Northern Express - December 25, 2023 & January 01. 2024

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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • special double issue • december 25 - january 07, 2024 • Vol. 33 No. 51 & 52 Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 1

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letters CONTENTS

Unreliable Sources Climate-change skeptic Neal Stout (Nov. 27) bolsters his argument that the climate is not changing by quoting scientists with valid scientific credentials who deny that the earth’s temperature is increasing at a dangerous rate.

The primary example of such a scientist is former space physicist Dr. S. Fred Singer, who denies that the catastrophic changes documented by climate scientists are occurring at all. What motivates scientists like Singer who deny what the great majority of climate scientists accept as true? Singer is a prime example of a respected scientist who, after retirement, has sold himself to vested interests that pay him to deny that the damage they have caused ever occurred.

For example, Singer denied causal links between ultraviolet rays and mutations causing skin cancer, as well as links between chlorofluorocarbons and stratospheric ozone loss, secondhand smoke and lung cancer, and greenhouse gasses produced by burning fossil fuels and global warming.

Singer has been a paid consultant of oil and tobacco companies, as well as other corporate environmental polluters.

These companies also help fund other climate-change deniers, notably the Heartland Institute: “the primary American organization pushing climate change skepticism” (The New York Times).

The main aim of such organizations is to confuse the public about the reality of global climate change and the need to phase out fossil fuels. Stout points out that higher levels of CO2 in the atmosphere contribute to the growth of plants, but ignores the droughts, flooding, and fires that go along with increase of greenhouse gasses. When he cites supposed experts who downplay the seriousness of climate change, be aware that they are paid to provide these denials and therefore cannot be considered reliable.

James A. Hopson | Traverse City

feature

Celebrating the Arrival of 2024.........................10 10 Steps to a Healthier Community..................12 Mental Health First Aid...................................14 Urban Oasis Salt Spa.......................................16 Living in the Present for a Brighter Future........18 How to Keep Common Resolutions....................20 Essential Book of Cocktails.................................23 Northwest Michigan Arts and Culture..............26

columns & stuff Top Ten..........................................................4 Spectator/Stephen Tuttle..................................6 High Points.....................................................7 Guest Opinion...................................................8 Weird..........................................................25 Dates..........................................................29 Nitelife.........................................................32 Crossword...................................................33 Astro..............................................................33 Classifieds.................................................34

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 Editor: Jillian Manning Finance Manager: Libby Shutler Distribution Manager: Roger Racine Sales: Lisa Gillespie, Kaitlyn Nance, Michele Young, Todd Norris, Abby Walton Porter, Caroline Bloemer For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Cross Poehlman Distribution: Joe Evancho, Sarah Rodery Roger Racine, Gary Twardowski Charlie Brookfield, Rachel Cara Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold

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

Contributors: Ross Boissoneau, Art Bukowski, Brighid Driscoll, Anna Faller, Kierstin Gunsberg, Al Parker, Victor Skinner, Stephen Tuttle

Copyright 2023, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly.

Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 3

this week’s

top ten

Winter in the Vines

120 Years of the Ramsdell

In 1903, the Ramsdell Theatre of Manistee was built, joining the ranks of the architecturally stunning opera and vaudeville houses of the era. It has stood as a symbol of the arts for 120 years with countless performances held on its stage.

You can experience the history of this beloved building Jan. 3 through Jan. 6, when a special exhibition is open in the Hardy Hall Gallery showcasing the history of the Ramsdell’s collaboration with the Manistee Arts Institute, the Manistee Civic Players, and many other artists, performers, actors, and devoted volunteers. An artists’ reception concludes the exhibit on Saturday, Jan. 6. That same day, you can also catch Verdi’s Nabucco on the theater’s big screen at 1pm as part of the 2023-24 Met Opera Live in HD season. (Tickets $15-$25.) Learn more at ramsdelltheatre.org/art.

Explore the trails at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay and then warm up with mulled wine, soup, and woodfired pizza. Snowshoes, Vines, & Wines returns on Saturdays through the winter with the exception of Feb. 10. (Additional dates include Sundays Jan. 14 and Feb. 18.) On-site snowshoe rentals are available from noon-4pm. blackstarfarms.com/snowshoes-vines-wines

4 Hey, read It!

Mother-Daughter Murder Night

The holidays are meant to bring people together… but maybe a murder can, too? Beth and Jacqueline (Jack for short) are a tight-knit mother-daughter duo living on the Elkhorn Slough near Monterey, California.

Their cozy, comfortable lives are upended when Lana, Beth’s intense mother and an L.A. real estate shark, is diagnosed with cancer and moves in for the course of her treatment. Tensions are running high as old family wounds are reopened, and things only get worse when Jack finds a body in the water when out kayaking in the slough. The mystery mounts when another death hits the family, one that seems too connected to be a coincidence. The cops are looking in the wrong direction, so the three women must band together to first clear Jack’s name—and then to find the real killer.

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Sugar 2 Salt’s Chai Coffee Cake

Treating yourself is always in season, as is the Chai Coffee Cake at Sugar 2 Salt in the Grand Traverse Commons. An S2S staple and crew creation, this twist on the classic breakfast pastry ups the flavor ante with house-made chai—that’s a milk-powder base mixed with cozy spices (think: ginger, cardamom, allspice, and clove) and Great Lakes Tea & Spice black tea. There’s a sprinkle in both layers of cake, made extra crumbly with local butter, and it’s blended with a hint of cocoa to form the gooey filling layer. Even the streusel is lightly spiced! Enjoy a bite while it’s still warm, and prepare to be utterly tea-lighted. Grab a slice ($4.50)—and maybe a few other goodies—at Sugar 2 Salt in Traverse City (1371 Gray Dr., Suite 300), or check them out online at sugar2salt.com.

4 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

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6 Strolling

Sleeping Bear

No matter the weather, it’s always a beautiful day to explore Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. They’re hosting several winter break hikes: Wednesday, Dec. 27, and Saturday, Dec. 30, from 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm both days. You’ll start off at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, then go to the trailhead selected for the day.

The two-hour hikes are led by SBD rangers, who will tell you about park history, wildlife, and unique features. If we get enough snow, snowshoes will be used for the hike. The park has traditional and modern snowshoes available to borrow free of charge. Either way, wear waterproof boots and plenty of layers to stay comfortable throughout the hike. The hikes are free, though you’ll need to purchase a park entrance pass to attend. Reservations are required—call (231) 326-4700 ext 5010.

Stuff We Love: Your Love Stories Yes, we know we’re skipping ahead a few holidays, but hear us out: Valentine’s Day. For our 2024 issue, we want to highlight local love stories! Did you meet your partner in northern Michigan? Propose at Sleeping Bear Dunes?

Get married at a local winery? Spend 50 years together wandering the forests and beaches?

If so, we want to share your romantic tale.

Between now and Jan. 12, 2024, send your story to info@northernexpress.com with the subject line “Local Love Story.” Submissions must be 150 words or fewer. Keep the content Hallmark-movie appropriate, please, and bonus points if you have a photo to accompany your words! We’ll print as many love stories as we have space for that week. (And if your parents or grandparents have a wonderful tale, we’re happy to include those too!)

Good News for the Arctic Grayling

The Arctic grayling once swam the waters of northern Michigan before habitat destruction, unregulated harvest, and competition from non-native fish species drove it out. Since 2015, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources—along with 50 stakeholder and partner groups, plus members of the public—have sought to reintroduce this iconic species. Their efforts have been working up at the Marquette State Fish Hatchery, with healthy broods of fish leading to a surplus at the hatchery. This November, 400 grayling were stocked at Alger County’s West Johns Lake, 300 at Penegor Lake in Houghton County, and nearly 1,300 in Manistee County’s Pine Lake. The Michigan Natural Resources Commission has now modified regulations so that it is legal for an angler to attempt to catch, but not harvest, Arctic grayling. Learn more at migrayling.org.

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Who among us is considering dry January? (Or just taking a night off from the hard stuff this holiday season?) Audacia Elixirs of Traverse City was founded to create elevated nonalcoholic beverages you really want to savor. They crafted a recipe just for us at Northern Express so you can sip this bad boy all winter break long. Add 2 oz Ambrosia (Floral Berry) Elixir, 2 oz sparkling cranberry, and 1/2 oz orange juice to a shaker or a mason jar with a scoop of ice. Shake well—dancing helps!—and pour everything (including ice, unless you prefer it neat) into your favorite rocks, martini, or wine glass. Garnish with an orange peel or rosemary sprig to be extra fancy! Find local stores carrying Audacia’s Ambrosia Elixir ($25) at audaciaelixirs.com/locations or order a bottle from their online shop.

Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 5

RESOLUTIONS WE CAN KEEP

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Are you making New Year’s resolutions this year? If so, you won’t be alone.

A 2022 poll by YouGov said 37 percent of us make resolutions or goals for the new year, and we’re pretty optimistic about it; a whopping 87 percent said they were likely to keep those resolutions or meet their goals. Uh-huh.

Anyone who goes to a gym knows that’s pretty unlikely. The crowd that shows up the first week of January, derisively referred to as The Resolvers, are nearly all gone by February, and there is proof of that phenomenon. Research by the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State has determined only 9 percent of those making resolutions actually completed those goals.

Despite our inability to successfully complete our resolutions, we’re pretty optimistic about the future. Chicago-based PR Newswire says 74 percent of us think 2024 will be better than 2023, but 46 percent said they are likely to change their spending habits due to increased prices on many necessities.

And we’re going right back to making resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise more, save money, and all the usual goals we’ve found so hard to achieve in the past. Some will persevere and be able to pat themselves on the back for a resolution well completed.

There are easier resolutions to both make and fulfill requiring less willpower and simpler intentions.

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We could resolve to watch a little less television on any platform and read a bit more. Television, whether traditional programming or streaming, likes to think for us, but reading encourages us to think and imagine for ourselves.

We could resolve to give a little to a reliable local or national charitable organization. It doesn’t have to be much—even a few bucks helps, especially now that the holidays are ending and so many organizations are nearly tapped out. (Check with a reliable rating organization like Charity Navigator to make

But we were born in revolution and have survived a civil war, world wars, presidential assassinations, and all manner of bumbling, incompetent do-nothing politicians; we’ll probably survive whatever 2024 has to offer.

Fully 23 percent don’t make it beyond the first week, and 43 percent give up on their resolutions by the end of January.

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beneficial, and as little as three minutes of movement per hour is helpful. Just getting up and wandering around the house for a few minutes is easy and good for us.

For example, we could resolve to stop believing conspiracy theories for which there is neither evidence nor facts. Continuing to believe the nonsense makes us part of the problem and likely lowers our IQ considerably.

We can resolve to stop listening to and start completely ignoring politicians who constantly lie to us. Electing truth-tellers, even when they sometimes have to deliver unpleasant honesty, benefits all of us.

Before we start ignoring them, we could resolve to demand politicians actually prove what they’re claiming. When they can’t, we should resolve to then ignore them and vote for someone else.

We could resolve to move more and sit less.

Research from the University of Michigan indicates almost any physical movement is

sure your contribution is being used wisely.)

For goodness sake, let us resolve to spend less time on our phones and way less time on social media. There are now volumes of research on the potentially negative impact of social media. Sure, there are responsible users and valuable uses of social media, but the harm, especially for younger people, seems to outweigh the good. HelpGuide.org has broken it down for us: social media, particularly for teens, increases the risk for depression, anxiety, self-harm, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts. Then there’s the whole credibility issue and outright lies, hate speech, invasion of privacy, account hacking, and identity theft.

We need to resolve to ignore and encourage others to ignore hateful podcasts, online sites, and social media. Seeking and observing the ugliness makes us complicit in it. Racism, misogyny, antisemitism, and all the other hateful isms feed on ignorance, so we should resolve to be smart enough to recognize and reject them.

We could resolve to look for solutions, maybe after we get through complaining.

Recognizing and pointing out a wrong can be a useful start to a solution, but it can’t be the end point. And most solutions start with individuals getting involved.

This is an especially odd new year because there seems to be as much dread as hope.

Some even believe our country’s survival hangs in the balance. But we were born in revolution and have survived a civil war, world wars, presidential assassinations, and all manner of bumbling, incompetent donothing politicians; we’ll probably survive whatever 2024 has to offer.

Especially if we resolve to be kind to each other.

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Your New Year’s Intentions at a Higher Latitude What’s on your list to conquer in the new year? Many create resolutions they aim to achieve but typically fall short before spring. This year, let’s not make resolutions. Let’s set intentions.

Intention 1: Rest More. Prioritizing relaxation, meditation, and mindfulness are all goals for many of us, and cannabis can help. Cannabis affects the body’s fight-or-flight systems, which means that it reduces stress and anxiety on both a physical and mental level.

So many Americans lack the sleep required to keep their bodies in good shape. We suggest Indica and CBD-heavy strains to promote deep relaxation; they are optimal for winding down before bedtime. When you pair one of these strains with a relaxing night routine like a hot shower and a good book, you’ll find yourself sleepy in no time.

Intention 2: Build Healthy Habits. Cannabis isn’t just great for sleep but for getting energized, too! It seems contradictory, we know, but each cannabis strain has different characteristics and effects due to its terpene and cannabinoid profile. Sativa-dominant strains can produce euphoric, uplifting, and energizing effects.

For example, A small amount of cannabis, or micro-dosing, before a workout, can help improve your workout session. (Dosing a sativa is easiest to do in vaporizer form—ask your grasstender for more advice!) Cannabis is beneficial during activities like pilates and yoga, which require a lot of mindbody connection. During those workouts, cannabis gives our brains the boost necessary to mentally prepare for a tough exercise session. Of course, cannabis can also help with recovery, as some of the cannabinoids help to reduce aches, pains, and soreness.

Intention 3: Embrace Creativity. As time passes, our motivation can dwindle and our creative outlets seem more like chores. Cannabis is a phenomenal catalyst for brain activity, inspiration, and creativity. Once you find the strain right for you—typically an uplifting sativa—you’ll be able to stay focused on your pursuits of art, writing, or whatever else gets the creative juices flowing.

