National Geographic calls the Great Lakes “the irreplaceable fragile ecosystem… that our planet needs to survive.”
Risking them with a 73-year-old pipeline makes no sense, except to Enbridge. By promising a tunnel in 2018, Enbridge has been allowed to keep operating Line 5, earning nearly $5 billion from it since then. Enbridge defied Whitmer’s 2020 shutdown order to operate Line 5 as long as possible. That case is still undecided. Delay is a lucrative strategy for Enbridge.
At 11 years old, Line 78 around Chicago is a pragmatic alternative to Line 5. Both Enbridge lines reach Sarnia. Line 78 reopened with excess capacity in 2015 after the Kalamazoo spill, so could carry most of Line 5’s oil by land to spare the Great Lakes. Attempting to fix only four of Line 5’s 645 miles with a dangerous tunnel while the decrepit Line 5 still operates above makes no sense, especially given the safer alternative.
Recently the U.S. Army Corps issued its final environmental review supporting the Line 5 tunnel proposal. But Michigan’s Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy has yet to issue its final decision on the tunnel permit. Governor Whitmer and EGLE can still protect Michigan’s right to decide the fate of our waters. A Canadian oil company shouldn’t decide the fate of the Great Lakes.
With the EGLE decision expected soon, this is a last chance to urge Governor Whitmer and EGLE Director Roos to say no to Enbridge and yes to Michigan.
Barbara Stamiris | Traverse City
Love of Money Is the Root of All Evil
In response to the letter from Douglas Wickstrom, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). If our support of Trump is based on how much money our 401(k)s, IRAs, and investments are making, I need to wonder—where is our humanity?
Many people who come to the U.S. legally and especially illegally come to remove themselves from horrible situations at home. We should welcome them with open arms. Yes, criminals need to be removed whether they are here legally or illegally. It does not warrant the abuse many encounter from ICE. The money we spend on ICE would be more wisely spent helping immigrants get legal status and getting their citizenship. People, no matter who they are, deserve to be treated with love and dignity.
Debbie Harris | Traverse City
Questioning the Double Standard on Public Subsidies
Steven Tuttle’s Spectator columns typically take a balanced and thoughtful approach, especially when addressing inequities in public policy and the needs of underserved populations. That is why I was surprised by his recent article, which appears to align with arguments that taxpayers should not support affordable housing for those in need.
What is notably absent from the discussion is the fact that these same
taxpayers are routinely asked to finance substantial corporate subsidies—through tax abatements, incentives, or outright public grants—to entice corporations to build plants in our state or professional sports teams to locate in our cities.
Mr. Tuttle writes that people in need of affordable housing “can’t have what we can’t afford, and we can’t keep asking other people to help us pay.” If that principle is valid, why is it not applied equally to corporations? Why shouldn’t they also be held to the standard that they can’t have what they can’t afford?
Housing critics often argue that individuals must budget within their means. By that same logic, corporations that cannot generate sustainable revenue without public subsidies should have their business viability questioned. Otherwise, it is fair to ask whether these subsidies simply serve to enhance corporate profits rather than advance the public good.
I hope that in future columns Mr. Tuttle will return to examining the full range of arguments—and the inequities— embedded in these debates.
Frank Clements | Village of Empire
A Different Take
Mr. Wickstrom rebuked four Letter writers’ views published in NE’s Jan. 26 edition. He only echoed Republican party lines.
He implies these four writers are unaware of thousands of immigrants arriving, “under Biden,” as “criminals with ‘bad’ records” that ICE removed. He must not have heard how most immigrants ICE arrested had no criminal records, were here legally, or were U.S. citizens. ICE arrests included kids torn from their parents and unjustified killings, i.e., one man was shot 10 times while pinned down. Americans with common sense and intellect understand Trump, responsible and in charge, orders the DOJ/DHS to enforce his illegalities.
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Wickstrom’s immigrant parents came to this country “and had to become citizens before” they could “move into the interior”. Immigrant victims of ICE arrests who became American citizens did so like his parents did. They completed the same legal requirements before swearing their oaths of allegiance to the U.S.
Wickstrom cites his 401(k), but does not mention the affordability issue causing hardship to families who relied on Trump’s lies to make their lives better. How many have 401(k)s, stocks, retirement, or adequate incomes to make ends meet?
Trump and the wealthy get richer. We taxpayers pay his administration’s salaries and protection while they assist him in his goal to [disrupt] America’s democracy, freedoms, values, and rule of law.
Without evidence, Wickstrom says Trump is the best president in 100 years, but uses name-calling, “Lilly Livered Liberals,” to demean others. A suggestion, replace Trumpian party lines and behaviors, and adopt critical thinking and fact checking.
Choose: America’s democracy or Trump’s dictatorship. Let’s think first to decide wisely!
Bill Steeves, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret) | Traverse City
Contributors: Ren Brabenec, Art Bukowski, Molly Cox, Geri Dietze, Anna Faller, Nora Rae Pearl, Stephen Tuttle
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top ten this week’s
Let’s Go Out for Dinner!
This might just be one of our favorite stretches of winter: restaurant week times two! First up is Harbor Springs Restaurant Week, which kicks off on Friday, Feb. 20, and runs through Sunday, March 1. See all participating restaurants (16 of them at last count!) at harborspringschamber. com/events/details/2026restaurant-week-18667. There’s some delicious overlap to the south, where Traverse City Restaurant Week lures diners in from Sunday, Feb. 22, to Saturday, Feb. 28. In TC, there’s a digital passport that helps you scope out the 50+ menus and get directions, plus enters you into drawings for $50 restaurant gift cards. This restaurant week is a bit more spread out, with restaurants from Acme to Old Mission Peninsula to Grawn in addition to the downtown hotspots. Details are here: downtowntc.com/traverse-cityrestaurant-week.
2 tastemaker CRAVE’s Family Style Night
When it’s time to load up on Italian-inspired goodness for the whole family, head to CRAVE Pasta Pizza Pub in Gaylord. All day on Mondays, they offer their Family Style Night, an allyou-can-eat extravaganza perfect for filling up on carbs (and salad!). First, you choose one pasta dish: mac and cheese (optional chicken or bacon), spaghetti with marinara (optional meatballs) or penne with parmesan cream sauce, red pepper, spinach, and mushrooms. Then pick between a garden salad and a classic Caesar. And finally, be sure to save room for breadsticks! Ages two and under eat free; kids ages 3-12 are $8; and ages 13 and up are $20. Trust us: No one is walking away from this meal still hungry! Stop in on Mondays at 148 W Main St. in Gaylord, or peruse the rest of the menu at cravegaylord.com.
History on Snowshoes
Learn about Port Oneida’s past as you snowshoe with a history guide, beginning and ending at the Port Oneida Heritage Center at the Olsen House, in Maple City on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 10am-noon. After a gentle trek around the Olsen farmstead and surrounding landscapes, gather in the kitchen for a hot cocoa bar and warm cookies, compliments of Hattie Olsen’s own recipe. (If the snow has done some melting, enjoy a winter hike!) Bring your own snowshoes and a change of shoes. Register. phsb.org/experience/ programs/snowshoe-and-a-sip-of-history
Hey, read It! My Husband’s Wife 4
When aspiring artist Eden Fox leaves her new home in the English moors one night for her usual jog, nothing seems amiss—that is, until she returns to find an unfamiliar woman has taken her place. What’s more, her husband doesn’t recognize her, and no one from the nearby town of Hope Falls can corroborate her story. Even her adult daughter treats Eden like an unwelcome stranger. So when Eden’s broken body washes ashore on the cliff-lined beach hours later, everyone assumes she jumped, everyone except the newly-arrived DCI Olivia Bird. A highly-decorated London detective and previous resident of Eden’s new house, Birdy quickly finds herself floundering in her search for the truth about Eden’s demise (not to mention countless family secrets). Someone’s definitely lying here, but is it Eden or everybody else? “Tangled” doesn’t begin to describe the web of deception Alice Feeney weaves in her newest psych-thriller, My Husband’s Wife—and half the fun of this read is unraveling it!
Pictured: Sushi at Red Ginger
Snow on the Vines
The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail beckons you to a “winter wine-derland” for the their Snow on the Vines weekend, Feb. 20-22. Running 12-5pm daily, the event brings together 20 wineries across Leelanau County to offer wine tasting paired with small bites “designed to warm you from the inside out.” Examples include a 2022 Riesling with a cranberry and jalapeño chicken meatball at Shady Lane Cellars, a 2024 Cuvée Blanc with cheesecake truffles at Leelanau Cellars, or a Pinot Noir with pulled pork sliders at Chateau Fontaine. Tickets (which cover the tasting but not gratuity!) are $30 per person per day, or $20 if you’re heading out for Sunday only. Get all the details and see the other wine and food pairings at lpwines.com/snow-on-the-vines.
Help us decide! In our Spring Restaurant Guide, we pull together five “iconic” dishes from across the North that keep customers coming back again and again and launch restaurants into all-star status. Last year, we featured the Crispy Pork Belly from Crocodile Palace, the Taste of Poland from Legs Inn, The Godfather sandwich from Folgarelli’s, the Walleye Almondine from North Country Kitchen and Bar, and the classic Vanilla Milkshake from Don’s Drive In. Now we’re ready for a new round of recommendations! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert—tell us about your favorite dish in northern Michigan! Send an email with the restaurant name, your favorite dish, and a quick teaser about what makes it mouthwatering to info@northernexpress.com by March 15, and stay tuned for the 2026 list in our Spring Restaurant Guide.
Stuff We Love: Highlighting Local Artists
Around the North, several galleries have put local artists front and center. Oliver Art Center’s annual Regional Student Art Exhibition in Frankfort showcases hundreds of works created by northern Michigan students in grades K-12 (now through March 6). The Dennos Museum Center in Traverse hosts Twelveby-Twelve, an exhibit by Interlochen Arts Academy students and faculty with creations that fit in a twelve-inch cube (now through April 1). Charlevoix Circle of Arts brings the perspectives of emerging young artists with Spotlight on Innovation, a regional high school exhibition (now through Feb. 21). And at Petoskey’s Crooked Tree Arts Center, you can find both the Crooked Tree Photographic Society’s annual exhibition and the Artist Guild Member Salon Show, which features the work of 118 guild members in NoMi and beyond (both run through Feb. 21). Visit each gallery’s website for winter hours of operation.
If you ask us, February is all about layers: layers of snow, layers of warm socks and sweaters, and in the case of seasonal libations, layers of flavor. So, we’re suiting up with a beverage that checks every box: the Deep Winter Imperial Stout from Elder Piper Beer & Cider in Petoskey. Featuring the bittering balance of Roast & Toast Café’s Peru coffee, this brew also brings the richly-fudgy depth of toasted malt and just a touch of sweetness from Korthase Brothers Sugarbush maple syrup. The result is an inky, indulgent sip (ABV here is just over 13 percent)—perfect for a little après ski or savoring by a crackling fire! Get cozy with a tapped pour (4oz or 10oz) or grab a bottle to go at Elder Piper Beer & Cider at 923 Baxter St. in Petoskey. elderpiperbeer.com
Pictured: Suzanne Labeau “December Frost,” part of the Crooked Tree Photographic Society’s annual exhibition
Photo by Shady Lane Cellars
LELAND HARBOR HOUSE
SALE
spectator
By Stephen Tuttle
Celebrities like to make political statements at award ceremonies, and they’ve been doing it for a long time, usually to the displeasure of many.
Those less than thrilled frequently suggest the “stars” stick to what they know best, stay in their lane, and leave their political opinions at home. The response is they have the same right as anybody else to express an opinion, protected by the First Amendment, and since they have a platform, they are going to use it.
to create some rules to prevent it. As if. In 1993, Richard Gere in his role as an award presenter, decided to denounce China’s treatment of Tibet and their Buddhist population after having been specifically told not to make such a statement. He was banned from being at that awards show for 20 years as a result.
There have been plenty of other statements at plenty of awards shows. The Grammy Awards, for example, seem to have no rules at all regarding length of statements or the subjects
If celebrities are truly interested in issues, they should be getting involved at the local level where there is an actual opportunity to influence issues and outcomes.
This year we’ve already had some of those delightful episodes at the Grammy and Critics Choice Awards, and we’re just getting started with plenty of awards yet to come, culminating with the Academy Awards on March 15, the Olympics of award winners’ political speeches.
This started decades ago in 1948, when actress Celeste Holm, while accepting her Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, made comments about religious tolerance, a theme of her movie. There was virtually no after-the-fact controversy, though religious bigotry was very real and overt at the time.
In 1971, George C. Scott simply refused to attend or accept his Academy Award, making a different kind of political statement. He said he didn’t want to compete with other actors but later said, “The whole thing is a goddam meat parade.”
The political speech dam at the Oscars broke for good in 1973 when Marlon Brando refused to accept his Best Actor award and instead sent Sacheen Littlefeather to read a statement about our country’s incredibly poor treatment of indigenous people. It created a major controversy and an entire career for Ms. Littlefeather. (As an aside, Littlefeather claimed to be Apache and Yaqui but upon her death, DNA tests revealed she was Mexican and Anglo.)
In 1975, the producer of the winning documentary Hearts and Minds about the Vietnam War read a telegram from a Viet Cong leader and that did not go over especially well despite that wildly unpopular war.
Three years later, Vanessa Redgrave earned some boos when she unleashed a rant against “Zionist hoodlums whose behavior is an insult to the stature of Jews all over the world and to their great and heroic record of struggle against fascism and oppression.” It was the first time an award winner used the word “fascism” to describe anything.
The Academy, having grown weary of unpleasant political injections into what is supposed to be an evening of celebration, tried
to be discussed or the language to be used. It makes for some interesting comments.
This is not to suggest the winners should all be quiet, thank the people who helped them win whatever award they’ve won, and move along. It is to suggest if you insist on making some political or issue-related statement, do a little preparation so you at least have something coherent to say. We already know where you stand, so do a little homework, make some notes, and accept that what you say will likely have no positive impact at all. Screaming “F*** ICE!” accomplishes nothing more than demonstrating the screamer’s inarticulate shallowness. (And that saying is likely not what the speaker actually intends.)
And is that it? Is some pointless screed for a minute just before you jump back into your limo the sum total of your involvement in the issue? There are other things you could be doing.
If celebrities are truly interested in issues, they should be getting involved at the local level where there is an actual opportunity to influence issues and outcomes. So we have questions for you. Are you involved in local issues? Do you subscribe to available local media? Do you pay attention to and vote in local elections? Do you know what your local school board is up to? What about your city or town or county government? Do you know who any of those office holders are and what they stand for? Are you at least registered to vote yourself and do you vote in every election at every level?
