phosphorus poses th highest risk to the Great Lakes (and Michigan’s inland lakes) because it limits biological activity under most any condition, fueling dangerous levels of algae growth, i.e. scum on the water surface that ruins recreational and property values, clogs water-intake pipes, and can harbor bacteria that are harmful to humans, pets, and wildlife.

The latest iteration of Gov. Whitmer’s overall plan — to cut total phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus by 40 percent by 2025 — focuses on Lake Erie, which is the most troubled lake, showing levels about twice that of Lake Michigan’s in the last decade.

However, as those along our northwest Lower Michigan coast know all too well, algae blooms along Lake Michigan are none too rare.

At least seven lake sturgeon — a fish currently listed on Michigan’s threatened species list — were found washed up on the Lake Michigan shoreline within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in April 2020. Their deaths were thought to have been caused by type E botulism from cladophora algae mats and had caused similar die-offs in Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and Green Bay. “Michigan has already reached its target of a 20 percent phosphorus load reduction by 2020, but we have a way to go yet to meet our overall 40 percent goal,” says Gary McDowell, director, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). “By partnering with our sister agencies, local conservation districts and continuing our outreach with farmers, I’m confident we will make a quantifiable improvement to water quality in the state.”

Music, Mystery, and an Unmasked Livestream Option On the Winter Solstice, presented by Blissfest, will feature jazz, folk and roots music in the spirit of the season.

Don’t miss Rachael and Dominic Davis, Hadassah Greensky Trio, Djangophonique, and The Hype at Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 7pm. And, in a much better version than your office’s Secret Santa, audiences will be gifted with a mystery guest host — and the option to buy livestream tickets if in-person performances aren’t your thing. $25 members, $30 general admission, and $10 livestream access only.

Hey, read it assembly

4

The unnamed protagonist of Natasha Brown’s “Assembly” appears to have crested the peak of success.

She’s a high-ranking finance executive, her plush apartment is full of investment art, and she’s “in” with her boyfriend’s highfalutin family. But the precariousness — and outright prejudice — that comes with being a Black woman in Britain seems to render her hard-fought victories void. A sudden cancer diagnosis is all the push she needs to pull at the threads of her patchwork identity, start unraveling her painstakingly assembled life, and wonder: Is it one she actually wants to live? A scathing account of societal exploitation, Brown’s debut tears contemporary colonialism to shreds, before literally closing the cover. Just over 100 pages in length, this book will stay with you for years.

5

s n o i t a r b e Cel New Year’s Eve

2

tastemaker Salted Cashew Caramel Baklava

The Baklava Shop launched in Lewiston in 2011 for one reason: The community couldn’t get enough of the Prince family’s specialty sweet. “When my kids brought treats to school, [ours] was always baklava,” says shop owner and family matriarch, Georgette. Built around goodies made from and inspired by her Lebanese grandmother’s original recipes, the bakery boasts a rotating array of both seasonal and standard bakes.

But it’s their Salted Cashew Caramel Baklava that puts hum-drum holiday platters to shame. The brainchild of Georgette’s daughter Sarah, this sumptuous blend of sweet and salty begins with 10 layers of flaky phyllo, each separated by a thin coat of butter.

From there, Georgette adds one pound of carefully ground and toasted cashews — “Too big, and the baklava falls apart,” she warns — before sandwiching the whole shebang between another 10 sheets of her paper-thin pastry. Brushed with butter and baked to golden perfection, this ooey-gooey holiday treat is doused in scratch-made simple syrup, which they’ve infused with caramel and brown sugar, and finished with a sprinkle of toasted nuts. At only $20 a dozen, we dare you not to eat the box. $20 for 12 pieces. 2889 Kneeland St., Lewiston. Ordering ahead is recommended: (989) 785-5438, baklavashop@frontier.com

4 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

DOWNTOWN PETOSKEY

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RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

Park it (not on the couch) Jan. 1

Resolve to start your new year off right: Whatever time you get up, get outside and hike, run, snowshoe, cross-country ski, or even straddle your horse or fat-tire bike for the nation’s First Day Hikes celebration. America’s State Parks are the hosts, and they’ve got hundreds of self-guided routes and distances you can use to put your best foot forward on New Year’s Day. The ultimate goal? 2,022 miles of course. (And if a nation of hungover people can’t manage to tally that together in 24 hours, we’ve got bigger problems than ignoring our parks.) RSVP for the virtual event in our Great Lakes State by searching “First Day Hikes” at Michigan.gov.

Stuff We Love: Showing up at Your Door Want the world’s easiest last-minute Christmas gift? How’s about gifting a Northern Express subscription for your housebound grandma, your homesick best friend, or your next-door neighbor who unexpectedly brought over a nice gift and believed you when you said you just hadn’t wrapped hers yet? Save them all a trip to one of our hundreds of locations across 13 counties in northwest Lower Michigan and have a subscription to Northern Express delivered directly to them each week. The price? $110 per year — $104 of which covers postage!

Interested? Order up at www.northernexpress.com/

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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • dec 13 - DEC 19, 2021 • Vol. 31 No. 50

Best Wednesday Night of the Year Before you slam the door on 2021 (like, didn’t we already try that at the end of 2020?), give the year a chance to end on a high note — specifically, your own hysterical laughter.

Great Lakes Center for the Arts will make it more than possible; it’s bringing one of our favorite comedians, Todd Barry, to the stage Dec. 29. A master of deadpan and nuance in any role he plays — think: the bongo-playing “Third Choncord” on HBO’s unforgettable Flight of the Chonchords and Mickey Rourke’s “deli boss” in the Oscar-winning The Wrestler — Barry boasts three one-hour stand-up specials (warm up with his latest for Netflix, Spicy Honey) and has had a hit performance on just about every late show of note — The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, and Late Night With Seth Meyers. Tickets are $25. Translation: Don’t dilly-dally. www. greatlakescfa.org

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bottoms up City Park Grill’s Awesome Coffee Admit it. The holiday season is fun, but it is exhausting. Somewhere between the building of gingerbread houses, shopping for gifts, and decking of halls, you must take time for you.

And while a nap is ideal and, quite frankly, delicious, attaining rest in the place you make your endless to-do lists is an exercise in futility. We suggest an equally invigorating, albeit upright, alternative: an hour perched on a stool before the elegant 32-foot solid mahogany bar Frank J. Gruclich installed in his then windowless, gas lamp-lit Petoskey haunt, The Annex, in 1888.

Today, sunlight trickles in, and gas lamps (and, well … Frank, of course) are long gone, but as we inch toward 2022, the place — now City Park Grill — remains a respite for the weary (young Ernest Hemingway included). Belly up and take a breather. Your only company need be a snifter of the eatery’s own Awesome Coffee. Made from City Park Grill Blend coffee (specially house-roasted by sister restaurant Roast & Toast), this elegant and toasty upper is enhanced with a rich combo of Grand Marnier, Bailey’s, and Kahlua; topped with whipped cream and a whisper of organic cinnamon; and finished with a caramelized rim. Consider yourself restored. Find it at 432 E. Lake St., Petoskey. (231) 347-0101, www.cityparkgrill.com

Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 5

SPECIALIZING IN DRIVER’S LICENSE RESTORATION

Specialty Wine Dinners Seven different themed menus, each prepared in-house by Chef de Cuisine, Chris Mushall, and expertly paired with your favorite Chateau Chantal wine.

To view the menus or make your reservations Call: 231.223.4110 | or visit us online at: shop.chateauchantal.com/reservation-events

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6 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

A FEW GIFT IDEAS

A Northern Michigan Tradition since 1964

spectator

Choose from a variety of holiday gift boxes

by Stephen Tuttle This time of year, we’re told it’s better to give than receive, and it’s the thought that counts. That makes it a lot easier to suggest some gift-giving ideas.

To all healthcare workers, a full week without a single new COVID case or death.

We’d all hope for a much longer break from the ravages of this bug, but even Christmas has limits on miracles.

To first responders, an end to the opioid and meth crises so they can stop being called to overdose deaths.

To Joe Biden, a plan for governance and a coherent explanation of how that will work. Aside from the ever-mutating Build

Ninth Commandment. It’s the one that says you’re not supposed to lie. Those four are making a career out of telling whoppers.

To QAnon, gift certificates for many, many counseling sessions with the psychiatrist of our choice. It’s clear you’re having serious issues, and we just want to help.

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To QAnon followers, a mirror for some selfreflection. You can’t possibly believe all that nonsense, none of which has come remotely close to being substantiated.

To local school administrators and teachers, the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job. Masks or no masks? Distancing six feet

To The Squad, a half a loaf and the hope they recognize it’s better than no loaf at all. The votes for their full array of social programs were never there, so Squad, just take what you can get and use it as a foundation on which you can build.

Back Better proposal, it is not at all clear what the president is trying to accomplish, where he’d like us to go, and how he intends to lead us there.

To Donald Trump, a copy of the Constitution with the sections on elections highlighted, and a copy of Norman Vincent Peale’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” (Here’s a hint: It doesn’t involve insulting them.)

To the Traverse City City Commission, a map of Traverse City so they realize there’s more to this community than just the Downtown Development Authority’s tax increment financing (TIF) districts. Look, the rest of the city, which also pays taxes, is right there on the map.

To The Squad, a half a loaf and the hope they recognize it’s better than no loaf at all. The votes for their full array of social programs were never there, so Squad, just take what you can get and use it as a foundation on which you can build.

To Tucker Carlson, a sit-down lunch with an imam and a minister so they can explain to him the difference between the Quran and a Christmas tree and why the government keeps track of those burning the former but not the latter. (It’s possible one is a constitutionally protected religious text and the other a secular symbol absent religious connotations going back thousands of years.)

To the Detroit Lions, hope. A team that has won but a single playoff game in the 56-year Super Bowl era isn’t likely to get much else, but they can hope.

To Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Paul Gosar, and Andy Biggs, a framed copy of the

or three feet? In-person learning or remote learning, or both? Close the school or keep it open?

To climate-change deniers, a good pair of glasses so they can see what’s going on all around them and around the world. The evidence is abundant if only they would see it.

To Mark Zuckerberg, a tiny lump of coal.

There can no longer be much debate about social media’s rampant intrusions into our lives and its destructive consequences.

Making hate and disinformation major profit drivers deserves no other gift.

To Jeff Bezos, a bigger lump of coal, big enough to match his greed, ego, and black heart.

To Enbridge, a feasible plan to remove its pipelines out from under the Straits of Mackinac. The product in the pipes starts in Canada and most of it ends up in Canada, so why doesn’t Canada accept the risk on their soil?

To local charitable and service organizations, a generous financial contribution and the promise we will continue our support after the holidays have passed.

To legislators who want to strip away local control of short-term rentals, an Airbnb right next door and a couple more on their block. They need a new perspective on the debate between private property rights versus the value of neighborhoods.

To all law enforcement personnel, a year in which you are not shot at or forced to shoot at anyone else.

To all Northern Express readers, a sincere thank you and hopes for a safe and happy 2022.

Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 7

LIVING LIVES WORTH MEASURING Who Knew?

The Saudis take their beauty contests seriously, it appears: Judges at a competition northeast of Riyadh are cracking down on artificially enhanced contestants. The contest is part of the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival. Yes, the contestants are camels, the Associated Press reported, and 43 of them have already been disqualified. Camel breeders enter their most beautiful animals with the hope of winning $66 million in prize money, but Botox injections, face lifts and other cosmetic changes will not be tolerated this year. How, you ask, are those procedures implemented? Breeders might stretch the lips and noses of their camels, inject their heads or lips with Botox, inflate body parts with rubber bands and use fillers to relax their faces. “The club is keen to halt all acts of tampering and deception in the beautification of camels,” the Saudi Press Agency said.

Merry Christmas!

An unnamed mountain climber is a little richer this season after a cache of precious gems valued at $84,350 was awarded to him by the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc council on Dec. 3. The climber found the emeralds and sapphires in 2013 as he scaled the tallest peak in western Europe; they apparently were debris from an airplane crash there in 1966, CNN reported. The original owner of the stones couldn’t be located. The council split the booty with the climber and will display their half at the Chamonix Crystal Museum.

Nice Try A 50-year-old Italian dentist tried on Dec. 2 to dodge getting the COVID-19 vaccine but still gain a health pass by offering the health worker a silicone prosthetic arm for the jab, The Guardian reported. Italy recently cracked down on unvaccinated people at social, cultural and sporting events, so the man allegedly purchased a fake arm that may have cost him hundreds of euros. The medic, Filippa Bua, said she “felt offended as a professional. The color of the arm made me suspicious and so I asked the man to uncover the rest of his left arm. It was well made but it wasn’t the same color.” The unidentified man will face fraud charges, according to Luigi Icardi, the regional health councilor.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time Graham George Spencer of Singapore was walking with a friend in the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Nov. 30 when a runner dashed right into the path of a group of about 20 otters, causing them to change from “being quiet to going crazy like dogs,” Spencer told todayonline.com. The otters, apparently confused about who was who, attacked Spencer, pushing him to the ground and biting him around his feet and buttocks. “I was bitten 26 times in 10 seconds,” he said. “If it wasn’t for my friend, I don’t think I’d still be here. I’d be dead.”

At a hospital across the street, Spencer was given tetanus shots and antibiotics.

GOAT No, not that kind of goat. Former (unsuccessful) mayoral candidate for Berkeley, California, Wayne Hsiung, an

animal rights activist, is going to spend some time on supervised probation after a February 2018 stunt in which he stole a newborn goat, Berkeleyside reported on Dec. 8. The theft, a felony, took place in Transylvania County, North Carolina, at Sospiro Ranch. Hsiung said he stole the kid because he thought it was suffering and might face a cruel death, but the court was not entertaining his “rightto-rescue” defense. In fact, Judge Peter Knight sustained so many objections by the prosecution during Hsiung’s opening statement that he wasn’t able to finish it.

Curtis Burnside, owner of Sospiro Ranch, said NipNap, the baby goat’s mother, “cried for days and was beside herself looking for her lost baby.”

Bright Idea In the “this could never happen in America” category: New Zealand is putting in place laws that will eventually ban smoking altogether by 2025, The Guardian reported. Each year, the legal smoking age will increase, said associate health minister Dr. Ayesha Verrall. Legislation will also make smoking unaffordable, reduce the level of nicotine in tobacco products, limit retail outlets, and increase funding for addiction services. “We want to make sure young people never start smoking ... People aged 14 when the law comes into effect will never be able to legally purchase tobacco,” Verrall said.