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“Jonesin” Crosswords "Bundling Up"-plenty of layers. by Matt Jones

ACROSS 1. Yogurt-based Indian drink 6. ___ noche (tonight, in Spanish) 10. Onetime Kremlin figure 14. Had takeout, perhaps 15. Like a dime 16. Kitchen gadget and cookware company 17. Piece of paper with nothing on it 19. Seriously lack 20. Position in an ordered list 21. "Desperate Housewives" actress Hatcher 22. Initials on a Cardinal's cap 23. "... and so on" 24. Obey Daylight Saving Time, maybe 28. Name not to say out loud right now (lest it turns on devices) 30. Pearl bearer 31. Do some coding?

36. Rita who judged on "The X Factor" 37. How a winning streak might be described 42. Floor decor 43. Driving levy 44. Letter-based British secondary school exam, once 47. Prearrange 51. High-grade, ultra-soft European fabric 56. "Messenger" material 57. Had been 58. Abel's big brother 59. Mid-century music system 60. Parliament member 62. "You're welcome to visit" 64. Alumnus, for short 65. Once again 66. Of service 67. Biblical boats 68. Coin flip 69. "___ be great!"

DOWN 1. Tar pits location 2. Repetitively named Aztec spear-throwing tool 3. Medium setting?

4. Bathroom fixture 5. Tats 6. It's a bit of a knockout 7. Rob Zombie's spouse, fashion designer ___ Moon Zombie 8. Advertising gimmick 9. Six-legged creature 10. Place to the right of the decimal point 11. He-Man's nemesis 12. Cy Young Award winner, probably 13. Tackle component 18. Engine additive and NASCAR sponsor 22. Put into words 24. Hourglass filler 25. "Yeah, yeah, I know" 26. Prefix for space 27. Sketch 29. Baby boomer's kid 32. Paste shortcut, on PCs 33. Los Del ___ ("Macarena" duo) 34. 1950s singer Sumac 35. ___ Xing (street sign) 37. Trampled, with "on" 38. "The Handmaid's Tale" streamer 39. Belinda Carlisle hit where she "can't speak" 40. Conde ___ Traveler 41. Timber tool 45. Rarer PokÈmon collectibles from the Sword & Shield Series 46. Interjections outside a Tim Hortons, maybe?

48. Pub contest fodder 49. Not noticed 50. Like sorted socks 52. Budgetary prefix 53. Gold fabrics 54. Opinions 55. U2 producer Brian 59. Frozen planet in "The Empire Strikes Back" 60. Golfing org.

61. Miss the mark 62. Nyan ___ (meme with a repetitive earworm) 63. Cashew, e.g.

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Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 9

24 Ways to Celebrate the Arrival of 2024 Bowl, ski, sing, eat, dance, and be merry this New Year’s Eve

By Jillian Manning Out with the old, in with the New Year’s Eve parties. From a five-course dinner to a throwback 2000s bash to a classic ball drop, it’s time to bust out the sparkles and sequins (and kazoos) at events around the North.

>> Get an Artful Start

>> Countdown Drops

>> toast of the town

6. Glen Arbor Wines will also be dropping a ball…all the

1. Crooked Tree Arts Center of Petoskey is teaming up with the Petoskey District Library for a familyfriendly celebration. (And not a late one either—the party starts at 5pm and ends at 9pm.) Join the two organizations on the corner of Division Street and Mitchell Street in downtown Petoskey for live music, magic shows, face painting, cornhole games, and more. You’ll eat well too, thanks to a buffet of pizza, salad, and pasta from Mancino’s, cocoa and cookie stations, a chili tent with Parkside Deli, and bonfire pits with s’mores kits. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids (ages two and under are free).

2. Don your best cocktail attire for the Starlight Party in the Cathedral Barn at Historic Barns Park.

The gala begins at 7pm with live entertainment from Saving Sequoia, The Decibelz, and a late-night DJ. All proceeds go to the MiMusic Scholarship Fund supporting students in our community who need music opportunities. Tickets start at $35 at mynorthtickets.com.

3. If watching a ball drop is your idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve, then there’s no need to fly all the way to Times Square. The CherryT Ball Drop is both a nod to Traverse City’s status as the Cherry Capital of the World and a chance for some charity—the event is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a $5 donation to benefit this year’s nonprofit partner, The Father Fred Foundation. Since the ball drop began in 2008, nearly $127,000 has been raised for local nonprofits. The cherry falls on the corner of Cass and Front Street; gates open at 10:30pm and the fun ends at 12:20pm.

4. Not to be outdone, Mackinac Island drops a

smiling green turtle at midnight from the top of the Lilac Tree Suites. The hotel is open for select dates throughout the winter, including NYE. (Note: Many island amenities may be closed, but you can count on Doud’s Market for groceries!) Keep in mind winter ferries depart from St. Ignace, so give yourself a little time to get over the bridge.

5. And if you like to see history in the making,

head a little south to Muskegon, which is hosting its first ever ball drop and fireworks display in front of the Vandyk Mortgage Center on Western Avenue.

10 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

way from their upper deck. But we think the bigger draw to this charming winery can be found in the pop-up mac-ncheese bar, a bottle of their Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine, and the cozy ambiance of their tasting room. Live music starts at 8pm and runs through midnight.

7. Over in Suttons Bay, Black Star Farms returns with their

annual New Year’s Eve dinner, a multi-course, wine-paired meal that begins at 6:30pm. Think: caviar, vanilla butter poached lobster, duck ravioli, prime sirloin, a citrus tiramisu, and a selection of red, white, and bubbly wines along the way. Formal attire is suggested (black-tie optional). Tickets are $175 at mynorthtickets.com.

8. An exclusive NYE party will be held at Gypsy Distillery, with complimentary shuttle rides from High Five Spirits in downtown Petoskey to the distillery’s sprawling campus.

Enjoy a welcome cocktail, live music by DJ Parker Marshall, a photo booth, and a midnight balloon drop. Tickets range from $25 to $65 at eventbrite.com.

9. For a more low-key vibe, head to Gaylord’s Karma

Taproom from 8pm-2am. Per their Facebook page: “The color black symbolizes power and strength and is believed to absorb negative energy and promote feelings of grounding and stability. So, we are asking YOU to dress to impress in your best black attire!” They’re also encouraging safe travel that night and are offering a discount to anyone who has the staff call them a taxi for the ride home.

>> ringing in at resorts

>> a lucky year

>> just a few more parties

PILATES SESTINA FOCUSED INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL GROUP SESSIONS TO INCREASE BALANCE, STRENGTH, AND FLEXIBILITY IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE

16. A romantic dinner at Bourbons 72,

10. Go around the world with Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. Guests over 21 are invited to dance the night away in Governors’ Hall with the John Pomeroy Band, sample cuisine from Nashville to Venice to Tokyo, and enjoy a global selection of drinks at the cash bar. A complimentary champagne toast and fireworks display close out the night. The on-site Aerie Restaurant also has an NYE prix fixe dinner available.

11. Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville will have live music in the Slopeside Tent from 3-5pm and the Vista Lounge from 8:30pm-12:30am, dinner options at the Wild Tomato and The Thistle, and a Family Party in the Crystal Center with a dinner buffet, non-alcoholic beverages (others available for purchase), party favors, a DJ, and goodie bags for the kids.

(Tickets: $85 for adults; $45 kids 3-12; free for ages two and under.) And don’t miss the Glow Light & Torchlight parades at 10pm, followed by fireworks over the mountain.

12. Like its fellow resort properties, Boyne Mountain promises dinners, parades, fireworks, and a party. But if you’re looking for something a little different, opt for the Lights in the Sky Experience, with SkyBridge Michigan lit up with over 150,000 twinkle lights. On NYE, Boyne will also have a bonfire with s’mores at the Back Forty and a “Frozen” family movie night in the Geneva Room.

13. Ski all day at Nubs Nob, and be sure

to stick around at the bottom of the Green Lift around 5:30pm. There, the Nub’s Nob Ski Patrol and Winter Sports School instructors will create a beautiful light display, making one run down Smokey and another down Valley with flares in hand.

14. Elegance is the name of the game at the Topping Off 2023 party at Treetops Resort. This adults-only celebration is $30/person at the door and features an evening of live music, great food, and champagne toasts.

15. Just a stone’s throw away (or about a six-minute drive), Otsego Resort hosts a New Year’s dinner at the Duck Blind Grille—choose from a buffet or a special one-night menu. They also proudly set off their annual Fireworks Spectacular (free!) at midnight on the top of the hill.

the rockin’ sounds of 5th Gear, and $2 champagne pours? Sign us up for New Year’s at Turtle Creek Casino. There will also be a free 360 video booth on-site plus plenty of prizes and giveaways available on the casino floor. Complimentary NYE hats, beads, and other party favors will also be available as supplies last.

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17. Sister casino Leelanau Sands

is throwing a bash of its own in Peshawbestown with the M-22 New Year’s Eve Party with over $25,000 in cash and prizes. Don’t miss the cash drawings of up to $2,024 from 7pm-11:30pm, nor the chance to dance and sing along in the Sands Showroom with The Prolifics’ Motown tribute show.

>> resolutions and restaurants 18. The early bird gets dinner at Artisan

inside the Delamar Traverse City. The restaurant is offering an à la carte dinner from 4:30-7pm, followed by a five-course, prix fixe dinner from 8-10pm. (So we guess the late bird gets dinner, too!) The latter dinner is $155 and includes a variety of scrumptious options from black truffle tortellini to dayboat scallops to rack of lamb, concluding with a confetti mousse bomb. Reservations are required: (231) 421-2150.

19. “Purley Sensational” is the tagline for

the NYE celebration at Nittolo’s of Lake Leelanau. Enjoy the glamorous Speakeasy side of the restaurant as you sip a bottle of sparkling rosé. The $25 ticket (per person) gets you entry into the party, where you’ll soak in the sounds of Laura Rain and The Caesars and dine on a decadent menu of Italian delicacies. This event is limited to 100 people, so get your tickets ASAP at nittolospizza.com!

20. Prefer to do your partying early in the day and sleep through the countdown?

Head to Stafford’s Pier Restaurant in Harbor Springs. They’re offering a New Year’s Eve brunch from 11am-4pm in the Wheelhouse Lodge. That Bacon Toffee Waffle is calling our names…can you hear it too? Call (231) 526-6201 for reservations.

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

21. If dressing up isn’t for you, then dress down—right into your coziest pajamas—for the PJ party at Gaylord Bowling Center. Here you’ll find glow bowling, arcade fun, a buffet, champagne and drink specials, and a DJ spinning tunes. Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 at the door.

22. Feel free to horse around at Lake Ann Farm from 6pm to 1am. Kiddos are welcome, with $5 pony rides and a petting zoo from 6-8pm. The farm will have live music and concessions, though you must bring your own beverages.

Admission is $10 per person.

23. The Venue of Cadillac is going

all in on their Throwback New Year’s Eve Party, complete with performances

by Live for Tomorrow with special guest Once Upon a Bison of covers of the biggest names in pop, punk, rock, and alternative of the early aughts.

DJ Doubledribble will close out the night. Tickets are $15 plus fees at thevenueeccadillac.com.

24. Don’t just ring in the new year—

sing in the new year at The Cantina in Charlevoix. They’ll be offering NYE karaoke with DJ Hashtag along with food and drink specials all night long. We have three words for you: auld lang syne.

Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 11

10 STEPS TO A

HEALTHIER COMMUNITY Local leaders share concrete ways Traverse City (and beyond) can improve in 2024

By Art Bukowski Northern Michigan is fortunate to have a wide range of people and organizations dedicated to the vitality of our region. While the missions (and sometimes the opinions) differ, everyone shares a common goal of improving the quality of life for those who live or visit our corner of the state.

As we look to a new year, Northern Express asked 10 community leaders one simple question: What changes can be made in 2024 to make our community healthier?

1 JONATHAN STIMSON Executive Director, Homestretch Nonprofit Housing Corp.

I believe any of our affordable housing developments in Traverse City would make the community healthier in 2024— ask anyone who is living beyond their means with respect to housing. I have seen 1-bedroom apartments listed for $1,600 per month and 2-bedroom units from $1,800 to $2,000. You need to make between $6580,000 per year to afford them, yet almost 50 percent of our population in Traverse City makes less than $60,000 per year.

When you add in utilities, pet fees, and furnishings, most of the people we move into our units are paying upwards of 50 percent of their gross income or 70 percent of net for housing. This is very unhealthy for them and their families.

It used to be that affordable housing was only for individuals making less than 80 percent area median income (AMI) but no more. Things have gotten so out of hand the next bracket will be 120-150 percent AMI! This issue of housing has altered the city and character of our communities and must be addressed on a larger scale. Yes, we are making incremental changes and progress has been made, but Homestretch and other nonprofit developers need more funding and public support in 2024.

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NIKKI ROTHWELL Coordinator, Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center One thing that I think we can do as a community for our community to be healthier is to commit to our local farmers and farm families.

We can commit to purchasing food (and drinks!) that are grown, harvested, processed, and sold by farmers throughout the Grand Traverse region and Michigan. We can make this commitment despite the cheaper, nonlocal food selections we see at the grocery stores. We can commit to the extra stop at the farm stand, farmers market, or other less convenient option to seek out the food grown in our backyard. We can commit to fully reading labels and seeking out information on products to ensure that they are grown in Michigan.

We can commit to our farmers by thinking openly about agriculture and how it is going to look moving into the future.

We hope that the community appreciates and values the hard work that goes into producing food, and that to continue to do so in these trying times (climate change, development pressure, imports, labor shortages, housing crises—just to name a few!), growers are going to need to think outside the box to keep the farm profitable.

12 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

MARY MANNER Co-Director, Great Start to Quality Northwest Resource Center Our social lives took a hit during the pandemic, and we have all struggled to some degree to get back to “our old selves.” Families with children born during the pandemic face an extra challenge—their babies missed many of the socialization opportunities that help build the foundations for healthy socialemotional development.

We can make our community healthier in 2024 by supporting local behavioral health initiatives and, at the state policy level, advocating to make infant/early childhood mental health consultation resources available in every county in Michigan.

Our pandemic babies are now entering preschool where, as a group, they will experience the highest rate of expulsion of any pre-K through grade 12 student. By attending to their social-emotional needs now, we can create a healthier, happier future for us all.

4 GLEN CHOWN Executive Director, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy There are a lot of people choosing to live in northern Michigan right now for a variety of reasons. Newcomers, I feel, need to understand that what makes this region so amazing is the outstanding quality of our natural resources, and that they too can play an important role in making sure our pristine waters, agricultural landscapes, and natural areas remain healthy.