Taylor Swift often takes the extra step of encouraging fans to vote—most notably in 2018, 2023, and 2024—and has helped register more than 100,000 voters. Charlie Kirk, a different kind of entertainer, also registered voters. Those are concrete actions far more valuable than a few words of protest.
Making an angry speech while accepting an award is just pointless self-indulgence unless the speaker is willing to take the extra steps of real engagement.
HOUSING
INCENTIVES
ARE A REALITY CHECK, NOT A HANDOUT
Guest Opinion
by Kent Wood
No one disputes that housing in northwest Michigan has become expensive— uncomfortably so for many families who live and work here year-round. Home prices are rising faster than inflation. Construction costs remain elevated. Labor shortages persist.
These are not abstract trends; they show up in longer commutes, vacant job postings, overcrowded homes, and young people leaving the region entirely.
It is also similar to deductions and credits in the state and federal income tax systems. At its core, the legislature has determined that these investments provide public value and are worth more than the taxes that would otherwise be collected.
Tax incentives are not meant to replace the market—they are meant to correct for its blind spots.
Housing is no longer a side issue; it is a foundational one that affects economic stability, public safety, and community cohesion.
What is often lost in the debate, however, is how we respond to those realities—and whether we are willing to use practical tools to keep our communities functioning.
Housing incentives are frequently portrayed as subsidies we “can’t afford” or as an unsustainable experiment in social engineering. In truth, they are a response to a market that no longer produces housing aligned with local wages— and one that, left alone, will continue to drift further out of reach.
The math matters. Building housing today costs far more than it did even five years ago. Materials, labor, land, infrastructure, and financing have all risen sharply. At the same time, wages in education, health care, hospitality, manufacturing, public safety, and local government have not kept pace with housing prices. That gap is real, persistent, and well documented.
Incentives exist to bridge that gap—not to eliminate it entirely, but to narrow it enough that housing for working households becomes feasible. Without them, many developments simply will not happen, or they will happen only at price points that serve a narrow slice of the market (think large homes on large tracts of land or condos and apartments that serve as highprice seasonal homes or vacation units).
That is not ideology. It is economics.
Importantly, housing incentives are not blank checks. They are conditional, time-limited agreements that exchange public benefit for public support. Projects receiving incentives are typically required to restrict rents or sale prices, limit eligibility to households earning within defined income ranges, prohibit shortterm rentals, and maintain affordability for a set period of time. If those commitments are not met, the incentive goes away.
That is a policy choice rooted in accountability.
It is the same concept as the Principal Residence Exemption (formerly the Homestead Exemption), which exempts a primary residence from the portion of local property taxes that fund school operations.
In a region shaped by seasonal demand, tourism-driven investment, and limited developable land, the market naturally favors higher-end housing. The result is predictable: fewer options for the people who staff hospitals, teach in schools, maintain infrastructure, and keep local businesses running.
Unfortunately, doing nothing does not preserve affordability. It accelerates displacement.
The consequences of inaction are already visible. Employers struggle to fill positions. Longtime residents are priced out of their communities. Young people leave and do not return—or worse, return and have to leave again. Emergency services, schools, churches, and small businesses feel the strain.
Housing is no longer a side issue; it is a foundational one that affects economic stability, public safety, and community cohesion.
Northwest Michigan will continue to be a desirable place to live. That is not going to change. The question is whether we plan for that growth intentionally or allow it to happen in a way that excludes the very people who make our communities livable.
Time will tell whether specific policies need adjustment. We believe that is how good governance and public policy works. Decisions should be informed by data, evaluated regularly, and refined as conditions change. But dismissing incentives outright ignores both the scale of the challenge and the cost of inaction.
Housing is not just a private concern. It is infrastructure. And investing in infrastructure—carefully, transparently, and with clear expectations—is how communities protect their future.
Northwest Michigan is not trying to be something it isn’t. It is trying to remain a place where people who contribute here can continue to live here year-round. Housing incentives are just one of the tools helping us do exactly that.
Kent Wood is the policy advisor for Housing North, a 10-county housing agency serving northwest Michigan.
Your 2026 Winter Restaurant Guide
Seven spots to dine while the snow is falling
By Northern Express Staff & Contributors
Brrr…is anyone else craving a warm meal? Maybe you want the nostalgia of cheese curds or meatloaf. Maybe you’re looking for the perfect combo of coffee and a breakfast sandwich. Maybe you just have a craving for winter comfort food like pizza or pierogi. Find all of that (and much more) below, as our writers highlight seven of their favorite dining experiences—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—over the last few months.
Wander In Manistee
Opened in late August 2025, Wander In is the creation of siblings Bridgett and Rob VanDerhoff and Rob’s wife, Carey, who dreamed of building not just a restaurant, but a destination. Their vision is a place where you can share breakfast by the water, linger by firepits with live music, and even set out on a donut boat cruise with snacks and cocktails in tow.
“unbelievable.” The grilled salmon with bourbon glaze and rice balances smoky richness with a subtle sweetness, while the pastas offer cozy options for every palate.
Seasonal specials rotate in—on the food menu and the drinks menu—and there are always homemade desserts to sate your sweet tooth.
Find Wander In at 91 Arthur Street in Manistee. (231) 299-1227; wanderinmanistee.com
To make their vision a reality, the VanDerhoffs turned to Chef Brian D. Kissel, a Michigan native and graduate of the Great Lakes Culinary Institute. Kissel built his reputation leading kitchens at Manistee National Golf & Resort and the Blue Slipper in Onekama, where he became known for transforming simple, fresh ingredients into unforgettable meals.
At Wander In, he blends scratch-made comfort food with modern, creative twists— all anchored in the philosophy “good food, not fast food.”
On the Menu
It’s the kind of place where a hearty Midwest breakfast meets upscale dinner plates, where classics are familiar but always come with a twist.
Breakfast might mean malted pancakes, French toast, or biscuits and gravy, but regulars already swear by the Million Dollar Bacon—honey-sweetened, perfectly crisp, and Bridgett’s undisputed favorite. Pair it with a mimosa from the build-your-own mimosa bar or a custom Bloody Mary, and you’re set for the day.
Lunch leans casual: soups, sandwiches, and burgers that are approachable but never boring. The star of the show? Cheese curds, hand-battered in a secret coating and fried golden, then served with a tartsweet berry sauce. “I’ve never had anything taste so delicious in my life,” Bridgett admits, and guests tend to agree.
By dinnertime, the kitchen stretches into more upscale territory. Chef Kissel’s lamb chops with a sweet chili glaze have quickly developed a reputation for being
Frank’s 231 Traverse City
The Frank’s 231 location makes the restaurant feel like it is under the radar, but the cuisine makes it stand out. Three bites in and a guest might imagine they are sitting at a restaurant overlooking a vineyard or taking in the view from a trendy downtown street.
Chef Dan Compton has mastered the art of texture and taste in his dishes that are made primarily, if not all, from local ingredients. Both vegetables and proteins are sourced from area farms that are only a short drive away.
The menu caters to all foodies with many options to choose from, including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan. Some of the menu items are inspired by southern cuisine, including cheddar grits or braised collard greens.
On the Menu
Compton’s elegant and flavorful dishes leave the customer feeling guilt-free from gorging on healthy food, including what we sampled on our visit: the barbecued cauliflower sandwich with roasted cabbage and dill pickle remoulade on a soft homemade bun.
“I always have sausages on,” Compton says, which is another inspiration for the restaurant’s name “Frank,” (named for Compton's grandfather), along with northern Michigan’s area code: 231. “The name kind of just worked. He loved food and he loved cooking.”
The menu is updated frequently with the changing seasons and availability of ingredients. Relying on locally sourced foods year-round can have its challenges, especially in the cold months of winter when produce can be sparse. However, Compton says he likes it that way and has learned some tricks over the years to spice things up.
“I appreciate the challenge of it,” Compton said. “I feel like it would be overwhelming to me as a chef to come up with ideas if I had the entire world’s pantry available to me at any one moment. The strictures can breed creativity.”
Find Frank’s 231 at 1779 S Garfield Ave, Ste A, in Traverse City. (231) 252-2335; franks231.com
Little Bay Gourmet Petoskey
Chef Sarah McDonnell moved her Petoskey deli slash meal service slash catering enterprise to new digs last year, and they’ve been flourishing in the space ever since.
Everything at Little Bay Gourmet is made from scratch and sourced locally whenever possible; McDonnell used Petoskey’s historic Coveyou Farm Market this year for organic produce. Plus, she supports a very long list of Michigan products including Great Lakes Chips, Grand Papa’s Cheese Puffs, Faygo beverages, Top Daddy Pretzels, 313 Urban Chips, Traverse Bay Farms salsas, Fustini’s Oils and Vinegars, Blake’s pickles, Mab’s Mustard, Plath’s meats, and Petoskey’s Spoonful of Granola—small-batch, 18 flavors, and a personal favorite of Chef Sarah. Plus, the Fraser-based Carmella Foods, direct source for producers, farms, and suppliers in the Midwest and internationally, provides top tier products.
On the Menu
Little Bay Gourmet offers grab-and-go sandwiches, sides, soups, hot entrees, and boxed meals, plus a salad bar, all with dine-in or take-out options. This menu from our last
visit is just an example of what is served up:
The Take ‘n Heat Entrees include Chipotle Braised Beef Short Ribs and mascarpone grits; Lemon Dill Shrimp, with spinach and brown rice; and Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf, with buttermilk smashed red skins and green beans. Or try a soup including the Cactus Chili with brightly flavored nopales, aka prickly pear cactus; the Potato, Cauliflower & Gruyere; and the Tomato Sausage & Tortellini.
Gourmet boxed lunches with a whole or half sandwich might include the Turkey and Avocado with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, white cheddar, and basil aioli; or Chicken Salad with dried cherries, pecans, and apple slices. Choose a side such as mustard potato salad, creamy coleslaw, fresh mixed fruit, and pasta salads, plus chips.
The catering menu is huge—and we mean huge—and Little Bay Gourmet can accommodate business functions, private parties, formal events, weddings, and just about anything in between.
Menus change regularly, so keep up with Little Bay Gourmet for a complete list of offerings. Look for upcoming events and classes (plus do visit often to experience those incredible dishes).
Find Little Bay Gourmet at 314 W. Mitchell St., Petoskey. (231) 622-5281; littlebaygourmet.com
The Blue Bird Leland
*Editor’s Note: The Blue Bird recently announced that they will temporarily close until April for updates and renovations.
Skip Telgard and his wife, Lynn, are the third-generation owners of “The Bird,” as it is often known. The Leland restaurant was founded by Skip’s grandparents, Martin and Leone Telgard, in 1927. They closed after the 2022 season with plans to demolish the old structure and rebuild it on the same site.
These plans were driven in large part
by a desire to modernize (and right-size) operations, but also to better embrace the Leland River, which previously ran largely unnoticed behind the restaurant. The new version faces the river, with big windows and a very large patio just feet from the water.
The restaurant reopened in October, and the response has been enormous.
“I hear stories from everybody when they come in. I stop and talk to virtually all the tables, and there’s been so many familiar faces,” Telgard says. “It’s just been really exciting [because] it means so much to them. Of course it means a tremendous amount to me. The community support has been 1,000 percent.”
On the Menu
The new, slightly slimmed down menu has a “core of Blue Bird staples” like whitefish (when available fresh), walleye, and pizza. Telgard used the restaurant’s down time as an opportunity to seek out some new suppliers, and he’s got a few home runs so far.
“We found some tremendous perch that we are so thrilled about. It’s not farm raised perch—this is wild-caught Michigan perch,” he says. It’s a welcome addition to a menu that has long featured a bounty from the lakes.
The pizzas are and always have been in high demand, both for dine in and take out. Options include classics like Supreme, Veggie, and Caprese, with more creative editions available such as the Bird Pie (pepperoni, spinach, bacon, garlic, and tomato). There’s nothing overly radical about them, Telgard says, other than good ingredients and a consistent process.
“We make our crust every day, and we have a system for making our pizzas that is very, very consistent. And we use really good ingredients,” he says. “So it’s just a great pizza.”
Other local favorites include a brisket sandwich (“We smoke our own meats, so we have a brisket sandwich that is absolutely amazing,” Telgard says), hearty burgers, and a crispy chicken sandwich. A large wine selection, full bar, and “outstanding” desserts round out the menu.
Find the Blue Bird at 102 East River St. in Leland. (231) 256-9081; bluebirdleland.com
Babcia’s Corner Traverse City
There’s no danger of the pierogi becoming a lost art, at least in these parts, thanks to Zack and Amy Henley, grandson and daughter, respectively, of Mary Karbowneczk, in whose memory Babcia’s Corner was created. (Babcia, pronounced “bob-cha,” is Polish for grandmother.)
On the Menu
Pierogi is often referred to as a simple dough, made from flour, hot water, and salt, with a variety of fillings, but the reality is far more complicated. “Every family in every region had its own [dough] tradition,” Amy Henley says. “It’s not just a noodle.”
Indeed, Babcia’s Amazing Pierogi dough is a finely-tuned, multi-generational mix of sour cream, butter, eggs, and flour.
And the fillings—traditionally derived from whatever was available, like other rustic European dishes—are just as good. The Henleys narrowed their product to three signature flavors: Farmer’s Cheese (similar to a dry cottage cheese) with chives and fresh garlic; Sauerkraut and Mushroom, made with portobello mushrooms; and Potato and Cheddar, with oven-roasted redskin potatoes, cheddar cheese, and caramelized onion with garlic. (Zack spent three months working on the Potato and Cheddar recipe to get it just right.)
There are lots of other good things cooking, depending on the time of year, like seasonal fresh fruit dessert pierogis and homemade breads, including poppy seed, caraway, and pumpernickel, plus Chalka braided bread.
Find Babcia’s Corner at 1110 E. Hammond Rd., Ste. 4, Traverse City. (231) 600-8082; bapgoodness.com
Hive, Birdie’s Sandwiches, and Little Boat Suttons Bay and Leland
Business is business. But for Landon McDaid, business needs to mean more. That’s why Landon and his wife, Nicole McDaid, want the impact of their three Leelanau County operations to go beyond their own pocketbooks.
The McDaids’ Hive Coffee Co. in Suttons Bay—which has been in the old Mundos space since 2023—supports mental health and honeybee conservation. Little Boat Coffee in Leland supports the Great Lakes. Birdie’s Sandwiches in Suttons Bay supports Michigan wildlife. The latter two businesses opened just a few months ago.
Birdie’s is in a separate space toward the back of Hive that was formerly occupied by Bay Burrito. “I thought it would be really nice to offer a grab-and-go sandwich option in Suttons Bay,” Landon says.”
