Top Ten

Frankfort may be a sleepy town come winter, but in the summer, the little port on the water is hopping. And for 46 years, one of the most beloved events of the sunshine season has been the Frankfort Art Fair, held in historic Market Square Park in Frankfort. 150 artists from near and far will be on hand to display their wares Friday, Aug. 19, from 1pm to 7pm and Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10am to 4pm. The backdrop: Betsie Lake on one side of the fair and the charming boutiques and delicious eateries of downtown Frankfort on the other side. If you want to bump up the weekend activities, Frankfort will concurrently be hosting its Concert in the Park series (Max & Leo at Mineral Springs Park; Friday at 7pm), the Pulled Pork Picnic (Frankfort United Methodist Church; Friday), and the annual Collector Car Show (Mineral Springs Park; Saturday 8am to 2pm). The fair is presented by the Frankfort Elberta Chamber of Commerce, and more details can be found at frankfortelberta.com.

Rad.ish has been making vegan food cool—and impossibly delicious—since 2019. And once Stone Hound Brewing Company opened in Williamsburg in the winter of 2021 and Rad.ish Mexican Street Food moved inside, they’ve been delighting diners with their Taco Flight (among other south-of-the-border-inspired dishes). The flight includes three tacos with your choice of chickun (yes, we spelled that right), soyrizo potatoes, fajita-flavored grilled peppers and onions, or the restaurant’s vegan take on asada. Trust us—you won’t know there isn’t real meat in there. The tacos are finished with Mexican slaw, salsa verde, onions, and cilantro, then wrapped up in grilled corn tortillas, and they will disappear before you know it. Grab a beer, cider, or seltzer on tap from Stone Hound and enjoy inside the cool, beer-bike-and-rock themed interior or at one of the outdoor tables surrounding the brewery. Find them at 3593 Bunker Hill Rd, Williamsburg, or at rad-ishstreetfood.com for online orders. 4 • aug 15, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly

The Traverse City Triathlon is back on Sunday, Aug. 21, with Olympic and sprint-distance races beginning in Bowers Harbor on West Grand Traverse Bay for a looped swim. The bike courses go past orchards and vineyards and over a few tough climbs. The run follows Neahtawanta Rd. along the water before turning up a dirt road into the Pyatt Nature Preserve. Athletes perform the final stretch to the finish line at Bowers Harbor Park. Info and sign up: traversecitytriathlon.com

Unless you ran with the “scene” subculture of 2010’s adolescents, you’ve probably never heard of Hunter Moore, a self-proclaimed playboy of the internet’s infancy and the founder of IsAnyoneUp.com. The site, which was known for “revenge porn” content—you can imagine the flavor of its photos—let users post pictures of other people, complete with names and contact information. Suffice to say, the site went viral; that is, until Moore crossed an angry mom. In The Most Hated Man on the Internet, a brand-new, threepart docuseries, Netflix chronicles Moore’s rise to infamy and the months-long crusade of Charlotte Laws to send his empire up in smoke. Told through a compilation of stories and flashbacks (true crime junkies, this is your moment), this bingeable series will hook you in seconds—though it does contain some uncensored language and mature content, so we recommend caution for underage viewers.

Where can you find 1,000 tractors? What about 600 antique engines? Dozens more old and cool cars and trucks? This weekend, they’re all in one spot: the Buckley Old Engine Show. The 58th annual show takes place Aug. 18-21, and the myriad attractions will have your brain—and your wheels—spinning. Old-timey music fills the air as you wander through a flea market filled with arts and crafts and woodworking demonstrations. In addition to all those vehicles and engines, you’ll also find on-site an 1800’s saw mill, a 250-horse-power Corliss stationary steam engine, a farm animal exhibit, and more. (That more includes fresh popcorn made in a cast-iron hog kettle for snacking while you explore.) Perfect for the family—especially little ones who love all things that go VROOM—the show also has a kids’ play area, scavenger hunt, and tractor pull. Get all the details at buckleyoldengineshow.org and find the showgrounds at 6090 W 2 1/2 Rd in Buckley.

Bald eagles, scarlet macaws, and California condors each mate for life. While you can’t find all of those birds here in northern Michigan, you can find a bit of that everlasting love and dedication at the newly opened Barb’s Backyard Birds in Interlochen. The store’s namesake, Barbara Ezell, was an avid birder, and her dream was to share her passion with northern Michigan customers and run the store with her husband, Steve. Tragically, Barb passed away from cancer in May, but Steve has carried forth her final wishes to open the business. The store offers everything from bird houses, feeders, and seed to seasonal products and gifts for outdoor living spaces…and you know all of it is stocked and sold with love. Visit Barb’s Backyard Birds online at barbsbackyardbirds.com, call 231-276-3145, or head to 2072 J. Maddy Parkway in Interlochen. The store is open Monday through Saturday 10am to 6pm and on Sundays from 9am to 3pm.

Is the next point guard for the Detroit Pistons living under your roof? Or do you just want to get your kiddo out of the driveway—or away from the video game console—to go shoot hoops with the experts? Grand Traverse Resort and Spa has recently announced it will be partnering with the Detroit Pistons to bring the NBA team’s youth basketball camp to Traverse City just before Labor Day. The Pistons Academy, which runs from 9am to 3pm Aug. 31 through Sept. 2, is open to boy and girl players of all skill levels in grades 3-9. Not only does the camp help fill the gap between the end of summer and the start of the new school year, but attendees will also get a ticket to a home game at Little Caesars Arena for the 2022-23 season. Registration is $190, and more details can be found at pistonsacademy.com.

Talk about a drink with a view. Here’s how to get yours. Step one: Belly up to the bar at Paradise Cove Bar & Grill (aka South End Tiki Bar) tucked along the shores of Lake Leelanau. Step two: Ask for the Leelanau Lemonade ($10.50). The description on the menu may be short and sweet—“lemony tart mixture, vodka lemonade”—but the drink is tall and sour in the best possible way. This baby eschews the artificial taste of so many lemon-based cocktails, instead offering an endlessly sippable and highly refreshing beverage. A sugared rim adds just the right touch of sweetness to have you going back for seconds. Step three: Take literally five paces from the bar and enjoy while looking out at the blue waters of Lake Leelanau, perhaps with a side of pretzel bites or onion rings from the grill’s menu. Find it at 9851 S Perrins Landing Dr., Traverse City. paradisecovemi.com/bar-grill Northern Express Weekly • aug 15, 2022 • 5