Signs of the Times A middle school in Milton, Massachusetts, went into lockdown on Dec. 8 when a student reported that an adult “may have had a weapon,” The Patriot Ledger reported. After about 30 minutes of investigation by school officials and Milton police, however, it was determined that the “weapon” was a phone charger that a staff member was carrying. “I am pleased to report that nobody was physically harmed,” Superintendent James Jette said in a statement.

On Dec. 3, a second-grader at Pamoja Preparatory Academy in St. Louis, Missouri, brought a loaded pistol to school to “show it to classmates,” the Daily Beast reported. The child said they took the gun from a lockbox under the parents’ bed.

Two days earlier, at Woerner Elementary School in St. Louis, a kindergartner brought a gun to school when they picked up the wrong backpack. Sgt. Charles Wall of the St. Louis Police Department said no charges will be filed in either case: “It was determined no criminal incident occurred,” he said.

Unclear on the Concept Nicole Gregory, 28, was arrested on Nov. 22 in St. Petersburg, Florida, after a sheriff ’s deputy observed her dropping baggies containing fentanyl. According to The Smoking Gun, Gregory admitted to selling the opioid, saying she gets $10 per “bump.” But she had a good(?) reason: She was selling the drugs “to make money to pay for an attorney for a pending drug charge.”

Actually, two charges: one in August and one in October. Along with the fentanyl, Gregory was most recently found to have meth, morphine and Oxycodone.

8 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

guest opinion

by Gary L. Howe Merry Christmas and Happy New Year — we’re all going to die. Someday. I hope you find comfort and inspiration in this finite fact.

At least, that’s the motivation behind Tom Urban’s Life Calendar. The writer and illustrator introduced the tool in 2014 on his website, Wait But Why. I came across it shortly thereafter and built my own Life Calendar in a Google Sheet. So, now, when I’m in a reflective mood, I revisit, update, and give thanks. I’m still here.

at the time of writing this column. Some rows show more activity than others. For example, rows 22–30 were the exploratory years I moved between the United States., China, Taiwan, and Australia. In that time, I learned Chinese — check that off.

One extra item I’ve added to Urban’s original concept is a yearly satisfaction review. For the early years, I went back and assigned a ranking from 1–10, with 10 being outstanding.

My first two years were definite 10s, those troubled teen years not so much. The result of these 49 entries is a life satisfaction number. I

When the blank rows representing the rest of my life get fewer and fewer, I find it easier to manage the rough spots. It’s a healthy reminder to stick to what and who feeds the positives in my life.

A Life Calendar is a visualization of one’s life. It’s a grid, 52 boxes wide, representing each week, from birth to the end. The number of rows is the number of years in your life. Urban’s original provides 90; the life expectancy in the United States would call for 79. According to one life expectancy calculator, I have a 75 percent chance of living past 74, with a slim chance of hitting 83. Of course, as my doctor says, I could add a few years if I lost 10 pounds. I recommend the original 90 — aim high.

can live with the current outcome of a 7. The years with dogs in my life indeed increased the average score.

On January 1, I’ll start my 50th row. I’ve already shaded the rows of boxes for each previous row. The colors represent life changes — beige for elementary school, red for university, light blue for buying a house.

Other online tools are inspired by the Life Calendar’s ability to present the idea of one’s mortality. When the blank rows representing the rest of my life get fewer and fewer, I find it easier to manage the rough spots. It’s a healthy reminder to stick to what and who feeds the positives in my life.

My first row begins on the 42nd box, 10 weeks before the end of 1972. I was born in Owosso and lived there for the first three rows of my life. My first memory is of cresting over the hills south of Traverse City sometime after we moved up north. I’ve marked a time for when I peered over the front seat of the Old Man’s station wagon and ogled at West and East Bay. I don’t know the exact date, but I know it was in 1975. I’ve labeled it as one of the first imprints of home, and I’ve shaded those rows a Lake Michigan blue.

I’ve reconstructed my life by shading and marking new schools, big moves, and various jobs. I chart the dates for meaningful relationships, deaths, and events in individual boxes. I identify both the personal and global.

For example, I’ve logged the presidential eras, 9/11, and the 921 Taiwan Earthquake. The latter was a 7.7 earthquake 100 miles south of my apartment in Taipei. I lived there from 1999–2001 (three rows shaded bright red).

That night, a 24 story building on my block fell on its side. Anything that shakes up your life deserves to go on the calendar.

The power of the Life Calendar visualization is in zooming out. The details fade away, leaving only the colors and marks of different times for each week. For me, that’s 2564 boxes

Give life calendaring a try. You can even buy a blank poster from Wait But Why. But, since 2014, several creators have expanded on Urban’s original idea. A quick search will help you find the right approach. For example, the Life Calendar app helps track your life on your phone. Also, Felix Kraus created a shareable Google Sheet like the one I use.

One app to help you maintain that perspective and focus on what matters is the Chrome extension, Ambition Life Calendar. Each time you open a new tab during your all-critical deep dive into the interwebs, it asks, “What will you do that’s worth remembering?” Then, it plots your life against a notable figure of your choosing. My current choice is Benjamin Franklin, who didn’t have an endless supply of memes to distract him.

However we want to measure our lives, there’s value in purposeful reflection. When I’m not feeling satisfied, I look back and check on my life satisfaction score. I can be proud of that score or work harder to raise it with the time I have left. I can also zoom in and revisit those life achievements responsible for higher scores and redouble my efforts to achieve more of them before I shade in that last box.

What’s on your Life Calendar?

Gary L. Howe is a photographer and advocacy and communications director at Norte. He has also been an avid coffee drinker since September 1991, when he took an 8am Chemistry class — it’s on his Life Calendar.

Thank you to all the Munson Healthcare workers who continue to serve our northern Michigan community with unwavering commitment during these most challenging days of the pandemic.

Your resolve over the last two years has been an inspiration, each day selflessly giving… …reassurance when we are feeling scared, …strength when we are feeling weak, …compassion when we need comfort, …and high-quality medical care when we are in need.

With the deepest gratitude for your dedication and sacrifice, we wish you hope, courage and peace in the coming year.

Sincerely,

The Munson Healthcare Board of Directors Ted Batzer, MD

Marlene Hulteen

Mary Sanders

Ken Bloem

Dave McCurdy

Kris Thomas

Casey Cowell

Dan McDavid

Joe Will, MD

Kathy Dixon

Timothy Nelson

Elaine Wood

Jay Hook

Kellie Parkes

Bruce Zenner

Ruth Hoppe, MD

John Pelizzari

Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 9

Comfort & Wine Winter recipes to warm the heart and belly

By Lynda Wheatley Forget that “Apple Pie-Crumble” candle and those “Snowy Christmas Pine” plug-ins. The best scent of the season is a hearty homecooked meal bubbling on the stovetop or baking in your oven. Mom might say the only special ingredient you need to make those dishes memorable is love — and we don’t disagree — but on these cold winter nights, we’re finding the addition of a little local wine takes even the most heartwarming dish over the top.

Here are four we adore, each courtesy of a northern Michigan winery.

BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS IN RED WINE SAUCE Boyne Valley Vineyards

The family-owned Petoskey winery Boyne Valley Vineyards offers a series of scrumptious small plates inside its expansive sun- and chandelier-lit tasting room. And while owner Mary Ann Lippe gives guests many more reasons to linger inside — a giant opensided fire, living-room-style seating, and live music every Saturday (and every day Dec. 26 through Jan. 1!) — her easy and excellent recipe featuring a heavy pour of BVV’s own Shorts Hill Red, a fruity and dry red blend of Marquette and Frontenac grapes with aromas of red currant and strawberries, should motivate you to buy a couple of bottles and hightail it home to cook her recipe for braised short ribs.

Ingredients

• 5-6 beef short ribs • 1.5 teaspoon each of salt and pepper • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 celery ribs, chopped • 2 carrots, chopped • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 2 cups Boyne Valley Vineyards Short Hill Red Wine • 2 cups beef stock • 2 sprigs thyme • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

Pre-heat over to 325 degrees. Sprinkle beef on all sides with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof pot over high heat.

Add half the ribs and brown all over (5 to 7 minutes).

Remove and repeat with the remaining ribs, and then remove. Turn heat down to medium and add onion and garlic into the same pot, cooking for 2 minutes.

Add carrot and celery; cook for 5 minutes until carrot is softened and sweet, then add tomato paste

10 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

and cook for 1 minute. Add wine, broth, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir until tomato paste is dissolved, then return ribs to liquid, arranging them so none are fully submerged. Cover with lid and transfer to the oven for 3 hours, or until the meat can be shredded easily with forks.

Carefully return beef, keeping the meat on the bone.

Cover to keep warm. Strain into a bowl all liquid from the pot, pressing juices out of the onion, carrot, etc.

Return the sauce to the pot, bring to simmer, and stir.

Adjust as necessary — simmer the sauce to reduce or thicken; add water to thin — then season with salt and pepper if needed. Place beef on serving plate, spoon sauce over top, and serve.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE

Dune Bird Winery

•

A refreshing marriage of exceptional estate-grown wines and craft espresso owned by husband-wife team Nicole and Bo White, Dune Bird Winery just opened in Northport Dec. 3, and we’ll be honest: We’ve already enjoyed their wine and made this dish, courtesy of Dune Bird’s Katherine Elisabeth Palms, twice. Palms, who is also the director of the Leelanau Wellness Collective, tells us she adapted it from the BBC’s GoodFood, and we adapted it further the second time we made it, adding cooked brown rice and lentils at the end to throw off a picky kid eater who refuses meat and accuses cooked quinoa of having “tails.”

(Just imagine if we told her how much of Mom’s red wine was in it.)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil • 1 onion, sliced • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 1 tablespoon paprika • 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed • 1 red pepper, chopped • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped (about a pound) • 1 can diced tomato • ¾ cup (6 ounces) Dune Bird dry red wine (AV8* recommended) • 1¼ cup vegetable stock • 1/3 cup quinoa or whole-wheat couscous

We’ve long been fans of 45 North’s Pinot Noir, and it almost pained us to pour a cup of the Leelanau-grown stuff into this chicken dish, but we quickly came up with a solution: Buy a second bottle to ensure you have enough to share with the food and a friend.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil • Salt and pepper • 2 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on • ¼ medium onion, chopped • 8 cloves garlic, halved • 2 cans diced tomato, drained • 1 cup 45 North Pinot Noir • 1 can chicken broth • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • ½ teaspoon dried thyme • 2 tablespoons softened butter, divided • 1 tablespoon flour • 8 ounces wild mushrooms (full disclosure: we used sliced baby bellas) • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over

med-high heat in a Dutch oven. Place chicken breasts skin side down in the hot oil and brown each side 4-5 minutes or until golden.

Transfer to a plate.

Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in the Dutch oven and add the onion. Reduce heat to medium, cooking 3-4 minutes or until softened/ Add garlic, cook 30 seconds, then stir in tomatoes, cooking 1 minute.

Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add chicken broth, oregano, thyme, and return to a boil.

Place chicken skin side down in the pot, cover tightly, and place in oven. Cook one hour or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender, turning once. Transfer Dutch oven to stovetop.

Combine 1 tablespoon butter with flour, then add to pot with chicken and bring to a simmer to thicken. Heat remaining tablespoon of butter over med-high heat in a skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes or until browned.

Transfer to pot with chicken, stir in chopped fresh basil, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve.

To Serve

• Dollops of Greek or vegan yogurt • Grated cheddar cheese or nutritional yeast

Instructions

Heat olive oil in large sauté or saucepan with a lid. Cook onion for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, cumin seeds and paprika, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Stir in the chopped sweet potato, red pepper, and squash; toss with the onion and spices.

Pour in the tomatoes, vegetable stock, wine. Season, then simmer gently for 15 mins. Stir in the quinoa, cover with a lid, then simmer for 15 mins more until the vegetables are tender, the quinoa is cooked (you’ll know when the quinoa is done because it will look like it has popped open, revealing the germ of the kernel) and the liquid has been absorbed.

Serve in bowls topped with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and some grated cheese or nutritional yeast. * Owner Nicole White suggests Dunebird’s AV8, a full-bodied red blend she calls “dynamic and elegant” for its “very earthy nose and these ethereal notes of raspberries and vanilla,” which we found to be a perfect accompaniment to both the recipe and our-post dinner chill time.

PINOT NOIR CHICKEN AND WILD MUSHROOMS 45 North

Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 11

GIVE THE GIFT OF MUSIC

MULLED CHERRY WINE

Black Star Farms on-Sat: Open M 11-6pm

Gift Certificates Available NEW AND USED VINYL RECORDS, CDs, TAPES, TURNTABLES, STEREO EQUIPMENT, SPEAKERS AND ACCESSORIES

We are always buying record collections, vintage equipment and speakers 231-947-3169 - 1015 Hannah Ave, Traverse City LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM FOR DAILY UPDATES! @RPMRECORDSTC

DO

NA TE If you’ve ever paid a visit to Black Star Farms’ Leelanau or Old Mission locations on a winter Saturday, you’ve likely caught a whiff — and hopefully, a taste — of their mulled wine, which they make with one or more of several in-house options: their Red House White, Artisan Red, Hard Apple Cider, or Cherry Wine. Our hands-down favorite? The Cherry Wine, a delightful semi-dry that’s sweet, tart, and lightly spiced and seems to suit most any palate, especially when mulled with a few extra-special holiday-season ingredients.

THANK YOU

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of water • ½ cup sugar • ½ teaspoon cinnamon • ¼ teaspoon cloves (ground or whole) • A dash or two of ground nutmeg

for your gift of giving

goodwillnmi.org/donate

Instructions

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and stir well. Heat gently, without boiling, and do not stir again. Once it reaches your preferred temperature, skim off spices, serve and enjoy. Pro-tip, courtesy of Black Star: Add a shot of Black Star Farms Apple or Cherry Brandy to each glass for more flavor and intensity.

DONATE For Good

12 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

A Michigan Christmas Classic: Honey Baked Ham The little shop tucked in a strip on the east side of TC turns up the heat for its busiest season

By Al Parker With a flaming propane torch in his left hand and a scoop full of white sugar in his right, Mike Muzljakovich spends hours every week adding the delicious sweet glaze for which Honey Baked Ham is known to the hundreds of hams he sells weekly at his shop.

After the sugar is caramelized, the ham is glazed once again in the company’s secret blend of enticing spices.