Little Boat occupies the former Mapcap Coffee spot in Leland. Landon had approached the Madcap folks and said he’d like to be the first person they called if they were to move out. In the end, Birdie’s and Little Boat opened on Nov. 20 and 21, respectively.
are super fun. We’ve got an amazing muffalata there. We’ve got a great turkey club that features our bird sauce, which is a Calabrian chili mayonnaise,” he says. We’ve got so many good, different, unique sandwiches.”
Find Hive Coffee Co. at 206 N St Joseph St, Suttons Bay, in Suite B and Birdie’s Sandwiches in Suite D, and Little Boat Coffee at 106 N Main St in Leland. hive-coffee.com
Right Bower Kitchen & Coffee Traverse City
For a little more than two months, Right Bower Kitchen & Coffee of Traverse City has been serving up freshly-made baked goods, locally-sourced dishes and, of course, gourmet coffees. Guests can order breakfast or lunch all day.
The coffee shop and bakery is tucked away inside the Seven Hills hotspot on Old Mission Peninsula. Mission Proper formerly occupied the space, but closed in October.
“I was an employee at Mission Proper and decided to carry the torch forward with a refreshed vision,” Right Bower owner Victoria Levinsohn says. “While my business is completely new, I had some inspiration from working at Mission Proper before.”
Right Bower’s name is a play on its location near Bowers Harbor and a popular Michigan pastime—euchre. The eatery hosts euchre nights on Sundays and monthly dinner clubs you won’t want to miss!
“It is a set menu themed differently each month meant to highlight local farmers and healthy, delicious and more intricate spreads of food,” Levinsohn says of the dinners.
On the Menu
Right Bower uses “high quality” Panther Coffee Roasters. “I’m very passionate about coffee quality,” Levinsohn says. Be sure to check out their seasonal specials in addition to a list of classic options.
Levinsohn describes her food as “classic, comfortable plates with an elevated twist.” On the breakfast side, you’ll see a dressed-up avocado toast, breakfast sandwiches and burritos, and the Cinnamon Oat Pancakes, topped with Greek yogurt, spiced apple compote, and crunchy pepitas.
For lunch, there’s the Spinach Artichoke Wrap, a roast beef melt, and the Queen’s Proper Handheld (honeyroasted turkey layered with swiss cheese, thinly sliced apples, pickled red onion, cranberry dijonnaise, and arugula on warm house- made focaccia). Soup, soft pretzels, and bites for littles (like PB&J and grilled cheese), round out the offerings.
and more free coffee & donuts – buying collections & equipment –
Mary Karbowneczk immigrated first to Toronto and then to the U.S. from Poland in the late 1920s, leaving behind the chaotic, tenuous politics and uncertainty of life resulting from the fall of empires post WWI. A shipboard romance, en route, resulted in marriage, and Mary and her husband settled among the thriving Polish neighborhoods in Detroit, where they raised four children steeped in the Old-World traditions, including her pierogis.
Zack Henley nurtured the idea of sharing Babcia Mary’s pierogi with the rest of us, but it wasn’t until 2020, when COVID provided the opportunity, that Zack, together with his mother Amy, and a handful of grandkids, made Babcia’s Amazing Pierogi a reality in summer 2021.
On the Menu
Mundos and Madcap continue to roast the coffee for both locations, though Landon hopes to roast his own soon.
“Everything we do, we have a standard for. Every shot of espresso we pull is exact weight, exact timing, and dialed in to exactly how we want it to taste. Our syrups are all made in-house…Our staff takes 15, 20 minutes out of their opening procedures just to make sure our coffee is tasting right,” Landon says.
Over at Birdie’s, the sandwiches are second to none, Landon says.
“We’re most proud of the flavors that are coming out of there. We’ve got really good sauces that we’re putting on sandwiches and really good creations that
Levinsohn uses local ingredients as much as possible, and as the seasons change, so does the menu.
“I think a lot of people up here are looking for comfort, and we want to give that to them,” Levinsohn says. “I love the creativity that comes with cooking. I want to highlight Michigan produce. It tastes better that way too.”
The owner adds that Right Bower has a pastry chef and bakes most things in-house. Levinsohn makes all the bread and helps out her team of eight employees where she can.
Find Right
A Dandy Place for Breakfast, Brunch, and Lunch
By Geri Dietze
Sometimes things were just meant to be. Take, for example, The Dandy, Front Street’s new brunch hub, which filled the space left empty by the departed—and much loved—Green House Café, which closed in 2024 after 24 years in business. The Dandy partners, Chad Hall and Joshua Anderson, both spent years earning their chops in the Green House kitchen.
But long before The Dandy, the pair formed the idea of doing something together. “It was a good [time] to look for opportunities on our own,” Hall explains. “We knew brunch was a much-needed [offering] in Traverse City.” In 2016, they established the popular Red Spire Brunch House in the Mercato at the Grand Traverse Commons, serving classic dishes in a warm, contemporary setting.
When 115 East Front St. came on the market, Hall and Anderson were just looking for an investment, but the significance of the moment was not lost on them.
“It was very serendipitous, [that the building] was available and affordable,” Hall says. Eventually, the idea for The Dandy took shape. “One [restaurant] seems to be working, so let’s try two.”
Hall and Anderson credit the community for helping them get started. “We had lots of support from other restaurants,” Hall explains, “and we were so fortunate to have an experienced staff right away.”
An Architectural Gem
By definition, a dandy is a person of good taste, and in Hall’s words, “We are a place of good tastes.” That extends to the ambiance of the restaurant.
Combining the best of Green House and Red Spire
Now, after an 18-month reno, The Dandy is the go-to for upscale-casual breakfast, brunch, and lunch fare, finely prepared with knowing service. (Hall estimates that on a weekend, The Dandy is seeing over 200 guests per day.)
The Dandy is ensconced in a 1907 building that miraculously avoided any façade “improvements” or renovations over the century-plus of its existence.
Inside, the décor carries the theme of the curving front window in fresh and updated ways. “We wanted to play off of the Art Deco [design],” explains Hall. “It’s a bit of a mix of old and new,” with neutral colors, warm woods, rich upholstery, and mural designs. The 2,400-square-foot main floor offers seating for 70 at tables fronting expansive banquettes, cozy booths, assorted high-tops, and at the bar.
Let’s Eat
Upon returning to the building that gave them their start, the duo reached into the traditions and recipes of both Green House and Red Spire.
“We knew a lot of people adored the Green House, and we kept some things from Red Spire that transferred easily,” says Hall.
Look for both the time-honored and the new. If it’s two eggs, bacon, and toast you’re after, The Dandy has it, plus all of the breakfast favorites. We like the sound of The Bash—hashbrowns, gruyere, ham, and onions grilled together, then topped with a choice of eggs and toast—or the Burrito with house-made chorizo.
Quiche Lorraine beautifully combines bacon, gruyere, and caramelized onions, and French short crust pastry pâte brisée. (At The Dandy, the quiche looks the way it
is meant to look, and it is known to sell out.)
“The quiche is a big hit,” Hall adds.
Choose from the popular selection of Benedicts—traditional, Crab Cakes (the real thing) or Smoked Salmon versions; and omelets—chorizo sausage with chihuahua cheese, and salsa; the Andouille sausage, with spinach, gruyère, and avocado; or the Western, among others. Or try the challah bread French Toast with Bavarian cream, raspberry Romanoff, and toasted almonds, because sometimes breakfast should be as pretty as dessert.
On the lunch side, to honor the Green House Café, try the popular soup and sandwich combos, including the Green House Egg BLT and Chicken Noodle soup. There are salads and sandwiches, baked goods, and sides, from house made pecan or cinnamon rolls to hashbrowns cooked just how you like them.
Vegans and vegetarians will find plenty of options. Plus, there is a full bar in addition to the expected brunch libations, such as freshly roasted coffee, fresh-squeezed
orange juice, and mimosas. Sourcing is done locally whenever possible, including Higher Grounds, 9 Bean Rows, and Third Coast Bakery, or “whatever catches our eye,” Hall says.
Up Next
Accommodating private evening events is still in the planning stages, but the partners are taking their time. “That’s a new venture for us,” Hall says. “We’re getting input from [people] with more experience” as “downtown is a different animal,” he adds.
Still, there have been a few afterparties for the City Opera House. When events are in full swing, Hall anticipates accommodating 30 to 70 attendees for future bookings. Catering is another possibility for the future.
Are there any plans to expand beyond The Dandy and Red Spire? “Two is enough for us at the moment,” Hall says.
Find The Dandy at 115 East Front St. in Traverse City. (231) 709-4167; dandytc.com
This photo shows one of the previous tenants of 115 E. Front St.: Finateri's.
HYGGE IN THE KITCHEN Inside the Ingredients
By Nora Rae Pearl
When the cold lingers, so can the blues. To bring some hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) vibes—think warm, cozy, and comforting—into your home, try these recipes.
For a night in, bake some Not Your Mamma’s Meatloaf with Smashed Potatoes, and for dessert serve up Frozen Peanut Butter Pie. For local flavor, shop OpalCap’s Maitake Mushrooms and The Grainery’s Fresh Milled Oats (both available at Lively NeighborFood Market) for dinner, and Moomer’s Vanilla Ice Cream and Koeze’s Cream-Nut Smooth Peanut Butter for dessert.
NOT YOUR MAMMA’S MEATLOAF
A satisfying winter meal, with hidden surprises of mushrooms, legumes, and oats.
Meatloaf Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup finely chopped maitake mushrooms
• 1 carrot, finely grated
• 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 15 oz. can black lentils, drained & rinsed
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Glaze Ingredients
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Smashed Potatoes Ingredients
• 2 small potatoes per person
• Olive oil
• Salt
To make the meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. In a small sauté pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the onion, cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, cook for one more minute. Scrape into a large bowl, add all of the remaining ingredients. Mash until all the beans are broken down and the mixture is well combined. Press into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare your glaze. Mix together all the glaze ingredients, except for the sesame seeds, in a small bowl until smooth. Remove the loaf from the oven. Spread on the glaze, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for an additional 50-60 minutes until browned on the edges and has an internal temperature of 180 degrees. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with smashed potatoes and sautéed greens of choice.
To make the potatoes: Boil potatoes in a pot until tender. Place each potato in its own well in a muffin tin. Smash with a bar muddler (or similar tool) to break the potato while still keeping the bottom intact. Generously drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until browned to your liking.
FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER PIE
This retro dessert makes a comeback with a salty pretzel crust and vanilla ice cream.
Crust Ingredients
• 2 cups crushed pretzel crumbs*
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 10 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling Ingredients
• 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, unsweetened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 pint melted vanilla ice cream
To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 9-inch pie plate, mix together the pretzel crumbs and sugar. Pour over the melted butter, then mix together until it resembles wet sand. Press along the sides and bottom of the pie plate until you have an even crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy. Add the peanut butter and milk, beat until smooth. Gently fold in the ice cream until combined. Pour into the prepared crust. Freeze until firm. Slice and serve with whipped cream.
(*To make pretzel crumbs: In a food processor, pulse mini pretzel twists until they resemble graham cracker crumbs texture.)
PIZZA
The Top Five Issues Impacting Northern Michigan Farming in 2026
By Ren Brabenec
When’s the last time northern Michigan had a full cherry crop? According to Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center Coordinator Nikki Rothwell, cherry farmers haven’t enjoyed a bona fide “good” crop since 2016.
From the rise of chemical-resistant diseases and insects to climate change’s influence on the region’s growing season to recalcitrant policymakers and terse purse-string-holders in Washington, D.C., there is much that gives local agriculture experts pause. Here are their top five issues to watch for 2026.
No. 1: Climate Change Equals Warmer, Wetter Growing Seasons
No factor more influences a growing season than the climate. Rothwell tells us that a concern she and other agriculture experts share is that climate change is shifting the landscape, often literally, faster than they can adapt.
But Rothwell pauses and says it’s not really the farmers she’s worried about, as her farmers are, “some of the hardiest, most innovative folks around who thrive on solving problems like these.”
Rather, Rothwell says the big challenge lies in convincing “those above our pay grade” to get on board with what’s happening to our planet.
“Climate change is influencing agriculture,” Rothwell says. “But the bigger problem for us is convincing the government that the climate is changing and that the government needs to adjust agriculture policy to accommodate.”
No. 2: Tariffs Have Farmers in a “Wait and See” Limbo
When paired with robust domestic industrial policy, tariffs can be a powerful trade tool. But tariffs on their own can have devastating repercussions.
“Remember in the Trump administration’s first term when we had the
“Climate change is causing the growing season to be warmer and wetter, and a warmer, wetter season means more insects and diseases,” Rothwell says. “It also means a more dramatic freeze-thaw period, which can affect our root stock.”
first round of tariff battles?” Rothwell asks.
“Washington State apple harvests that would have been exported to India stayed on the domestic market and flooded other states, including Michigan, which slashed demand for Michigan-grown apples. It’s increasingly looking like we may see something similar happen in the 2026 season.”
Rothwell also says she’s been hearing from farmers who’ve been unable to afford specialized irrigation equipment that they typically order from overseas, equipment that is not made in the U.S. and that is now astronomically expensive due to a constantly shifting tariff policy from D.C.
“And it’s not just farming equipment,” Rothwell adds. “On the distribution side, businesses are running up against barriers in the form of tariffs preventing them from ordering basic commodities like aluminum cans for cider and glass bottles for wine.”
No. 3: Labor Issues on the Rise
Northern Michigan agriculture relies heavily on seasonal migrant labor to do the hard work of planting, growing, and harvesting crops. Rothwell warns that
heavy-handed immigration enforcement operations that are more interested in PR campaigns than in actually enforcing the law ultimately hurt northern Michigan farmers.
“We’re hearing from long-time migrant workers who have regularly returned to northern Michigan on legitimate work visas season after season,” says Rothwell. “They’re saying this year they’re just not going to come back, because they’re worried their rights will be violated. Michigan can’t attract legal migrant labor if the federal government is spending its time making the U.S. inhospitable to all migrants.”
No. 4: An Aging Farmer Population
Daniel Marbury is the program coordinator for Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting a thriving culture and community centered around farms. Marbury says a concern that folks in his organization share is the aging farmer population, i.e., the lack of young people entering the industry to take over for older, soon-to-retire farmers.
“But what can we expect?” Marbury says. “If farming is getting more and
A shot from the annual Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference as attendees tour Z+N Farm.
In partnership with Oryana Food Co-op, Crosshatch offers zero interest loans for food and farm businesses provide much-needed funding to help get new initiatives up and running. Loan applications are open through Feb. 17 at crosshatch.org/ecology-farming/microloans.
more difficult to do and it’s a questionable business endeavor in terms of profit and sustainability and farmers aren’t getting the support they need from the government, why would young folks want to invest the prime of their lives into what they see as a dubious career?”