There isn't a simple answer to how we ensure this happens, but it would be good for all of us—newcomers and long-time residents alike—to make time to spend outside, in nature, observing the beauty that surrounds us and ask, “what can I do to help sustain this?” And rather than sitting on the sidelines, why not roll up your sleeves and volunteer at one or more of the fabulous nonprofits in our region working to make a difference? There is no shortage of opportunities to engage or on-the-ground needs to make northern Michigan an even better place to live, work, and play.

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ASHLEY HALLADAY-SCHMANDT Director, Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness Increasing year-round emergency shelter capacity while at the same time focusing on developing supportive housing is essential for fostering community health.

Emergency shelters provide immediate relief, offering a safety net for those experiencing homelessness. However, sustainable change requires a more comprehensive strategy, emphasizing the development of permanent supportive housing.

Supportive housing not only offers residents a secure place to live but also delivers vital support services, promoting independence and well-being. By simultaneously expanding emergency shelter options and investing in supportive housing initiatives, our community can create a robust system that not only responds to immediate needs but also facilitates lasting positive transformations, contributing to the overall health and stability of our most vulnerable residents.

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CHRISTINE CRISSMAN Executive Director, The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay We could make our community a healthier place to live by identifying the sources of harmful bacteria at local beaches so we can work together to reduce bacterial contamination. Elevated bacteria levels at beaches pose a threat to public health and cause illness, especially in young children and people with compromised immune systems. In 2024, The Watershed Center will install green infrastructure in the Village of Northport to reduce bacteria inputs to beaches from stormwater.

Additionally, we will conclude a microbial source tracking study to determine the sources of bacterial contamination at local beaches so appropriate remediation efforts can be implemented to reduce harmful bacteria. While these monitoring efforts help inform large-scale bacterial reduction efforts, we can all take simple actions to make our beaches a healthier place to be by not feeding gulls and other birds, picking up after our pets, and having young children take frequent bathroom breaks.

ROGER AMUNDSEN Chair, Traverse City Arts Commission I believe public art has a real opportunity for changing, or at least reframing, the way our community interacts with the world— initiating or furthering conversations around local and global issues, challenging and broadening our ideas or assumptions, overall grounding our community in ways that encourage a healthy sense of resiliency and place.

I’m excited for the ways that the Traverse City Arts Commission (TCAC) is a part of facilitating those interactions and centering community health. Through that lens, one of the projects I’m most excited by in 2024 is our involvement in the TART Bayfront Extension and Improvement Project. While leveraging the work of many collaborative partners, the extension will be incorporating non-motorized infrastructure with public art—elevating a main transportation artery, and encouraging inclusive ways for the community to get outside, be active, spend time with one another, and to be surprised or challenged by art.

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WARREN CALL President/CEO, Traverse Connect Our region needs to continue to focus on our economic health in order to provide year-round family sustaining careers. The key need for economic health is our ability to retain and attract a skilled workforce for the future, which involves continued investment in quality-of-life amenities and the necessities of daily life such as adequate housing and childcare for all income levels.

At the fundamental level, we will have considerable challenges recruiting and retaining the skilled workforce of the future if we do not address the needs of our most vulnerable population—the homeless. One of the first and most important activities we as a region can undertake in 2024 to make our community healthier is to address both chronic and periodic homelessness in order to reduce or eliminate residents living in tents or on the streets.

TREVOR TKACH President/CEO, Traverse City Tourism A “healthier” community will make for a healthier community. Dozens of community leaders and interested parties have convened under the Traverse Indoor Sports Coalition over the past few years in hopes of developing more facilities to help keep locals active year-round.

This is great for physical and mental health outcomes. Indoor turf, courts, and tracks can also lead to tournaments and travel team matches that bring dollars into our community at times of year when local businesses need the demand.

Enthusiasm for the idea has brought a variety of concepts to light. TCAPS is considering a public private concept to develop facilities. The YMCA is working toward the addition of courts and turf, too. I would be thrilled to see one or more of these projects gain enough momentum to break ground in 2024.

KELLY DUNHAM Executive Director, Bay Area Transportation Authority Commuters have an opportunity in 2024 to proactively make a change in their lifestyle that would benefit their health. The congestion caused by the upcoming Grandview Parkway reconstruction may be the motivation people need to make a healthy lifestyle change and consider other forms of transportation.

Did you know that using public transit can improve your health? The CDC found that people who use public transit are associated with 10-30 minutes of additional walking per day, and walking is a great way to become physically and mentally healthier. BATA’s free Bayline buses will be one of the solutions to help people navigate around this massive project by providing rides from hotels or park-and-ride lots east and west of downtown Traverse City. In addition, BATA’s new transfer station and park-and-ride lot on Lafranier Rd. gives people even more options to get downtown healthier and happier.

Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 13

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID This two-day class helps prepare community members to respond to a mental health crisis

By Anna Faller If you witnessed a medical emergency— someone with a broken leg for instance, or a co-worker choking on their lunch—most of us would know just what to do: call an ambulance, administer the Heimlich, and maybe even start CPR. But, would you be able to pinpoint a person struggling through an anxiety attack?

A major depressive episode? Would you know how to help?

One in five adults will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, a statistic that could well be higher, as many mental health struggles go unreported. Experiencing poor mental health doesn’t mean that you’ve failed or that you’re not a good person. “It just means you might be undergoing some challenges,” North Country Community Mental Health Training Coordinator Leslie Elrod explains.

Much like a traditional first aid course provides the skills to support the sick or injured, Mental Health First Aid classes through Northern Lakes Community Mental Health Authority (NLCMHA) and North Country Community Mental Health (North Country CMH) teach participants how to best support a person experiencing a mental health crisis.

(A quick note: NLCMHA serves Crawford, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Missaukee, Roscommon, and Wexford counties. North Country CMH serves Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Kalkaska, and Otsego counties.)

“It’s all about having enough knowledge to step in and offer a listening ear,” Elrod says.

“Knowing that they’re not going through [that struggle] alone is so important.”

Australia, First Aid, and ALGEE So, what is Mental Health First Aid? In short, exactly what it sounds like.

The curriculum was founded in Australia in 2001 by health education nurse Betty Kitchener and Anthony Jorm, a mental health literacy professor. (Together, the pair run the training and research nonprofit Mental Health First Aid Australia). Since arriving stateside in 2008, the program has graduated more than three million “first aiders” from all 50 states and territories.

Launched in Traverse City in the early 2010s, the courses are administered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and are geared toward equipping community members with the skills to both recognize and respond to mental health and substance abuse difficulties. “There’s been a lot of

14 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

Amy Kotulski

Leslie Elrod

positive support to put this in place for mental health,” says NLCMHA Community Provider Relations Coordinator Cindy Petersen.

Mental Health First Aid courses are focused on supporting both youths and adults. The newly-updated teaching materials include two days of instruction divided into 10 content segments. Courses are available in face-to-face, online, and hybrid formats and can be reserved through

the respective community mental health groups’ calendars. Private courses for larger groups can also be organized by special request.

The course’s content starts with defining a variety of mental health challenges— including illness and substance abuse—as well as the signs and symptoms of each and how a person experiencing those issues might present in real-time.

Then, they dive into the role the first-

Clarisse Hartnett-Manny and Cindy Petersen

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aider plays, which, as Petersen stresses, is never to treat. Instead, the goal is to help connect that person with the resources they need using a five-point action plan known as ALGEE: Assess for risk of suicide or harm; Listen nonjudgmentally; Give reassurance and information; Encourage appropriate professional help; and Encourage self-help and other strategies.

Thus the program’s “first aid” framework. “Your job is not to counsel or try to ‘fix’ a person in crisis,” says Elrod, but rather get them to safety and help connect them with the appropriate resources.

“I liken it to encountering a person experiencing cardiac arrest,” she adds. “I’m not medical personnel; I can’t fix that. But I can notify the people who can and hopefully get that person to a better place.”

As such, a key piece of the course is knowing how to connect those in crisis to local professional resources. Each attendee takes home a jam-packed Participant Processing Guide: a folder containing class notes, along with lists of nearby agencies, contacts, and clinics and the mental health services they provide.

is key—in fact, just stepping into the situation and understanding the individual’s need is about 90 percent of the first-aider’s role, trainer Clarisse Hartnett-Manny explains.

“Taking a breath and saying, ‘Okay, I’m here and I’m listening,’ is huge,” she adds.

Within the program, the process of dismantling stereotypes begins by chipping away at the negative tags around mental health through a combination of activities, role play, videos, and notes, as well as by forging connections between group members.

“By the end of the day, we’re a community, because everybody shares out,” Petersen explains. “There’s value in that, because no one wants to feel like they’re different. Here, we’re forming skills [from those experiences] that can be carried throughout the community.”

Kotulski says that today, an increasing number of Mental Health First Aid graduates work in public service (e.g., medical personnel, case managers, policemen, firefighters, and the like), a population whose training impacts the outcome of crisis situations.

She adds that when we look at social issues like suicide rates and overcrowding of jails—many of which are directly related to instances of mental illness—increasing trauma education in those sectors could prompt better long-term solutions.

To get there, though, we all have to join the growing movement toward mental health dialogue and awareness, and a first aid class is a great place to start.

“We listen to everyone that walks in our doors,” concludes Petersen. “We want them to leave with the skills to be fully present and know that they can make a difference.”

To learn more about Mental Health First Aid or to register for a course, visit northernlakescmh.org or norcocmh.org.

“By the end of the day, we’re a community, because everybody shares out,” Petersen explains. “There’s value in that, because no one wants to feel like they’re different.

Here, we’re forming skills [from those experiences] that can be carried throughout the community.”

Stigmas, Connections, and Community No matter how prepared you are, approaching a mental health emergency can still feel awkward—and that goes for both the first aid responder and the person in crisis.

“Admitting that you’re not doing well [in the context of various cultural norms] can be an uncomfortable conversation to have,” says Amy Kotuski, the director of Club Cadillac, a community for people with a diagnosed mental health issue.

To help mitigate stigma, a key Mental Health First Aid objective is to provide attendees with the tools to broach uncomfortable interactions. Active listening

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Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 15

By Brighid Driscoll On a trip to Louisville, Kentucky, Traverse City locals Carol and David Saxton didn’t expect to find themselves in a salt cave.

“I was looking for things to do so I decided to try it,” Carol says. She left feeling relaxed and like she could breathe easier. “It was such a profoundly beautiful experience.”

The couple began enjoying and learning more about halotherapy, also called salt therapy. Eventually, they decided to bring the experience to Traverse City, which led them to opening Urban Oasis Salt Spa seven years ago. “People here are very health conscious, so we thought it would be great to have here,” Carol says.

Since opening, the Saxtons have had over 15,000 people visit the spa, and they say many visit regularly. Customers enjoy feeling that they can help clear their lungs after illness or quitting smoking and are relieved of stress. “People come in for all sorts of reasons,” says David.

“Athletes, people after having a cold, people looking for stress relief. Salt is antibacterial, so it’s always a sterile environment.”

As word got out about their services, their original location near Kids Creek quickly grew too small. Now, with a new location on West Bay Shore Drive, the Saxtons have created their dream salt spa.

Imported from a natural salt cave in Pakistan, rosy toned boulders of Himalayan salt cover the space and are lit from within for a calming atmosphere. “For Seasonal Disorder we set the light on amber and it really helps,” David explains. And though the Himalayan salt makes for a beautiful ambiance, the therapeutic aspect comes from a halo generator. A pharmaceutical grade salt is heated and ground into fine particles before being dispersed into the air via a generator.

All of that made us want a little R&R ourselves. So manager Lori Wares Wagner gave us a step-by-step guide for her perfect day of relaxing at the spa.

NaCl: Or the Chemical Elements of Relaxation A trip to Traverse City’s Urban Oasis Salt Spa

16 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

Best Face Forward As winter sets in, the air becomes harsher on our skin. Long nights and extra cold days lead to more time inside and dull complexions.

“The perfect day starts with a facial,” Wagner says. “Let’s start from the head down.”

Facials address issues ranging from breakouts to dryness to tired-looking skin by deeply cleansing, exfoliating, and nourishing the skin. The experience enhances circulation and relaxes the muscles in our face. (Ask yourself: Are you clenching your jaw right now? Furrowing your brow? Yep, we were, too.)

Wagner says the spa’s therapists customize treatments to address specific concerns, combating signs of aging, acne, and environmental damage. Winter facials fix parched pores by providing intense hydration and repairing weather-induced issues like redness, flaking, and chapping.

Therapists use rich, nourishing products to restore moisture, soothe irritation, and enhance the skin’s natural barrier. The result is a winter-ready complexion that remains supple, luminous, and protected.

But the best part, in Wagner’s opinion, is a scalp massage. “You know when you go to get your hair done, and they’re shampooing your hair and massaging your head, and you’re thinking, ‘Please don't ever stop’?

That’s exactly what you can get here.”

Relaxation from Head to Toe Next on the list? The full-body work-up.

“Of course, we provide a robe and slippers for the experience,” Wagner says.

“After a facial, I would suggest a massage in our couples’ massage room that overlooks West Bay.”

Urban Oasis’s massage therapists have experience in all your favorite techniques, but for Wagner’s perfect day, she would go with a Himalayan Hot Stone massage, where smooth, heated stones are expertly placed and massaged over the body.

The rocks are made out of ancient Himalayan salt crystals and are purported to emit negative ions that promote a sense of well-being. This treatment removes tension, eases muscle stiffness, and enhances blood circulation. The mineralrich stones also impart detoxifying benefits, revitalizing the skin. Wagner says guests love the warmth of this luxurious experience, as the Himalayan stones soothe mind, body, and spirit.

A walk from the massage table to the detox room is Wagner’s third stop. Ion foot detoxes are a popular spa therapy designed to rejuvenate the body from the soles up. The treatment involves placing feet in a warm water bath with positive and negative ions.

As toxins are drawn out through the feet, the water darkens, reflecting the release of impurities. “It’s revealing,” Wagner tells us.

Advocates of ion foot detoxes claim benefits such as improved energy levels, reduced inflammation, and enhanced overall wellness. The negative ions are thought to neutralize free radicals and promote a more alkaline environment in the body, potentially alleviating stress and supporting the immune system. Enthusiasts appreciate the ritual for its calming effects and the post-detox sensations, leaving them filled with lightness and vitality.

Sauna and Salt “In that same detox room, I’d go right into the infrared sauna,” Wagner says of her next step.