It’s hot work, but it’s vital to the hams whose cult-like popularity never seems to wane.

“We’ll probably sell 2,000 to 2,400 hams between Thanksgiving and Christmas,” saus Muzljakovich, who owns the Garfield Avenue franchise with his wife, Missy. “It’s our busiest time of the year, along with Easter. Christmas is bigger because there’s a lot of corporate gifting, folks giving our hams to their clients. At Easter, it’s very predictable. On the Saturday before Easter Sunday, it’s nuts til about 2 in the afternoon.

Then it’s like you turned the spigot off.”

GOING WHOLE HOG An Alpena native, Muzljakovich was working as a CPA in the Detroit area when he bought and began running several Mrs. Fields Cookie franchises across southern Michigan. When the family moved to Traverse City in 2000, he and Missy looked for another investment opportunity and settled on the ham store.

When the pandemic struck in spring of 2020, Muzljakovich was rightfully nervous.

The state ordered thousands of food operators to shut down right before Easter, and Muzljakovich had already paid out a bundle of cash to ensure the shop had enough hams and turkeys ready for the holiday.

“We were allowed to stay open,” he says.

“But I had ordered $40,000 in products and didn’t know if we’d be able to sell them.”

Loyal customers wanted their holiday hams and packed the parking lot to have Muzljakovich and his staff run them out as they waited in their cars. “We had 20 to 30 cars out in the parking lot all day,” he says with a laugh. “It turned out to be our best Easter ever. It was the community who really made it happen.”

“We’ve been very blessed,” adds Missy, who teaches pre-kindergarten classes at Immaculate Conception Elementary School.

DINE-IN In addition to the take-out hams and turkeys, the shop offers counter service with a lunch menu that is relatively slim in number but features hefty sliced slabs of ham and turkey. The counter service makes up about one-third of the store’s revenues.

The Garfield location’s top lunchtime seller is the Classic, featuring a solid inch or so of ham, topped with Swiss cheese, lettuce tomato, Duke’s mayo, and honey mustard atop a flaky croissant.

A close second in popularity is the Tavern Club, which begins with multi-grain bread.

Then both ham and turkey are piled high and topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, Duke’s mayo, and honey mustard.

Not in the mood for a sammie?

There are options. Ham and bean soup, along with a roasted turkey noodle soup are ready every day to ward off a winter chill. If a salad seems more sensible, there’s a Cobb salad loaded with ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, roasted tomatoes, pickled red onions, hard boiled eggs, and cornbread croutons on a bed of greens.

If you still have room for dessert, you might want to try the fresh macadamia or oatmeal raisin cookies.

PAST & FUTURE The start of the Honey Baked Ham company dates back to 1936 when Harry J. Hoenselaar of Detroit built a prototype of what was to become the first spiral-slicing machine. (A 2019 New York Times article reported that he built it using “a tire jack, a pie in, a washing machine rotor, and a knife.” Five years later, Harry filed his first patent for the gizmo, but it wasn’t until 1957 that he opened his first Honey Baked store in Detroit.

It was Hoenselaar’s children who developed the brand’s broader recognition over decades. Almost 65 years later, the company is still a family-owned business and serves customers at more than 400 retail locations in 40 states across the nation, as well as online.

Ironically, though he grew up in Michigan, Muzljakovich had never tasted the glazed hams until he was an adult.

“It was in the Detroit area at a Christmas party, and someone had brought a Honey Baked Ham,” he recalls. “I took the first bite and said ‘Whoa, what is this?’”

Little did he know that years later he would devote 40 to 60 hours a week running a franchise.

“Honey Baked does a really good job with its franchisees,” he says. “The quality of the product is top shelf. They take care of everything, and they stay focused on the products, ham and turkey. Our rep has been with them for 48 years — started right out of college.”

Muzljakovich has only 21 years under his belt with Honey Baked, but he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. As long as there are Christmas, Easter, and lunchtime cravings, Muzljakovich will be ready with the blowtorch.

Honey Baked Ham is at 815 S. Garfield in Traverse City. It’s open Monday-Friday 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday 11 am to 4 pm and closed Sunday. For more information or takeout orders, call (231) 935-4267.

HAM-DY TIPS

Want to serve the world’s easiest (and tastiest) Christmas dinner? Bypass the crown rub roast and consider picking up a pre-sliced ham (or turkey) instead. There’s not much you need to do, says Mike Muzljakovich — just this: Both the hams and turkeys come per-sliced. To release the slices, separate them gently with a knife.

Serve your ham at room temperature. Do not warm it in the oven, because the heat will cause it to dry out. (It’s best to microwave individual slices.)

You can keep your ham fresh for 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator. Turkeys can be kept for 5 to 7 days in the fridge.

After that, wrap either ham or turkey in foil, place in a freezer bag, and store it in the freezer. Both can stay frozen for months.

Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 13

DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK The reports of independent bookstores’ collective demise have been greatly exaggerated

By Craig Manning Independent bookstores weren’t supposed to make it to 2021.

For decades, this embattled segment of the retail marketplace has faced one existential threat after another.

First, it was the invasion of big box bookstores like Borders and Barnes & Noble, sneaking in and stealing market share because they were able to stock more books and charge lower prices.

Then, it was the rise of Amazon.com, which got its start as an online marketplace for books, transformed the reading world in 2007 with the Kindle e-book reading device, and has subsequently reshaped the entire retail landscape.

A decade ago, the prediction was that e-books and tablets would put the final nail in the coffin of indie bookstores, if not physical books in general. After all, digital technology had completely altered patterns of consumption in music listening and was in the process of doing the same for television and films. Why would books be immune to the same digital revolution that killed CDs, DVDs, and other relics of physical media?

Even last year, predictions of doom and extinction for indie booksellers weren’t hard to come by. “Is This the End of the Indie Bookstore?” asked a New Republic headline in April 2020, as the rise of the novel coronavirus hit brick-and-mortar retail like a bomb. Bookstores, especially, seemed unlikely to survive, given their status

as places for people to gather and linger — not to mention the fact that browsing for books has never exactly been a touchless experience.

Improbable Growth But the reports of independent bookstores’ collective demise have been greatly exaggerated. Despite everything — the big-box boom, the arrival of e-readers, the Amazon factor, and even COVID-19 — indie bookselling is actually … growing?

Just look at the data from the American Booksellers Association (ABA), a nonprofit trade association that exists to promote and support independent bookstores. In 2009, the ABA spanned 1,401 members and 1,651 store locations. At that time, ABA’s numbers had been dropping every year for the duration of the 2000s, and for the majority of the 1990s before that. But in 2010, ABA tracked its first membership increase in almost two decades: 1,410 members.

Improbably, those numbers continued to increase over the course of the 2010s, with dozens of new member bookstores opening each year. By 2019, the ABA’s membership had swelled to 1,887 and its number of member stores was up to 2,524 locations.

Of course, bookstores did take a hit due to the pandemic. ABA’s 2021 numbers are sobering, as membership has fallen to 1,700 this year and store locations are down to 2,100. But with many parts of the economy stabilizing again after 2020’s unprecedented shutdowns, it’s likely that most of the bookstores that have held on this long will live to fight another day.

14 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

Several of those bookstores are right here in northern Michigan, and they’re not just surviving; they’re thriving. Despite years of upheaval, uncertainty, and talk about their obsolescence, the region’s local bookstores have survived for a range of reasons. The Northern Express spoke to four of those stores — Brilliant Books and Horizon Books, in downtown Traverse City; McLean & Eakin Booksellers, in Petoskey; and Cottage Book Shop, in Glen Arbor — to learn their secrets to outlasting all the extinction-level events that were supposed to wipe them out.

A Brilliant Business Model “The whole reason for Brilliant Books is because everybody thought that [digital was going render physical books obsolete], and I didn’t,” says Peter Makin, owner and founder of Brilliant Books. That business got its start in 2007 in Suttons Bay, before expanding to a second location in downtown Traverse City in 2011. In 2013, Brilliant Books lost its Suttons Bay lease and has since been a Traverse City-only business — at least in terms of physical storefronts.

Since early on, though, Makin has been branding Brilliant Books with the slogan of “Your Long-distance Local Bookstore” — five words that help explain why this particular bookstore proved its early doubters wrong.

“There was a movement afoot when we started that said, ‘Bookstores are brick and mortar things, and Amazon is online and evil,’” Makin says. “[Independent bookstores] felt that only brick-and-mortar bookstores were any good. And I just thought

that was nonsense. So that’s why we’re now the nation’s ‘Long Distance Local Bookstore.’

Because people do want to buy things the way they want to buy things, and that might include online. And online doesn’t have to mean Amazon or big box. It can mean anyone who’s got an online presence, and we have a very strong one.”

Makin says he was “shouted down in conferences” for suggesting that a brickand-mortar indie bookstore could shed the traditional bookstore business model and move aggressively toward modernization.

To this day, Makin notes that it’s not uncommon to find a local bookstore with little to no web presence. Brilliant Books, meanwhile, has gone all-in online. The store’s website frequently highlights book recommendations from staff members, including blurbs arguing in favor of each chosen title. An active email newsletter keeps readers far and wide in the loop on the store’s latest events, deals, and book recommendations. And a comprehensive online database allows readers to order virtually any book they can think of from Brilliant Books and get it shipped to them for free (though locals can also opt to pick up orders at the store).

Most crucial of all, Makin says, is the Brilliant Books Monthly subscription service, a “highly personalized book selection service” where readers fill out a preference card and then get one book – hand-selected by a Brilliant Books bookseller – sent to them each month for a year. Every month, Brilliant Books ships out subscription boxes

to more than 2,000 people, all over the country. The service, which was one of the first book subscription models of its kind, is regularly mentioned in articles and on comparison sites alongside other big-name book-of-the-month clubs, and it has even been featured in the New York Times.

“We are the post office’s biggest customer downtown,” Makin says with a laugh. “We ship out thousands of books every month. So, our shipping operation is huge. I think the way that it breaks down is that about a third of our revenues come from the store itself, another third is the online bookstore thing, and another third is the book of the month. People often ask, ‘How on earth do two bookstores survive in a tiny town like Traverse City?’

And it’s because one of them has a completely different business model to pretty much any other bookstore in the country.”

Traverse City’s Bookselling Institution Downtown Traverse City’s other bookstore, Horizon Books, is perhaps northern Michigan’s most beloved bookselling institution. Founded in 1961, Horizon has operated stores in Traverse City, Cadillac, Petoskey, and Beulah. The TC and Cadillac locations continue to operate today.

Where Brilliant Books has focused itself on the “Long-distance Local Bookstore” concept, Horizon Books is largely a hyperlocal operation. The stores prominently display books by local and Michigan authors — many of them signed copies — and in-store events spotlight those same local writers. Amy Reynolds, one of Horizon’s two co-owners, also points to the Horizon stores as key community gathering spaces in northern Michigan. Add a lucrative partnership with Traverse City’s National Writers Series, and it’s clear that Horizon’s local roots run deep.

Horizon’s value to the community may have been even higher than Reynolds and her husband — the business’s founder, Vic Herman — realized. In January 2020, Reynolds and Herman announced that they would be closing the downtown Traverse City location of Horizon Books sometime that year, citing retirement plans and challenges with operating a bookstore with such a large physical footprint. (The Traverse City store is 22,000 square feet.) A massive outpouring of public support and good will for the store — combined with a $26,000 investment from the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Rotary Charities, to fund research into potential uses and tenants for the sprawling space — caused Reynolds and Herman to change course.

“When we announced closing, it was for retirement reasons, not because [Horizon] wasn’t still a viable business,” Reynolds says.

“But our plans have changed. I’m very glad that we were able to retain and maintain ownership through this [pandemic], because I don’t know who else could have.

It’s been difficult, and for somebody to start new during COVID would have been nearly impossible. So we’re very happy to say that we plan on being here for years to come, and we will be the owners. As you deal with choices, you want to have several up your sleeve, and we have just made a different choice than we did a year and a half ago.”

“We aren’t just selling books,” Reynolds adds. “What we’re doing is providing a community resource and community gathering space, as well. And people value that.”

titles tend to be books about the local region — whether that means histories, photo books, tourism guides, or fictional tales set in northern Michigan.

“Cottage is different from other bookstores in that it’s really a resort store,” Boucher says. “Many of our customers come from away and come to the area every summer.

Our customers are people who are summer residents and people that are just visitors, as well as local people. So, I think one of the big things for us is just connecting people to the area. We make sure we have local books or books about the area. We try to have as many of those types of books as possible, because those are specific books that customers can

“We aren’t just selling books,” Reynolds adds.

“What we’re doing is providing a community resource and community gathering space, as well. And people value that.”

Small Towns, Beloved Bookstores That idea — that customers value independent bookstores for more than just the products they sell — holds true at other northern Michigan book retailers, as well. At McLean & Eakin in Petoskey, for instance, business owner Matt Norcross points to instore author events as the element that put the small-town bookstore on the map in the first place.

“My mom opened the store in 1992 and did very well by focusing on events,” Norcross says. “That’s how she made a great name for the store: fantastic events and fantastic customer service.”

Events have remained a big piece of the puzzle at McLean & Eakin over the course of its nearly 30 years in business. While the National Writers Series is Traverse City’s premiere author-event draw, McLean & Eakin has gotten a and Festival of the Book is Harbor Springs’, number of notable authors to make the trek to Petoskey. Those include 2020 Pulitzer Prize finalist Ann Patchett; “Ready Player One” novelist Ernest Cline; Sue Grafton, the writer of the popular “alphabet” detective series (“’A’ Is for Alibi,” “‘B’ Is for Burglar,” etc.); acclaimed fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss, known for “The Kingkiller Chronicle” trilogy; and popular children’s/young author Garth Nix. Cottage Book Shop in Glen Arbor, meanwhile, serves its own unique purpose as a key resource for people visiting northern Michigan. According to Sue Boucher, who bought the store in 2014 shortly after moving to the area, the shop’s most popular

really only get in the area, and that they might not find somewhere else.”

Still, while both McLean & Eakin and Cottage Book Shop have embraced traditional roles that have historically fallen to local indie bookshops — connecting readers with authors, providing valuable local resources to shoppers — both are also evolving with the times. That’s in part because both stores are based in resort towns that blossom with activity and traffic in the summertime but taper off during the shoulder seasons.

“We’re kind of the reverse of a traditional bookstore,” Boucher says. “A traditional bookstore, their fourth quarter is their biggest quarter. And in our case, it’s the summer.”