Marbury indicates that attracting young people into agriculture requires federal, state, and local governments to enact legislation that supports farmers and, equally importantly, for communities to support local agriculture.
“When our civil system via government works hand-in-hand with communities to support farmers, young people see the industry as an attractive and rewarding career, not a doom spiral,” Marbury says.
No. 5: Where Is the Farm Bill?
The Farm Bill is a major, omnibus multi-year legislation that is renewed every five years to set U.S. policy for agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry. The legislation is extremely broad and immensely important. It covers everything from nutritional support via the SNAP program to crop insurance and safety net programs for farmers to international trade regulations and conservation best practices.
At the time of this writing, the U.S. Congress is two years overdue in passing a new Farm Bill, as the last bill was signed into law on December 20, 2018.
“We need a farm bill that’s designed for the farmers,” emphasizes Marbury. “It is nothing short of negligence that Congress has been relying on piecemeal approvals and short-term funding stopgaps to get us through the past two years. Congress must pass a new Farm Bill in 2026.”
“The Farm Bill is the leading piece of formative legislation that governs how U.S. farmers will be supported, incentivized, and assisted in accomplishing the critical task of feeding not just America, but entire sectors throughout the world,” Marbury adds. “When politicians don’t prioritize the Farm Bill, they’re essentially neglecting the farmers of today and the farmers of tomorrow. The State of Michigan has done a lot to fill in the gaps and support Michigan agriculture, but without a federal mandate that includes guidelines, trade agreements, new policies, and subsidies, Michigan farmers are left in the dark.”
How to Support Local
Farmers
“If you’re someone who eats food, there’s a lot you can do to support farms,” Marbury says with a grin.
1. Become a consumer advocate for local farms. Marbury says that farmers carry a deep connection to the land, making them conservationists in their own right. To ensure their economic sustainability, farmers should be supported not just by local community members buying their crops, but by families telling other families to support local farms.
2. Support groups that tap into collective farming knowledge. The backbone of Crosshatch is its workshops. The organization brings in farmers to give seminars to other farmers, building collective knowledge and using a community approach to overcome agricultural challenges.
3. Get farmers down to Lansing and Washington, D.C. Rothwell mentions this is essential to forcing policymakers to pass laws that benefit local small farmers and not just bigtime political campaign donors.
4) Grants need our political attention. Rothwell also says that Specialty Crop Block Grants have finally been formalized by the federal government, which is a huge relief, as they had been held up indefinitely during the DOGE period. Such grants empower farmers to tackle specific issues such as disease prevention, germination research, and crop marketing tools.
5) Support organizations that are stepping up. Both Marbury and Rothwell indicated that when communities make agriculture a kitchen-table issue that everyone gets passionate about, farmers win. When farmers win, everyone gets fed…and fed well.
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Creme de la Weird
Rangueil Hospital's emergency department in Toulouse, France, had to be evacuated on Jan. 31 after a man showed up with a World War I-era explosive ... in his rectum. The Irish Star reported that the 24-year-old man was complaining of discomfort because of an "inserted object," but doctors didn't realize what it was until they had begun to treat him. Hospital staff alerted police, who locked down the facility until bomb disposal experts determined that the device was harmless. Surgery proceeded, and the 8-by-2-inch shell was successfully removed. [The Irish Star, 2/2/2026]
In (Probably Not) Related News ...
KRCG-TV reported on Jan. 30 that Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County, Missouri, is offering a $5,000 reward for recovery of an explosive device that was stolen from the base's Ammunition Supply Point late last year. The "demolition shaped charge" uses "a specially shaped, explosive-filled cavity to focus the effect of the explosion," according to the U.S. Marines website. [KRCG, 1/30/2026]
Bright Idea
If you really want to make an impression on your Valentine, check out the McDonald's McNugget Caviar Kit. USA Today reported on Feb. 2 that the burger chain is offering a free kit when you sign up online, which includes chicken nuggets (of course), a 1-ounce tin of caviar, a $25 McDonald's gift card, creme fraiche and a mother of pearl caviar spoon. Sign-ups begin on Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. Eastern time. The combo was inspired by a dish served at the U.S. Open in August. That kit, however, set diners back $100. You can get in on the action at mcnuggetcaviar. com. [USA Today, 2/2/2026]
The Continuing Crisis
At the University of Alaska Fairbanks, master's student Nick Dwyer submitted 160 images made through collaboration with AI to an art show, The Sun Star reported on Jan. 14. Dwyer said his work "explores identity, character narrative creation and crafting false memories of relationships ... after a state of AI psychosis." Fellow student Graham Granger, 19, however, wasn't a fan. On Jan. 13, Granger was found "ripping artwork off the walls and eating it in a reported protest," the UAF police department said. He chewed and spit out at least 57 of the 160 images in Dwyer's exhibit. Granger said he opposed Dwyer's use of ChatGPT and the school's AI policy. "I'm surprisingly fine," Granger said after chewing up the photos. "I've eaten paper on, like, dares before, so I've learned a method, like, over the course of my life." Granger was arraigned on charges of criminal mischief and will appear in court in March. [The Sun Star, 1/26/2026]
Awesome!
Thirteen-year-old Austin Appelbee is being called a hero after he swam through rough waters off the coast of Western Australia to summon help for his family, CNN reported. The family had gone out on Jan. 30 to paddleboard and kayak, but the waves swept them out to sea. Austin, who has been swimming since he was young, decided to swim the 2.5 miles back to shore to get help. "The waves were massive. I hit the
bottom of the beach and I just collapsed and then after that I had to sprint 2 kilometers to go get the phone," he said. Volunteer marine rescuers found his mom and two siblings clinging to a paddleboard, and they were rescued and returned to shore. Marine Rescue commander Paul Bresland called Austin's feat a "superhuman effort." [CNN, 2/3/2026]
It's a Mystery
If you are the woman who dropped off a human skull at the Goodwill Donation Center in Chelsea, Michigan, on Jan. 26, the Chelsea Police Department would like a word. CBS News reported that a woman, who was caught on the store's surveillance camera, brought in a skull wrapped in a shirt. The skull appeared to be intact and didn't have any "visible damage." Officers turned it over to the county medical examiner, who forwarded it to the anthropology department at the University of Michigan for further study. [CBS News, 2/4/2026]
That Calls for a Bronze Medal
Just four minutes into the mixed doubles curling competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the lights went out, the Associated Press reported on Feb. 4. Four matches came to a halt as the athletes waited for the power to come back on. Olympic officials said the interruption was "due to an energy-related issue" (really?), and the lights were back on within about three minutes. [AP, 2/4/2026]
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
At a high school boys' basketball game in Frederick, Oklahoma, on Jan. 29, an official made the unusual move of ejecting the home team's entire fan section, KFOR-TV reported. The game between Frederick and Mangum was late in the fourth quarter when an official called a foul. One fan stood up to yell at the official, then left. The referee conferred with the school administrator on hand, who announced, "The officials ask that the whole side clear." Play didn't resume until all the fans had cleared the gym, but radio announcer Chad Fox said some were standing outside the doors, trying to peek inside. "The official might have been called a few names for a while," he said. The Frederick superintendent provided a statement, saying the district "reaffirms its commitment to upholding sportsmanship standards." [KFOR, 2/3/2026]
The Tech Revolution
Tasmania Tours website owner Scott Hennessy admitted that "Our AI has messed up completely" after the technology hallucinated some tourist destinations in Tasmania, Australia, that do not exist. ABC reported on Jan. 21 that the site had directed travelers to the Weldborough Hot Springs, offering a "peaceful escape" and "authentic connection to nature." One small issue: The website did not provide directions, so many people stopped at a pub for guidance. Pub owner Kristy Probert set them straight: "The Weld River, which runs through Weldborough, is freezing cold. It's definitely, definitely not a hot spring." Hennessy said the company had outsourced its marketing materials, and that company used AI to produce some of the content. "We're not a scam, we're a married couple trying to do the right thing by people," he said. [ABC, 1/21/2026]
The original location of Patisserie Amie on Front Street, a few blocks from Brasserie Bobo's future home.
Le Metro Rises from the Ashes as Brasserie Bobo
What’s next for French cuisine restaurateurs Eric and Amy Fritch
By Art Bukowski
Do you want the good news or the bad news?
The bad news first: No, Le Metropolitain will not reopen. The popular food truck parked outside Traverse City Whiskey Co. was severely damaged in a November fire, and owner Eric Fritch says the truck won’t return this spring.
The good (great?) news: The truck won’t reopen because Fritch and his wife Amy—the folks behind the much beloved Patisserie Amie before their time in the truck—will soon open a new brick-andmortar establishment in the Warehouse District. Tentatively dubbed Brasserie Bobo, it will offer more of the fine French food the Fritches have become known for in their two decade plus career in Traverse City.
Northern Express connected with Eric Fritch to see how we got here and what’s next.
From the Beginning
The Fritches opened Patisserie Amie in 2004 in the Front Street building where Chubby Unicorn is now. Lines out the door at this smaller location eventually led to their familiar Lake Street digs, where they spent 14 years before the pandemic derailed their business.
“COVID hit in March 2020, and we were
open one day, and then closed the next,” Fritch says. “We were closed for months and months, and we still had to keep paying our rent. And when we were able to open…we didn’t have any employees that wanted to come back. They had all found other things to do.”
The next step was Brasserie Amie in the former Franklin space at Front and Cass. (Side note: a brasserie is an all-day restaurant serving all sorts of food and drinks, whereas a patisserie generally only has pastries. Patisserie Amie had long since become a brasserie in function, hence the name change). That restaurant, a partnership with a few other folks, lasted until the end of 2022 when it closed and the partners went their own ways.
After some time traveling in (you guessed it) France, Eric and Amy decided to try a food truck for a while. In 2024, Le Metropolitain was born.
“We had just [taken] a trip to France and we were really inspired with the Metro station. It’s the color of the Parisian green, with the oxidized copper,” Fritch says. “So we took that idea and found a cute little pod that I could tow behind my Fiat.”
“Le Metro,” as it was affectionately called, was at Right Brain Brewery before finding a permanent home at TC Whiskey on 14th Street. All went well as they served up a variety of French vittles to hungry customers. But then…
The Fire
It was in November when the unthinkable happened.
“I got a call from someone down at the whiskey company that the truck was on fire. It was right after that first snowstorm that we had, so it was really slippery getting down there,” Fritch says. “I was just so nervous. I’m like, ‘Please let it be okay. Please let it be okay.’”
It was not okay. The truck was destroyed.
“We’re not really sure how it happened, but the electrical grid was fried,” Fritch says. “We don’t know if it was a faulty wire, but it was definitely electrical in nature.”
Luckily for Eric, Amy, and their three children, the community stepped up.
“The Traverse City Whiskey Company, unbeknownst to me, set up a GoFundMe for us that very morning. And the response was beautiful and humbling. It was just overwhelming, really,” Fritch says. “The people’s hearts opened up…and it’s really helped us in the interim as we’re trying to keep things rolling in our family.”
The Birth of Bobo
A not-so-surprising thing happened during those food truck days: Fritch was peppered with questions about his next move.
“Almost every day, people were like, ‘We love this, but when are you going to open up
another café? When are you going to get back into your own space?’” Fritch says.
So not long after the fire, Eric and Amy knew it was time to do just that.
“We made the decision to just search for another spot in Traverse City, because this is where we want to be,” Fritch says “I have a son and he’s only in eighth grade. So we’ve got five or six more years to do a lot of work and feed a lot of people.”
At the time this story was written in the first week of February, the Fritches were in the process of finalizing a lease for a space somewhere in the Warehouse District (he was tight-lipped on details beyond that due to things not being set in stone).
They are beyond excited for this new eatery, tentatively dubbed Brasserie Bobo (a name used for certain initiatives on Lake Avenue). The new spot will offer a lot more of the same French foods with some new twists, Fritch says, and they can’t wait to get in the kitchen again.
“We just want to be able to cook for our people again and get people excited and give them a chance to transport themselves once again to Paris and just be somewhere else for a while,” he says. “We can forget our troubles and eat real, real authentic food.”
Pending liquor license and other hurdles, they hope to have the new operation up and running (at least in some capacity) by March.
A One-Woman Winery
By Molly Cox
Aimee Desautels is the one-woman operation behind Achrimère Wines, perhaps the smallest winery on Old Mission Peninsula (OMP).
Along with being a vigneron (someone who grows their own grapes for winemaking), Desautels does all her own marketing, ships orders to 38 states, and makes the delivery runs in her van, all while co-parenting her two sons and living between Traverse City and the Detroit area.
She’s proud of this feat, joking in an Instagram post, “I am happy to report that I earned the award of ‘EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR’ from Achrimère Wines. Let me tell you, I was up against a number of other worthy candidates (Aimee in shipping, Aimee in purchasing, Aimee in label design, Aimee in customer relations….the list goes on).”
We met with Desautels on a snowy afternoon on OMP to talk about her passions for wine, motherhood, and the grape-growing community.
Stories and Science
Desautels has always worked in the hospitality industry and fell in love with wine over 25 years ago. She was captivated by
THE VINES AND VINTAGES OF ACHRIMÈRE WINES
winemakers’ stories of carving out a niche for themselves to make something truly unique.
“I was so interested in all of the stories— how all the vineyards could be right next to each other and everything [all the wines] tasted different. I just really enjoyed the idea of ‘Well I’m going to try to do my own thing.’ I just thought that was the neatest thing ever, so I kept reading and reading.”
This led Desautels to complete the Court of Master Sommeliers program and start her own business, called Wine and Roses, downstate. She hosted wine tastings and created wedding floral arrangements, and facilitating tastings with customers deepened her interest in wine education.
The next step in her career was a brand manager job with a wine distributor in Detroit where she represented around 200 brands and was able to hone her marketing skills. A major perk of the job was being on supplier trips to visit wineries around the world, where she decided that she wanted to try her hand at winemaking.
“There are so many stories that are connected to passion in the industry, and that was it was all about for me,” Desautels says. “The willingness to work so hard toward something and care so much about it, that just resonated with me.”
To pursue her next career, she took courses in winemaking at UC Davis and worked the harvest in Paso Robles, a renowned wine region on the Central Coast. In 2008 she bought a plot of fallow land on Old Mission Peninsula, the future site of Achrimère.
Motherhood First
After her second son was born, Desautels decided to make the leap into being a fulltime winemaker. In 2015 she planted her first vines on the Old Mission property, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. “There’s never this moment where you are like ‘this is the right time.’ I just went for it; that’s the bottom line,” she says.