The saunas most of us are familiar with involve hot air or steam. Infrared saunas

DO

differ in that they use radiant heat to heat your body directly. They can achieve the same results as a traditional sauna at lower temperatures. But hey, any excuse to feel warm is welcome in a northern Michigan winter, right?

The high temperatures of the sauna induce sweating, a natural process that flushes out toxins, cleanses the skin, and promotes a healthy glow. This heat exposure also improves blood circulation, aiding muscle recovery and reducing inflammation.

Regular sauna sessions have benefits like lower blood pressure and improved cardiovascular function. The heat triggers the release of endorphins, promoting natural

drawing on the therapeutic properties of salt—think antimicrobial and antiinflammatory.

The Urban Oasis salt room is wrapped in serenity, with low lighting, soothing sounds, and chairs to sit and unwind in. Guests are encouraged to wear clean and comfortable clothes and enter the room with white socks.

(Pro tip: The salt room is kept at a slightly cooler temperature, so bringing a sweatshirt or using a blanket may be more comfortable.)

“It’s such a stress reducer,” Wagner says of the experience. “People are stressed to the max. They need some calmness in their life. It is the most claiming, refreshing atmosphere.

Who doesn’t need more of that in their life?”

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stress relief and enhancing mood.

Now, for our final treatment of the day. “Last but not least, I would enjoy a refreshment in our calming, stunning salt room. I always tell people this is the fireworks of the spa,” says Wagner.

Salt therapy or halotherapy began in the 1800s when a Polish physician noticed that salt mine workers weren’t prone to lung problems like other miners. Soon, salt therapy became an accessory asthma treatment in Eastern Europe. Later, halotherapy gained popularity in the United States in the mid20th century.

Beyond the respiratory health boost, halotherapy is thought to have skin benefits,

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Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 17

LIVING IN THE PRESENT FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE

By Kierstin Gunsberg Readers, this is your reminder to close your eyes and take a deep breath. (And then one more. And maybe another.)

Between dashing through the sleet and snow and rushing off to those last-minute work parties, the weeks surrounding holiday festivities and the first notes of “Auld Lang Syne” can feel like a crawl to the finish line.

And if you just felt your teeth crack a little under the pressure, you’re not alone.

As we close out a busier-than-ever 2023 and look toward the year ahead, health and wellness resolutions abound, and research shows that incorporating mindfulness and meditation practices into our every day can play a big part in achieving greater mental and physical health.

So, relax your jaw, take one more of those deep breaths, and read on. Three local yogis have your post-holiday crash—and those resolutions—covered.

How yoga, meditation, and mindfulness can get you where you want to go next year

First, Just Breathe We weren’t kidding about that breathing thing.

“We take [our] breath for granted,” says Libby Robold, co-director of Yoga for Health Education in Traverse City. Though yoga, mindfulness, and meditation are all separate practices, they work in harmony on the foundation of teaching us “how to use the power of our own breath to relax,” as Robold puts it.

No matter the practice, she explains that breathwork is key because, while navigating life’s busyness, many of us are holding our breath. Taking a few moments to correct shallow, constricted breathing can mean a big energy boost, quieted anxiety, and letting go of negative thought patterns that are counterproductive to our New Year’s goals.

If one of those goals is to stress less, Robold says that through a simple yogic breathing technique, we can unlearn stress while rewiring our brains to respond to it differently over time. And, bonus, unlike Child’s Pose, this can be done almost anywhere, anytime.

To start, just acknowledge those short, clipped breaths when they’re happening, whether it’s while unloading groceries or hustling to the car after one too many rounds of euchre with the in-laws. From there, “Take a short time out and sit,” instructs Robold.

“Invite yourself to use your ability to gaze inward and watch your breath.”

Pay special attention to the space at the end of each inhale and exhale while relaxing your shoulders and facial muscles. Focus on your breathing, and after a while, that space between breaths should widen, meaning your breathing will slow to a calm and steady pace which Robold notes supports the parasympathetic nervous system—the part of our nervous system that keeps stress in check.

This exercise not only calms the physical symptoms of being overwhelmed and overstimulated (specifically calling out those repetitive department store Christmas tunes) but it also helps us live in the present— an important aspect of mindfulness and meditation.

“Our breath is always happening in the present moment,” says Tiffany Lenau, director of Yoga Roots and Healing Arts in Petoskey. “So it can be an anchor for us.

In our lives, the only constant is change, and our breath is the only thing that won’t change. The quality of our breath can change and our awareness of it, but the simple fact that we are breathing won’t change.”

Jan Boettcher

18 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

Looking Forward by Looking Inward Reducing stress and anxiety isn’t the only

Libby Robold leads a class at Yoga for Health Education.

goal we’re chasing. Setting intentions while practicing mindfulness is another way to grow in the New Year, and this can mean meditating on a word you want to align yourself with (like “joy” or “freedom”) or picturing something you want to work on (like curbing bedtime doom scrolling) while holding a favorite yoga pose.

As for intentions that veer towards finding companionship in 2024, Lenau shares some meditative advice that worked for her: “If you are looking for love, don’t look with your eyes. Sit in meditation and cultivate the feelings you want to feel with your partner. Safety, contentment, acceptance, grace—whatever you are looking for in your relationship, cultivate that in yourself. Then you will emulate those things and attract it to you.”

Pertinent to any practice, say our yogis, is consistency, which leads to the confidence boost that’s needed to pursue bigger-picture goals like, say, making the jump to a new career.

“The self-esteem and self-respect you gain from a yoga practice and the community of supportive, healthy people is the greatest gift,” says Lenau, who offers students both online and in-person classes from her Petoskey studio. “With this, you can more easily stick to resolutions, set healthy boundaries, or make positive changes in your life. Yoga gives us a foundation of self-respect and that foundation is a place to build other healthy positive habits.”

Building Strength, Inside and Out For those resolutions that center on physical health, retired RN-turned-yogainstructor Jan Boettcher says yoga can help folks incorporate more movement and strength building into their routines.

“Moving is so important to keep our joints healthy, to keep our bodies healthy, and we do that in yoga,” she says.

And, as cold and flu season continues, Boettcher says that engaging in movement and mindfulness supports our immune systems by using the same breathwork mentioned by Robold and Lenau. “When we

are stressed, when we are anxious, our breath is very shallow. When that happens, we really are decreasing our immunity and our overall health response.”

As the owner of Elk Rapids Yoga Flow, Boettcher’s advice to newbies is to study class descriptions to find the one that best resonates with their intentions. So, to strengthen cardio stamina, a combination yoga/high intensity interval training (HIIT) class could be the perfect fit. Hoping to catch more Z’s in the New Year? Try a slow-paced, restorative class that integrates yoga and the calming effects of guided meditation.

“Also, try different teachers,” suggests Boettcher. “Because you may feel this real connection to a certain teacher that is teaching the same class as another teacher, but you just have that connection.”

A Practice of Acceptance, Not Perfection As much as the well-marketed idea of “New Year, New You” can be a catalyst for positive future changes, Lenau emphasizes that focusing too much on what’s ahead, or on what could be, is a risk to current contentment.

“Joy happens in the present moment. If we want to enjoy life, we must be present. It takes some practice in mindfulness to live in the present moment.” In fact, she says, “It might take a lifetime of practice, and the practice itself is moment to moment.”

If chasing resolutions seems altogether contradictory to the meditative principles of living in the present moment, that’s because it can be, especially if those resolutions aren’t paired with self-love and acceptance— foundational philosophies of mindfulness— and some flexibility along the way.

“Try not to get glued to your projected outcome if circumstances or intuition invite you to reshape your goals,” reminds Robold.

Boettcher echoes this: “Being accepting of yourself is the most important part, because if you get discouraged with your [resolution] progress, then that’s not going to be helpful… You have to be very accepting and loving with your whole pathway as you move towards this resolution or goal.”

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Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 19

How to Keep Four of America’s Most Common Resolutions Experts weigh in on exercising, eating better, saving money, and making time for family and friends

By Ross Boissoneau It’s far and away the number one New Year’s resolution: To get healthy.

But health has many facets. Exercising more. Eating better. Taking care of the body and mind. Even watching spending, leading to better financial health.

So how can you start the New Year off with a bang and then keep the momentum going?

We talked to some of the experts around the region to provide a basis for how to roll through 2024, creating a better, more vibrant you.

Resolution 1: Exercise More January sees the greatest increase in new members at health clubs—an average of 12 percent, some as much as 30 to 50 percent—according to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). Yet U.S. News and World Report says 80 percent of those who resolve to improve their health have fallen off that particular wagon by February, and IHRSA says most gyms lose 50 percent of their new members within six months.

Bob Reddick, the membership marketing director at the Cadillac YMCA, says he believes it’s a combination of several factors, from setting unreasonable goals to simply

being intimidated by unfamiliar equipment and people who are assumed to be more knowledgeable and in better shape.

He says it is important to have reasonable goals, but they need to be suitable to the individual, both long-term and short-term.

For someone who wants to lose 50 pounds, “start with ‘I need to lose five pounds.’ Set small, attainable goals.”

As for the intimidation factor, Reddick says getting familiar with the treadmills, weights, rowing machines, and the like is easier than many think. Those scary people around you were once new as well and are often happy to help. The Y even offers a 90-day wellness journey, starting with an equipment orientation and follow-up every 30 days.

Reddick says it is also important for people to not feel they are being selfish by taking time to exercise and get healthy.

“They have to show up for themselves,” he says, and taking care of their own health will allow them to be available for others.

Ultimately commitment is up to the individual. “The motivation has got to come from inside,” Reddick says. “It’s hard work. If it was easy, everybody would do it.”

Resolution 2: Eat Better Paula Martin, Community Nutrition

20 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

Paula Martin

Bob Reddick

Specialist at Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, promotes the idea of food as medicine. It’s not a new concept; “Let food be thy medicine” is a quote attributed to Hippocrates some 400 years BCE. Martin says that concept holds true today, perhaps even more so as life has become faster-paced, leading to people eating highly-processed

foods because everyone is on the go.

If modern society has exacerbated the diet problem, it also has provided some means to help meet the challenges. Martin says there are many tech tools to help people track what they’re eating and what nutritional gaps that might leave. “Be aware of where the gaps are,” she says.

Dr. Allyson Leverich

Anthony Palumbo

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It’s no surprise that Americans don’t eat enough fruits and especially vegetables. “It’s abysmal,” she says of the lack of the latter.

Whole grains, nuts, and the right proteins are all important, too. “Add high-value, highdensity foods—legumes, nuts, and seeds have omega fatty acids,” she says.

As for beverages, Martin says the only ones with nutritional content are milk and milk substitutes. Others, including those containing alcohol, sugar, or caffeine, don’t offer anything in the way of nutrition, and she says your brain doesn’t even realize you’ve had anything. “You need water, but you get a lot from fruits and vegetables,” she adds.

Speaking of veggies, farm-to-table dining and eating local are not just catch phrases but rules to live by. Martin points out that foods grown locally are fresher and don’t need the processing that those from distant areas do. “Our regional food sheds mirror historic tribal [ones].

There’s the Great Lakes region, Eastern Seaboard, Midwest, West Coast. Eat as local as possible.” So supporting local farmers is healthy for the body as well as the environment and the local economy.

Martin also believes paying attention to when you eat is nearly as important as what you eat. “Our metabolic rate follows the sun.

It peaks midday,” she says. So she advocates getting 75 percent of your nutritional needs before the last meal of the day. That will improve digestion, mitigating unpleasant side effects such as heartburn, gastric reflux, and ultimately weight gain.

Resolution 3: Save More Investopedia says there are many dimensions to financial health, including your savings account and how much income is being spent on fixed or non-discretionary expenses. Nerdwallet similarly describes financial health as the ability to handle financial stressors like unexpected bills or job loss. Stress has been shown to negatively impact health, and financial worries are one of the biggest stress points. So saving money isn’t just a good idea—it can actually help improve your health.

Anthony Palumbo, Community Bank President of the Traverse City market and chief credit officer at First Community Bank of Harbor Springs, says one strategy of saving money is to enlist the aid of your employer.

“I’m a big fan of having money taken out before it hits your checking account. A lot of employers will do that,” he says, explaining that you can direct a percentage of your paycheck directly into savings.

He says if you’re not relying on that money to pay bills or for discretionary spending, it can add up quickly…as long as you don’t pay attention to it. “Concentrate on ignoring it,” he says.

Ignore what you know is there? He goes on to say it’s possible, especially with some help.

“I’ll take it one step further. Ask your bank to not put it on your interest-bearing statement.

The bank has the ability to not show it. Trick yourself.” Out of sight, out of mind.

Another suggestion is to look long-term.

“If you work for a company with a 401(k) and you get a raise, if you don’t need it to live on, increase your contribution to the 401(k).

That is an easy way to do it.”

If those suggestions don’t fit your circumstances, Palumbo says the most basic and tried-and-true strategy will always help.

“Curtail spending. It goes without saying [it’s] the other way to save.”

Last, he says paying attention to the financial markets can offer timely ideas as well. “Pay attention to interest rates on loans,” he says. While rates are currently higher than they have been in years, if and when they decline, it may be advantageous to refinance.

Perhaps the overriding factor for all these savings strategies is the reason behind them.

“It’s always good to have a goal,” Palumbo says. “Buy a couch, take a trip, get a gym membership. That always makes it easier. A specific goal always helps.”

Resolution 4: Spend More Time with Family and Friends In his book The Blue Zones, author and National Geographic researcher Dan Buettner focuses not only on the diets of those areas where significant numbers of people are living longer, but he also notes the importance of their social connections.

Buettner visits cities in Italy, Greece, Japan, Costa Rica, and California to see how “super-agers” increase their quality and length of life. Community—family, friends, and neighbors—always pops up as a core element of these long-lived folks’ success.

Dr. Allyson Leverich of Mirrored Waters Counseling in Charlevoix believes those community interactions play a pivotal role in people’s mental health. “Get outside of your thoughts. Be mindful, be aware of the environment and people, what’s around you,” she says.

While we can’t all move to Sicily, we can make some changes right away. Those families that sit at the dinner table scrolling through their phones or watching television can benefit from removing those screens.

Leverich suggests having a basket in the entry where phones and tablets can be left, turning off the television during dinner, and even having a family game night.

It’s not just electronics. “Parents’ work can get in the way of connecting with kids.