How can indie bookstores survive in small tourist towns when tourist traffic dwindles and seasonal residents head for warmer climates? It’s a question that Norcross and his wife wanted to answer when they took over McLean & Eakin as second-generation owners a decade ago.

“We’ve always wanted to cater to a customer no matter where they are,” Norcross says. “So many of our customers leave during the off season, so we became very aware that it was worthwhile to try and stay with that customer, if we could, all year long. We did a lot of things to help that along. My wife began writing a weekly email that goes out every Monday, and it now has about 14,000 people [subscribed]. That’s really kept us connected with our customers the whole year. We also always told our staff that we wanted to not

argue about the format. We never cared if the customer wanted paperback or hardcover, so why would we care if they wanted a digital audiobook or an e-book? And so we very quickly pursued options for independent stores to sell digitally, when those options became available.”

As a result, these days, you can buy any type of book from McLean & Eakin — be it a brand-new hardcover, an audiobook file to play on your phone, or an e-book to read on your tablet. Of course, there have been fluctuations there, too. Interest in e-books has dwindled significantly over the past decade, while audiobooks have skyrocketed in popularity — particularly among visitors looking for something to listen to on the drive or flight back home.

A Durable Product Even with all the shifting tides of technology in the book world, though, the biggest surprise indie bookstores have seen over the past 20 years might be the durability of the physical book as a desirable commodity.

Why have books survived the trends of digitalization that have shaken other entertainment industries to the core, and why was there never a true Spotify or Netflix for books?

Our local experts have their opinions on the matter. Both Reynolds and Boucher, for instance, point to studies, which have found that readers retain information better when they read on paper than when they read digitally. Makin says there is a unique comfort to holding a physical book that can’t be replicated by a Kindle or an iPad. And Norcross notes that physical media in general — from books to vinyl records to Blu-Ray discs — seems to be making a comeback.

“The pendulum has swung back our way,” Norcross says. “The iPad or tablet never really reflected what you were doing [when you were reading]. Whereas, when you had the big Harry Potter in your hand, that was way cooler because it transmitted something about you. It telegraphed that ‘Hey, I’m reading a big book; I’m not just playing Angry Birds.’

“There was something to that, and I think it’s become a coveted idea. And so, the appreciation of the book as a physical object has only come to be appreciated more. The proof of that trend is also the fact that I’ve been selling vinyl records in the store for the last five years, and it’s only grown. I brought that idea in, and my wife was very not convinced. But it’s held its own. So, I think the analog object, the physical object, is something people really want right now.

The appreciation of these creature comforts and tactile things, it’s only increasing.”

Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 15

CherryT Ball Drop

New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Dress up, rock out, sled with your kids, or belly laugh your way into 2022

By Ross Boissoneau

New Year’s Eve 2020 was … quiet. New Year’s Eve 2021, on the other hand … ? It’s ready to rock. For those who prefer a quiet celebration with family or a few friends, more power to you. But for those looking to break out and make up for lost time, revelry is returning in full force. Here’s a look at just some of the options Up North: ROCK OUT • Jim Hawley, vocalist and guitarist who has opened for Jimmy Buffet and the Steve Miller Band, plays the Parlor in Traverse City.

• Distant Stars, a raucous foursome with one of the most charismatic frontmen in the North, rocks the Workshop Brewing house in Traverse City.

• The always fun Off Beat Band plays 9pm to 2am LC Taphouse in Lake City.

• A rare and special event: Pine Lake Lodge in Boyne City, will open up for one night only. The Cabana Boys play from 9pm to 10:30pm, The Sleeping Gypsies from 10:45pm to 12:15am, and the two bands will jam together till 1am.

• New Year’s Eve in TC wouldn’t be complete without dancing to a D.J. in the streets — or the descent of a big illuminated cherry. Gates open at 10 pm for the CherryT

Ball Drop (corner of Park and Front streets); the event ends at 12:20 am, after the fireworks show. A $3 donation per person is requested, with funds donated to local charities. Partying from home? You can catch the ruby red drop live on the CherryT Ball Drop Facebook page from the comfort and warmth of your couch.

LAUGHS • The Traverse City Comedy Club hosts Dinner & Comedy (sirloin steak, baked potato and parmesean garlic asparagus; baked salmon, rice pilaf, and balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts; or grilled portabella, rice pilaf and parmgarlic asparagus) with comedians Rob Jenkins, Ella Horwedel, and headliner Mike Stanley. Chicago Reader People’s Choice poll named Stanley named “Best Chicago Stand-up Comedian” and HOUR Detroit Magazine named him “Best Detroit Comedian.” See traversecitycomedyclub. com for tickets.

• Studio Anatomy in Traverse City welcomes Detroit native, Los Angelestransplant Brand Wenzel for two shows.

Known for his non-sequitur style, offbeat one-liners, dry delivery, and unassuming presence, he’ll have you in stitches. www. studioanatomy.com.

16 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

ELEGANCE • Looking to dress up and do the night right? Be one of 125 attendees at Nittolo’s Masquerade Party at Nittolo’s in Lake Leelanau. You’ll dance away 2021 with Mark Randisi and the Sounds of Sinatra while enjoying unlimited champagne and appetizers, gourmet food, seafood stations, and wood-fired pizzas. Bonus: Nittolo’s can help you line up transportation services.

Double bonus: The best dressed attendee

will win $500. Tickets are $149 per person.

(231) 954-2400 • Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay is hosting a formal (black tie optional) multi-course dinner — think: oysters, lamb, craft beef and much more, each paired with BSF’s best bottles — as part of its Arcturos Dining Series. $174 per person. Blackstarfarms.com.

• The Walloon Lake Inn is offering a special New Year’s Eve Surf & Turf dinner,

Jordan River Arts Center

Treetops offers family, adults-only, and teen parties.

Comedian Mike Stanley. Photo by Andrew Bray.

Leland Lodge Winter Cheer Fest.

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FAMILY FAVORITES • Crooked Tree Arts Center in downtown Petoskey kicks off the fun at 5pm, with performances and workshops by the CTAC instructors and friends from the Blissfest Music Organization and the nearby Petoskey District Library. This Northern Michigan event is alcohol-free and designed for all ages.

Art, music, dance & theatre performances and workshops, food and refreshments for all ages, and the special Midnight at 9pm ball-drop on Division Street.

• Revival Center Church, 984 Plett Rd., Cadillac. Family-friendly activities all day, with sledding on Cross Hill and hot cocoa at 4pm, a soup and chili cook-off (judging begins at 6pm); a snowman-building contest (winners announced at 7pm), plus a variety of table games all evening.

• The Leland Lodge hosts Winter Cheer Fest for families, and it is not only fun but free for the whole family. Party hours are “2pm til frozen,” and that’s because the sledding hill is open and awesome. You can warm up inside the lodge with food and drink specials, Painted Lady Face Painting (2pm-5pm), or singing along with The Broom Closet Boys (6pm-9:30pm) MAKE IT A WEEKEND Our resorts are rolling also out the white carpet on New Year’s Eve; go for the evening or stay until 2022.

• At Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, start with dinner at the Thistle Pub& Grille or the Wild Tomato. Enjoy live music from the Boone Doggies at the Vista Lounge. Or celebrate at the Family Party in Northwest Territories in the Crystal Center, which includes a dinner buffet, non-alcoholic beverages, party favors, live entertainment, and kids’ goody bags. Don’t

forget the Family Glow Light and Torchlight Parades, followed by fireworks!

• Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs. For the younger ones, or those young at heart, enjoy a bonfire and s’mores, zipline adventure tours, and pony rides. Then there’s the New Year’s Eve buffet, a Torchlight Parade, and fireworks. Adults can ring in 2022 at the Zoo Bar; their eye-rolling spawn can take in the Teen Party inside the Day Lodge.

• Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City offers a five-course dinner with live music from 7pm to 10pm with the David Chown Trio and a cash bar in the Michigan Ballroom. Package guests 21 and older also receive one ticket to the Light Up the Night party from 9pm to 1am (also available for purchase separately) inside the Governor’s Hall, plus enjoy fireworks, dance music from DJ Ryan Rousseau, a cash bar, and hors d’oeuvres. The kids can celebrate too, with a pajama party at the Health Club. It includes a DJ, balloon games, a pool party, scavenger hunt, cookie decorating, face painting, pizza, popcorn, and dessert, plus a sparkling juice toast and balloon drop at midnight!

• Treetops in Gaylord also features fun for the younger set and adults. The Family New Year’s Eve Party offers fun trivia, movies, and party favors. Adults can enjoy a cash bar while youngsters have their choice of kid-friendly drinks, plus hors d’oeuvres, brownies and cookies. An adults-only party with dueling pianos is also on the schedule. And when the clock strikes midnight, the fireworks start.

• Shanty Creek in Bellaire has a host of offerings, from the Family Fun Prime Rib Dinner Show at Summit Village to dining at the Lakeview restaurant with floor-toceiling views of the fireworks over Summit Mountain at 11pm. At Ivan’s at Schuss Village, Funkle Jesse will keep the dance floor packed all night with pop, rock, oldies, and current hits. Rather relax? Do dinner at The River Bistro at Cedar River Village.

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Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 19

145 YEARS STRONG Bahle’s: The store that built Suttons Bay

By Ross Boissoneau With its antique displays, wood floors, classic clothing lines and various reminders of days past, Bahle’s of Suttons Bay feels like it’s been there forever.

Just about. As Bahle’s nears its sesquicentennial, it’s interesting to observe how its rise, fall, and subsequent rise parallels the development of the town itself.

When Lars “LE” Bahle opened the store in 1876, he was just six years removed from departing his native Norway for America.

Reflecting the nature of the town, Bahle’s was the prototypical general store that sold most everything: clothing, dry goods, hardware, and other staples of pre-20th Century life in an undeveloped wilderness. Supplies and merchandise often arrived via the railroad; the tracks ran behind the store, bordering the storage barn that is still in use today.

As the tiny village and its burgeoning farm community grew, so too did LE’s business — so much so that the merchant had a schooner built to supply the store. As the go-to spot for just about everything in town, Bahle’s eventually served as the town post office, too.

LE’s eldest son, Otto, bought him out in 1920, when Otto was 28 years old. Otto’s son Owen was born the next year and, as he grew up, followed his father into the family business.

By the time the fourth generation came of age, Suttons Bay had fallen on lean times. The region’s agricultural fortunes were dwindling, and Suttons Bay hadn’t yet become a successful resort town like nearby Leland and Northport.

Still, that fourth generation — Owen and Leila’s children, Lois, Robert, Richard, Karl, and Chris — enjoyed their home, with Lake Michigan out front and the woods out back. “Growing up, (it) was idyllic, like going to camp,” says Karl. But the town wasn’t particularly prosperous or even attractive. “Suttons Bay wasn’t interesting.

It was a cherry processing town, and it was worn out.”

As they grew older, they weren’t interested in sticking around. Not at first, anyway. But eventually, they all returned to their hometown and became part of the family operations.

Rich didn’t even bother to finish his engineering studies at the University of Michigan. “I realized how much I missed here, the place, the farm, the business, more than I wanted to finish my degree,” he says.

He returned to the family farm, and says he loved the farming life. However, economic forces eventually signified the end of that career. “I loved the life, (but) shut it down. It was a hard hit, but it had to happen.”

At that point he moved into real estate, including selling property that became Tendercare skilled nursing facility, now Medilodge. Rich says Dad wasn’t thrilled about the property’s use for senior living; he felt the last thing the town needed was more old people. But Rich recognized that healthcare would become ever more necessary as the region’s amenities became more attractive to retirees.

Lois, Karl, and Chris became part of

20 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

the store’s operation: Lois as buyer, Karl out front, and Chris handling the accounting and financial aspects. As the years progressed, the three worked to ensure the store changed with the times — not so much in terms of style initially but in terms of practicality.

Lois says changes in farming technology impacted the store’s inventory significantly: As mechanical harvesting replaced migrant workers, there was less call for work clothes, and the store began carrying more resort wear as Suttons Bay became a vacation and second-home destination. “We changed the inventory to better quality (due to) the tourist industry,” she said.

The Bay Theatre became Robert’s baby — though he hadn’t set out to run it, and wasn’t even in Suttons Bay to adopt it. “To my surprise, [Mom and Dad] called and said, ‘We bought the theater. It’s your opportunity to come home.’ [My dad] always said there’s a lot of opportunity here. Mom and Dad made those opportunities.

“When I was running the theater, I thought if I’m doing this in five years, it will be a miracle. Then at 15 [years in], it became my career. After 30 years, I stepped down.” After Robert’s retirement, Rich’s son Erik (that’s the fifth generation, for those counting at home) took over.

Today it is run as a community nonprofit.

Erik subsequently moved on to managing another venture, Bahle Farms Golf Course, which was sold earlier this year. Today he is involved in the property management side of the family’s business.

The launch of the Sylvia, one of several boats that LE Bahle (standing on dock) would come to own. The staff ahead of the first clearance sale Bahle’s offered in the early 1920s. Otto (left) and John Bailey, 1936. Founder LE Bahle, pictured in 1910. LE’s son Otto, who bought out the store from his father and siblings in 1920. The earliest known image of Bahle’s mercantile store, taken around 1885.

Photos courtesy of Karl Bahle.

While things have changed and continue to do so, the store remains part of the fabric of Suttons Bay. It offers a variety of men’s and women’s clothing, from outerwear to T-shirts, jeans to hats to sweaters to accessories and everything in between. Upon Lois Bahle’s retirement six years ago, Stacy Sheren, a retail and visual merchandise pro who has owned and run her own boutiques, came in as buyer and also serves as manager today.

She’s responsible for the design of the store’s makeover a few years ago. It was reimagined as the kind of place it might have been several decades previous, and she enjoys it when people tell her the store looks just like it used to — even though it actually doesn’t.

“What I’ve tried to do is marry retail and museum,” says Sheren. As the former, it carries premium labels like Barbour, Dubarry of Ireland, Patagonia, and other upscale brands many might not expect to find in a small town in northern Michigan. “They’re more luxury goods. It’s wants; not needs.”

The historical aspect is served by any number of signs, displays, and artifacts. Part of the original post office fixtures are on

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display in back of the store. Orchard ladders are used as displays. Receipts from yesteryear are showcased as well. “People enjoy the history,” says Sheren.