A lot of thought and heart went into the Achrimère name. It’s a word she created herself, with the letters from each of her son’s names, plus the French word mère, mother. Desautels sees herself first as a mother, whether it be mothering her children, her vines, or her business.
“What was important to me was that it [the name] was a reflection of what is most important to me in life. Everything in life is a passion project,” she says.
Desautels adds that “every bottle is a dedication to somebody. The whole project
is a dedication to everybody else because I have had so much help.”
For example, the EM12 Pinot Gris is named in honor of her son Emerson, who was born in 2012. Likewise, the CM10 Chardonnay is named for her son Christopher, born in 2010. The 1971 Sparkling Brut is named for the year her parents were married, and the Symposium Rosé honors the winemaking community that helps make Achrimère possible.
The Wine
With only 7 acres of vines on her 16 acre property, Desautels knew she would have to get creative to find customers. Peninsula Township requires a winery to be at least 50 acres to have its own indoor tasting room. So, using her marketing background, Desautels created an Instagram account called The Wine Associate, featuring videos about various wine topics to educate followers on different aspects of the industry. Those followers are the foundation of the Achrimère wine club and its loyal customer base.
Desautels produces about 200 cases of Achrimère wine per year and ships directly to customers/wine club members. She also partners with a few retailers and restaurants in Michigan, like The Cooks’ House and
Peninsula Grill in Traverse City.
Currently, Desautels makes the four wines listed on the previous page. All are aged in stainless steel to preserve and showcase the flavor of the fruit as much as possible.
“These are clear, intentional wines,” she says. “I have a palate that leans towards France. I really enjoy the fact that a lot of French wines match the foods that are grown there, the cuisine that happens there. I wanted to make food wines, and I think these really fit the bill.”
Speaking of food, Desautels has pairing recommendations for each of her creations:
• 1971 Sparkling Brut: whitefish pate and/or a bowl of fresh strawberries
• CM10 Chardonnay: butter broiled lobster with gnocchi in a light cream sauce
• Symposium Rosé: pan fried walleye in a ber blanc sauce
• EM12 Pinot Gris: brie with fig jam and caramelized onion
While much of her inspiration as a winemaker comes from international locales like Chablis, Desautels’ wines highlight what northern Michigan vineyards can produce. “These are 100 percent Old Mission Peninsula wines. I’m so proud of this region; it’s a special place,” she says.
Coming Soon For Desautels, her business and
personal goals are inextricably intertwined. When asked about what she’d like her legacy to be she says, “My biggest thing will have to do with the raising of my kids. Being the mère, the mother, of all of this means making sure that good humans are created, and that everybody takes care of everybody. [Achrimère] is a huge testament to everybody taking care of everybody. My goal is to help teach people about something they’re passionate about, go after it, and then pay that forward to everyone else.”
In the near future, Desautels plans to scale up operations and hopes to one day have a tasting room space where she can
interact with and educate her customers.
When her vines first started producing, she sold the majority of her harvest to existing wineries. Now that Achrimère has been fully established, she plans to keep more of her fruit to expand production. In 2023 she planted an acre of Pinot Noir, which will be used for sparkling wine.
You can find Achrimère wine at Lake District Wine Co, Blue Goat Wine & Provisions, Folgarelli’s Market & Wine Shop, and Bad Dog Deli.
L earn more and order wine at achrimerewines. com and find their social media at @thewineassociate.
“Jonesin” Crosswords
"Born
and
Bread" going with the grain. by Matt Jones
ACROSS
1. San ___ (Costa Rica's capital)
5. Motel swimming spots
10. Accelerate, with "up"
14. Element with the symbol Fe
15. City where Van Gogh painted
16. Mirror shape
17. Stranded, in a baseball game
19. Flat-topped landform
20. Pacific Northwest tribal symbol
21. Part of TBS, for short
22. Like dirty water
23. "Get Out" actor Lil ___ Howery
25. Fiery gemstone
27. 18-wheeler
30. Site of the 1998 Winter Olympics
36. Gloomy music genre
37. Gloomy guy?
38. Laptop brand partially from Latin for "new"
39. Has the knack
40. Bar soap alternative, maybe
42. Pickleball divider
43. Makes invalid
45. Billion years
46. Forgotten rapper?
47. One of 32 works by Beethoven
50. Ave. crossers
51. Cupcake decorator
52. Belt-hole maker
54. Baffled
57. Do something
60. De-squeaked
64. Cruise ship deck
65. Sign seen near crossing guards
67. Love, in Latin class
68. Adjust, as wheels
69. "La Cage aux Folles" character
70. He does way more talking than Teller
71. Amtrak terminal
72. Stank
DOWN
1. Dump abruptly
2. Nabisco mainstay
3. Like some pretzels
4. Go in
5. Move while filming
6. Space balls?
7. Regenerist brand
8. Something to learn
9. 157.5 deg. from N
10. Green-blooded "Star Trek" antagonist
11. Say with confidence
12. Zorro's accessory
13. Remote button
18. Future sign
22. "Star Trek" actress Barrett married to Gene Roddenberry
24. Chef Emeril
26. Italian cornmeal dish
27. "Previously on ..." segment
28. "Legend of a Cowgirl" singer Coppola
29. It comes between haters and hate
31. Microbiome site
32. Pale with fright
33. Ducks' habitats
34. Prevent, as danger
35. Post-its, e.g.
40. Jenga piece
41. "Can you ___ little slower?"
44. Mythical horned beast
48. Fortune teller
49. Off the grid
53. "Truth Hurts" performer
54. Bass player's technique
55. Gauge with a stopwatch
56. Noodle in Japanese dishes
58. Fry, in Felixstowe
59. Benin neighbor
61. Burden
62. Auto designer Ferrari
63. "Happy Birthday" word
65. Lacking mirth
66. CN Tower's prov.
More Than Enough
Author Anna Quindlen is back at NWS with a book that claims “no one knows you like your book club”
By Anna Faller
As a journalist, avid reader, and bestselling author, Anna Quindlen has always been interested in authenticity—both in books that readers can lose themselves in and characters whose lives feel real and familiar.
“I want a book I live in,” she says. “I want to read and write books that the reader feels like they’re walking around in. When that happens, I feel like I’ve done what I set out to do.”
Quindlen takes the National Writers Series stage on Saturday, March 7, at 2pm for a conversation about her newest novel, More Than Enough, which explores the meaning of friendship and family when everything else in life feels like a massive question mark.
Linchpins and DNA Tests
We’ve all had a version of that question mark moment, right? So how does Quindlen make a universal experience feel fresh and full of life?
It all starts with the characters. Quindlen points to the years of dialogue practice she honed in the newsroom, the importance of giving her protagonists time to materialize, and how she painstakingly plants the detailed breadcrumbs through which her literary realms come alive.
Creating realistic characters also means exploring the “linchpin” concepts of what it means to be human. For Quindlen, loss often tops this list (which she addresses in her bestselling novel, After Annie), as do topics like motherhood, female friendships, and, in the case of More Than Enough, family.
In Quindlen’s latest, readers follow Polly Goodman, a 40-something English teacher at an elite girls’ high school in New York, who’s found herself in the throes of unfamiliar challenges as she nears middle age.
For starters, her beloved father is rapidly sinking into dementia, while her mother, with whom she’s never quite clicked, seems to prioritize her career over Polly. Then there’s the emotional and physical toll of Polly’s fertility journey, which, despite years of trying and thousands of dollars in IVF treatments, has yet to succeed.
To navigate this crossroads moment,
Polly often calls on her inner circle. There is her older brother, Garrison, her grounding force and only sibling; her gem of a husband, Mark; and her gaggle of book club pals— Sarah, Helen, and Jamie—who have hyped her up, held her down, and heard it all through 13 years of friendship.
But when the book clubbers jokingly give Polly a mail-in DNA test, the results of which reveal a mystery relative, the very foundation of Polly’s identity is called into question.
Pinball and Inflection Points
Per Quindlen, a book that probes the preconceptions of family felt like a nobrainer.
In stark opposition to Polly, Quindlen was born into a large Irish family. In fact, her father is one of seven, and his parents alone had 32 grandchildren. “Those connections seemed inevitably to be what I was going to concern myself with,” she explains.
Blood, however, doesn’t necessarily breed a family-caliber bond, and as Quindlen highlights, carries dwindling social and cultural significance, especially from a 21st century lens.
“That was something that really interested me and that I wanted to dig down into,” she adds. “I think we’re much more aware today that DNA is less important than having to interrogate deeply your idea of who you’re connected to and why.”
This, Quindlen says, is because those connections often clarify our true priorities.
“We bounce off of other people like pinballs,” she says, “and through that bouncing, we figure out [our] direction.”
In the novel, it’s Polly’s closest and most authentic connections—the quiet support of her husband, her father’s love, and her friendship with Sarah, especially—that eventually allow her to break free of her selfimposed limitations and recognize that she is more than enough, with or without biology as a witness.
While Quindlen has never taken a DNA test, she recalls a similar “identity moment” to Polly’s wherein the bond she shares with her brother prompted her to reevaluate her role in her family.
“That was an enormous inflection point in my life, and I thank him for it,” she says.
Free Birds and a Stranger’s Shoes
As for the reader’s inflection point? That’s not for Quindlen to decide.
As she sees it, every novel exists like a bird in a cage to be freed by publication. The moment that happens, the book and everything it contains stop being hers and instead belong to the reader.
Consequently, Quindlen explains, “I stopped thinking about what I want [audiences] to take from my work a long time ago and got much more invested in what I could learn from them. That gives the reader a kind of power that’s a little disconcerting and also really exciting!”
She does, however, note the importance of continuing to celebrate connection through literature (or even better, an infallible book club!).
“Books make you feel less alone,” she adds. “Every time you read a book, you walk in someone else’s shoes. That is a recipe for empathy, understanding, and tolerance—all things that we need so badly right now.”
About the Event
Anna Quindlen’s National Writers Series event takes place on Saturday, March 7, at 2pm at Traverse City Central High School (1150 Milliken Dr.) and via livestream. Inperson and virtual tickets can be purchased through the links on the National Writers Series website. Select bundles include a signed copy of More Than Enough. The guest host for the event is Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of the National Writers Series. For more information, visit nationalwritersseries.org.
Never Enough Time at NWS
Though the title of her featured novel might suggest otherwise, Quindlen has yet to experience more than enough of Traverse City’s committed readership.
In fact, her 2026 event will mark her fourth NWS appearance and counting. It all started some years ago—“when I was ignorant,” Quindlen says with a laugh—with a scheduled tour stop in Traverse City and a subsequent call to friend and New York Times bestselling author, Harlan Coben.
“He said, ‘you have to go’!” she notes. “The people who run that National Writers Series are smart and supportive, and [so are] the readers who show up.” In short, Coben assured Quindlen that she would have the time of her life on the Traverse City circuit. Spoiler alert: He was right.
For starters, Quindlen says, there are the obvious draws: the warm and “small town-y” downtown strip, the beautiful (though, likely still icy in March) bay views, and the infamous and infinite cherries. But it’s the investment and enthusiasm of NWS audiences that keep Quindlen coming back.
“[These] are people who really care about books,” she says. “As a writer, there’s nothing like looking into those seats and seeing people who are there because they care about what you do.”
Photo by Maria Krovatin
TRAVERSE CITY STATE HOSPITAL 2026 LECTURE SERIES
Join us in Kirkbride Hall this season for a special historic lecture series led by our knowledgable tour guides
Each presentation explores an important aspect of the former Traverse City State Hospital, highlighting the people, places, and ideas that shaped life on the grounds.
Thursday, February 19 , 6:30pm th
The Moral Treatment Movement
Presented by: Ruthann Boher Agosa
Thursday, March 19 , 6:30pm th
Women of the TC State Hospital
Presented by: Clover Keyes Avery
Thursday, April 16th,6:30pm
The Hospital Farm
Presented by: Catherine Allen-Goodwin
Feb 22-
Feb 28
Saturday
FIFE LAKE ANNUAL ICE
FISHING DERBY: 7am, 211
E. State St., Fife Lake. This event falls on the Free Fishing Weekend, which means there is no license required.
$1,000 Grand Prize & Big Catch prizes for pike, perch & walleye for adults & children - youth anglers - 2-17 yrs. old. Online registration (available for limited time); in-person registration at JB’s Midway Outdoor Supply. $35 per adult; $10 per child. eventcreate. com/e/fife-lake-annual-1000-ice-derby-2026
GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT!: Help count birds & enter the data into the eBird app. This event begins at Medalie Park on Boardman Lake, TC from 9-11am & moves to Mitchell Creek Meadows: The Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve from 11:30am to 12:30pm for a nature walk on the Looyenga Family Trail. This is part of the global Great Backyard Bird Count. Download the eBird app in advance. Must register in advance. gtrlc.my.salesforce-sites.com/es/ event/home/greatbackyardbirdcount021425
HBA OF NW MI TRAVERSE CITY HOME EXPO 2026: 9am-5pm, GT Resort & Spa, Acme. Featuring 100+ exhibitors, the Love Your Home Expo fills the entire lower level with more vendors, workshops, & inspiration than ever before. From remodeling to new builds, discover fresh ideas & connect with the experts who can help you create a home you love. eventhub.net/events/HBA-of-NWMI-Traverse-City-Home-Expo-2026_6903
THE 50TH ANNUAL NORTH AMERICAN VASA: 9am, Timber Ridge Resort, TC. Nordic ski & fat tire bike races on the Vasa Pathway & winter sports single track trails of the Pere Marquette State Forest in GT County. See web site for multiple race options & to register. There will also be a Vasa Community Celebration & Awards Ceremony on Feb. 14 from 5-8pm at Park Place Hotel Ballroom with music by The Daylites (tickets, $10$15). $0-$105. vasa.org/Race/MI/TraverseCity/NorthAmericanVasaFestivalofRaces
BETSIE BAY FROZEN 5K: 10am, Elberta Lookout, Bye Rd., Elberta. Busing to the start will be provided by Frankfort Area Schools & Benzie Bus. Proceeds benefit Benzie County Youth Initiative. $37. runsignup.com/Race/ Events/MI/Elberta/BetsieBayFrozenK
BEULAH’S ANNUAL WINTERFEST: 10am8pm, downtown Beulah. Cookie sale, snowmobile poker run, frozen turkey bowling, chili cookoff, horse drawn wagon rides, snowball target throw, frozen fish toss, parade, valentine contest, outhouse race, fireworks & more. clcba.org/event/winterfest
PETOSKEY WINTER CARNIVAL: 10am, Petoskey Winter Sports Park. “Throwback to Winter.” Enjoy the Bumpjump race in the morning. Spend the afternoon skating, sledding, & playing hockey. Then make your own cardboard sled & participate in the Cardboard Challenge! petoskey.us/news_detail_ T29_R197.php
SWEETHEART OF A SALE: Downtown TC, Feb. 14-16. A downtown-wide, shop-dineplay weekend featuring special offers, treats, & feel-good finds from participating TC businesses. See web site for offers. downtowntc. com/sweetheart-of-a-sale
THE BEST YETI FEST THIS SIDE OF THE HIMALAYAS: Suttons Bay. Includes Yeti fun at Suttons Bay Bingham District Library from 10am-2pm; a free movie at Bay Theatre at 10am; Digital Scavenger Hunt & Kids Scavenger Hunt from noon-4pm; Strolling Chili Cook-Off from 2-4:30pm, & much more. suttonsbaychamber.com/yetifest
LITTLE WAVES WITH GREAT LAKES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: Held at 10:30am at Petoskey District Library, Children’s Dept.; & 1pm at Charlevoix Public Library. Designed for curious minds aged 4 to 10, this program invites young explorers to discover the wonders of music & instruments in a relaxed & informal setting. Held the second Sat. of the month. Free. glcorchestra.org
ARTIST TALK: 11am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Cornwell Gallery, TC. “Paris, a Plein Air Journey with Adam VanHouten.” This 2026 Paint Grand Traverse invited artist will share insights from a remarkable month-long plein air journey he undertook last summer. Free. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/ events/?page=1&location=traverse-city#class-list
CONVERSATION HEART CRAFT: Petoskey District Library. A Valentine’s Day craft in the Children’s Program Room. Drop in any time between noon-3pm. Free. petoskeylibrary. org/whats-happening/kids-programs
GAAC GALLERY WALK + TALK: 1pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center, Main Gallery. Join
a conversational tour of the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s current exhibits. GAAC Gallery Manager Sarah Bearup-Neal leads a Walk + Talk of INteriors, and Small Accomplishments. Free. glenarborart.org/product/gallery-walk-talk
MARCH FOR JUSTICE: 1pm, The Workshop Brewing Co., TC. Join Women’s March Traverse to march to demand justice for Renee Nichole Good & Alex Pretti, both of whom were shot to death by ICE in Minnesota while peacefully protesting. Gather at The Workshop Brewing Company on Garland St. March peacefully & respectfully through downtown TC & then line the Parkway, ending back at The Workshop.