Work becomes their identity, and it’s live to work instead of work to live. The same applies [to those] without kids. Connect with your partner,” she says.

Leverich says connecting with the greater community is also beneficial, for kids and adults alike. “Social connections are so important. Volunteering can help people who want to connect with others. Giving back is good,” she says. “You learn your life isn’t what life is all about. It makes you more accepting. And you learn more about yourself—what you do and don’t like.”

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From Boilermakers to Hanky Panky to the Best Martini in Michigan

Whether your cocktail expertise is limited to an annual margarita on May 5 or your home bar is better stocked than most liquor stores, a newly updated book is here to help.

The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails: Elevated and Expanded is 600-plus pages of cocktail love and respect, served up with a sidecar of witty humor. Its editor is Steve Reddicliffe, well-traveled journalist who’s been with the Times since 2004 and now calls Glen Arbor his home.

“The Times book division asked if we could do a bar book, and we did the first edition in 2015,” says Reddicliffe, who has also served as editor-in-chief of TV Guide and Parenting magazine, a senior editor at Entertainment Weekly, and the managing editor of Us. Reddicliffe started work on this new edition in spring of 2020, just as pandemic regulations changed lifestyles across the nation, and finished in June of 2022.

“It was really interesting to do,” he recalls. “I have a natural interest in history, and it was fun to go back over 100 years of cocktail coverage. It was a lot to read, but fun to do the research.”

Conquer the Basics, Make the Best Reddicliffe has compiled more than 400 cocktail recipes from the pages of the Times as well as dozens of clever essays by Times writers and contributors, including Rosie Schaap, Robert Simonson, Pete Wells, Amanda Hesser and Melissa Clark. With roughly half the pages of War and Peace, the book is twice as interesting and four times as humorous—at least for this writer. Dozens of high-quality photographs detail the lush allure of the drinks.

In the very first chapter, Simonson advises readers on “How to Make Cocktails,” a very readable primer on what’s needed to stock a basic bar, the gear you’ll want to have on hand, and more. The Brooklynbased writer has penned five books on cocktails and offers interesting insights into what glassware is best for which drinks.

Readers will learn how Jeremy W. Peters found martini perfection in a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, strip mall. As a newspaper political writer, he launched a “bold reportorial experiment” to sample martinis all along the 2012 presidential campaign trail. The final leg of the journey took him to South Carolina, Florida, and on to Michigan.

“That’s where I had my final martini,” he wrote. “An expertly poured Beefeater one.

It was a simple and satisfying number from the Motor Bar in the handsomely restored Westin Book Cadillac in downtown Detroit.”

What’s in a Name?

Along the way, readers will chuckle at the array of amusing names that cocktails have acquired over the decades. Who wouldn’t like to engage in a little Hanky Panky or take a ride on a Pineapple Express? Or enjoy the company of Snowbirds and Townies?

And why are so many drinks named after folks? What’s a Dirty June and who’s Tom Collins? Or Dirty Shirley or those guys Tom and Jerry? Or Mr. October? Recipes for all these and hundreds more are gathered in this must-have tome for those who enjoy not only cocktails, but the spirited tales behind them.

Beer lovers are not excluded from this new publication either. Just turn to Chapter 27 and learn from Rebekah Peppler, a Parisbased writer and food stylist, that “Beer Truly Is the Champagne of Cocktails.”

And Simonson provides praise to one of the workingman’s favorites in “A Shot and a Beer: The Boilermaker Stages a Comeback.”

“Most bartenders seem to enjoy boilermakers as much as they like beer and whiskey on their own,” he writes. “But they split on how best to drink them. Liam Deegan, a partner at Barred Proof, prefers to knock back the shot and then move on to the beer. Ms. (Natalie) David goes back and forth, sipping each in turn. Mr. (Morgan) Schick calls himself a ‘drop it in guy’; like many drinkers he drops the shot, glass and all, into the beer, then proceeds to drink.

‘For me,’ he said, ‘part of the fun of it is that satisfying clunk it makes.’”

THE RECIPES So did Reddicliffe have to taste-test the hundreds of recipes he’s compiled, and did he have any favorites?

“I sampled almost all of them,” he says with a smile. “With some of them the ingredients were sometimes hard to get. But I enjoyed the Deathbed Martini. And I like the rye drinks and the gin drinks.”

Does he have any favorite cocktail locations near Traverse City?

“Little Fleet, Stella’s, The Parlor, Poppycock’s, and Mammoth Distilling are all good,” he says. “And the Riverside in Leland makes a good cocktail.”

For the days you can’t make it out to the bar, here are a few recipes to try.

The Boulevardier • 2 ounces of rye or bourbon • 1 ounce of Campari • 1 ounce of sweet vermouth • Twist of lemon peel Stir together all ingredients except the lemon in a mixing glass filled with ice. Strain into either a stemmed cocktail glass or a rocks glass with ice and garnish with the lemon zest.

A look inside The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails

Deathbed Manhattan • 2 ounces rye whiskey, preferably Ragtime • 1/2 ounce Punt e Mes vermouth • 1/2 ounce Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth • 2 dashes Angostura bitters • 1 maraschino cherry, for garnish Combine all the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass, three quarters filled with ice, and stir until chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with the cherry. It’s so good, you may request it as your final drink.

Hanky Panky • 1 1/2 ounces of Plymouth gin • 1 1/2 ounces of Cocchi Vermouth di Torino • 1/4 ounce of Fernet-Branca • Orange twist for a garnish In a mixing glass filled with ice, stir together all ingredients, except the orange twist.

Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass and garnish. “It’s a cross between a martini and a Manhattan,” says one bartender of the drink that originated at the Savoy Hotel in London.

Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 23

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Creme de la Weird The Kyiv Post reported on Dec. 13 that Russia's security service, the FSB, has released its 2024 propaganda fundraising calendar, and it's a doozy! The front cover features "art" of an improbably ripped Vladimir Putin giving his best sultry stare while leaning on a big, black compensator vehicle. Meanwhile, the apocalyptic November image depicts an FSB special forces soldier standing before the U.S. Capitol while drones and helicopters attack it. Is this a popular holiday gift in Russia? Who knows. The bigger question: Why does the FSB need to fundraise?

Weird Science Gatorland in Orlando, Florida, can boast a fascinating new resident: a leucistic white alligator, born on Dec. 7, CNN reported.

The female gator is believed to be one of only eight in the world and the only one born in human care. She was hatched along with a normal-colored brother of the same size (about 19 inches long). "Leucistic alligators are the rarest genetic variation in the American alligator," the park said. They have bright blue eyes, as opposed to albino gators, which have pink eyes. The public is invited to vote on a name on the park's social media sites.

Scientists at Northwestern University in Chicago have created teeny-tiny VR headsets for laboratory mice, Sky News reported on Dec. 8, so that they can experience the freedom they will never have. The Miniature Rodent Stereo Illumination VR has two lenses and two screens to give the little dudes a realistic 3D picture of ... aerial threats, like an owl coming in for a meal. The goggles help the mice "engage with the environment in a more natural way," said lead scientist Daniel Dombeck.

Crime Report In Louisville, Kentucky, a bronze statue of President Abraham Lincoln has been seated on a rock, overlooking the Ohio River, since 2009, the Louisville Courier Journal reported. But Lincoln's top hat, which rested at his side on the rock, disappeared sometime at the beginning of December. The sculptor, Ed Hamilton, suspects the hat was stolen: "It was anchored down into that monolith rock," he said. "I don't know what they could have used, maybe some more manpower or some crowbars. Bring the hat back, because you can't wear it," he warned potential thieves.

Police and park officials are investigating.

Bright Idea An unnamed 22-year-old man from Taiwan was detained on Dec. 5 at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok after he was found to be transporting two Asian small-clawed otters and a prairie dog, Metro News reported. The man had the animals stuffed into three separate socks and taped into his boxer shorts; security officers became suspicious about the large bulge below the man's waistband. They believe he purchased them at a market in the city. The animals were taken to the Wildlife Conservation Office; the smuggler was arrested. "We will catch anyone who tries to take animals on planes," a Thai customs department spokesperson said.

Suspicions Confirmed Cops in Genoa, Italy, were stumped by

a drug-trafficking case in their city, BNN reported on Dec. 1 -- that is, until they noticed a large number of bald and beardless men visiting a local barbershop. Investigators initiated surveillance and searched the shop, where they found 100 grams of cocaine, precision scales and packaging materials.

They also found hashish at the barber's home and evidence of ongoing communication with inmates in a Genoa prison. The 55-yearold barber is awaiting sentencing at the Marassi prison.

Awesome!

The Burnside Shelter in Portland, Oregon, hit the jackpot earlier in the year when workers discovered a pair of gold sneakers at the bottom of a donation bin, United Press International reported. Turns out, the Air Jordan 3 kicks were commissioned by Spike Lee for him to wear at the 2019 Academy Awards -- and they're valued at more than $10,000, according to Sotheby's. The auction house will donate 100% of the proceeds, expected to be as much as $20,000, to the Portland Rescue Mission, which operates the shelter. Bidding continues through Dec. 18.

Wait, What?

Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava was arraigned on Dec. 5 in Los Angeles federal court after a bizarrely uninterrupted trip from Denmark to L.A., the Associated Press reported. The Russian flew in November without a ticket, passport, visa or seat assignment. Flight crew members told investigators that he wandered around the plane and switched seats while talking with other passengers. When U.S. Customs and Border Patrol searched his belongings, they found "Russian identification cards and an Israeli identification card," court documents outlined. Ochigava gave a variety of explanations, including that he hadn't slept in three days and wasn't sure how he got through security in Copenhagen. A trial is scheduled for Dec. 26.

Compelling Explanation Michael Green, 50, and Byron Bolden, 37, were sentenced in December in Colorado's 18th Judicial District for felony theft after they shoplifted about $2,100 worth of items from a Kohl's store, The Denver Gazette reported. In Colorado, theft under $2,000 is a misdemeanor, which is why their defense counsel creatively argued that the store was having a sale, and the men had coupons, which brought the value of the items down below the threshold for felony theft. The DA wasn't having it: "Just because an item is on sale doesn't mean it's free to steal," said John Kellner. "Retailers in our community are fed up with theft, and my office will actively prosecute these offenders."

Least Competent Criminal On Dec. 9, as first responders were assisting a person "experiencing an altered mental state" in Columbia County, Florida, Stanley Williams, 35, hopped into the waiting ambulance and drove away, ClickOrlando reported. But officers didn't have to chase him down -- Williams drove to the sheriff 's office operations center and stopped near the main entrance, where he was arrested and taken to a hospital for examination.

Williams faces grand theft and evading law enforcement charges.

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Artist Chillouts are held monthly January-September as open, informal gatherings for young adult artists to work on their art, often with a DJ playing music.

Connecting the Arts and Culture Dots The behind-the-scenes work of the Northwest Michigan Arts and Culture Network

By Victor Skinner After spending nearly three years preparing to launch a new arts connection hub in northern Michigan, Mary Gillett had a plan—and a lot of interest and momentum— going into 2020.

“A month later we were in the throes of COVID, so that blew up our strategic plan,” Gillett says. “These organizations lost 87 percent of their earned revenue in a matter of weeks. Everything was cut off, and at the same time there were a lot of needs everywhere and a lot of unknowns.”

While the pandemic threw a wrench into Gillett’s efforts to resurrect aspects of the regional arts council that dissolved along with its funding in the mid-2000s, it put a spotlight on the motivation behind her efforts: to build and leverage connections in the arts and culture space for shared benefit, both for the artists and organizations involved and the communities they serve.

“I think going through the pandemic was really an opportunity to show how we could work together,” she says.

That’s how the Northwest Michigan Arts and Culture Network sprang to life, with weekly Zoom meetings to share strategies on surviving through tough times, regular electronic newsletters with tips on finding and securing funding, and other collaborative efforts to share resources and highlight opportunities.

“Everyone knows each other now. It’s not a new meeting every time you go to a

different place,” says Ted Alan, a Traverse City area guitarist who had recently moved to the area when the pandemic struck. “It just seems going forward … people are working in concert rather than individuals trying to sort these things out.”

Lessons learned from the rough start continue to pay dividends roughly four years later, laying the groundwork for a strong

Connections, Capacity, and Communication While COVID may have shifted how the network operated in the early days, the focus remained the same: “How can we work together … to leverage resources none of us have enough of to be stronger together,” Gillett says.

The overarching goal is to support and strengthen the collective power of artists,

“You can use music and art as a bridge to healing, economic development, and a lot of other things,” Gillett says. “We know we’re making a difference. The seeds that were sown are starting to bear fruit.” network across 10 counties that now boasts 72 member organizations and dozens of individual artists. The network encompasses visual and performing arts, musicians, writers, native arts, and others, with support from arts centers, community organizations, and ancillary businesses.

“I think the biggest thing is knowing there’s other organizations out there having similar issues … and being able to share and grow,” says Tim Florinki, president of Up North Arts visual and performing arts center in Cadillac.

26 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

culture bearers, and the creative sector to cultivate vibrant communities.

“We are a very large rural region,” Gillett says. “It’s different than it is in southeast Michigan and with our urban counterparts.

We have to do twice as much with half the people and a quarter of the money.”

Most of the work centers on three strategic priorities that include connections, capacity building, and communications. Much like a regional arts council, the network measures success by its ability to help the organizations, artists, and communities it serves.

In recent years, the network has built on

the connections forged during the pandemic to host the Northwest Michigan Arts and Culture Summit each May at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. The 2023 event drew 115 attendees—from arts administrators, to individual artists, culture bearers, and community leaders—for professional development and networking among members and state and regional experts.

With 28 speakers, two keynotes, two panels, and eight breakout sessions, attendees gained new perspectives on topics like emerging technology in the arts, cultural tourism, and funding, along with hands-on tools and strategies and opportunities for collaboration.

The network also hosts up to 20 Zoom roundtables and in-person coffee chats across the region each year to share information and open up avenues for cross-promotion among members and stakeholders. Other connections have been forged through an expanded emerging young artist program with regular “chillouts” to facilitate collaboration and produce annual exhibitions at the City Opera House and other locations.

Funding the Arts On the dollars and cents side, the network has taken on the role as the regional partner for mini-grants administered by the State of Michigan Arts and Culture Council that are designed to support professional and organizational development.