While Sheren manages the store, the Bahles remain in the picture, though mostly in the background. “No family members … are actively involved in the retail [operation] day to day,” says Karl.

What does the future hold? Change for sure, but other than that no one can say for sure. As shopping migrates toward online options, they say the presentation and customer service will become even more important. “The focus is on customer service, creating an experience for the consumers.

There’s so much competition with the internet, but people miss the entertainment factor of shopping,” says Sheren.

“Retail demands more of a theater aspect,” agrees Karl.

No doubt there’s plenty of that, from the displays the public sees to mannequins and button books in the attic, even the old printing press in the basement where the family used to print its own signs and flyers.

Part museum, part high-end fashion, and all experiential, Bahle’s seems primed to blast past its sesquicentennial and far beyond.

Robert Bahle

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Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 21

dec 18

saturday

SNOW VS. VOYAGERS/ CHRISTMAS WITH THE SNOW!: 7pm, Otsego County Sportsplex, Gaylord. Hockey, yeti stuffed animal giveaways, Santa, ugly sweater ticket discount, & more. Find ‘Gaylord Snow’ on Facebook.

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CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT - GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY: 8:30am. The Christmas Bird Count is the oldest citizen science project in the U.S. CBC data is used to spot trends & influence policy. Contact Leonard Graf at bluethroat@charter.net if you’d like to participate. grandtraverseaudubon.org

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A LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTMAS: Grand Traverse Lighthouse, TC. Enjoy a self-guided family holiday tour where you will step back into Christmastime of the 1920s & 30s.

Check web site for hours. $5 adults; $2 6-17; free under 6. grandtraverselighthouse.com/ events/christmas-at-the-lighthouse

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GIFTS TWICE GIVEN WRCNM BENEFIT: 10am-5pm. Ward and Eis Gallery in downtown Petoskey will host the Gifts Twice Given benefit to support Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) programs & services. Ward and Eis Gallery will donate 20% of all sales to support life-saving & life-changing services for adult & child survivors of abuse & assault who reach out for WRCNM services. petoskeychamber.com/ events/details/gifts-twice-given-wrcnm-benefit-26839?calendarMonth=2021-12-01

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HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR: 10am-3pm, Old Town Playhouse, Schmuckal Theatre, TC. OTP volunteers, members, & friends will present their handmade, artful creations for sale as part of this Holiday Extravaganza.

There will also be an opportunity to have your presents wrapped by a Playhouse volunteer & get a photo with Santa. Immediately after the Craft Fair, the OTP Young Company will present “Holiday Cabaret” upstairs on the MainStage. Masks required while in the building. Free. oldtownplayhouse.com

book “Leelanau Underwater.” horizonbooks. com/event

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dec/jan

WINTER WINE WALK: 12-3pm, Otsego Resort, Gaylord. Walk from the River Cabin to the bonfire at the Beaver Dam. Along the trail, visit three wine tasting stations that are paired with light food. $38. otsegoclub.com/ event/winter-wine-walk-11

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FREE YOGA CLASS: 12:30pm, Dharamsala TC. Join the Yoga Teacher Training Graduates in this free foundation class. Register in advance. app.fitli.com/business/dharamsala-tc/schedule?product=10599&professional =111811#session-2014646

18-02

send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

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FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: 1-3pm, First Christian Church, TC. Presented by Northern Michigan Railroad Club & Great Lakes Children’s Museum. A swap meet will be held Dec. 18-19. Meet Santa. $5 (4 & under, free); $30 Festival Pass. nomirrc.wordpress. com/about/festival-of-trains

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PAPER BAG SNOWFLAKES: 1-2:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gallery, TC. Join Education & Outreach Director Kristi Wodek to make a large 3D snowflake using lunch sacks. All supplies included to make one snowflake. For ages third grade to adult.

Register. Free for members; $5 for nonmembers. crookedtree.org/class/ctac-traverse-city/paper-bag-snowflakes-1

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VISIT WITH SANTA: 1-5pm, Emmet County Fairgrounds, Equestrian Center Building, Petoskey. Holiday-themed arts & crafts. Enjoy cookies & hot cocoa while you wait to talk to Santa. Free.

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Explore winter on the easy to moderate trails at Black Star Farms Suttons Bay during Snowshoes, Vines, & Wines every Sat. through winter, followed by a glass of mulled wine on the Terrace Patio, or a bite to eat in the tasting room. Onsite snowshoe rentals are available from 12-4pm, and must be returned by 5pm. blackstarfarms.com/ snowshoes-vines-wines/

FREE YOGA CLASS: 2pm, Dharamsala TC. A Vinyasa class with Yoga Teacher Training Graduates. Register in advance. app.fitli.com/business/dharamsala-tc/sched ule?product=10599&professional=111811#s ession-2014648

*** Additional dates include Dec. 26-31, Jan. 16 and Feb. 20. It will not be held on New Year’s Day. The event starts on Dec. 26, weather permitting.

HOLIDAY MRKT SHARE:10am-3pm, Warehouse MRKT, TC. Shop local, handmade artists. In-person specials & deals. warehousemrkt.com

“HOLIDAY CABARET” BY OTP YOUNG COMPANY: 3pm & 7pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. This yuletide take on the Broadway “Showstoppers” will feature songs from the season in a dance-filled, musical revue.

Masks required while in the building. Adults: $15; youth under 18: $8 (plus fees). tickets. oldtownplayhouse.com/TheatreManager/1/ login&event=371

FREE YOGA CLASS: 2pm, Dharamsala TC. A Vinyasa class with Yoga Teacher Training Graduates. Register in advance. app.fitli.com/business/dharamsala-tc/sched ule?product=10599&professional=111811#s ession-2014651

MERRY MARKETPLACE: 10am-3pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. Featuring a different group of over 20 artists & artisans each week. There will be fun workshops to create ornaments, decor, & gifts. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traverse-city/ merry-marketplace

IN MEMORY OF LOIS LARSON DRISCOLL: 3pm, Interlochen Public Library, Community Room. This concert is presented by the Friends of Interlochen Public Library. Featuring David Holland, viola, & Joan Raeburn Holland, harp. Mask required. interlochenpubliclibrary.org

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PAJAMA SHOPPING DAY: Downtown Bellaire. Prizes for best jammies. Gift wrapping available at Bellaire Public Library from 10am-2pm.

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CHRISTMAS MIRACLE MILE - AN UGLY SWEATER DASH: 11am, Cherry Republic, Glen Arbor. Run a half mile, drink a beverage, & then run another lap!

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ASTRONOMY EXPERT AT THE LIBRARY: Noon, Benzie Shores District Library, Frankfort.

Professor Manuel Bautista of Western Michigan University will join the library virtually for a presentation on astronomy & the James Webb Space Telescope. A Q&A will follow. Join at the library or from home on Zoom. cca.frankfortelberta.com/EvtListing.aspx?&class=C

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BOOK SIGNINGS: Horizon Books, TC. 12-2pm: Debbie Watson will sign her book “Polar Bear and the Dragon Book 2: Dream Jumper.” 2-4pm: Chris Roxburgh will sign his

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SANTA PICTURES & CAROLS: 4-6pm, Torch Lake Café, Eastport (US 31/M-88). torchlakecafe.com

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SANTA SKATE: 5-7pm, Petoskey Ice Arena. $6 skate rental. Complimentary cookies & hot cocoa. $10/person or $30/family. petoskeyicearena.com

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COMEDY WITH JEFF HORSTE: 7pm, TC Comedy Club, TC. Enjoy topics ranging from candy corn to book bags to racial equality. Horste has performed on Comedy Central, “Hart Of The City,” “The Next Level,” “Laughs” & much more. $15-$25. traversecitycomedyclub.com/jeff-horste

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“HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Presented by the NMC Chamber Singers & NMC Grand Traverse Chorale.

947-7120.

--------------------22 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

DIAMOND RIO: 8-10pm, Little River Casino Resort, Manistee. This country music band has sold more than 10 million albums, won a Grammy Award, Dove Award & six Vocal Group of the Years, plus much more. $40-$50. event.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSale.do?performance_ id=4332772&method=restoreToken

dec 19

sunday

A LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTMAS: (See Sat., Dec. 18)

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GIFT WRAPPING BONANZA: 10am-2pm, Bellaire Public Library. Just bring your gifts, tape & scissors.

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BOOK SIGNING WITH TRICIA FREY: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Tricia will sign her book “River Love.” horizonbooks.com/event/ store-book-signing-tricia-frey-river-love

--------------------FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: (See Sat., Dec. 18) ---------------------

HOLIDAY CONCERT: PETER BERGIN: 1pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Enjoy this local pianist & vocalist as he shares his talent of entertaining. Featuring songs you remember of holidays past. Free. tadl.org/event/holidayconcert-peter-bergin-pianist-vocalist

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FREE YOGA CLASS: 12:30pm, Dharamsala TC. Join the Yoga Teacher Training Graduates in this free foundation class. Register in advance. app.fitli.com/business/dharamsala-tc/schedule?product=10599&professional =111811#session-2014650

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“THE POLAR EXPRESS”: 2pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Experience this cinematic adventure based on the award-winning children’s book on the

Center’s 45-foot cinema screen. $3 youth, $7 adult. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/ great-lakes-cinema-series-polar-express

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“HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”: 3pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium.

Presented by the NMC Chamber Singers & NMC Grand Traverse Chorale. 947-7120.

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HOLIDAY CONCERT: TLC HANDBELL CHOIR: 3pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Enjoy recognizable holiday music with melodies & harmony. Free. tadl.org/event/holiday-concert-tlc-handbell-concert

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JAZZY CHRISTMAS MATINEE: 3pm, GT Circuit, TC. With David Chown, Laurie Sears & Miriam Pico. Family friendly. Proof of vaccination & masks required. Wine from Chateau Chantal, tacos from Mama Lu’s & lemonade available. $10 donation.

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JINGLE BELL RUN: 5pm. A non-timed 5K run/ walk that starts at the Workshop Brewing Co. & goes through downtown TC. Wear your holiday costume & enjoy cookies & hot chocolate afterwards. $20. runsignup.com/jinglebellrun

dec 20

monday

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: 10am-6pm, First Christian Church, TC. $5; 4 & under, free; $30 Festival Pass. nomirrc.wordpress.com/ about/festival-of-trains

KID’S CRAFT LAB: SHINY CD ORNAMENT: 1pm & 3:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Sparkle up an old CD to decorate your tree. Sign up when you reserve your attendance at the Museum. greatlakeskids.org

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HOLIDAY LIGHTS FUN RUN/WALK: 6pm, Running Fit, 300 E. Front St., Ste. 103, TC. Run/walk through TC’s Central Neighborhood to view the festive holiday lights. Wear your best holiday attire. Bring a $5 donation or one pet supply item to be donated to the Cherryland Humane Society.

dec 21

tuesday

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: (See Mon., Dec. 20)

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PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30am, Suttons Bay Bingham District Library, Community Room.

Start you day with stories, songs & more. A face mask is required for everyone (5 & up) for any of the indoor group programs for youth. Free. sbbdl.org

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IN PERSON BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Mike Terrell will sign his book “On the Trails of Northern Michigan,” which covers state parks & national forests from coast to coast. horizonbooks.com/event/person-booksigning-mike-terrell-trails-northern-michigan

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WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION: 5-6:30pm, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, TC. An outdoor ritual celebration featuring Song of the Lakes. Celebrate the return of the light with bonfires, music, dancing, hot cocoa/cider, & Yule Tree decorating. 9473117. Free. fb.me/e/QjsXcRgQ

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FOL MOVIE NIGHT: 6:30-8pm, Bellaire Public Library. “Capitol Christmas Tree” presented by Bob Holtzmann.

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BLISSFEST PRESENTS “ON THE WINTER SOLSTICE”: 7pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. Guests include Rachael & Dominic Davis, Djangophonique, Hadassah Greensky Trio, and The Hype, plus a mystery guest host. $25 members; $30 GA. blissfest.org

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WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION: 7pm, 1240 E. 8th St., TC. Celebrate the earth, the seasons, & your own sacred journey. Guided meditation & ceremony: bring whatever speaks to you - a picture, a message, a token. For info call: 231-383-0803. $10 donation sliding scale. facebook.com/ events/431632951936331

dec 22

sunday

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: (See Mon., Dec. 20)

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THE SALVATION ARMY CHRISTMAS DINNER COMMUNITY MEAL: 11am-2pm. A traditional Christmas meal will be served togo from food trucks in The Salvation Army parking lot, TC. centralusa.salvationarmy. org/traversecity/events/the-salvation-armychristmas-community-meal

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IN STORE BOOK SIGNING: 3-5pm, Horizon Books, TC. Charles Kraus will sign his book “Thompsonville in Time.” horizonbooks.com/event/store-book-signingcharles-kraus-thompsonville-time-0

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NORTE’S ANNUAL RIDE TO SEE THE LIGHTS: 6pm. Meet at Rare Bird Brewpub’s parking lot, & slow roll to see the Christmas

lights of downtown TC, Boardman Neighborhood, & the alleys of Central Neighborhood. elgruponorte.org/theme_event/ holiday-lights/?mc_cid=8205887e42&mc_ eid=df24b9efb4

dec 23

thursday

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: (See Mon., Dec. 20)

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IN STORE BOOK SIGNING: 4-6pm, Horizon Books, TC. Tom Carr will sign his book “Blood on the Mitten,” Infamous Michigan Murders 1700s to Present. horizonbooks.com/event/storebook-signing-tom-carr-blood-mitten

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CHRISTMAS PRINCESS MEET & GREET: 6-8pm, Once Upon A Child, TC. Meet Belle, Ariel & Cinderella who will all be dressed in their fanciest Christmas gowns. Tinkerbell will also be spreading her Christmas Pixie Dust upon all of the little princes & princesses. Free.

dec 24

friday

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: 10am-4pm, First Christian Church, TC. $5; 4 & under, free; $30 Festival Pass. nomirrc.wordpress.com/ about/festival-of-trains OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS EVE STORYWALK: 10am, Central United Methodist Church, TC. Meet in the back parking lot to enjoy a reading of ‘Twas the Evening of Christmas, plus other activities. Free.