PICTURE THIS: A DAY OF CONNECTING THROUGH ART: 1-4pm, Hotel Indigo, TC. A free community gathering centered on connection & healing through creative expression. There will be a raffle for a winner to go home with a microwave donated by Traverse
City ABC Warehouse. This event is hosted in honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Month. eventbrite.com/e/picture-this-aday-of-connecting-through-art-tickets-19818 79510968?aff=oddtdtcreator
“ROMEO AND JULIET”: 2pm & 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Witness William Shakespeare’s tragic tale of star-crossed lovers as the Arts Academy Dance Division presents the ballet adaptation of Romeo & Juliet. Sparks fly when Veronese teenagers Romeo & Juliet meet at a party, but their whirlwind courtship is complicated by their families’ long-standing feud. $19-$34. interlochen.org/concerts-and-events/ all-events?search=Romeo+and+Juliet
“UNNECESSARY FARCE”: 4pm, The Willowbrook, Northport. Two cops, three crooks, eight doors! This year’s Cocktails, Canapés, and Comedy theater production by the North-
As seen on America’s Got Talent!, Puppy Pals LIVE! makes two stops in northern Michigan! Adopted and rescued dogs bring you canine comedy with their awesome stunts and feats! Tickets range from $10-$30 at The Cheboygan Opera House, Sat., Feb. 21 at 3pm (theoperahouse.org), and $10-$25 at City Opera House, TC, Sun., Feb. 22 at 2pm (cityoperahouse.org).
port Performing Arts Center takes place in an economy hotel room, where an embezzling mayor is supposed to meet with his accountant. In the room next door, two undercover cops are supposed to catch the meeting on videotape. See what happens when there is hilarious confusion, including who is in which room, & why does the accountant keep taking off her clothes? Doors open one hour early. Your $60 ticket includes the show plus hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, & dessert. northportperformingarts. org/cocktails-canapes-and-comedy
DEAD POETS SOCIETY: DEVOTION: 6pm, Blessed Be Tea and Apothecary, TC. Held every 2nd Sat. of the month. You will gather in a circle & take turns reading poetry in a round-robin style. Poetry may come from poets dead or alive, & your own original works are encouraged. Recommended for ages 15+. Led by Allie Robinson-Ollila. Suggested donation: $5-$10. blessedbetea.com
VALENTINE’S DINNER THEATRE: 6pm, AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center, Grayling. Enjoy fine dining & dessert paired with select wines, plus live piano music by Allen Bondar, & three performances by the AAV Community Theatre. $75 + fees. artisanvillage. org/events
DINNER THEATER: NANA’S NAUGHTY KNICKERS: 6:30pm, Eagle’s Hall, Cheboygan. A silly play about Bridget’s energetic Nana & her secrets & a tricky stage set that reveals them. Northland Players production. Call 231627-4051 for reservations. $30. nlplayers.org
“LOVE LETTERS”: 7pm, Mills Community House, Benzonia. Presented by the Benzie County Players. Find ‘Mills Community House’ on Facebook. $10; available at door.
GREAT LAKES CINEMA SERIES: “LA LA LAND”: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. $5 all seats or 2 for $8. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/la-la-land
MARDI GRAS IN SUTTONS BAY: 7pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Enjoy Detroit jazzmen the Paxton-Spangler New Orleans band. They’ve backed NOLO greats Johnny Adams & Earl King. Mardi Gras beads & masks available if you don’t bring your own. $30 advance; $35 door. thebaytheatre.org/ movie/live-at-the-bay-paxton-spangler-mardi-gras-band?date=2026-02-14#/movie/liveat-the-bay-paxton-spangler-mardi-gras-band
DOWNTOWN SOUND: KALHAVEN STRINGS: 7:30-9:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Theater, Petoskey. Enjoy the elegance of a traditional string ensemble with a fresh, modern twist. Michigan’s KalHaven Strings moves easily from Bach to the Beatles, from Mozart to Motown, & beyond. $10-$40. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/events/downtown-sound.html
GUITAR DREAMS: 7:30pm, City Opera House, TC. Featuring Jake Allen & Ryan David Green. Includes instrumental guitar pieces & delicate vocal tunes. Allen has toured globally, is endorsed by Takamine Guitars, & has shared stages with guitar legends such as Andy McKee & Mike Dawes. Green’s original compositions have received numerous film & TV placements, including shows on E!, Lifetime, & ABC Family/Freeform. $20-$30. cityoperahouse.org/ guitardreams
MISERY: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. Novelist Paul is rescued from a car crash by his fan, Annie, & wakes up in her secluded home where she reads his newest novel & realizes he has killed off her favorite character. Annie forces Paul to write a new novel, as he discovers Annie has no intention of letting him leave. $35 adults; $25 under 18.
MOCK TOURS AT THE DENNOS: VALENTINE’S EDITION: 7:30pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Professional improvisers from Full Tilt Comedy return as fictional docents leading you on dramatic & totally made up tours of the museum. Perfect for couples, friends, or solo adventurers, enjoy this lighthearted evening of laughter. $20-$25. simpletix.com/e/mock-tours-at-the-dennos-valentine-s-editi-tickets-247336
SIDE BY SIDE: 7:30-9:30pm, TC Philharmonic Center, MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation Hall. A two-piano tribute to American music. Featuring the music of Gershwin, Bernstein, Adams, & Beach. $34-$48. tcphil.org/concerts
FULL CORD: 8pm, Freshwater Art Gallery/ Concert Venue, Boyne City. Michigan-based bluegrass supergroup Full Cord won the 2022 Telluride Bluegrass Band Competition in Colorado. Following that, the International Bluegrass Music Association named Full Cord its Momentum Award Band of the Year. Opening for Full Cord is special guest, Michigan singersongwriter Robin Lee Berry. Call to reserve tickets: 231-582-2588. Please bring items for the Good Neighbor Food Pantry. $45. freshwaterartgallery.com
Sunday
MARCH
ALL ABOUT SOUL
WINTER WONDERLAND WEEKEND: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
THE 50TH ANNUAL NORTH AMERICAN VASA: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
CHARLEVOIX INDOOR SIDEWALK SALES: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
SWEETHEART OF A SALE: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
HBA OF NW MI TRAVERSE CITY HOME EXPO 2026: (See Sat., Feb. 14, except today’s time is 11am-3pm.)
“ROMEO AND JULIET”: (See Sat., Feb. 14, except today’s only time is 2pm.)
MISERY: (See Sat., Feb. 14, except today’s time is 2pm.)
SIDE BY SIDE: (See Sat., Feb. 14, except today’s time is 3-5pm.) -
“UNNECESSARY FARCE”: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
GLCO PRESENTS CUMMINGS QUARTET RECITAL: 4pm, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Petoskey. The public recital is part of the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra’s Sunday Series, which features small orchestra ensembles performing free of charge. glcorchestra.org/sundayseries
monday
AGELESS GRACE: 10am, Senior Center, TC. Brightletics founder Lisa George teaches low-impact fitness classes from a seated chair. Register on site or online. $5. gtcountymi. gov/2165/FitnessExercise
SALES: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
SWEETHEART OF A SALE: (See Sat., Feb. 14) feb 15 feb 16
CHARLEVOIX INDOOR SIDEWALK
LAURA RAIN AND THE CAESARS
DEAL SOUL FROM DETROIT
SATURDAY • MARCH 28
FINGERSTYLE MASTERCLASS @ 2:30 PM SOLO CONCERT @ 7:30 PM
FLOOR COMMONGROUNDS BUILDING FRIDAY • MARCH 6 WSG DAWN CAMPBELL 7:30 PM • DOORS AND BAR AT 7 $20 ADVANCED TICKETS 7:30 PM • DOORS AND BAR AT 7 $35 ADVANCED TICKETS
tuesday
MY IPHONE DOES WHAT?: 1-3pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Corey Buchan from Buchan Tech helps with tips on all those frustrating things we know our Iphones & Ipads do that we don’t quite understand. RSVP. Free. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org
17
TEA TIME & ART TALK: 1:30pm, Art on Union Gallery, TC. Jill Wagner, award-winning Ann Arbor artist, discusses her European travels & Painting Pastel Abroad. Free. artonunion.com
UNITED WE STAND-MOVING TOWARD A MORE CIVIL DISCOURSE: 5:30pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Join an engaging event focused on fostering respectful & thoughtful conversations that help move us forward... together. Help break down barriers & learn how to keep discussions friendly & productive, even when opinions differ. Free. eventbrite.com/e/united-we-standmoving-toward-a-more-civil-discourse-tickets1977141880588?utm-campaign=social&utmcontent=attendeeshare&utmmedium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utmsource=c
wednesday
SEEDLING SELECTION FOR YOUR PROPERTY: Q & A PANEL: 4-6pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Learn more about what species may be right for your property. Meet with GTCD’s Conservation Stewards & District Forester to ask questions & get personalized advice tailored to your land. Register. Free. natureiscalling.org/events
WOMEN IN TECH MEETUP: 5-7pm, Earthen Ales, TC. Help build community & support amongst women working in, or interested in, the tech industry & tech-related roles. This meetup is casual, fun, & easy to drop into. Hosted by 20Fathoms. Free. eventbrite. com/e/women-in-tech-meetup-traverse-citytickets-1982030674101?aff=oddtdtcreator
SOLO SQUARE DANCE: 6:30pm, The Mill, Glen Arbor. A one-person dance concert created & performed by Nic Gareiss commemorating the 1935 Dance Halls Act which banned Irish citizens from dancing in homes. Show combines movement, speaking, & song inspired by this & other such movement prohibitions. $20 online; $25 door. greendoorfolkschool.com/ class/nic-gareiss-solo-square-dance
HERE:SAY PRESENTS: MODERN LOVE: 7pm, The Alluvion, TC. Storytellers tell true,
first-person stories about times in their lives that they were in platonic, romantic, or family love & anything in between. $15 at door. heresaystorytelling.com/storytelling-events? view=calendar&month=02-2026
feb 19
thursday
COFFEE @ TEN, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. LTBB Natural Resource Department Director Doug Craven presents “Winter Projects of the LTBB Dept. of Natural Resources & the Impacts of Climate Change in Northern Michigan.” Free. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/ events/?page=1&location=petoskey#class-list
STOP THE BLEED: 2pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Peninsula Fire Department will conduct free training on how to respond effectively to bleeding emergencies. Email ctaylor@peninsulafire.org to register. Free.
6TH ANNUAL RISE TO THE OCCASION: 3:30-8:30pm, Otsego Resort, Gaylord. RISE: Substance-Free Skiing, Snowboarding & Tubing Night. Free for all Otsego County 6th12th graders. 989-217-8406.
CITY STRATEGY IN MOTION + A TEAM
TRAVERSE CITY CELEBRATION: 4:306:30pm, City Opera House, TC. The event will showcase highlights from The Performance 2025: A Year in Review & demonstrate how community priorities are actively shaping City strategy, investment, & operations. Please RSVP by Feb. 12. docs.google.com/forms/d/e /1FAIpQLSfmxuTi9dN9ZEj43baHwX7C1z1Rt Oqp-3D4orUH2IlHZrcRuQ/viewform
PETOSKEY BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5-7pm, Northern Lights Recreation, Harbor Springs. The theme for this event is the 1980s. Dress appropriately, & the best dressed dude or dudette of the night gets a prize! Enjoy networking, food & more. Bring your business cards. $10 members; $15 notyet members. petoskeychamber.com
EKPHRASTIC READING: 5:30-7pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Carnegie Galleries, TC. Writers, poets & storytellers share original pieces inspired by the artwork currently on view in the galleries. Experience visual art in a whole new way—through language, imagination, & personal interpretation. All are welcome to read their work aloud. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/events/?page=1&location=traversecity#class-list
Kirkbride Hall, TC. Presented by Ruthann Boher-Agos. Learn how the 19th-century movement shaped the care of patients at the Traverse City State Hospital. This presentation examines the principles of moral treatment & how the hospital’s Kirkbride-style architecture was designed to support healing through environment, routine, & humane care. Find ‘Traverse City State Hospital: 2026 Lecture Series - The Moral Treatment Movement’ on Facebook. $15.