In 2023, the network distributed 21 minigrants totaling $53,500 to organizations in

Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Summits are hosted at Interlochen Center for the Arts each May.

seven counties. Gillett tells us the money ultimately benefited 211 artists, who received $182,464 in artist fees, and enabled groups to leverage $248,933 in matching funds and $45,922 in in-kind donations, for a total of $348,425 in economic activity back to communities.

Funded projects have included Concerts on the Lawn at the Grand Traverse Pavilions in Traverse City, elementary art experiences at the Missaukee District Library, outdoor art throughout downtown Bellaire, Archipelago’s regional music leadership programs for teens, and murals along TART’s Boardman Lake Loop, among others.

The network, Florinki says, “was one of the driving forces to helping us get to where we are,” with initial help securing state grants and three years of mini-grant funding from the network itself for Up North Arts’ summer youth camps. “That helps children who can’t afford to pay to go to a camp,” he says.

The network’s social media, website, and other communications also play into its offerings, providing opportunities for joint promotions including a Fall Into the Arts program from September through early November, which morphed into a Celebrate the Arts campaign going on now to raise awareness about member events, exhibitions, performances, holiday markets, tours, and other local programs.

While learning to write grants offered the biggest benefit for Bill and Sue Klco when they launched their Good Hart Artist Residency in Harbor Springs, the annual summit in Interlochen, electronic newsletters, and other opportunities for connecting has become a lifeline in the years since.

“For us, it’s a pretty easy way to stay connected,” Bill Klco says. “It’s kind of a challenge with life in northern Michigan— nothing is close. It’s good there’s an organization that kind of pulls things together.”

A Sustainable Future Now in its second year of a reworked strategic plan, the network is focused on shifting from a scrappy startup “into a stage two sustainable nonprofit with diversified revenue streams,” according to Gillett.

“We’re focused on our role … and

Mary Gillett

strengthening so we’re sustainable for the future,” she says.

That involves work to “grow our branches and deepen our roots” by continuing to raise awareness, engagement and support, both within the network and communities throughout the 10-county region.

Key priorities for 2024 involve hiring an associate director to grow capacity; building additional revenue streams through memberships, services for organizations, summit sponsorships, and a locally-focused arts fund; strengthening and upgrading technology to improve internal and external communications; and focusing more on engagement with cross-sector stakeholders, from framing shops to art venues to galleries and other related businesses.

Some of those efforts are already underway through collaboration with Interlochen Public Radio to highlight local artists and “stories that heal,” as well as a new headquarters in Traverse City’s Commongrounds building, both of which are building on the network’s ultimate goal of leveraging the power of the arts and culture community for the benefit of all.

“You can use music and art as a bridge to healing, economic development, and a lot of other things,” Gillett says. “We know we’re making a difference. The seeds that were sown are starting to bear fruit.”

Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 27

28 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

dec 23

Saturday

A LIBRARY VISIT WITH SANTA & JENNY THE STORYTELLING ELF: 10am, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Local storyteller Jennifer Strauss will lead you through interactive holiday stories. After the stories, Santa will join for photos, fun, & a free holiday book for each family. There will also be crafts & holiday music. No sign-up needed.

Free. tadl.org/events ----------------------------BOOK SIGNINGS: Horizon Books, TC. Jacob Wheeler will sign his book “Angel of the Garbage Dump” from 1-3pm, & Marty MacLeod will sign her book “Perry Hannah & His Neighbors” from 3-5pm. horizonbooks.com ----------------------------HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS DOUBLE FEATURE: Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. This year’s event will include “The Grinch” at 2pm & “Home Alone” at 7pm. Holiday attire encouraged. $8 double feature; $5 single film; 3 & under, free. greatlakescfa.org/ events/detail/2023-holiday-double-feature ----------------------------BOB JAMES + FAMILY HOLIDAY CONCERT “FA-LA-LA-LLUVION”: SOLD OUT: 7:30-9:30pm, The Alluvion, TC. Featuring Bob James, his daughter/vocalist Hilary James, his granddaughter/vocalist Ava DiSimone, & his son-in-law/pianist Kevin DiSimone. $30 advance; $35 door. thealluvion.org/tickets/ bob-james-fa-la-la-lluvion

dec 25

monday

FREE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DINNER: 1-3pm, East Jordan United Methodist Church. Enjoy free food & fellowship. Take out will be available. 231-536-2161.

dec 26

tuesday

dec 27

wednesday

FAMILY FUN WITH STORIES!: 10:30am, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, youth area. Join for a special Winter Break Story Time. This program will be in place of Preschool Story Time this week, & will be fun for the whole family. Free. sbbdl.org

GUIDED WINTER HIKES: 10am & 1pm, Philip A. Hart Visitor Center, Empire. Begin

with an introduction at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center. If there is enough snow, snowshoes will be provided free of charge. Everyone will travel by car to the trailhead or area of the National Lakeshore pre-selected for that day.

Once there, the ranger will help participants learn about the park’s features & winter’s effect on them by exploring & discovering clues on site. Dress for the weather. Reserve your spot: 231-326-4700. Programs are free with a valid park entrance pass. nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=2D3C2B02-CF3E7782-99400A955FF9A0A7

dec 28

thursday

dec 29

friday

dec/jan

23-07 send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

NMCAA’S LAUNDRY PROJECT: 8:30-11:30am, Eastfield Laundry, TC. Free laundry service for those in need. Call 947-3780 for questions.

----------------------------KIDS MOVIE MATINEE: 1pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Enjoy a showing of “Lyle Lyle Crocodile.” Rated PG. Includes snacks & take home treat bags. 231-223-7700. Free.

SKEGEMOG RAPTOR CENTER PRESENTATION: 10:30am, Leland Township Public Library, Leland. Get an up-close experience with birds of prey. Learn about raptors’ fascinating lives & their role in the ecosystem, as well as how you can make a difference. Free.

----------------------------HAPPY NOON YEAR AT TADL!: 11am12:15pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Enjoy a celebration with games, dancing, snacks & a craft as you count down to 12:00 noon! Free. tadl.org/events ----------------------------COMEDY W/ MARY SANTORA: 7:15-9pm, Traverse City Comedy Club, TC. Mary brings her slightly dark, very quick, observational style while drawing from life experiences. $25-$30. mynorthtickets.com/events/comedy-wmary-santora-12-29-2023 ----------------------------MICHIGAN RATTLERS: SOLD OUT: 7:30pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor.

This northern Michigan four-piece rock-folk band brings old favorites & maybe a few new numbers. You can add your name to the waiting list online. greatlakescfa.org

dec 30

saturday

GUIDED WINTER HIKES: (See Weds., Dec. 27)

If you’ve always wanted to try cross country skiing, head to Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville in celebration of Winter Trails Day on Sat., Jan. 6 at 1pm for a free 1-hour clinic that includes a lesson and rental equipment! Must register in advance: 888-968-7686, ext. 4150.

LIVE NATIVITY: 2-3pm, St. Mary of the Assumption Chruch, Lake Leelanau. The cast consists of elementary through high school St. Mary School students in this live presentation with animals. Free. stmarysll.org ----------------------------COMEDY W/ MARY SANTORA: 7-8:45pm, Traverse City Comedy Club, TC. Mary brings her slightly dark, very quick, observational style while drawing from life experiences. $25-$30. mynorthtickets.com/events/comedy-wmary-santora-12-30-2023 ----------------------------THE LARRY MCCRAY BAND: 8pm, Freshwater Art Gallery & Concert Venue, Boyne City.

Larry McCray has shared the stage & played with BB King, Freddie King, Albert King, Keb Mo, Levon Helm, John Mayall, Johnny Winter, Robert Gray, Buddy Guy & many others. His 2022 album release “Blues Without You” was picked #1 album of the year by Blues Rock Review. 231-582-2588. $40.

dec 31

sunday

TC NEW YEAR’S EVE CHERRYT BALL DROP: 10pm, TC. Gather on Front St. to ring in the new year with a giant glowing cherry descending onto the city, followed by fireworks. cherrytballdrop.org ----------------------------NYE AT CTAC & PETOSKEY DISTRICT LIBRARY: 5-9pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Bidwell Plaza, Petoskey & Petoskey District Library. Enjoy arts & crafts stations, musical performances, pottery & dance workshops, magic shows, speed painting, a handbuilding clay activity, silent disco, acrobatic comedy show & more at Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. Live music in the CTAC Theater includes The Third Degree, Jeff Pagel, The North Carolines & more. Activi-

E HAV WE NDAY 0 U 1 S NFL T & BIG E RK TIC K ETWO N

New Y Silen ears Ev e on t t Disco he 9pm patio -1am

TO-GO ORDERS AVAILALBLE 231-252-4157 Sun-Tues: 12-9pm, Thurs: 4-9pm, Fri-Sat: 12-10pm

Kitchen open ’til 8:30pm Sun-Tues & Thurs, 9pm Fri & Sat Christmas Eve open until 5pm. Christmas Day - Closed.

Dec. 30 - OPEN FOR LIONS GAME!

DRINK SPECIALS (3-6 Monday-Friday) :

Watch Jesus’ Eyes and feel His deep love for you Soon we will meet Him in the cloud during the Rapture To know the year of the RAPTURE please visit

www.pierrebittar.com

$2 well drinks, $2 domestic drafts, $2.50 domestic bottles, $5 Hornitos margarita SUNDAY - $6 Ketel One Bloody Mary & $4 Mimosas

DAILY FOOD SPECIALS (3-6pm):

Mon- $1 chips and salsa Tues- $1 enchiladas Thurs - $5 fried veggies Fri - $5 hot pretzels w/ beer cheese

221 E State St. - downtown TC

Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 29

ties at Petoskey District Library & outside on the Bidwell Plaza include fire pits & s’more kits, chili from Parkside Deli, “Midnight at 9” Times Square-style ball drop on East Mitchell St. & more. All outdoor activities are free. Admission for indoor activities at CTAC is $10 adults & $5 children. crookedtree.org ----------------------------TORCHLIGHT PARADE AT NUB’S NOB: 5:30pm, Nub’s Nob, bottom of the Green Lift, Harbor Springs. The Nub’s Nob Ski Patrol & Winter Sports School instructors will make one run down Smokey & another down Valley with flares in hand, creating a beautiful light display. Free. nubsnob.com/torchlight-parade ----------------------------SPECIAL NYE EVENT: DINNER + COMEDY W/ LYNNE KOPLITZ: 7-9pm, Traverse City Comedy Club, TC. Lynne was a regular on Joan and Melissa: Joan Knows Best & also starred on the IFC cult favorite Z Rock.

Opening for Lynne will be the host/creator of “Comedy Rumble,” Bret Hayden. $40-$70. traversecitycomedyclub.com ----------------------------FAMILY GLOW LIGHT & TORCHLIGHT PARADES: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. The parade begins at the top of Cheers to Lou at 10pm. After the Torchlight Parade, overnight guests, Four Seasons Club Members & Property Owners are welcome to join for fireworks over the mountain. crystalmountain.com/event/new-years-eve-celebration ----------------------------NYE PARTIES AT BOYNE MOUNTAIN RESORT, BOYNE FALLS: 10pm-12:30am: Family NYE Party in Vienna Ballroom. Complimentary admission. Dance, play family board games, & countdown to midnight with a toast of champagne or sparkling grape juice. 10pm12:30am: NYE Party in Snowflake Lounge. $10 cover. Ages 21+. Break it down on the dance floor with Tom Zipp & the Bullpen while ringing in the New Year. The Torchlight Parade & Fireworks Extravaganza take place on the Slopes of Victor at 9:30pm. boynemountain. com/annual-events/new-years-eve

jan 01

monday

jan 02

tuesday

jan 04

thursday

jan 05

friday

NEW YEAR’S DAY RIDE: 11:45am-2pm, VASA Singletrack off Supply Rd., TC. Enjoy riding on the groomed winter trail system with the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association.

Free. nmmba.net

NUTRITION

CHIROPRACTIC

COLD LASER

Welcoming New Patients for In-person & Telehealth Visits Our mission at Authentic Health is to facilitate healing by serving the whole person nutritionally, structurally, and energetically, using nutritional therapy, chiropractic care, and cold laser.

DR. JILL BALLA, D.C. AuthenticHealthLLC.com

231-633-9393 415 E Front St - Traverse City Dr. Jill Balla is a highly qualified chiropractor with a passion for therapeutic nutrition.

30 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

GRAND TRAVERSE ICE YACHT CLUB MEETING: Grand Traverse Yacht Club, Greilickville. For those interested in ice boating. Social hour at 6pm; meeting at 7pm.

Held the first Tues. of each month. facebook. com/groups/GTIYC

FREE BELLY DANCE CLASS PARTY: 6pm, Garden Spa & Salt Room, 2322 US31, TC. For beginners of all ages, sizes, shapes; no dance experience necessary. Feel the magic of the Middle East come alive through the art of dance. AmiraHamzarRaks.com

COMEDY W/ KATRINA BROWN: 7:15-8:45pm, Traverse City Comedy Club, TC. The youngest of

seven children, Katrina will say the things you wish you were bold enough to say. She has no filter when it comes to keeping her material real, relatable & honest. $25-$30. mynorthtickets.com/events/comedy-wkatrina-brown-1-5-2024 ----------------------------WINTER WOODY ID HIKE: Meet GTCD Forester Ellie Johnson for a hike on the Natural Education Reserve to learn about identifying trees & woody plants in the winter months.

Gather at the Boardman River Nature Center, Oleson Pavilion, TC at 10am for about a 1 mile, educational, morning walk. Registration is required. Free. natureiscalling.org

jan 06

saturday

COMEDY W/ KATRINA BROWN: 7-8:30pm, Traverse City Comedy Club, TC. The youngest of seven children, Katrina will say the things you wish you were bold enough to say.

She has no filter when it comes to keeping her material real, relatable & honest. $25$30. mynorthtickets.com/events/comedywkatrina-brown-1-6-2024 ----------------------------VEGMICHIGAN - TC: Stone Hound Brewing Co., TC. Celebrate the New Year at Stonehound with a 100% plant-based menu. Arrive beginning at 1pm. meetup.com/traverse-city-vegmichigan-meetup/events/297966291/?utm_ medium=referral&utm_campaign=share-btn_ savedevents_share_modal&utm_source=link ----------------------------WINTER TRAILS DAY, CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN: 1pm, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Children & adults new to snow sports are offered the chance to try cross country skiing for free. This one-hour free clinic includes a lesson & rental equipment. Must register in advance. crystalmountain.com/ event/winter-trails-day

helping hands

FRIENDS OF IPL HOLIDAY MITTEN TREE: Interlochen Public Library. Donate new or hand-made mittens, scarves, socks & hats to the Friends Holiday Mitten Tree through Jan. 3, 2024. Items will be donated to local schools & baby pantries. 231-276-6767.