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SKIING WITH SANTA: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Santa will hit the slopes beginning at 10am. crystalmountain.com/ event/santa-ski

dec 25

saturday

dec 26

sunday

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: 12-5pm, First Christian Church, TC. $5; 4 & under, free; $30 Festival Pass. nomirrc.wordpress.com/ about/festival-of-trains

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SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: 12-5pm, Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay. Explore easy to moderate trails, & then warm up with a beverage on the Terrace Patio. Snowshoe rentals will be available. blackstarfarms. com/snowshoes-vines-wines

dec 27

monday

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: (See Mon., Dec. 20)

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SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: (See Sun., Dec. 26)

dec 28

tuesday

COMEDY NIGHT & DINNER: Featuring comedians Ken Evans, Cam Rowe & Harry Artin. Check in at 5:30pm. Dinner starts at 6pm & show at 7:30pm. $68/person. otsegoclub.com

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: (See Mon., Dec. 20)

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PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30am, Suttons Bay Bingham District Library, Community Room. Enjoy stories, songs & more. A face mask is required for everyone 5 & over for indoor youth programs. Free. sbbdl.org SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: (See Sun., Dec. 26)

dec 29

wednesday

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: (See Mon., Dec. 20)

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SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: (See Sun., Dec. 26) IN STORE BOOK SIGNING: 2-4pm, Horizon Books, TC. Pat Commins & Elizabeth Rice will sign their book “Irish Immigrants in Michigan.” horizonbooks.com/event/storebook-signing-pat-commins-and-elizabethrice-irish-immigrants-michigan

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FUN RUN: 6:30-8:30pm, Silver Spruce Brewing Co., TC. Run & socialize. Threemile & five-mile routes will be mapped out.

Traction footwear, lights & reflective gear are encouraged. Free.

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COMEDIAN TODD BARRY: 8pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. This comedian & actor is recognized for his roles as the bongo-playing “Third Conchord” on HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords” & Mickey Rourke’s deli boss scene in 2009 Oscar winner “The Wrestler,” & renowned throughout the entertainment industry for his original approach to stand-up. $25. greatlakescfa.org/ events/detail/comedian-todd-barry

dec 30

thursday

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: (See Mon., Dec. 20)

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SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: (See Sun., Dec. 26)

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

COMEDY WITH MIKE STANLEY: 7:30pm, TC Comedy Club, TC. Crass, witty & brutally honest, but with some heart & warmth behind his humor, Stanley was named “Best Chicago Stand-Up Comedian” in a People’s Choice pole done by the Chicago Reader & “Best Detroit Comedian” by Hour Magazine. $20-$25. traversecitycomedyclub.com

dec 31

friday

COUNTDOWN TO 2022!: 9:30-11:30am, 12-2pm & 2:30-4:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. During each session kids will decorate the New Year Ball & make party hats & noise makers for the big celebration. Ball Drop & Bubble Wrap Pop at 11am, 1:30pm & 4pm. Sign up when you reserve your attendance at the Museum. $3 extra for countdown activities. greatlakeskids.org

--------------------FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: (See Fri., Dec. 24) ---------------------

SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: (See Sun., Dec. 26)

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

IN STORE BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Stephen Lewis will sign his books “Dementia: A Love Story” & “Murder on Old Mission.” horizonbooks.com/event/ store-book-signing-stephen-lewis-dementialove-story-and-murder-old-mission

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

NYE OUTSIDE!: 6-8pm, CTAC’s Bidwell Plaza, Petoskey. Bundle up & ring in 2022

new

year’s

eve party!

Fun! funny! delicous! menu starter Chopped Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Dinner (CHOOSE ONE) Sirloin Steak, Baked Potato, and Parmesan Garlic Asparagus Baked Salmon, Rice Pilaf, and Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts Grilled Portabella Mushroom, Rice Pilaf, and Parmesan Garlic Asparagus a toast!

Complimentary Glass of Sparkling Wine

and, of course...

WORLD CLASS COMEDY!

Friday,

Mike Stan

ley

mike will also be

December 30 – DECember 31 performing Tickets still available WRY, WITTY, CUNNING, AND CRASS. Detroit native Mike Stanley is all of these things AND none. Yeah, he's pretty hilarious but, more than just coarse anecdotes about life and sex, there's an enviable amount of heart and warmth behind Stanley's humor. He’s been named "Best Chicago Stand-up Comedian" in a Peoples Choice poll done by the Chicago Reader and “Best Detroit Comedian”

by HOUR Magazine.

New year’s eve tickets - $60 & $65 DOORS OPEN AT 6:30 PM, DINNER AT 7:30 PM, COMEDY TO FOLLOW. STICK AROUND AFTER THE SHOW FOR MUSIC, COCKTAILS, FOOD, AND RAFFLES.

traversecitycomedyclub.com or call 231.421.1880 ask about hosting your next event here!

738 S. Garfield Avenue, Traverse City

Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 23

on the corner of Division St. & Mitchell St. in downtown Petoskey. Music, cocoa & cookie stations, bonfire pits with s’more kits, DJ & family-friendly fun. Ball Drop at 8pm. Free; donations appreciated. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey/new-years-eve-outside-arts-center

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

NYE AT CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE: Family Party: Held in the Northwest Territories in the Crystal Center from 6-11pm.

Includes a dinner buffet, non-alcoholic beverages, live entertainment & kids goody bag. $60 adults, $30 ages 3-12, free for 2 & under. Live music from Boone Doggies in the Vista Lounge from 9pm-1am. For 21+. $10 cover charge.

Family Glow Light & Torchlight Parades: Begin at the top of Cheers to Lou at 10pm. Spaces are limited to the first 100 people ages 18 & up to carry a torch, & the first 100 people ages 6 - 17 to carry a glow light. All participants will be provided a wristband for chairlift access. Must register before 8pm. Fireworks: Held right after Torchlight Parade. crystalmountain.com/event/ new-years-eve-celebration

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

COMEDY WITH MIKE STANLEY: 7:30pm, TC Comedy Club, TC. Crass, witty & brutally honest, but with some heart & warmth behind his humor, Stanley was named “Best Chicago Stand-Up Comedian” in a People’s Choice pole done by the Chicago Reader & “Best Detroit Comedian” by Hour Magazine.

Tonight includes dinner. $60-$65. traversecitycomedyclub.com/mike-stanley

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

NYE COMEDY EVENT W/ BRAD WENZEL: Studio Anatomy, TC. Brad is most known for his non-sequitur style of joketelling. His offbeat one-liners, dry delivery & unassuming presence are what set him apart from other comedians. He has

made three stand-up appearances on Conan. Shows at 7:30pm & 9pm. $10; $5 students & military. checkout.square.site/ buy/6SDJJJ2JPRM6LZQ22LTDAJVF

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

NYE MASQUERADE PARTY: 7:30pm, Nittolo’s Pizza, Lake Leelanau. Dance away 2021 with Mark Randisi and the Sounds of Sinatra while enjoying champagne & appetizers, gourmet food & seafood stations & wood-fired pizzas. Come dressed in costume & have a chance to win $500. Tickets: 231-994-2400. $149.

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

NYE AT TREETOPS RESORT, GAYLORD: Family Party, 8pm-12:30am in Convention Center: Enjoy trivia, movies, & more. Enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres & brownies & cookies.

Ages 13+: $35. Ages 6-12: $30. 5 & under: Free. Adults-Only Party, 9pm-1am in Oak Room: Music, jokes, dueling pianos, snacks, a champagne toast, fireworks & more. For ages 21+ only. Tickets: $35/person. treetops.com/events/new-years-eve

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

NYE AT OTSEGO RESORT, GAYLORD: Party in Sitzmark from 8pm-2am. Fireworks at 10pm over the Valley. RSVP: 989-732-5181.

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

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Acme. Featuring fireworks, dance music

by DJ Ryan Rousseau, a cash bar, & hors d’oeuvres. Runs 9pm-1am. $75/person or $130/couple. grandtraverseresort.com/nye

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

CHERRYT BALL DROP: Park Street & Front Street, TC. The large cherry drops from the sky, followed by fireworks as you ring in the New Year! Gates open at 10:30pm & the event ends at 12:20am. $3 donation per person. cherrytballdrop.org

Give the Gift of Learning this Holiday Season and Save up to 20% A great option for Santa’s little elves is to give the gift of academic success.

Let us help you check off the gift of learrning with our personalized learning plans.

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jan 01

saturday

FROZEN RABBIT 5K RUN & WALK: Starts at the Norte Wheelhouse at 11am & goes through neighborhoods of TC. If you wear a costume, you can win a prize. Register. Suggested $15 minimum donation. elgruponorte.org/theme_event/frozen-rabbit/?mc_ cid=8205887e42&mc_eid=df24b9efb4

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

SNOWSHOE HIKE: 11am, Michigan Legacy Art Park, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Executive Director Angie Quinn will lead a snowshoe tour over about two miles of hilly wooded trails to view the sculptures in the Art Park. Free with $5 admission to park; youth are free. crystalmountain.com/event/snowshoe-tours

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

WINTER WINE WALK: 12-3pm, Otsego Resort, Gaylord. Walk from the River Cabin to the bonfire at the Beaver Dam. Along the trail, visit three wine tasting stations that are paired with light food. $38. otsegoclub.com/ event/winter-wine-walk-11

art

ART OF WISDOM, BOOK RELEASE & GALLERY SHOW: Ledbetter Gallery, TC. Vada Color & Ledbetter Gallery present the book release of “The Art of Wisdom, Tales and Paintings from the Third Eye” by George Kleiber.

George will also be showcasing original artwork, along with fine art giclée prints through Dec. ledbettergallery.com

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

BIRDS FLY IN: A HUMAN REFUGE: Runs through Jan. 2 at Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. A cross-cultural art collaboration

focusing on themes related to Migration & Intuition featuring artist Ellie Harold. dennosmuseum.org

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

CHARLEVOIX CIRCLE MARKET: Charlevoix Circle of Arts, through Dec. 30.

Featuring local handmade items, original art, & locally produced specialty treats.

Closed on Sundays. charlevoixcircle.org

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

HOLIDAY GIFT MARKET: Runs through Dec. 19 at Jordan River Arts Center, East Jordan. Check out many handmade items created by local artisans. jordanriverarts.com

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

LEATHER ART BY BILL SCHIEBER: Alden District Library. Runs through Dec. 30.

Closed on Sundays. aldenlib.info

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

SNOW SHOW - LOCAL ARTISTS’ TAKE ON WINTER: Old Art Building, Leland.

Over 50 local artists will share works of art inspired by the phenomenon of snow & the subtle colors of winter. Runs through Dec. 19. oldartbuilding.com

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

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - HOLIDAY BAZAAR: Runs through Dec. 23. Shop for handmade, one-of-a-kind gifts made by Michigan artists. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey/holiday-bazaar-ctacpetoskey - THROUGH OUR EYES: CROOKED TREE PAINTERS’ STUDIO EXHIBITION: The Crooked Tree Painters’ Studio meets weekly at CTAC in Atrium Gallery to share their love of painting. This year’s exhibition features original paintings by 18 artists. Runs through Dec. 18. crookedtree.org/event/ ctac-petoskey/through-our-eyes-crookedtree-painters-studio-exhibition

50% OFF STOREWIDE THROUGH 12/31/21

$49

ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT

Regular price $99

Must present coupon. Valid at Sylvan Learning Center. Offer expires 1/31/22

SAVE $100 ON OUR SAT/ACT COLLEGE PREP PROGRAM

TraverseCity.MI@sylvanlearning.com 2506 Crossing Circle • Traverse City • 231-941-0060

24 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

In the charming Village of Alden.

Holiday Hours daily 11-4

Find everything you need for a festive spread.

Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 25

nitelife

dec 11 - dec 19 edited by jamie kauffold

Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

BAHIA, TC 12/18 -- Matt Mansfield, 10 GT CIRCUIT, TC 12/19 -- Jazzy Christmas Matinee w/ David Chown, Laurie Sears & Miriam Pico, 3 GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT & SPA, ACME 12/31 -- Light Up The Night NYE Party w/ DJ Ryan Rousseau, 9 LIL BO, TC Thurs. – Jazz w/ Larz Cabot, 6-9 Fri. – Live music Sun. -- Karaoke - Shooting Star Entertainment, 8 MAMMOTH DISTILLING, TC 12/22 & 12/29 -- Eric Clemons, 7:30-10:30 STUDIO ANATOMY, TC 12/31 -- NYE Comedy Event w/ Brad Wenzel, 7:30 & 9

TC COMEDY CLUB, TC 12/17 -- Comedy w/ Jeff Horste, 7:30 12/18 -- Comedy w/ Jeff Horste, 7 12/30 & 12/31 -- Comedy with Mike Stanley, 7:30 THE PARLOR, TC 12/18 -- Cameron Six, 8-11 12/31 -- Jim Hawley, 8-11 THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 12/18 -- DJ Ras Marco D, 12-2pm; Djangophonique, 7pm 12/21 & 12/28 -- Open Mic, 7-9 Weds. -- Live Jazz, 6-8:30 12/27 -- Big Fun Jam Band, 6 12/31 -- Distant Stars, 7 1/1 -- DJ Ras Marco D, 12-2pm

TURTLE CREEK CASINO & HOTEL, WILLIAMSBURG 12/31 -- Broom Closet Boys, 9 UNION STREET STATION, TC 12/17-18 -- Snacks & Five, 10 Sun. -- Karaoke, 10 12/20 & 12/27 -- Jukebox, 10 12/21 & 12/28 -- Open Mic Comedy, 8-9:30; Electric Open Mic, 10-2 12/22 -- DJ Jr, 10 12/23 -- DJ Coven, 10 12/29 -- Ryan Whyte Maloney (“The Voice”), 10 12/30 -- Q100 Live, 10 12/31 -- Soul Patch & Snacks & Five, 10

THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC PATIO: 12/18 -- The 4 Horsemen, 6:309:30 12/31 -- DJ DomiNate & DJ Jr Silent Disco Party, 9

HELLO VINO, BELLAIRE 12/21 -- Doc Woodward, 7-9 12/31 -- Clue, 7 SHORT’S BREW PUB, BELLAIRE 12/18 -- Breathe Owl Breathe, 6-11:30

12/19 -- Yule Swing Christmas Party w/ DJ Franck, 4-8 12/23 -- Ugly Sweater Party w/ Reggie Smith & The After Party, 8:30 Sun. -- Reggae Sunday w/ DJs, 2-5 12/27 -- Chris Sterr, 8:30-11:30 12/28-29 -- Stormy Chromer, 8:3011:30 12/30 -- Blair Miller, 8:30-11:30 12/31 -- The Smokin’ Dobroleles, 8:30-11:30