DARK & STORMCLOUDY FILM & BEER SERIES: 7pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. This series pairs award-winning films with small batch dark beers, handcrafted specifically for each movie selection by Stormcloud Brewing. Enjoy “Twinless,” a comedy/drama about two young men who meet in a twin support group & form an unlikely friendship. The Stormcloud Beer Pairing is One Twin Double IPA, a black double IPA. Movie tickets are $10 & each ticket includes a $5 coupon for Stormcloud Brewing. gardentheater.org/comingsoon
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS FORUM: 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. “Long Arm or Strong Arm? Executive Power in Foreign Policy & At Home” presented by Kori Schake, Ph.D., Senior Fellow & Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute & author of The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relations in the U.S. Event held in partnership with Central Michigan University Hart-Milliken Speaker Series. Tickets at TCIAF.com. $15 advance, $20 door, $10 livestream, free for current students & educators. tciaf.com/eventfebruary-2026
MISERY: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
feb 20
million years ago. He explores the life & death of Paleozoic creatures once so plentiful during the Cambrian period that it was called the Age of Trilobites. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/trilobitetreasures-with-paleo-joe-tickets-247337
ART, WORDS, & WONDER: BOOK RELEASE AND ORIGINAL ART BY GEORGE KLEIBER: 5pm, Vada Color/Ledbetter Gallery, TC. Celebrate the release of George Kleiber’s second book, “Bridge of Light.” At 6pm George will offer a brief talk on how art & words can offer meaning, reflection, & connection. Free. georgekleiberart.com
GAME NIGHT: 6-8pm, Up North Pride Community Center, TC. Try out a new game, play a classic favorite, or bring a game of your own. All ages welcome. Free. upnorthpride.com
“UNNECESSARY FARCE”: (See Sat., Feb. 14, except tonight’s time is 7pm.)
DUSTY SLAY: THE NEIGHBORHOOD GUY: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Stand-up comedian Dusty Slay grew up in a trailer park in Alabama, with a love for classic country & rock, & a history with jobs like waiting tables & selling pesticides. He’s had a happy life & now tells about it, playing comedy clubs & selling out theaters across the country, filled with fans eager to imitate his signature Wave. Dusty has performed multiple times on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” & “Hollywood Squares,” & has Netflix specials. $27-$75. cityoperahouse.org/dustyslay
MISERY: (See Sat., Feb. 14) feb 18
TC STATE HOSPITAL: 2026 LECTURE SERIES - THE MORAL TREATMENT MOVEMENT: 6pm, The Village at GT Commons,
friday
SENIOR COFFEE MORNING: 8:30am, Up North Pride Community Center, TC. Start the morning off with a cup of Higher Grounds coffee with the LGBTQ+ Seniors Coffee Morning. Free. upnorthpride.com
AGELESS GRACE: (See Mon., Feb. 16)
2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT
WEEK: Harbor Springs area, Feb. 20 - March 1. Indulge in specially curated menus from local restaurants. harborspringschamber.com/ events/details/2026-restaurant-week-18667
TRILOBITE TREASURES WITH PALEO JOE: 4pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Paleo Joe provides a unique snapshot of life in the ancient seas from 250 to 500
FUNDRAISER – TROUBLE IN DEADWOOD: 7pm, Hotel Indigo, TC. Wild west comedy murder mystery dinner theatre in support of Old Town Playhouse. It’s Deadwood, 1876, & Boss Butler wants control of the town. When he makes his move to seize it from Widow Dawson, the town pushes back & there’s a murder! Tickets include show, dinner, drink, & valet parking. $85. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/specialevents/trouble-in-deadwood.html
GREEN DOOR FOLK SCHOOL BARN DANCE: 7pm, Twin Lakes, Gilbert Lodge, TC. Sway, spin, & step your way through contra & square dances to live music. Suggested donation of $10-$20. greendoorfolkschool.com/class/green-door-folk-schoolbarn-dance
ROMEO AND JULIET: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Witness William Shakespeare’s tragic tale of starcrossed lovers as Interlochen’s Academy Dance Division presents the ballet adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. $15-$25. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/romeo-and-juliet
feb
21
saturday
EMPIRE WINTERFEST: Includes yoga at the Township Hall, a book sale at Glen Lake Community Library, polar plunge in South Bar Lake near the north end of the parking lot, saunas, s’mores at Grocer’s Daughter, a viewing of “Island Life: The Story of North Manitou Island” at the National Park Visitor’s Center, snowshoe hike through Leelanau Conservancy’s Chippewa Run property, soup potluck at Empire Twp. Hall with live music by Charlie Arnett, & much more. Free. empirechamber.com/event/empire-winterfest
SNOWSHOE & A SIP OF HISTORY: 10amnoon, Port Oneida Heritage Center, Olsen House, Maple City. Learn about Port Oneida’s past as you snowshoe with a history guide. After a gentle trek around the Olsen farmstead & surrounding landscapes, gather in the kitchen for a hot cocoa bar & warm cookies, compliments of Hattie Olsen’s own recipe. If there is not much snow, enjoy a winter hike. Bring your own snowshoes & a change of shoes. For adults & children over 12. Register. Free. phsb.org/experience/programs/snowshoe-and-a-sip-of-history
2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Fri., Feb. 20)
ARTIST TALK - SELECT ARTISTS FROM ARTIST GUILD MEMBER SALON SHOW: 11am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Cornwell Gallery, TC. Celebrate the creativity of the Guild community with an engaging conversation featuring artists from this year’s Annual Guild Member Show. Participating artists will share the stories behind their selected works & more. Free. crookedtree.org/events-andexhibitions/events/traverse-city-lectures.html
WINTERLOCHEN: 11am, Interlochen Center for the Arts. Join the students, faculty, & staff of Interlochen Arts Academy for this annual winter festival. Bundle up for outdoor fun such as sledding & s’mores, & then head inside for a variety of family-friendly arts exploration activities. Try out instruments, learn the basics of acting, dance to live jazz, paint & craft, conduct the Arts Academy Orchestra, & much more. There will be a campus-wide parade to Corson Auditorium for a free magic performance by renowned magician Scott Green. Free; no tickets required. interlochen.org/events/winterlochen-2026-02-21
8TH ANNUAL CHILLY COOK OFF: Noon3pm, downtown Elk Rapids. Taste your way through 11 chilis on River St. & at Short’s & Pearls & vote for your favorites. Tickets available starting Feb. 14 at Nifty Things, Short’s Brewing Co., & River Street Dog. $10. facebook.com/events/879656878313425
9TH ANNUAL WALLOON LAKE WINTERFEST: Noon-4pm, Village Green Park, Walloon Lake. Featuring an Antique Snowmobile Show, tasting tent, wood carving, live music, bean pot, hot cocoa bar & more. Find ‘Walloon Lake Winterfest’ on Facebook.
LELAND CULTURE DISTRICT HOSTS TEAM PUZZLE COMPETITION: 2-5pm, Old Art Building, Leland. Teams of two to three people will compete to complete a 500-piece puzzle in three hours or less. A prize will be awarded to the fastest team. Registration required. 231-256-9152.
PUPPY PALS LIVE!: 3pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. An action-packed show, where adopted & rescued dogs perform spectacular stunts & breathtaking feats. $10-$30. theoperahouse.org
“UNNECESSARY FARCE”: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
DARK & STORMCLOUDY FILM & BEER SERIES: (See Thurs., Feb. 19, except today’s time is 4pm.)
13TH ANNUAL GUNS N’ HOSES CHARITY HOCKEY GAME: 6pm, Centre Ice Arena, TC. Playing in honor of Lt. Jonathan Michael Miner & in support of his family. Jon dedicated 30 years to the Springfield Twp. Fire Dept. & lived a life defined by service, compassion & quiet strength. $5. facebook.com/gtgunsnhoses
FUNDRAISER – TROUBLE IN DEADWOOD: (See Fri., Feb. 20)
HYEMIN KIM’S 2026 CLASSICAL VOYAGE CONCERT SERIES, SOUVENIRS OF AUSTRIA: 7pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. Interlochen pianist Hyemin Kim will be joined by Khanh Nhi Luong, Third Prize winner of the 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition, for a joint recital titled “Souvenirs of Austria.” $25 online; $30 door. mynorthtickets.com/events/the-musichouse-is-proud-to-present-the-inauguralevent-of-hyemin-kims-2026-classical-voyage-concert-series-souvenirs-of-austriawith-pianist-khanh-nhi-luong-saturday
POPS CONCERT WITH ENCORE SYMPHONIC WINDS: 7-8:30pm, TC Philharmonic Center, MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation Hall. Featuring the music of Bach, Gershwin, Joplin & others. Free. tcphil.org/concerts
MISERY: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
feb
22
sunday
THE GREAT INDOOR FOLK FESTIVAL: Noon-5:30pm, The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, TC. This free family community event is hosted by Northern Michigan Songwriters In The Round, & Adair Correll. Featuring eight stages, including at The Barrel Room, Left Foot Charley, Higher Grounds, Kirkbride Hall, The Mercato, & Cuppa Joe. There is even a kids’ stage & open mic stage. Don’t miss Broken Tip Jar, Jenny & Will Thomas, Blinker Fluid, STRUM, Wild Sullys, Aven Purcell, Songwriters in the Round, Susan Marie & her Cedar Valley Boys, Nick Veine, Ben Traverse, Olive’s Laundry, The Fridays & many others. greatindoorfolkfest.org
ICE BREAKER BOYNE: 9am-3pm, Veterans Park, Boyne City. Featuring an Artisan Market, Fire & Flow Outdoor Sauna, Downtown Passport Walk, outdoor photo ops & more. Start at Veterans Park Pavilion to get your map & passport book. Find ‘Ice Breaker Boyne’ on Facebook.
2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Fri., Feb. 20)
TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: Feb. 22-28. TC restaurants will serve up special multi-course prix fixe menus at $25, $35 & $45. Sign up for the free digital Restaurant Week passport, which serves as your guide to participating restaurants, including menus, contact info & directions. Guests who check in at these establishments via the passport will be entered into random drawings for $50 gift cards from participating restaurants. downtowntc.com/traverse-city-restaurant-week
OF BUSTER 3pm, cents.
14) ongoing WOW Library. Featuring challenge hour is endar.com/event/wow-wednesday-8636
Free, NAMI line & HBA, tion Group web site
NOON: groups: nection at Christ support-and-education/support-groups/
NAMI-GT 5PM: NAMI 5pm online in person Veterans
INDOOR 10am-2pm, Merca Sat. through variety cheeses, & more.
YOUTH days, the Dune Arbor. park Participants skills, culminating & a fishing last). have the planyourvisit/calendar.htm
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL: LIVING LARGE IN A TINY HOUSE: 1pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center. In 2012 Leelanau County couple Rolf & Mari von Walthausen decided to move from their square about did it. is-beautiful-living-large-in-a-tiny-house
Noon-5:30pm, Grand TraThis event SongwritFeaturing Room, Kirkbride There is Don’t Thomas, Aven PurMarie Veine, Ben Fridays &
-- - -VeterArtisan Downops & to get Breaker
-- - -RESTAURANT
-- - -WEEK: up spe$25, $35 Restaurant guide menus, check in passport will $50 gift downtowntc.com/traverse-city-restaurant-week
-- - -LARGE IN CenRolf & move from
their 2,000 square foot home into a 240 square foot tiny house. The couple will talk about their radical resizing -- how & why they did it. Free. glenarborart.org/product/smallis-beautiful-living-large-in-a-tiny-house
-
BE LIKE BLIPPI TOUR!: 2pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Join Blippi & Meekah live on stage for a one-of-akind interactive adventure that inspires kids to move like, play like, & explore just like Blippi. Tickets starting at $25. interlochen. org/events/be-blippi-tour-2026-02-22 -
FUNDRAISER – TROUBLE IN DEADWOOD: (See Fri., Feb. 20, except today’s time is 2pm.) -
PUPPY PALS LIVE!: 2pm, City Opera House, TC. As seen on “America’s Got Talent,” “Puppy Pals Live” is a family fun actionpacked show where adopted & rescued dogs perform spectacular stunts & breathtaking feats. $10-$25. cityoperahouse.org/puppypals
100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY SCREENING OF BUSTER KEATON’S “THE GENERAL”: 3pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. 25 cents. theoperahouse.org
“UNNECESSARY FARCE”: (See Sat., Feb. 14)
ongoing
WOW ON WEDNESDAYS: Petoskey District Library. Held every Weds. from 3:30-4:30pm. Featuring a new craft, taste-test, or simple challenge each week. Dropping in during the hour is okay. Ages 8-12. petoskey.librarycalendar.com/event/wow-wednesday-8636
NAMI-GT SUPPORT GROUPS – MON.: Free, peer-led mental health support groups: NAMI Family Support (Mondays at 6pm; online & in-person - see web site for Zoom link), HBA, 3040 Sunset Ln., TC, & NAMI Connection Group (Mondays at 6pm, online - see web site for Zoom link). namigt.org/calendar/
NAMI-GT SUPPORT GROUPS – WEDS. AT NOON: Free, peer-led mental health support groups: NAMI Family Support and NAMI Connection Group. Both held Wednesdays at noon at Christ Church, 430 Fair St., TC. namigt.org/ support-and-education/support-groups/
NAMI-GT SUPPORT GROUPS – WEDS. AT 5PM: Free, peer-led mental health support: NAMI Connection Group. Held Wednesdays, 5pm online (see web site for Zoom Link) & in person at Child & Family Services, 3785 Veterans Dr., TC. namigt.org/calendar/
INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 10am-2pm, The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato, TC. Browse the Mercato halls every Sat. through April. More than 30 vendors offer a variety of items from farm fresh eggs, meats & cheeses, to fruits, veggies, homemade breads & more. thevillagetc.com/events
YOUTH ICE FISHING PROGRAM: Saturdays, 11am through Feb., Dune Center at the Dune Climb, 6748 S. Dune Hwy., Glen Arbor. Kids & their families are invited to join park rangers for youth ice fishing events. Participants will learn essential ice fishing skills, safety measures, & fishing regulations, culminating in a “Junior Angler” certification & a fishing pole to take home (while supplies last). If ice conditions permit, attendees will have the opportunity to ice fish. nps.gov/slbe/ planyourvisit/calendar.htm
OUT OF THE BOX - ELEVATED CIGAR BOXES: Higher Art Gallery, TC. “Out of The Box” is a group show & invitational featuring 30 artists. Cigar boxes have been elevated, transformed & turned into treasures. The exhibit runs through March 14. See web site for hours. higherartgallery.com
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. This annual regional high school exhibition celebrates the creativity, skill, & fresh perspectives of emerging young artists. It will be on display through Feb. 21, featuring work by 11th & 12th grade students from area high schools. See web site for hours. charlevoixcircle.org
CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY:
- CROOKED TREE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY ANNUAL EXHIBITION: Held in Atrium Gallery, this exhibition features recent work by members of the Crooked Tree Photographic Society. The photographs included in this show were self-selected by the group through peer review. Featuring intricate details from nature, evocative scenes & moments, & creatively constructed composition. Runs through Feb. 21. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/eventsand-exhibitions/exhibits/crooked-tree-photographic-society.html
- ON ICE: Held in Gilbert Gallery through Feb. 28. Includes plein air icescape paintings by Margie Guyot, winter landscape paintings by Kevin Barton, photographs by Susan Tusa, documentary works exploring the communities & culture of ice fishing by Amy Sacka, photographs exploring ice as an aesthetic & environmental subject, drone shots by Ray Gaynor, & much more. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/ events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/on-ice.html
- AT HOME: Held in Bonfield Gallery through Feb. 28. Featuring quilts by Erick Wolfmeyer, Heidi Parkes, & the Little Traverse Bay Quilters Guild, ceramics by Madeline Kaczmarczyk, pastels by Heidi Marshall, & works by other artists. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-andexhibitions/exhibits/at-home.html
- OPEN STUDIO: Held in the Visual Arts Room, Saturdays, 10am-1pm. Free drop-in art studio for the whole family. New projects are offered weekly. crookedtree.org
CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC:
- GUILD POP-UP EXHIBIT: ADAM VANHOUTEN : Held in Libragallery. One Easel, One City, Thirty Days in Paris. Runs through Feb. 21. Check web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/ exhibits/guild-popup-exhibit-adam-vanhouten.html
- 2026 ARTIST GUILD MEMBER SALON SHOW: Held in Carnegie Galleries through Feb. 21. This exhibition showcases the work of 118 Guild Members, representing Greater Northern Michigan & beyond. See web site for hours. crookedtree. org/events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/guildmember.html
- BETWEEN US - WINTER 2026 EXHIBITION: Held in Cornwell Gallery. This exhibit explores connection, distance, & everything that exists in the in-between. It invites artists to reflect on how we reach for one another & ourselves across emotional, physical, & imagined spaces. Runs through Feb. 21. Visit website for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/ exhibits/between-us.html
Michigan’s
DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - NEW PERSPECTIVES: RECENT AQUISITIONS FROM THE DENNOS PERMANENT ART COLLECTION: Held in McFarlane Gallery through May 31. From new paintings & works on paper gifted through the Museum Exchange program to generous donations on behalf of museum members, friends, & NMC alumni, New Perspectives seeks to highlight convergent, as well as, divergent perspectives on contemporary art & collecting practices in the 21st century. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org
- TRILOBITE TREASURES : Runs through May. This exhibit presents Paleozoic creatures in a way that tells a story of the prehistoric life in the ancient seas. The collection, assembled over 35 years, provides a unique snapshot of life in the ancient seas from 250 to 500 million years ago. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org
- TWELVE-BY-TWELVE : Runs through April 1. Created by students & faculty at Interlochen Arts Academy, every participant had to create something that would fit within an imaginary twelve-inch cube. They self-imposed this limit to discover what ideas those boundaries might produce. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org
- DOUG CANNELL: “SELECTIONS FROM BACKSTORIES” : An introduction to Doug Cannell’s works that merge sculpture, installation, & storytelling into layered experiences. Cannell creates objects that resist easy definition. Runs through April 3. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum. org
- IMPRESSIONS OF AN ERA: PRINTS FROM THE DENISON MUSEUM COLLECTION : This selection of prints, created between 1970 & 1990 by nationally & internationally recognized contemporary artists, reflects two transformative decades in contemporary printmaking. Artists include Dee Shapiro, Barbara Kohl-Spiro, KUDO Muramasa & James Rizzi. Runs through May 31. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org
GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER:
- INTERIORS EXHIBITION: An exploration of inner spaces, both real & imagined, spaces of the home & of the mind. Runs through March 12. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org
- SMALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY HARVEY GORDON: Enjoy this exhibition of acrylic paintings held in the Lobby Gallery through April 23. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org
OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:
- ANNUAL REGIONAL STUDENT ART EXHIBITION : Runs through March 6. Featuring hundreds of works created by students in grades K-12 from regional schools. Works in all media will be presented. The work will be juried by area artist & educator, Glenn Wolff. Open Tues.-Sat., 10am4pm; Sun., noon-4pm. oliverart.org
- IMAGE MAKERS, THE ART OF ILLUSTRATION: Runs Feb. 20 - March 28. Pen & ink, watercolor, pencil, gouache whatever the media, the Illustrator is an artist with a story to tell. What is the difference between a painting & an illustration? This exhibition will explore the work of several artist-illustrators, their processes, differences, & similarities between art & illustration. See web site for hours. oliverart.org dec 14
Deadline for Dates information is Tuesday for the following week.
Grand Traverse & Kalkaska
CHATEAU GRAND TRAVERSE WIN-
ERY, TC
4-6:
2/14 -- Rob Coonrod
2/21 -- David Lawston
ENCORE 201, TC
2/13-14 & 2/20-21 -- DJ Ricky T, 9
IDENTITY BREWING CO., TC
2/20 -- Christina Teresa, 6-8
KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC
9:30:
2/13-14 -- North 44
2/20 -- Scarkazm
2/21 -- DJ Leo
KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING
2/17 -- Open Mic Night, 6-9
2/19 -- Trivia Night w/ Marcus Anderson, 6:30-8:30
2/21 -- Kaydee Swanson - Member Party, 1-3
LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC
2/22 -- The Great Indoor Folk Festival, noon-5:30
BARREL ROOM:
2/16 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9
MARI VINEYARDS, TC
2/14 -- Jim Hawley, 3-5
MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC
2/20 -- David Lawston, 7-9
MT. HOLIDAY, TC T-BAR & GRILL: Sat. -- Apres Ski Live Music w/ Matt Mansfield, 2-5
NOCTURNAL BLOOM, TC Thu -- Thurs. Night Trivia, 6
NORTH BAR, TC
7-10:
2/14 -- Mallory Ramage 2/20 -- Highway North
OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC SEVEN HILLS, 6:
2/14 -- DJ Ras Marco D 2/20 -- Mitchell McKolay 2/21 -- Blair Miller
2/19 -- Chief Jam - Open Mic Hosted by Beejay Reffitt
2/20 -- Tim Krause
2/21 -- Logan Moore
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE
SLOPESIDE TENT, NEAR CRYSTAL CLIPPER CHAIRLIFT, 3-5:
2/14 -- The Bear
2/15 -- Rhett & John
2/21 -- Fred Drachus
VISTA LOUNGE:
2/14 -- Nick Vasquez, 2-5; Life Theory, 8-11
2/15 -- Two Feet, 2-5
2/16 -- Jakob Abraham, 2-5
2/20 -- Billy & The Kid, 2-5; Split Decision, 8-11
2/21 -- Sydni K, 2-5; Split Decision, 8-11
2/22 -- Luke Woltanski, 2-5
FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH 6-8:
2/16 -- Monday Music Trivia
2/19 -- Trivia Thursday
FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR
2/19 -- Billy & The Kid, 3-6
IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 5:30-7:30:
2/14 -- Alex Teller
2/20 -- Luke Woltanski
2/21 -- Jabo Bihlman
LAKE ANN BREWING CO.
2/14 -- John Pomeroy, 6:30-9:30
2/15 -- Andre Villoch, 3-6
2/18 -- Open Mic Night Hosted by Johnathon North, 6:30-9:30
2/19 -- Trivia Night Hosted by Tom Kaspar, 7-9
2/20 -- The Dune Brothers, 6:309:30
2/21 -- Andy Perrin & The Show Buds, 6:30-9:30
LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY 2/20 -- One Thousand Watt Prophets, 6-9
ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH
2/19 -- Open Mic Night, 6-9
2/20 -- Jesse Jefferson, 5-8 2/21 -- Luke Woltanski, 5-8
THE HOMESTEAD RESORT, GLEN ARBOR WHISKERS: 2/14 -- The Sundogs, noon-3 2/15 -- Bryan Poirier, 6-9
Otsego, Crawford & Central
ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD
2/14 -- David Lawston, 5-8
2/20 -- Lou Thumser, 6-9
C.R.A.V.E., GAYLORD 2/20 -- Randy Reszka, 6-9
2/19
Trivia Night, 7
SNOWBELT BREWING CO., GAYLORD
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lOGY
BY ROB BREZSNY
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Over the last 4,000 years, a host of things have been used as money in addition to precious metals and paper currency. Among them have been cows, seashells, cheese, tobacco, velvet, tulips, elephant tusks, and huge stone wheels. I hope this poetic fact will inspire your imagination about financial matters. In the coming weeks, I expect you’ll be extra creative in drumming up new approaches to getting the cash you need. Here are questions to guide you. Which of your underused talents might be ready to boost your income? What undervalued gifts could you be more aggressive about giving? What neglected treasures or underutilized assets could you use to generate money?
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The loudest noise in history? It was the 1883 volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia, heard thousands of miles away. The pressure wave circled the Earth multiple times. I am predicting a benevolent version of a Krakatoa event for you in the coming months. Not literal loudness, but a shiny bright expression of such magnitude that it redefines your world and what people thought was possible from you. Can you be prepared for it? A little. You’ll be wise to cultivate visionary equanimity: a calm willingness to stay focused on the big picture. I predict your big boom will be challenging but ultimately magnificent and empowering.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Buddhism teaches about “near enemies”: qualities that may appear to be virtues but aren’t. For example, pity masquerades as compassion. Clingy attachment pretends to be love. Apathy and indifference pose as equanimity. In the coming weeks, Virgo, I hope you won’t get distracted by near enemies. Your assignment: Investigate whether any of your supposed virtues are actually near enemies. After you’ve done that, find out if any of your so-called negative emotions might harbor interesting powers you could tap into.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): ): Many intelligent people think astrology is dangerous nonsense perpetrated by quacks. For any horoscope writer with an ego, this affront tends to be deflating. Like everyone else, we want to be appreciated. On the other hand, I have found that practicing an art that gets so much disdain has been mostly liberating. It’s impossible for me to get bloated with excess pride. practice astrology for the joy it affords me, not to garner recognition. So in a backhanded way, a seemingly disheartening drawback serves as an energizing boon. My prediction is that you, Libra, will soon harvest an analogous turnabout. You will draw strength, even inspiration, from what may ostensibly appear to be a liability.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Mycologist Paul Stamets claims mushrooms taught him to think in networks rather than hierarchies. He sees how everything feeds everything else through vast webs of underground filaments. This is Scorpio wisdom at its most scintillating: homing in on the hidden circuitry working below the surface; gauging the way nourishment is distributed incrementally through many collaborative interconnections; seeing the synergy between seemingly separate sources. I hope you will accentuate this mode of understanding in the coming weeks. The key to your soulful success and happiness will be in how well you map the mycelial-like networks, both in the world around you and in your inner depths. PS: For extra credit, study the invisible threads that link your obsessions to each other, your wounds to your gifts, and your rage to your tenderness.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The peregrine falcon dives at speeds exceeding 240 miles per hour, making it the fastest animal on Earth. But before the dive, there's often a period of circling, scanning, and waiting. The spectacular descent is set up by the patient reconnaissance that precedes it. believe you’re now in a phase similar to the falcon’s preparatory reconnaissance, Sagittarius. The quality of your eventual plunge will depend on how well you're tracking your target now. Use this time to gather intelligence, not to second-guess your readiness. You’ll know when your aim is true.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): There's a certain miracle you could really use right now, Capricorn. But to attract it into your life would require a subtle and simple shift. In a related development, the revelation you need most is concealed in plain sight. To get these two goodies into your life, you shouldn’t make the error of seeking them in exotic locales. Ordinary events in the daily routine will bring you what you need: the miracle and the revelation that will change everything for the better.
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Big bright transitions are at hand: from thrashing around in the educational mire to celebrating your sweet escape; from wrangling with shadows and ghosts to greeting new allies; from messing around with interesting but confounding chaos to seizing fresh opportunities to shine and thrive. Hallelujah! What explains this exhilarating shift? The Season of Dazzling SelfAdoration is dawning for you Pisceans. In the weeks ahead, you will be inspired to embark on bold experiments in loving yourself with extra fervor and ingenuity.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Saturn has entered Aries. I see this landmark shift as being potentially very good news for you. Between now and April 2028, you will have enhanced powers to channel your restless heart in constructive directions. I predict you will narrow down your multiple interests and devote yourself to a few resonant paths rather than scattering your intense energy. More than ever before, you can summon the determination to follow through on what you initiate. My Saturn-in-Aries prayer: May you be bold, even brazen, in identifying where you truly belong, and never settle for a half certain fit.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I am issuing a Wow Advisory. Consider this your high-voltage wonder alert. Your future may offer you thrilling quests and epic exploits that could be unnerving to people who want you to remain the same as you have been. You will have a knack for stirring up liberating encounters with lavish pleasures and rich feelings that transform your brain chemistry. The rousing mysteries you attract into your sphere may send provocative ripples through your own imagination as well as your web of allies. Expect juicy plot twists. Be alert for portals opening in the middle of nowhere.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Vinci's notebooks, you find anatomical drawings next to flying machine designs, mathematical calculations alongside water flow observations, and philosophical musings interrupted by grocery lists. He moved from painting to engineering to scientific observation as curiosity led him. Let’s make him your inspirational role model for now, Gemini. Disobey categories! Merge categories! Mix and match categories! Let’s assume that your eager mind will create expanded knowledge networks that prove valuable in unexpected ways. Let’s hypothesize that your cheerful rebellion against conventional ways of organizing reality will spawn energizing innovations in your beautiful, mysterious life. FEB 16 - FEB 22
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In falconry, there's a practice called "weathering.” It involves regularly exposing trained birds to the wild elements so they don't become too domesticated and lose their wildness. The falconer needs a partner, not a pet. Does that theme resonate, Cancerian? Is it possible that you have been too sheltered lately? Either by your own caution or by wellmeaning people who think they're protecting you? Let’s make sure you stay in touch with the fervent, untamed sides of your nature. How? You could expose yourself to an experience that scares you a little. Take a fun risk you've been rationalizing away. Invite touches of rowdiness into your life.
Beginner Olympic Fencing
Experience the excitement, focus, and athleticism of Olympic fencing! No experience needed — ages 9 & up welcome
New Session Starts March 1st
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19 Middle
SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248
SEWING AND QUILTING CLASSES AT INTERQUILTEN: You can learn to sew or make quilts! See our class list at www.interquilten.com
TRAVERSE CITY COTTAGE FOR RENT:
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NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE IS HIRING FULL-TIME FACULTY & STAFF POSITIONS NMC is now seeking to hire a Physics Instructor ($63,837-$73,868), a Library Services Specialist ($49,039), and a Developmental English Instructor ($63,837-