----------------------------SAFE HOME HARVEST FOOD & SUPPLY DRIVE: Asking for grocery or supermarket gift card donations & financial contributions to benefit the Safe Home that is operated 24/7 by Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan. wrcnm.org/event/harvest-foodand-supply-drive-4-copy/ ----------------------------LIGHTS OVER LEELANAU: The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail is partnering with Leelanau Christian Neighbors for a canned food drive for the month of Dec. Bring a donation of 2 canned goods per person to any & all participating local wineries & receive a winery-choice promotional benefit. lpwines.com/ lights-over-leelanau

ongoing

SNOWSHOES, VINES, & WINES: Explore the trails at Black Star Farms Suttons Bay & then warm up with mulled wine, soup or wood-fired pizza. Held on Saturdays through the winter with the exception of Feb. 10.

Onsite snowshoe rentals are available from noon-4pm. Additional dates include Sundays, Jan. 14 & Feb. 18. blackstarfarms. com/snowshoes-vines-wines ----------------------------NMRRC FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: Creekside Community Church Hall, TC. The Northern Michigan Railroad Club Festival of Trains

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attracts 6,000+ visitors each year & is one of the largest fundraisers for TC charities.

It is currently partnering with Great Lakes Children’s Museum & First Christian Church of Traverse City. The show runs Dec. 1631 from 10am-6pm on Mon. through Sat., & 1-4pm on Sun. nomirrc.wordpress.com/ about/festival-of-trains ----------------------------OPEN DANCE: Bodies in Motion, TC. Held every Weds., 8-11pm. Donation appreciated.

No partner needed. bodiesinmotiontc.com ----------------------------PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Tuesdays, 10:30am, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, lower-level Community Room. Preschoolers of all ages are invited to join for stories, songs & active fun. A special Winter Break Family Story Time will be held on Tues., Jan. 2 that will feature “Wintercake,” a picture book by local author & illustrator Lynne Rae Perkins. sbbdl.org ----------------------------BELLAIRE WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Bee Well Mead & Cider; Short’s Brewing Co. Southside event space; & Terrain. Held on Fridays through the middle of May from 9am-noon.

----------------------------BOYNE CITY MARKET AT THE PAVILION: Veterans Park Pavilion, Boyne City. Held every Sat. through May from 9am-12:30pm.

Shop local artists, food makers & farmers. boynecityfarmersmarket.org/series/marketat-the-pavilion-2 ----------------------------INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 10am-2pm, The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato, TC. More than 35 vendors offer a variety of items from farm fresh eggs, meats & cheeses, to fruits, veggies, homemade breads & more. thevillagetc.com

art

MICHIGAN MEDITATIONS: Runs through Feb. 3 at Crooked Tree Arts Center, Atrium Gallery, Petoskey. Michigan pastel artists Linda Klenczar & Sharon Wade unite for this exhibition. Despite their depictions of contrasting settings—outside & inside, organic & structured, nature & urban—these artists are united by their desire to capture a sense of peace. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ michigan-meditations ----------------------------CHARLEVOIX CIRCLE MARKET: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. More than 30 local artists, crafters & makers create & sell their items. Runs through Dec. 30. Open Mon. through Fri., 11am-4pm & Sat., 11am-3pm. charlevoixcircle.org/circle-market ----------------------------JUST GREAT ART EXHIBIT & SALE: Runs through Dec. 30 at City Opera House, TC. Artists Sue Bowerman, Kurt Bullock, Lori Feldpausch, Rita Harrington, Michelle Jahraus, Ruth Kitchen, Dorothy Mudget, Joyce Petrakovitz, Marilyn Rebant, Laura Swire, Linda Tyson, & Wendy McWhorter are showing over 100 original works of art in oil, watercolor, acrylic & pastel. Enjoy holiday shopping during the City Opera House hours, daily 10am-2pm & during their many evening events. cityoperahouse.org ----------------------------“ESCAPING THE FRAME”: Commongrounds, 414 E. 8th St., TC. Etching prints

by Dorothy Anderson Grow. Runs through Jan. 7.

----------------------------“BARBARA REICH EXHIBIT: ART IN THE LIBRARY”: Bonobo Winery, library, TC. This exhibit features a select collection of Barbara’s original paintings that focus on still life & snow. Runs through Feb. 26. barbarareich.com

5TH ANNUAL SMALL WORKS & ART TREE SHOW: Higher Art Gallery, TC. Visit a tree of artisan made ornaments, along with a wall of small works. Show runs during open hours through Dec. 23. higherartgallery.com ----------------------------DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - “A SEPARATE SHINING: SELECTIONS FROM THE TUSEN TAKK FOUNDATION COLLECTION”: The Tusen Takk Foundation & the Dennos Museum present this exhibition representing artists who have participated in its artist-in-residence program to date. Taking its title from the poem “Joy” by Hilda Conkling, the exhibition surveys the artist’s exploration of the intangible, the unseen qualities of joy, beauty, & hope. Runs through Jan. 7.

Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-on-view/index.html - “PASSAGES: THE ART OF RON GIANOLA”: Gianola’s paintings are the result of a fifty-plus year long experience with the Art Spirit, pursuing the possibilities of a personal transformative vision, engaging emotion, expression, & the poetry of visual music. Runs through Jan. 7. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-onview/index.html - “STEPHEN DUREN: A LIFE OF PAINTING”: This exhibit brings together works by artist Stephen Duren that cover his sixtyyear career & bring greater definition to his artistic contributions. Runs through Jan. 7.

Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-on-view/index.html - NORTHLAND WEAVERS & FIBER ARTS GUILD’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION: Runs through March 3 & includes the work of 27 current & past members. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org ----------------------------OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT: - WINTER MARKET: Runs through Dec. 30. Featuring the work of more than 30 area artists & craftspeople. Includes ornaments, wearable art, home decor, jewelry, cards, photography, prints, paintings & more. Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10am4pm & on Sundays from noon-4pm. The OAC will be closed on Dec. 24-26. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org - ANNUAL WINTER MEMBER EXHIBITION: Runs through Jan. 12. The Oliver Art Center is open Tues. - Sat., 10am-4pm & Sun., noon-4pm. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org

Deadline for Dates information is Tuesday for the following week.

We’re looking back on 2023 as an astounding year for music and art in Traverse City. Thank you to everyone who said yes to supporting musicians and artists by showing up again and again to fill this small listening room. We hope you’ll join us to celebrate our very last show of 2023 on Thursday, Dec 28 @ 6 pm, featuring Jazz for All with the Jeff Haas Trio, Laurie Sears and artist Lisa Flauhive, and with very special guests Marion Hayden, Anthony Stanco, Tariq Gardner and Chris Glassman. As usual, come as you are, when you are able, and pay what you can.

If you haven’t stopped in to the Alluvion yet, please join us for a show in 2024. Here’s a taste of what’s to come this winter: The reprise of Look Who’s Talking Heads from Mash-up Rock and Roll Musical, and then a takeover by the TC Comedy Fest Tons of Funky Fun on Mondays and Jazz for All on Thursdays— both early shows (6 pm) with honor cover and a community vibe Blanco Suave wsg Waterbed on 1/12 @ 7:30 pm More from Interlochen in Town, including classical guitarist Matthew Cochran and the Interlochen Guitar Ensemble on 1/26 and Kara Huber - The Complete Solo Piano Works of Joan Tower on 2/16. Oh, and Dar Williams on 4/19!

Two powerhouses: the Bill Sears Quintet on 1/27 and Molly on 2/10 @ 7:30 Blue Note Records 85th Anniversary Celebration Starring The Blue Note Quintet on 2/14 @ 7:30.

Also, by the time you read this, the Alluvion and NoBo Mrkt will finally have our liquor license in place! We’ll continue to offer a great selection of N/A drinks but you’ll also be able to enjoy cocktails, wine, cider, beer and other adult beverages. NoBo is putting the final touches on their new kitchen space, so expect a big expansion of both their hours and their menu very soon!

Also, keep an eye out in 2024 for sponsorship opportunities, the Alluvion podcast, lots more visual art exhibits, new merch, a Sunday Jazz Brunch, the reprise of the chair campaign, a perk-heavy fan club, and tons of incredible performances.

We hope you’ll join us.

With endless gratitude, Matt McCalpin and the Alluvion team

W W W. T H E A L L U V I O N . O R G Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 31

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska ENCORE 201, TC 12/23 -- The Drew Hale Band, 8-10; DJ Ricky T, 9-2 12/29 & 12/31 -- DJ Ricky T, 10 12/30 -- The Equality Show Band, 7-10; DJ Ricky T, 10 FRESH COAST BEER WORKS, TC 7-10: 12/29 -- Style Guides 12/31 -- Dan Babiarz 1/5 -- John Paul IDENTITY BREWING CO., TC DINING ROOM: 12/26 -- Mitch McKolay, 6 KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC 9:30: 12/22-23 -- Scarkazm Thu -- DJ Leo 12/29 -- Broom Closet Boys 12/30 -- The Ampersands 12/31 -- Protea KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING 6: Mon. – Trivia Tues. -- Open Mic LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM, 6-9: Mon. -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod TASTING ROOM, 5-7: 12/29 -- Rebekah Jon 1/5 -- Mountain Gloom & Mountain Glory LIL BO, TC Tues. – Trivia, 8-10 Weds. – Open Mic Night w/ Aldrich, 9-11 Sun. – Karaoke, 8 MAMMOTH DISTILLING, TC 12/29 -- Clint Weaner, 7-10 MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC 12/27 & 1/3 -- Trivia Night, 7-9 12/29 -- Zeke, 6-9 12/30 -- User Friendly Killer Robots, 8-11 1/5 -- Sean Megoran, 6-9

NORTH BAR, TC 7-10: 12/23 -- Old Mission Fiddle Vine 12/28 -- Drew Hale 12/29 -- Blake Elliott PARK PLACE HOTEL, TC BEACON LOUNGE, 7-10: 12/22-23 & 12/29-31 -- Jim Hawley ROVE WINERY AT THE GALLAGHER ESTATE, TC 12/29 -- Chris Smith, 5-8 SORELLINA'S, TC SLATE RESTAURANT: Thurs. -- Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 5-8 Fri. & Sat. – Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 6-9 TC WHISKEY CO. 6-8: 12/23 & 12/30 -- Ben Richey 12/27 -- Sam & Bill THE ALLUVION, TC 12/23 -- Bob James + Family Holiday Concert "Fa-La-La-lluvion": SOLD OUT, 7:30-9:30 12/28 -- Jeff Haas Trio Feat. Laurie Sears, Anthony Stanco, Marion Hayden, Chris Glassman, Tariq Gardner, & Lisa Flahive, 6-8 1/4 -- Jeff Haas Trio Feat. Laurie Sears + Lisa Flahive, w/ Rob Smith, 6-8 THE LITTLE FLEET, TC 8: 12/23 -- Themed DJ Night: Warm Beats w/ DJ Marco 12/30 -- Themed DJ Night w/ DJ Clark 12/31 -- DJ Wolinski THE PARLOR, TC 12/23 -- Levi Britton, 8-11 12/26 & 1/2 -- Jesse Jefferson, 8-11 12/27 & 1/3 -- Wink Solo, 8-11 12/28 & 1/4 -- Jimmy Olson, 8-11 12/29 -- The Hey! Makers, 8-11 12/30 -- Brett Mitchell, 8-11

12/31 -- Rebekah Jon & Mal's Bubblin' NYE, 9 THE PUB, TC 8-11: 12/23 -- Rolling Dirty 12/29 -- Nick Vasquez 12/30 -- Rhett & John THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 12/23 -- Pulse of the Atom, 8-10 Tue -- Open Mic Night, 7-9 Wed -- Jazz Show & Jam, 6-8 Thu -- Trivia Night, 7-8 12/29 -- Hot Flat Pop, 8-10 12/30 -- Barefoot Music, 8-10 1/5 -- Andy McQuillen, 8-10 1/6 -- Delilah DeWylde, 8-10 TRAVERSE CITY COMEDY CLUB, TC 12/22 -- Comedy w/ Darrius Bennett, 7:15-9 12/23 -- Comedy w/ Darrius Bennett, 7-8:45 12/29 – Comedy w/ Mary Santora, 7:15-9 12/30 – Comedy w/ Mary Santora, 7-8:45 12/31 – NYE – Dinner + Comedy w/ Lynne Koplitz, 7-9 1/5 – Comedy w/ Katrina Brown, 7:15-8:45 1/6 – Comedy w/ Katrina Brown, 7-8:30 TURTLE CREEK CASINO, WILLIAMSBURG 8: 12/29 -- DJ Mr. Markis 12/30 -- One Hot Robot 12/31 -- 5th Gear BOURBONS 72: 12/30-31 -- Champagne Flute feat.