BENNETHUM’S NORTHERN INN, GAYLORD 5-8: 12/21 -- Nelson Olstrom 12/28 -- Michelle Chenard

BIG BUCK BREWERY, GAYLORD 6-9: 12/29 -- Bill Oeming 12/30 -- Lou Thumser

OTSEGO RESORT, GAYLORD SITZMARK: 12/31 -- NYE Party, 8

Leelanau & Benzie CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE SLOPESIDE TENT, NEAR CRYSTAL CLIPPER CHAIRLIFT, 3-5: 12/31 -- Luke Woltanski 1/1 -- Jesse Jefferson VISTA LOUNGE: 12/26 -- Christopher Winkelmann, 2-5; Rootball, 8-11 12/27 -- Chris Smith, 2-5; Broom Closet Boys, 8-11 12/28 -- Jim Hawley, 2-5; Project 6, 8-11 12/29 -- Jesse Jefferson, 2-5; Johnny P Band, 8-11 12/30 -- Johnny P, 2-5; Johnny P Band, 8-11

12/31 -- Brady Corcoran, 2-5; Boone Doggies, 8-11 1/1 -- AndyLynn & John G, 2-5; Boone Doggies, 8-11 DICK’S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. -- Karaoke, 10-1 LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 12/26 -- Luke Woltanski Duo, 6:309:30 LEELANAU SANDS CASINO & LODGE, PESHAWBESTOWN 12/31 -- DJ Ricky T, 9

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 6-9: 12/18 -- Cheryl Wolfram Holiday Spectacular 12/22 -- Frary & The Frequency STORMCLOUD BREWING FRANKFORT 7-9: 12/18 – Blake Elliott 12/28 -- Meg Gunia 12/29 -- Lighting Matches 12/30 -- Abigail Stauffer 12/31 -- Maddy Sharp 1/1 -- Luke Woltanski

CO.,

Emmet & Cheboygan BEARDS BREWERY, PETOSKEY 12/18 -- Owen James Trio, 6 12/19 -- Celtic/Traditional Irish Session, 5

Antrim & Charlevoix ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 12/18 -- Ugly Sweater Party, 8-11 12/31 -- NYE Party w/ Earth Radio, 7-10

Otsego, Crawford & Central

TORCH LAKE CAFÉ, EASTPORT (US 31/M-88) 12/18 -- Santa Pics & Carols, 4-6; Rhett & John, 8:30 12/19 -- Wendy Barnes, 12:30 12/22 -- Karaoke, 7:30 12/23 -- Nick Vasquez, 7 12/24 -- Ivan Greilick, 8 12/31 -- Leanna Collins & Ivan Greilick, 6; Yankee Station, 9

Neapolitan Pizza

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY 12/18 – Chris Calleja, 2-6 12/26 – Chris Calleja, 4-7:30 12/27, 12/30 & 1/1 -- Michelle Chenard, 4-7:30 12/29 -- Chris Calleja, 4-7:30 12/28 & 12/31 -- Tyler Parkin, 4-7:30 MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BAY HARBOR 12/18 -- The Real Ingredients, 7-10 NOGGIN ROOM, PETOSKEY 12/18 – Holly Keller, 7-10 12/24 – Rob Yates, 6:30-9:30 12/26 -- Mike Ridley, 7-10 12/27 -- Moon Howlers, 7-10 12/28-29 -- Mike Struwin, 7-10

12/30 -- Ty Parkin, 7-10 12/31 -- Todd Aldridge, 7-10 ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY VICTORIES, 9: 12/18 -- TC Knuckleheads 12/30 -- Mega 80’s 12/31 -- Class of ‘98 THE LARK THEATER, CHEBOYGAN 12/18 -- Lori Cleland, Duffy King & Mike Ridley, 6: SOLD OUT ANTRIM & CHARLEVOIX ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 12/18 -- Ugly Sweater Party, 8-11 12/31 -- NYE Party w/ Earth Radio, 7-10 HELLO VINO, BELLAIRE 12/21 -- Doc Woodward, 7-9 12/31 -- Clue, 7 SHORT’S BREW PUB, BELLAIRE 12/18 -- Breathe Owl Breathe, 6-11:30

12/19 -- Yule Swing Christmas Party w/ DJ Franck, 4-8 12/23 -- Ugly Sweater Party w/ Reggie Smith & The After Party, 8:30 Sun. -- Reggae Sunday w/ DJs, 2-5 12/27 -- Chris Sterr, 8:30-11:30 12/28-29 -- Stormy Chromer, 8:30-11:30 12/30 -- Blair Miller, 8:30-11:30 12/31 -- The Smokin’ Dobroleles, 8:30-11:30 9 TORCH LAKE CAFÉ, EASTPORT (US 31/M-88) 12/18 -- Santa Pics & Carols, 4-6; Rhett & John, 8:30 12/19 -- Wendy Barnes, 12:30 12/22 -- Karaoke, 7:30 12/23 -- Nick Vasquez, 7 12/24 -- Ivan Greilick, 8 12/31 -- Leanna Collins & Ivan Greilick, 6; Yankee Station, 9

Free Live Music of the Seasons of Christmas and Epiphany

Organ, Piano, Guitar, Trumpet, Chamber Choir, Handbell Choir, Flute Trio

Featuring Dr. John Boonenberg, DMA

with Bill Wilson, Owen James, Ted Pall, Amy Joy Cross and Brian Horning

148 W. Main - Gaylord (989) 748-4848

26 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Petoskey Saturday January 8, 2022 at 4:00pm www.zionlutheranpetoskey.org Supported by the Petoskey Harbor Springs Community Foundation

Plath’s Meats

Steven Spielberg — Mr. Hollywood himself — has never before made a movie musical, the genre that might as well be Hollywood writ large. It certainly wasn’t for his lack of interest.

As a student of classical Hollywood and the studio era, he’s teased us before with things like the Busby Berkeley-inspired “Anything Goes” number that opens Temple of Doom.

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So there’s something deeply poetic about the fact that in his fifth decade of moviemaking, Spielberg finally tackles the genre and also crosses this milestone by remaking one of Hollywood’s most sacred cows, the 10-time 1961 Oscar winner, West Side Story.

Everything about remaking that film invites doubt. Like, what’s the point? How could anything ever top the magic of Leonard Bernstein’s score and Stephen Sondheim’s brilliant lyrics brought to life by the inimitable choreography of Jerome Robbins in the retelling of Romeo and Juliet as star-crossed lovers from rival gangs in 1950s New York City.

But Spielberg meets the challenge with a dream team of his own, collaborating on a film that is both reverential and refreshingly updated with Pulitzer prize-winning screenwriter Tony Kushner (Angels in America), cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (Saving Private Ryan), and the New York City Ballet’s Justin Peck.

No one but Spielberg could reinvigorate something so rooted in Hollywood’s past, and do it so seamlessly, with the resulting film radiating youthful vitality and cinematic exuberance. Melding both stage and screen versions, with something bracingly his own, this West Side Story is a mix of necessary modern changes with something wholly cinematic, and so utterly Spielbergian. And after a string of recent rather middling films, this is top-tier Spielberg at that.

At the front of the film’s changes is a screenplay that adds depth and dimension and also gives Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria’s (Rachel Zegler) love story a grander scope. The script is no longer limited by theatrical constraints. It moves freely into a wider world, beyond sound stages, into more locations and a bigger perspective. It brings realism into the filmmaking without sacrificing grandeur.

There’s also a deft subplot addressing redevelopment. The 1961 West Side Story was filmed in the area being demolished to make way for the building of New York’s Lincoln Center. In this version, that bit of real-life history becomes part of the story as the film makes it clear that both sides, the white Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks, are being pushed out by gentrification. It’s a turf war neither side can win.

With a Latinx cast, the film course corrects on some of the original’s faux pas while more directly tackling issues of race and class without feeling heavy-handed. The contemporary version’s cast is also much more appropriately aged to the material that the 1961 film; you can’t help but be struck by just how young the players are — they’re just kids! — and that sense really drives the tragedy home.

One of its biggest gambles is how the film takes kindly storekeeper Doc and replaces the role with Doc’s widow, played by Rita Moreno. The casting of Moreno, who won the Oscar for her role in the original film, is not just a token nod to the film’s past, but

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in a lot of way changes the very structure of the story. As the wife of white man, but also Puerto Rican, she is able to inhabit both worlds and, in effect, the story sort of hinges on her. The film even goes so far as to have her sing Tony and Maria’s famous ballad, “Somewhere.” And while it is definitely not the most beautiful rendition of the song you’ll hear, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one more poignant.

My biggest complaint is that the choreography lacks the audacious gusto of Jerome Robbins’. But to compensate for this, the film finds other inventive ways to generate interest through improved and more dynamic staging. These small tweaks have big impact, and it’s where Spielberg’s brilliance most shines through.

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For instance, “America” sparkles like never before as it comes down from the rooftop and out into the streets. Spielberg infuses so many of the numbers with a playfulness, like the meta nods to filmmaking in “Maria,” how “Cool” is reinvented as a game of catch with a gun, and how in the iconic balcony scene, the lovers’ plight is further amplified by their separation through the fire escape grates.

That being said, some tweaks are better than others, and certain reinterpretations and reordering of songs don’t land.

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But holding it all together is Kaminski’s astounding camerawork, which dazzles more in some scenes more than the dancing. The glistening lens flare, the swooping grandeur of the crane shots, the Technicolor joy: West Side Story has certainly never looked better.

And there has perhaps never been a better Maria than YouTube sensation Zegler. It’s like she was engineered in a lab for the part.

She’s that luminous, that perfect. Elgort does exceed expectations, but given the accusations surrounding him, I won’t say much more.

The controversy of Elgort aside, the pair sadly lacks chemistry. Their romance functions more as a plot device to drive the story; and not its emotional core. The supporting characters are much more compelling.

Mesmerizing, stirring, and thrilling, it’s easy to think Spielberg has achieved some kind of cinematic miracle, yet I think his triumph here also speaks to the timelessness of the material’s Shakespearean roots and proves its enduring essentialness. And that the two versions so wonderfully complement each other, it makes you appreciate both films all the more. So if there’s anything miraculous, it’s not only that Spielberg pulled it off (he’s always had the talent) but that he gives audiences the gift of seeing West Side Story as if for the first time.

Offer Expires: 12/31/2021

231-642-1453

blacklaceandpaperflowers.com Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 27

Mon March 16- $5 martinis, HAPPY HOUR $5 domestic beer pitcher, DRINK$10 SPECIALS craft beer pitcher.

FROM OPEN-6PM

- 4-8pm: The Pocket HoursTues Monday 2pm-9pm Tues-Thurs 2pm-2am • Fri-SunKung noon-2am 9pm-1am: Fu Rodeo

Mon Dec 20 - Jukebox Wed - Get it in the can night - $1 domestic,Sun-Tues Noon-10pm Tues Dec 21 $3- Open Micw/DJ Comedy craftJR from 8-9:30 then 10pm-2am Thurs -$2Open off all Electric Micdrinks and $2 Labatt drafts w/DJ Ricky T

Fri/Sat Noon-11pm Thurs 4pm-10pm

(kitchen open noon-9pm) closed Wednesdays

DRINK SPECIALS (3-6 Monday-Friday): Wed Dec 22 - DJ JR $2 well drinks, $2 domestic drafts, Fri March 20 - Buckets starting at $8 (2-8pm) Thurs Dec 23 of - DJBeer COVEN $2.50 domestic bottles, $5 Hornitos margarita Happy Hour: The Chris Michels Band Then: The Isaac Ryder Band SUNDAY - $6 Ketel One Bloody Mary & $4 Mimosas Fri Dec 24 - closing at 9pm Sat March Ryder Band (No Covers)DAILY FOOD SPECIALS (3-6pm): Sat Dec 21 25 -- The ClosedIsaac for Christmas Monday - $1 chips and salsa Sun DecSunday 26 - KARAOKE March 22 Tuesday - $1 enchiladas Mon Dec 27 - JUKEBOX Thursday - $5 fried veggies KARAOKE ( 10pm-2am) (cauliflower or mushrooms) Open us MicoutComedy Dec 28TC- check at unionstreetstationtc.net 941-1930Tues downtown Friday - $5 hot pretzels w/ beer cheese

from 8-9:30 then 10pm-2am Electric Open Mic Wed Dec 29 - Ryan Whyte Maloney (the voice)

Thurs Dec 30 - Q100 live Fri Dec 31 - Soul patch & Snacks & Five Sat Jan 1 - Closed / Sun Jan 2 - KARAOKE 941-1930 downtown TC unionstreetstation/myspace.com

MSU football - inside with sound Thursday, Dec 30 at 7pm.

U of M football - inside with sound Friday Dec 31 at 7:30pm.

DJ DomiNate and DJ Jr Silent Disco Party on the patio NYE, Friday 9pm-1am.

CLOSED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY DECEMBER 24 & 25 OPEN NEW YEAR’S DAY 4-10PM 221 E State St. downtown TC

the ADViCE GOddESS Truth Ache

Q

: I spent an entire Sunday with a really cute guy I met through a dating app. We kissed a bit, and I stayed over at his place (though I said no sex). Things felt weird Monday morning, so I texted to see whether we were still on for dinner. He asked to push it to Tuesday, but I had a conflict and asked whether the weekend would work. He never responded. That weekend, I saw him out with guy friends, but he basically ignored me. I got him alone and asked him to go home with me. He declined. “Just for tonight or forever?” I asked. He said, “Just tonight.”

That was the last I heard from him, and I’m going crazy trying to figure this out.

— No Closure

If you really, really need closure, date a A:door.

It’s normal to want closure: defined by psychologist Arie Kruglanski as “an answer on a given topic, any answer.” We’re deeply disturbed by “confusion and ambiguity” — a cloudy mess of unanswered questions — and we feel driven (and even desperate) to replace it with a solid brick wall of facts.

A practical (though admittedly cuckoosounding) solution might be trying to fire up a quirk of the mind psychologist Elizabeth Loftus calls the “imagination inflation effect”: our tendency to convert events we imagine and then repeatedly recall into “false memories” we come to believe are the real deal.

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28 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

These invented memories tend to be “stickier” when they include rich detail, like the guy — reeking of BO! — hanging his head and confessing he weenied out of admitting it was “goodbye forever.” Don’t forget to script his explanation — ideally something torment-avenging and wounded ego-soothing. My suggestion: Despite your radiant beauty and extreme awesomeness, he’ll need approximately 65.3 years of therapy before he’ll be ready for a relationship.