Dr. Tara Schwabe & Tim Callaghan, 4-8

BOYNE CITY TAP ROOM 12/23 & 12/30 -- Patrick Ryan & Adam Engelman, 7 12/27 -- Patrick Ryan, 7 12/28, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18 & 1/25 -Adam and The Cabana Boys, 7-9 Fri -- Patrick Ryan & Josh Raber, 7 12/31 -- Patrick Ryan & The Sleeping Gypsies, 8 BOYNE MOUNTAIN RESORT, BOYNE FALLS STEIN ERIKSEN'S: 12/24 -- Nelson Olstrom, 5 BRIDGE STREET TAP ROOM, CHARLEVOIX 12/26 -- Patrick Ryan, 7 CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS 12/29 -- Peter Allen Jensen, 6

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 7: 12/23 -- Slim Pickins String Band 12/30 -- Old Mission Fiddle Vine 12/31 -- NYE Party w/ Ron Getz Jazz Quartet 1/6 -- John Piatek Duo 1/7 -- DJ Franck JAX NORTHSIDE, CHARLEVOIX Wed -- Trivia Night, 7-9 MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY 12/29 -- Holiday Hoopla w/ Jelly Roll Blues Band, 8-11 PROVISIONS WINE LOUNGE, BOYNE CITY 12/23 -- Peter Allen Jensen, 6

12/27 -- Tim Duhig, 2-3:30 12/29 -- Aldrich, 8-10:30 12/30 -- Kanin Wren, 8-10:30 THE EARL, CHARLEVOIX LOBBY LO BAR: 12/23 -- Sean Miller, 7-10 TORCH LAKE CAFÉ, CENTRAL LAKE Thu -- Open Mic & Nick Vasquez, 7 Fri - Sat -- Leanna Collins & Ivan Greilick, 7:30 Sun -- Trivia, 5:30; Dominic Fortuna, 6:30 WALLOON JUNCTION BAR & GRILL, WALLOON LAKE 12/30 -- A Not-So-Silent Night w/ Jelly Roll Blues Band, 8

SHORT'S BREW PUB, BELLAIRE 12/23 -- Ugly Sweater Party w/ The Marsupials, 8

32 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly

edited by jamie kauffold

Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com

Otsego, Crawford & Central ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD 6: 12/23 -- Rick Woods 12/29 -- Lou Thumser 12/30 -- Spencer Opperman 1/1 -- ZIE 1/2 -- Pete Fetters

C.R.A.V.E., GAYLORD 6-9: 12/29 & 1/6 -- Rick Woods 12/30 -- Brad Corpus 1/5 -- Dan White KARMA TAPROOM, GAYLORD 1/3 -- Logan Moore Solo, 6:30

MANISTEE, WEXFORD & MISSAUKEE LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE 12/23 -- The Whiskey Rebels, 9 12/31 -- Onager, 10

Emmet & Cheboygan EMMET & CHEBOYGAN BEARDS BREWERY, PETOSKEY ROOT CELLAR: 12/23 -- Christmas Playlist, 6:30 12/27 -- Open Mic Nite, 7-10 12/31 -- DJ Yakob, 7-10 BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY 4-7:30: 12/27, 12/30 & 1/6 -- Chris Calleja 12/28 & 12/31 -- Michelle Chenard 12/29 -- Chase & Allie CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY Tue -- Trivia Night, 7-9 12/29 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30 GYPSY DISTILLERY, PETOSKEY 12/31 -- DJ Parker Marshall, 8 MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BAY HARBOR

UNION STREET STATION, TC 10: 1/5 -- Disco Dance Party - 1Wave DJs 1/6 -- Club Dance Party - 1Wave DJs

Antrim & Charlevoix BARREL BACK RESTAURANT, WALLOON LAKE 12/28 -- Peter Allen Jensen, 6

nitelife

dec 25-jan 07

12/23 -- Sean Bielby, 7:30-10:30 12/28 -- Trivia Night, 7-9 12/30 -- Jessica Dominic, 7:3010:30 NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY 12/23 -- Shouting Bones, 7-10 12/26 & 12/30 -- Donald Benjamin, 7-10 12/27 -- Michelle Chenard, 7-10 12/28 & 1/6 -- Adam Hoppe, 7-10 12/29 -- Mike Ridley, 7-10 1/3 -- PubStumper's Trivia, 6:30 1/5 -- Sydni K, 7-10 NUB'S NOB, HARBOR SPRINGS 12/27 -- Peter Allen Jensen, 6 ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY VICTORIES, 9: 12/29 -- Class of '98

12/31 -- DJ POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS 5-8: 12/23 -- Two Track Mind 12/26 -- Underleaf Band 12/27 -- Tai Drury 12/28 -- Yankee Station 12/29 -- Delilah DeWylde Duo 12/30 -- Ty Parkin & The Old Souls 12/31 -- Dr. Goodhart's Home Remedy THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN 12/28 & 1/4 -- Musicians Playground ‘Open Mic,’ 6-8 12/31 -- Ahab & The Smelt Dippers, Decades, & Sam & Justus, 9 1/6 -- 2nd Year Anniversary Party w/ 11 Bands & Musicians, 5

Leelanau & Benzie CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE SLOPESIDE TENT, NEAR CRYSTAL CLIPPER CHAIRLIFT, 3-5: 12/29 -- Dominic Fortuna 12/30 -- Chris Smith 12/31 -- Tim Krause 1/1 -- Sean Kelly 1/6 -- Rhett & John VISTA LOUNGE: 12/26 -- Jim Hawley, 2-5; Boone Doggies, 8-11 12/27 -- Luke Woltanski, 2-5; Barefoot, 8-11 12/28 -- Two Feet, 2-5; TC Knuckleheads, 8-11 12/29 -- Christopher Winkelmann, 2-5; Johnny P Band, 8-11 12/30 -- Johnny P, 2-5; Scarkazm, 8-11 12/31 -- Nick Vasquez, 2-5; Scarkazm, 8:30-12:30 1/1 -- Dominic Fortuna, 2-5; Bermuda Triangle, 8-11 1/2 -- Jim Hawley, 8-11 1/3 -- Dominic Fortuna, 8-11 1/4 -- Dasstig, 8-11 1/5 -- TC Knuckleheads, 8-11 1/6 -- Meg Gunia, 2-5; TC Knuckleheads, 8-11 DICK'S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. -- Karaoke, 10-1

GLEN ARBOR WINES, GLEN ARBOR 12/26 & 1/2 -- Luke Woltanski, 5:30-8 IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 6-8: 12/23 -- Blake Elliott 12/29 -- Blair Miller 12/30 -- Jason Locke 1/5 -- Brett Mitchell 1/6 -- Kevin Paul LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 12/23 -- Luke Woltanski Duo Christmas Show, 6:30-9:30 12/28 & 1/4 -- Trivia Night, 7-9 12/29 -- Mike Moran, 6:30-9:30 12/30 -- The Swan Bros., 6:309:30 12/31 -- The Dune Brothers, 6:309:30 1/5 -- Aaron Dye, 6:30-9:30 1/6 -- John Paul, 6:30-9:30 LEELANAU SANDS CASINO & LODGE, PESHAWBESTOWN 12/30 -- DJ Mr. Markis, 9 SHOWROOM: 12/31 -- The Prolifics, 10 ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 12/23 -- Keith Scott, 5-8

12/26 -- Reese Keelor, 5-8 12/27 -- Aaron Dye, 5-8 12/28 & 1/4 -- Open Mic, 6-8:30 12/29 -- Barefoot, 5-7 12/30 -- Luke Woltanski, 5-8 1/5 -- Haiven Sellers, 5-8 1/6 -- Honky Tonk Hippies, 5-7 1/7 -- Kid's Open Mic Hosted by Chris Winkelmann, 3-5:30 SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY 1/5 – Friday Night Live w/ Luke Woltanski, 5-8 STORMCLOUD BREWING FRANKFORT 7-9: 12/23 -- Barefoot 12/30 -- Gemini Moon 12/31 -- Tim Jones

CO.,

THE HOMESTEAD RESORT, GLEN ARBOR WHISKERS BAR & GRILL: 12/26 & 12/28 -- Andrew Littlefield, 6 THE UNION, NORTHPORT 12/31 -- Soul Patch, 9-11

lOGY

DEC 25 - JAN 07

BY ROB BREZSNY

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn-born Lebron James is one of the greatest players in basketball history.

Even more interesting from my perspective is that he is an exuberant activist and philanthropist. His list of magnificent contributions is too long to detail here. Here are a few examples: his bountiful support for charities like After-School All-Stars, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Children's Defense Fund, and his own Family Foundation. I suggest you make Lebron one of your role models in 2024. It will be a time when you can have more potent and far-reaching effects than ever before through the power of your compassion, generosity, and beneficence.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “All the world's a

stage,” wrote Shakespeare. He was comparing life to a theatrical drama, suggesting we are all performers attached to playing roles. In response, a band called the Kingpins released the song "All the World’s a Cage." The lyrics include these lines: "You promised that the world was mine / You chained me to the borderline / Now I'm just sitting here doing time / All the world's a cage." These thoughts are the prelude to my advice for you. I believe that in 2024, you are poised to live your life in a world that is neither like a stage nor a cage. You will have unusually ample freedom from expectations, artificial constraints, and the inertia of the past. It will be an excellent time to break free from outdated self-images and your habitual persona.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): At age 10, an

American girl named Becky Schroeder launched her career as an inventor. Two years later, she got her first of many patents for a product that enables people to read and write in the dark. I propose we make her one of your role models for 2024. No matter how old you are, I suspect you will be doing precocious things. You will understand life like a person at least ten years older than you. You will master abilities that a casual observer might think you learned improbably fast. You may even have seemingly supernatural conversations with the Future You. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Here are excellent questions for you to meditate on throughout 2024. 1. Who and what do you love? Who and what makes you spill over with adoration, caring, and longing? 2. How often do you feel deep waves of love? Would you like to feel more of them? If so, how could you? 3. What are the most practical and beautiful ways you express love for whom and what you love? Would you like to enhance the ways you express love, and if so, how? 4. Is there anything you can or should do to intensify your love for yourself?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Like the rest of the planet, Scotland used to be a wild land. It had vast swaths of virgin forests and undomesticated animals. Then humans came. They cut the trees, dug up charcoal, and brought agriculture. Many native species died, and most forests disappeared. In recent years, though, a rewilding movement has arisen. Now Scotland is on the way to restoring the ancient health of the land. Native flora and fauna are returning. In accordance with astrological omens, I propose that you launch your own personal rewilding project in 2024.

What would that look like? How might you accomplish it?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I propose

we make the shark your soul creature in 2024. Not because some shark species are apex predators at the top of the food chain.

Rather, I propose you embrace the shark as an inspirational role model because it is a stalwart, steadfast champion with spectacular endurance. Its lineage goes back 400 million years. Sharks were on Earth before there were dinosaurs, mammals, and grass. Saturn's rings didn't exist yet when the first sharks swam in the oceans. Here are the adjectives I expect you to specialize in during the coming months: resolute, staunch, indomitable, sturdy, resilient.

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

century, many scientists believed in the bogus theory of eugenics, which proposed that we could upgrade the genetic quality of the human race through selective breeding.

Here’s a further example of experts’ ignorance: Until the 1800s, most scientists dismissed the notion that stones fell from the sky, even though meteorites had been

seen by countless people since ancient times. Scientists also rejected the idea that large reptiles once roamed the Earth, at least until the 19th century, when it became clear that dinosaurs had existed and had become extinct. The moral of the story is that even the smartest among us can be addicted to delusional beliefs and theories. I hope this inspires you to engage in a purge of your own outmoded dogmas in 2024. A beginner’s mind can be your superpower! Discover a slew of new ways to think and see.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Among couples

who share their finances, 39 percent lie to their partners about money. If you have been among that 39 percent, please don’t be in 2024. In fact, I hope you will be as candid as possible about most matters with every key ally in your life.

It will be a time when the more honest and forthcoming you are, the more resources you will have at your disposal. Your commitment to telling the truth as kindly but completely as possible will earn you interesting rewards.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): According to tradition in ancient Israel, a Jubilee year happened every half-century. It was a “trumpet blast of liberty,” in the words of the Old Testament book Leviticus. During this grace period, enslaved people were supposed to be freed.

Debts were forgiven, taxes canceled, and prisoners released.

People were encouraged to work less and engage in more revelry. I boldly proclaim that 2024 should be a Jubilee Year for you Bulls. To launch the fun, make a list of the alleviations and emancipations you will claim in the months ahead.

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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): "Make peace with their devils, and you will do the same with yours." The magazine Dark's Art Parlor provides us with this essential wisdom about how to conduct vibrant relationships. I invite you to make liberal use of it in 2024. Why? Because I suspect you will come to deeply appreciate how all your worthwhile bonds inevitably require you to engage with each other's wounds, shadows, and unripeness. To say it another way, healthy alliances require you to deal respectfully and compassionately with each other's darkness. The disagreements and misunderstandings the two of you face are not flaws that discolor perfect intimacy. They are often rich opportunities to enrich togetherness.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian author Franz Kafka wrote over 500 letters to his love interest Felice Bauer. Her outpouring of affection wasn't as voluminous, but was still very warm.

At one point, Kafka wryly communicated to her, "Please suggest a remedy to stop me trembling with joy like a lunatic when I receive and read your letters." He added, "You have given me a gift such as I never even dreamt of finding in this life." I will be outrageous here and predict that 2024 will bring you, too, a gift such as you never dreamt of finding in this life. It may or may not involve romantic love, but it will feel like an ultimate blessing.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Renowned inventor Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) felt an extraordinary closeness with sparrows, finches, pigeons, and other wild birds. He loved feeding them, conversing with them, and inviting them into his home through open windows. He even fell in love with a special pigeon he called White Dove. He said, “I loved her as a man loves a woman, and she loved me. As long as I had her, there was a purpose to my life.” I bring this to your attention because I suspect 2024 will be an excellent time to upgrade your relationship with birds, Leo. Your power to employ and enjoy the metaphorical power of flight will be at a maximum.

Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 33

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

CLA SSI FIE DS

SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248 ___________________________________ SEWING AND QUILTING CLASSES: Registration now open for Sewing and Quilting classes at InterQuilten! Introduction to Sewing for kids 8+ starts Jan 6, the class for Adults starts Jan 9. Beginner Quilts starts Jan 10. Registration closes 2 days before class start date. For more info or to register on line go to https://interquilten.com/classes-clubs.htm or by calling 231-922-6766. ___________________________________ PAID WORK TRAINING FOR SENIORS 55 AND OVER: Paid part-time positions are waiting to be filled in and around the Grand Traverse region for seniors age 55 and over.

Must be 55+, unemployed, seeking work and meet program eligibility. Positions in

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For information or to qualify, call the AARP Foundation SCSEP office in Traverse City at 231-252-4544. ___________________________________ DOWNTOWN ROOMS FOR RENT: THE WHITING. Downtown rooms for rent on a month to month basis. Rents starting at $500/ mo includes all utilities. Single occupancy, no pets. 231-947-6360. www.thewhitinghotel.com ___________________________________ BATA HIRING :: FINANCE DIRECTOR BATA is looking for an experienced Finance Director.

BATA is the region’s premier public transportation provider, serving Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties.

BATA offers a competitive compensation ($110,000-$130,000), pension and benefit package. Some remote work could be negotiated. Applications will be accepted through December 29, 2023. Visit www. bata.net/batajobs for full job description and application instructions, or email your resume and cover letter to burleyb@bata.net.

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Northern Express Weekly • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • 35

36 • december 25, 2023 & January 01, 2024 • Northern Express Weekly