If, after giving this tactic a good repetitive try, your mental hellscape hasn’t faded substantially, there’s an alternative approach: accepting there are things we just can’t know and shifting out of the “WHYWHYWHY?!” by, say, reciting the alphabet backward or shifting into pre-planned healthy replacement thoughts.

The unfortunate reality: Closure should be considered a self-service item, as you can’t control what others say or do — though you could make serious headway by kidnapping and torturing them till they talk. Of course, I’m not advising this — though, to be fair, it can lead to some major benefits: both in the

BY Amy Alkon form of answers and in being rewarded for your troubles with an all-expense-paid cozy new home...uh, in SuperMax.

Barking Bad

Q

: I read your response to “Conflicted” (the woman dating a guy so needy he wanted her to ditch all her friends and spend every minute with him). I suggest you tell her it’ll never work out and she should date someone else.

— Advice From 60-Something Male

A

: Telling people what to do is necessary in certain situations, like when it’s a more successful battle strategy than “You do you!”: dispatching the troops to engage in the military version of interpretive dance.

However, in general, direct advice —“Do this!” or “Do that!” — tends to backfire big-time, revving up a state psychologist Jack Brehm calls “psychological reactance.” “Reactance” describes our fear-driven freakout — our reaction -- when we perceive a threat to our freedom to do as we choose. We go on the defensive — rebel against being controlled— typically by doing whatever we were doing... only longer, stronger, and louder.

Understanding this is why I’m an advice columnist who specializes in NOT giving advice. I use hedgy-wedgy language like “you might” and “you could” that leaves big wideopen spaces for personal choice. Accordingly, instead of telling this woman, “Dump Mr. Needypants pronto!” I offered reasons the two MIGHT be a bad match. I also identified potential stumbling blocks — like being a “My needs last!” habitual “pleaser” — and suggested practical steps she could take to kick them out of the way.

My ultimate goal is helping people help themselves: giving them the psychological and behavioral chops they need to render me unnecessary! I typically retell the story they’ve told me in ways I hope will help them gain perspective — that is, understand what they’re going through and why. I then lay out a set of tools — ways they might tweak their thinking and behavior — in hopes of empowering them to dig themselves out.

Basically, my column is the advice version of that well-worn fish saying — uh, as I like to rewrite it: Give a woman a fish and she’ll have dinner. Teach a woman to fish and she’ll have dinner for a lifetime...OR — let’s be honest — because my column and I are big on realism: She’ll order her fish dinner in a Paris bistro, poring over photos of a fabulous Chanel flycasting suit and sketching out her plot to rob the Louvre to pay for it.

lOGY

DEC 20 - JAN 02

BY ROB BREZSNY

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): To ensure that

2022 will bring you the most interesting and useful kind of progress, take good care of your key friendships and alliances, even as you seek out excellent new friendships and alliances. For best results, heed these thoughts from author Hanya Yanagihara: “Find people who are better than you are—not smarter, not cooler, but kinder, and more generous, and more forgiving—and then appreciate them for what they can teach you, and listen to them when they tell you something about yourself, no matter how bad—or good—it might be.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Holocaust survivor

Viktor Frankl said that a sense of meaning is crucial. It’s the key gratification that sustains people through the years: the feeling that their life has a meaning and that particular experiences have meaning. I suggest you make this your theme for 2022. The question “Are you happy?” will be a subset of the more inclusive question, “Are you pursuing a destiny that feels meaningful to you?” Here’s the other big question: “If what you’re doing doesn’t feel meaningful, what are you going to do about it?”

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio guitarist Rowland S. Howard spoke of “the grand occasions when love really does turn into something far greater than you had ever dreamed of, something auto-luminescent.”

Judging from the astrological configurations in 2022, I have strong hopes and expectations that you will experience prolonged periods when love will fit that description. For best results, resolve to become more generous and ingenious in expressing love than you have ever been.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “I’ve

been trying to go home my whole life,” writes poet Chelsea Dingman. I know some of you Sagittarians resist the urge to do that. It’s possible you avoid seeking a true and complete home. You may think of the whole world as your home, or you may regard a lot of different places as your homes. And you’d prefer not to narrow down the feeling and concept of “home” to one location or building or community. Whether or not you are one of those kinds of Centaurs, I suspect that 2022 will bring you unexpected new understandings of home—and maybe even give you the sense that you have finally arrived in your ultimate sanctuary.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Sometime

during the Northern Song Dynasty that ruled China from 960 to 1127, an artisan made a white ceramic bowl five inches in diameter.

About a thousand years later, a family in New York bought it at a garage sale for $3. It sat on a mantel in their home for a few years until they got a hunch to have it evaluated by an art collector. A short time later, the bowl was sold at an auction for $2.2 million. I’m not saying that 2022 will bring a financial event as dramatic as that one. But I do expect that your luck with money will be at a peak.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): In the Quechuan

language spoken in parts of Peru, the word takanakuy means “when the blood is boiling.”

Every year at this time, the community of Chumbivilcas stages a holiday called Takanakuy.

People gather at the town center to fight each other, settling their differences so they can forget about them and start over fresh. If my friend and I have had a personal conflict during the previous year, we would punch and kick each other—but not too hard—until we had purged our spite and resentment. The slate between us would be clean. Is there some humorous version of this ritual you could enact that wouldn’t involve even mild punching and kicking? I recommend you dream one up!

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You may become a

more audacious storyteller in 2022. You could ripen your ability to express the core truths about your life with entertaining narratives.

Bonus: The experiences that come your way will provide raw material for you to become even more interesting than you already are. Now study these words by storyteller Ruth Sawyer: “To be a good storyteller, one must be gloriously alive. It is not possible to kindle fresh fires from

burned-out embers. The best of the traditional storytellers are those who live close to the heart of things—to the earth, sea, wind, and weather. They have known solitude, silence. They have been given unbroken time in which to feel deeply, to reach constantly for understanding.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus author May

Sarton wrote a poem celebrating her maturation into the person she had always dreamed she would be. “Now I become myself,” she exulted.

“It’s taken time, many years and places; I have been dissolved and shaken, have worn other people’s faces.” But at last, she said, “All fuses together now, falls into place from wish to action, word to silence. My work, my love, my time, my face: gathered into one intense gesture of growing like a plant.” I invite you to adopt Sarton’s poem as a primary source of inspiration in 2022. Make it your guide as you, too, become fully and richly yourself.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In 2012, the writer

Gore Vidal died the day after Gemini writer Maeve Binchy passed away. They were both famous, though Bincy sold more books than Vidal. Vidal was interesting but problematic for me. He was fond of saying that it wasn’t enough for him to succeed; he wanted others to fail. The misery of his fellow humans intensified his satisfaction about his own accomplishments. On the other hand, Binchy had a generous wish that everyone would be a success. She felt her magnificence was magnified by others’ magnificence. In 2022, it will be vital for your physical and mental health to cultivate Binchy’s perspective, not Vidal’s. To the degree that you celebrate and enhance the fortunes of others, your own fortunes will thrive.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22): Cancerian political leader Nelson Mandela was wrongly incarcerated for 27 years. After his release, he became President of South Africa and won the Nobel Peace Prize. About leaving jail in 1990, he wrote, “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” Although you haven’t suffered deprivation anywhere close to what Mandela did, I’m happy to report that 2022 will bring you liberations from limiting situations. Please adopt Mandela’s approach as you make creative use of your new freedom.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22): French poet André Breton wrote, “Je vous souhaite d’être follement aimée.” In English, those words can be rendered as “My wish is that you may be loved to the point of madness” or “I wish you to be loved madly.”

That’s got a romantic ring to it, but it’s actually a curse. Why would we want to be loved to the point of madness? A person who “loved” you like that might be fun for a while, but would ultimately become a terrible inconvenience and ongoing disruption. So, dear Leo, I won’t wish that you will be loved to the point of madness in 2022—even though I think the coming months will be an interesting and educational time for amour. Instead, I will wish you something more manageable and enjoyable: that you will be loved with respect, sensitivity, care, and intelligence.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Many people in

our culture are smart intellectually, but not very smart emotionally. The wisdom of feelings is undervalued. I protest! One of my great crusades is to champion this neglected source of insight.

I am counting on you to be my ally in 2022. Why? Because according to my reading of the astrological omens, you have the potential to ripen your emotional intelligence in the coming months. Do you have ideas about how to take full advantage of this lucky opportunity? Here’s a tip: Whenever you have a decision to make, tune in to what your body and heart tell you as well as to what your mind advises.

“Jonesin” Crosswords "Dr. Livingston, I Pre-Zoo?"--it's the same outcome. by Matt Jones

ACROSS 1 One of 11 for RuPaul 5 100-meter race 9 Telegram break 13 Rowed vessel 14 “It is not ___ am crazy ... it is ___ am mad!” (“Ren and Stimpy” quote) 15 Believer in spiritual unity 16 What happened when the wedding party gained an extra foot?

18 Elicit 19 TV series divs.

20 “Try the ___!” (comedian’s clichÈ) 21 Signs of snoring 22 Hallowed place to learn to count in French?

27 Without assistance 28 ___ squared (formula for the area of a circle) 29 2014 U.S. Open champ Michelle 30 Pinafore designation 33 Done at the table 35 Words from a ghost clock?

37 Perform really well at freestyle rap 39 Belarus, in prev. days 40 . follower 41 Bit of duplicity 42 “Who ___ thinks that’s a good idea?”

46 Chef’s complaint about a lack of sauce base?

52 Oldman’s villain role in “The Fifth Element” 53 “Up in the Air” Oscar nominee Farmiga 54 “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” airer 55 Elevator selection 57 Allows just a pair?

59 Full of dryer fluff 60 Blue-gray shark 61 “Now, more ___ ever ...”

62 Beehive State athletes 63 Part of MS-DOS 64 Janitor’s ringful

DOWN 1 Field formerly home to the Brooklyn Dodgers 2 Vivid blue butterfly type 3 “The Marvelous Mrs. ___” 4 “Jan. 1 to now” column 5 Honey Smacks frog mascot introduced in 1972 6 “That’s ___!” (director’s shout) 7 Beach souvenir 8 “___ goes it?”

9 Hit Ctrl-S 10 First words of some proverbs 11 Furniture wood 12 Pecan, for one 15 Smoker contents, maybe 17 “All About ___” (Bette Davis movie) 21 Shaggy’s catchphrase 23 “I’m going ___ the hay ...”

24 Huge retelling 25 180-degree turn, slangily 26 Signed very simply 31 Fast food dessert inspiring the search question “Is the spoon a straw?”

32 Downhill event 33 Quaint cry of disgust 34 More bent out of shape?

35 Mountain, for example 36 Early Palm smartphone 37 Ecol. or econ.

38 PBS documentary film series since 1988 43 Want no part of 44 Franchise with recent legal questions about its tuna 45 They’ve been out for a while 47 1976 literary bestseller 48 Bit of light that’s harmful to the skin 49 Durable woods 50 “Believe It ___” 51 Queen’s “___ Bottomed Girls” 55 Reason for a fall shot 56 Burning 57 Ball club VIPs 58 Wall St. cert.

Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 29

N O RT H E R N E X P R E S S

CLAS SIFIE DS

OTHER SEWING, ALTERATIONS, Mending & Repairs. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248 ______________________________________ BUYING OLD WOODEN DUCK and FISH DECOYS, call text 248 877-0210 ______________________________________ HAMLET’S AUTO LOOKING FOR FULL TIME Mechanic Full time mechanic needed in Both our TC & Kalkaska Shop. Experience preferred but will train right candidate.231-946-7591 hamletsauto@gmail.com _____________________________________ HAIR AND MAKE UP ARTIST WANTED Local Photographer looking for hair and make up artist.231-642-1453 ______________________________________ CLERICAL BOOKKEEPING Great Lakes Int’l is Seeking a person to perform a range of general clerical, accounting and bookkeeping support functions within our organization. Full time, excellent benefits. http://ruth@glit.com ______________________________________ EXPERIENCED PLUMBER/HOME MAINTENANCE 100-cottage private community in No. Leelanau Cty has a year-

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PRODUCE DEPARTMENT MANAGER ORYANA West We are seeking exceptional candidates with retail leadership & produce management experience. See our website for a full job description, explore other open positions & to apply! https://www.oryana. coop/careers/ ______________________________________ COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH SPECIALIST The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy is seeking a full-time Communications and Outreach Specialist.

For more information, please visit our website: www.gtrlc.org. http://www.gtrlc.org _________________________________

ARROWHEADS AND ARTIFACTS WANTED Sell Your Entire Arrowhead Collection Today!!! 630-824-8902 ______________________________________ COTTAGE FOR RENT Traverse City, 1 BR, Fully Furnished, Includes All Utilities, Washer/ Dryer, Internet, Cable, Very Comfortable, Quiet, Month-to-Month to One Year, $1,325 per month; (231) 631-7512.

HEATED OUTDOOR ENTRY MATS LESS THAN AMAZON 10x30, 69.95, 20x60, 169.95. 10% off. (231) 6205119 for more sizes and quotes ________________________________ PART-TIME CUSTODIAN Central United Methodist Church, a busy downtown church in Traverse City is looking for a friendly, self starter to fill this position. General cleaning, building security, hosting evening groups.

Evenings and some weekends. Send resume to darcy@tccentralumc.org or stop by the church at 222 Cass to fill out an application.

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231 256-9971 | THERIVERSIDE-INN.COM | 302 E RIVER ST, LELAND

30 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

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WEDNESDAY JANUARY 5 • 5-7PM AT CHERRY CAPITAL AIRPORT!

Prizes include:

• $500 AIRLINE GIFT CERTIFICATES FROM AMERICAN AIRLINES

Chili bar provided by Cherry Country Cafe Admission is $10 with appetizers & beverages included NOTE: In accordance with the CDC guidelines, attendees are required to wear masks at this event. Masks will be available at check-in if needed.

Parking validation will be provided to event attendees.

Thank you!

Big Brothers Big Sisters could not exist without YOU, our dedicated Board Members, Mentors, Supporters & Community.

Over the last 51 years, YOU have changed the lives of 13,168 local children.

Thank YOU for being a Defender of Potential.

Antrim I Charlevoix I Emmet I Grand Traverse I Kalkaska Bigsupnorth.com Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 20 & 27, 2021 • 31

32 • December 20 & 27, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly