Northern Express - July 27, 2020

+ 3 PRIMARIES TO WATCH

3rd annual

Legendary

Dishes of Northern

Michigan

RestauranTour Issue

Where to eat now Fresh-Air

Feasts NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • july 27 - aug 02, 2020 • Vol. 30 No. 30

Great Lakes.

Greater Flower.

The state’s best cannabis, now open for Rec sales in Petoskey, Mack City and Honor.

Visit Lume.com for our menus.

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 1

MONDAY JULY 27 - SUNDAY AUGUST 2 In lieu of our annual Classic Car benefit for local DAV Chapter 38, please donate your change to help change the life of a Disabled American Veteran.

All donations accepted.

CULVERS WILL MATCH THE DONATIONS COLLECTED! Come on in to your local Culver’s restaurant:

Culver’s of Traverse City (Two Locations)

QUIETMOOSE HO M E

FU RNI TU RE STORE • IN T E RIOR DE S IG N • QUIE T M OOS E.COM • 300 E A S T MI TC H EL L S T. P E TO S K E Y

2 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

letters OUR SIMPLE RULES: Keep your letter to 300 words or less, send no more than one per month, include your name/address/phone number, and agree to allow us to edit.

That’s it.

Email info@northernexpress.com and hit send!

Destruction Imminent I real have fun to visit Sleeping Bear Shore National Park, particaly the Platte River Campground. Every my visit I read your newpaper, Northern Express weekly.

My surprise how radical left your articals about politic today., Special Stephen Tuttle.

Each his article is the way to SocialismFashism [it is real same] which will destroy our country. Todday left liberal is worth enemy of our country. You do not know history of countries suffering from socialism, millions killed in USSE, China, Combodga. I am shure you do not print my comments in your newspaper, but you should be know a lot peopls in USA will stop left liberals to destroy USA. Edward Povarinets, Southfield Tone-Deaf Trump As our nation burns, the president is tweeting nonsense and is oblivious to the needs of American citizens. Our country is hurting, and racial divisions are much worse under his presidency. He makes things worse with his rhetoric. He says “Black Lives Matter” is a racist term and Antifa is a terrorist group. I may not agree with some of Antifa’s tactics, but I would side with groups that are anti-racism and antifascism, and I applaud them for standing up to Nazis and racists.

The president has no empathy to say what we need to hear to heal the nation. We need a leader that can give us hope in dark times and honestly tell us it will soon come to pass. Instead of addressing the protests and uncertainty, he had law enforcement pepper-spray peaceful protesters to make a path for him to drag unwilling participants along for a photo op. The Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs were among those participants, and they apologized for unknowingly being put in a situation that violates military protocol.

Military personnel swear an oath to protect and defend the Constitution (which includes the First Amendment) against all enemies both foreign and domestic.

The president continues to show he is all about himself. He is fixated on the economy, regardless of the possible harm COVID-19 may cause. He wants businesses

to reopen, regardless of the warnings from Dr. Fauci and other public health experts. Most states reopened businesses, and infection numbers skyrocketed. Deaths from COVID-19 and related illnesses caused by it are rising as well. The president still has not taken — and will not take — responsibility for the condition our nation is in. The nation cannot withstand another year of this.

Willie Jones Jr., Traverse City Tone-Deaf Express Do you think your audience (as small as it may be) feels the way you do about politics? Most of the people I know/talk to feel just the opposite as you ... politically speaking!

Open your cover page, and SMACK — right into the progressive far left agenda.

We’re getting very tired of people like you shoving your agendas down our throats! In days or weeks from now, after the Durham report, I think the left will be marginalized as well as looking like lying, cheating poor losers who will do whatever it takes to take a president down regardless of collateral damage, like all the bills that are being held up because of politics!

Shame on the dishonest of you, which is many!

I for one am sick and tired of the poor, spoiled, nasty-mouthed brats screaming, rioting, damaging our history! It’s every day, every night ... hate, hate, hate! That includes all your biased notes you put in the front part of your meaningless paper!

It made me just throw it away! It would be nice to either give opposing opinions and or not go political at all! The latter would be a refreshing change!

Remember ... not everyone believes and or feels the way you do!

Susan Wardle, Harbor Springs Death by Indirection Extreme Libertarians or gun-bearing patriots might think of freedom as absolute, as might also the president, who said he could “stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody.” But for the rest of us, freedom is necessarily limited. It’s why we have laws. Were we to shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue, we’d go to jail.

But the Governor’s mask requirement is a different kind of law from the law the president would defy on Fifth Avenue because of the gap between the defiant act and its consequence. In this regard, it’s like seatbelt laws, which, as Tim Skubick noted, similarly roiled the public when states began requiring them. (The only outlier still without a seatbelt law is New Hampshire, whose motto is “Live free or die.”)

The problem with this kind of law is that, when you break it, nobody dies.

When you don’t wear a mask, no one starts gasping for breath. By the time anyone starts gasping, you’re off in Florida having fun. So, despite your good record for not killing people, you might — directly or indirectly — actually kill someone.

How many people have died or led someone else to die by imitating the president’s choice to not wear a mask? Even one death would make him also, indirectly, a killer. And when he urges states to open up, and they do, and more people start

dying, as predicted — that also would make him, indirectly, a killer.

Call this death by indirection; it’s no less death for that.

Porter Abbott, Northport Women Writers Wanted?

As a recent transplant to Northern Michigan, I’ve enjoyed reading the wellwritten Letters to the Editor in each weekly issue of Northern Express. It is clear that the writers are engaged with both global and local issues impacting the community.

I’ve also noticed that while the opinions expressed in the letters are diverse, the large majority of the printed writers in recent issues have been men.

Of the letters you receive, what percentage are submitted by women?

And what percentage of letters written by women do you publish?

Kelly Richardson, Williamsburg Thanks for reading and taking the time to write in, Kelly. We generally publish all the letters we receive, in the order we receive them, each week, albeit with some caveats — none of which are particular to a sender’s gender, political leanings, place of residence, etc. To maintain fairness and our Letters page’s purpose as a forum of public opinion rather than a vehicle for personal attacks, poetry, prose, or promotion/advertising, we publish only opinion letters, edited to fit the space we have available each issue. Among the policies we subscribe to: We do not print hate speech. We do not print more than one letter from a single author within a four-issue period. We do not publish letters regarding local elections/candidates during election season. We do not publish letters for which we can’t confirm the sender is a real person, using his or her real name and street address.—Ed. Kudos Nice to see that the Traverse City farmers market wasn’t exiled this year to a parking deck to make way for the whiz-bang rides and carnies of the National Cherry Festival.

More importantly is how this year’s pandemic prompted the Sarah Hardy Downtown Farmers Market to easily become a case study for Harvard Business School (not just yet, but I wager it will be).

SEEDS, their management group, also notable for promoting healthy eating and teaching children and young adults our part in the ecosystem, has done nothing less than a superb paradigm shift during a very difficult time. First with a website to help local farmers to do curbside delivery to bolster our local agriculture economy and then to do a socially distant, but dynamically open farmers market.

Yet what jumped out most to me as observer was that the open market had 100 percent compliance with facial covering.

Most visitors, in implicit hopes of continuing this Northern Michigan institution, wore masks. The very few who did not have a mask easily accepted one from SEEDS staff.

Civil acceptance of the common good may be in question elsewhere, but here on market Wednesdays and Saturdays, all is masked, blooming, and well.

George Golubovskis, Traverse City

CONTENTS features Crime and Rescue Map.....................................7

Three Races to Watch.....................................10 13 Questions..................................................13 Northern Michigan Legendary Dishes................14 Benzonia’s Hill Top Soda Shoppe......................18 Pop Goes the Dinner..........................................20 Restaurant Roundup..........................................22 Escape to Al Fresco..........................................26

columns & stuff

Top Ten...........................................................5 Spectator/Stephen Tuttle....................................6 Opinion..............................................................8 Weird.................................................................9 Dates.............................................................29 Nitelife.........................................................34 Advice........................................................35 Crossword.....................................................36 Astro..........................................................37 Classifieds..................................................38

Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com Executive Editor: Lynda Twardowski Wheatley Finance & Distribution Manager: Brian Crouch Sales: Kathleen Johnson, Lisa Gillespie, Kaitlyn Nance, Michele Young, Randy Sills, Todd Norris, Jill Hayes For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Dave Anderson, Dave Courtad Kimberly Sills, Randy Sills, Roger Racine Matt Ritter, Gary Twardowski Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Reporter: Patrick Sullivan Contributors: Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny, Ross Boissoneau, Jennifer Hodges, Craig Manning, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle, Anna Faller, Emily Betz Tyra Copyright 2020, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly. Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 3

this week’s

top ten Rise & Shine, TC! Starting 8am, July 29, your Wednesday mornings will be even better — that is, if you wake up and head to Front Street, between Union and Cass, where a Yen Yoga and Fitness instructor will lead you through a free, hour-long outdoor yoga class that’s open to all: kids, seniors, and experienced and first-time yogis. A live DJ will keep you groovin’ as you’re movin’. Just two rules: Bring your own yoga mat (or a chair if you have trouble standing) and sign up at www.yenyogafitness.com. Questions? Call Yen at (231) 421-5496.

Turtle Creek Stadium Named Best Ballpark The home of the Traverse City Pit Spitters has been designated the best ballpark in the nation for collegiate baseball.

Turtle Creek Stadium, which in this unusual year is home to the Pit Spitters and the Great Lakes Resorters, two teams that are playing only against each other this season, was voted “Best of the Ballparks” by voters who logged into a Ballpark Digest website poll.

Turtle Creek beat out second-place finisher Duncan Field, a minor league ballpark in Hastings, Nebraska.

Turtle Creek opened as Wuerfel Park in 2006 as the home of the Traverse City Beach Bums. In 2018, new owners renamed the park and launched the Pit Spitters in affiliation with the Northwoods League, a league that consists of up-and-coming college players.

4

Hey, read it!

A Burning

Following a train-bombing in Bengal, India, an ill-conceived Facebook post slamming the government’s response lands its author, a slum-born Muslim girl named Jivan, in jail. As her plight quickly goes global, Jivan’s innocence hangs by the thread of her international audience. But there are other forces afoot. PT Sir, a populist pundit, provides a false testimony against Jivan in exchange for party approval, while Lovely, a third-gender “hijra” bent on becoming famous, conceals Jivan’s alibi. In her searing debut novel, “A Burning,” Megha Majumdar seamlessly weaves three separate perspectives, all bound by the ties of classism and corruption. At once complicated and concise, this fast-track thriller will appeal to both bibliophiles and beach-readers alike.

5

2

Family owned and operated since 1956

tastemaker Wienerlicious’ Bratwurst

Yes. Wienerlicious. The name alone (and OK, opportunity to buy a T-shirt) is reason enough to stop at this kitschy gem just off US-31 in Mackinac City. But kitsch ain’t ever enough to pay the bills, and the brains behind Wienerlicious clearly know it. The plain hotdogs ($3.99) are solid enough, but don’t stop there. We went all in on a pork sausage bratwurst ($4.99) with all the trimmings we wanted, which were, uh … many. Choose from ketchup, three mustards, hot and BBQ sauces, mayo, pickles, relish, sauerkraut, onion, tomato, jalapeno, and salsa — all free, yeeoowza! — and/or, grilled peppers and onions for just 99 cents more. Find it at 102. E. Central Ave., Mackinaw City or search Wienerlicious on Facebook.

4 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

231-352-4642 419 Main St, Frankfort www.hullsoffrankfort.com

Stuff we love Feeding the North’s Hot Job Economy

6

Podcast Delves into Kalamazoo Spill

Hot jobs alert: Networks Northwest tells us that there are a record-setting number of job openings right now. Translation: If you need a job, there are a lot of options. And if you’re a company looking for talent, competition is tight. That’s why next week, we’re bringing our 90,000+ readers our annual Now Hiring issue, sponsored by Hagerty Insurance Agency. Not only will it highlight dozens and dozens of job openings in the region, it offers companies a unique chance to show who they are (and what kind of folks they want to hire) to readers across 13 counties. Want to place an ad about your company? Reach a Northern Express ad sales representative at info@northernexpress.com.

A new episode of a podcast produced in Northern Michigan looks back on a decade-old environmental disaster that occurred downstate.

Why would Groundwork Center’s Speaking of Resilience podcast look back at the one million gallons of heavy crude that spilled into the Kalamazoo River from a six-foot gash in an Enbridge owned pipeline in July 2010? Because podcast host Kate Madigan and many other activists believe the Kalamazoo disaster portends what could happen at the Straits of Mackinac — unless Enbridge’s Line 5 is shut down.

Madigan is joined in the episode by Larry Bell, founder of Bell’s Brewery, and Beth Wallace of the National Wildlife Federation. To listen, search “Speaking of Resilience” on iTunes or your favorite podcast-listening platform.

Good Art News, Sad Art News First, the good news. Giant high-quality reproductions of works from The Detroit Institute of Art are now showing throughout downtown Bellaire.

For a map of the walkable outdoor exhibit, see www.bellairemichigan.com.

In other (heart-breaking) art news, longtime champion of local artists Sue Ann Round has announced the July 31 closure of Michigan Artists Gallery. Launched 24 years ago in Suttons Bay and moved to Traverse City’s Front Street five years ago, MAG has showcased and supported more than 80 Michigan artists and their families. Before the doors close, Rounds said that she wants to do what her mother always told her as she left for work: “Sell everything in the place!” (If you can’t visit in person, take a 12-minute tour of the gallery’s works for sale by searching “Michigan Artists Gallery” on YouTube.) Taking over MAG’s space at 317 E. Front St. will be Earth Labs, a wellness-technology lounge offering sound, light, frequency, and cryo therapies, as well as wellness products.

8

U-PICK BLUEBERRIES 231-360-9964 7187 E Harrys Rd, Traverse City bulldogberries.com * Blueberries available mid July

bottoms up Bier’s Mango Pale Ale Entertainment, roomy open-air spaces, and great libations are always at a premium in Northern Michigan in the summertime — this summer, of course, more than most. And that’s why we find Charlevoix’s Bier’s Inwood Brewery to be the ideal spot to wile away an afternoon or evening alone or with your closest (figuratively speaking, of course) crew. An entire hilltop bordered by apple trees and meadow, with views of rolling forest and Lake Michigan, is yours for the taking — plus a dozen very well-spaced picnic tables, a fire pit, a small and bright (and uncrowded) interior pub, and a couple bistro tables for two on the covered front and back porches. Do like we did and grab a Mango Pale Ale ($4 for 10oz; 6% ABV) before it’s gone. Juicy and piney to the nose and sweet with a lightly hoppy, semi-dry finish on the tongue, it’s ideal refreshment for an afternoon of croquet or bags on the expansive lawn.

Game goodies can be borrowed free; sanitizer is provided. Note: If the tap runs dry on the Mango before you arrive, there’s plenty of other Bier’s beers on rotation (the ever-popular Lakeview Light was tapped last week), plus wine and Northwoods soda. From 7pm–9pm every Friday night through Sept 4 — DJ Franck ’80s Party, btw — you can also enjoy live outdoor music from local favorites like Brett Mitchell, Blair Miller, The Real Ingredients, and many more. See www.biersinwoodbrewery.com for full lineup and menu. Find the brewery at 17959 Ferry Rd. In Charlevoix.

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 5

BAGELS HAND-CRAFTED

THE PARTIES ARE NO PARTY

O N LY A T Y O U R N E I G H B O R H O O D B I G A P P L E B A G E L S ®

spectator

by Stephen Tuttle The Republican Party was born on March 20, 1854, in Ripon, Wisconsin. Their first presidential candidate was John C. Fremont, the first Republican elected president was Abraham Lincoln. Democrats got their start earlier, forming officially in 1828. Andrew Jackson was their first presidential candidate and first to be elected.

1133 S. Airport Rd. W., Traverse City • (231) 929-9866 www.bigapplebagels.com

WIFI

WORDS FOR WATER POETRY

Come. Read. Listen.

Open to anyone who wants to read a poem that answers this question: Who owns the water?

No registration required, show up with your poem and a mask

THROW-DOWN

In collaboration with FLOW. Underwritten by the Richard and Kimiko Williams Fund/ Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation

Friday, July 31 • 7 - 8:30 pm 6031 S. Lake, Glen Arbor

GlenArborArt.org

Outdoor event with social distancing, please bring a mask

The parties have changed some since then.

Early Democrats were mostly pro-slavery; most Republicans, abolitionists. Democrats mostly pushed the idea of “manifest destiny,” a term coined by a newspaper writer who believed the United States was endowed by God to expand throughout North America.

It was supported by their president at the time, James K. Polk, but some Republicans were on board, too, including Lincoln.

For much of the 20th century, Democrats had strongholds in the South, were the authors of ugly Jim Crow laws and the primary impediments to any and all Civil Rights legislation. The longest individual filibuster in history, a 24-hour marathon in 1964, was performed by then-Democrat Strom Thurmond in opposition to the Civil Rights Act.

Those parties are long gone. Neither William Milliken nor Robert Griffin would even be welcome in the GOP these days. The thennewly minted conservatism of Barry Goldwater and William Buckley — strong military, avoidance of foreign entanglements, limited government, balanced budgets — has gone the way of the dodo bird. It’s not even clear Ronald Reagan was far enough right for today’s Republican Party because he understood compromise.

“I’m inspired by the world around me, and approach my designs in an architectural way -- building form on top of form to create beautiful, wearable structures.”

Democrats have at least shed the label as the party of racists, but they have drifted, too. The promise of John Kennedy or the pragmatism of Bill Clinton has been replaced by an orthodoxy full of uncompromising litmus tests.

Neither party has been able to work together on much of anything for more than a decade. The most common quote for any vote on legislation is “along party lines.” The days of Tip O’Neil sharing a cocktail with Reagan to work out a problem, or of Orin Hatch and Ted Kennedy working together on legislation, have vanished into the ether.

In The Village at Grand Traverse Commons 231.932.0775 | sanctuarytc.com 6 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

It’s not as if people haven’t noticed that parties no longer represent their interests. Some 19 states and the District of Columbia no longer even ask for party affiliation when registering people to vote. According to the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, in the remaining 31 states, 40 percent of voters register as Democrats, 29 percent as Republicans, and 28 percent as independents or unaffiliated. Pew Research puts the current number of self-described independents nationally as higher than both Democrats or Republicans. In fact, the fastest-growing group of voters belongs to neither party.

That’s probably because neither party does much anymore but beg for money so they

In fact, the fastest-growing group of voters belongs to neither party. That’s probably because neither party does much anymore but beg for money so they can spend it insulting each other.

Thurmond and others switched to the Republican Party as Democrats moved to the left, and Republicans moved from Dwight Eisenhower to Barry Goldwater.

Combining her love of line, form, texture, and color, Lisa Crowder has refined her techniques and mainly uses sterling silver, 14k gold vermeil and enamel.

never be enacted. The Republicans still include a balanced federal budget. Seriously.

Both parties claim to stand for noble purposes, but a quick glance at their lengthy party platforms disappoints. Both are full of pseudo-patriotic gibberish, promises that can’t be kept and policies they know will

can spend it insulting each other. We are already seeing the fog of negativity and misinformation created by both parties in television and online advertising. It will only get worse as volume increases and the sewage flow grows ever denser.

The parties will not talk much about actual issues during the campaign; they rarely do.

Unless we consider disinformation and personal attacks to be real issues.

The current party campaign structures are designed to divide the country and isolate voters into political gulags. The partisan chasm they’ve created and will perpetuate for the next three-plus months will do nothing to help the country, address any issue, or solve any problem.

Both parties having convinced us their opponents are very bad people, it’s a wonder we bother to vote at all.

There is much to criticize about Donald Trump’s presidency. And Joe Biden has a 40year track record to pick at. There is ample room for legitimate policy and decisionmaking criticisms of both. Performancebased critiques of both are perfectly legitimate. But that’s not what we’ll get from the political parties. From them we’ll get hatred.

We should start asking ourselves what real value there is in either party. What either actually stands for is a mystery, and the primary purpose of both seems to be little more than self-perpetuation.

If we really vote for “the person and not the party” like we all claim, there’s no purpose to the parties at all. Without party affiliation, and party intrusion, we can vote for the person. A candidate’s ideology doesn’t change absent an R or D next to their name, nor do the issues or challenges. It’s time all elections are non-partisan.

Crime & Rescue DRIVER INCAPACITATED IN CRASH A driver was arrested for drunk driving after he clipped a pickup truck he was trying to pass just after leaving Merritt Speedway in Missaukee County.

The 28-year-old Luther man was driving a pickup truck when he attempted to pass a friend’s pickup truck at 11:20pm July 18 on M-66. As he pulled back into the northbound lane after passing, the trucks collided, and the other truck rolled over three times.

The driver of the other truck, a 22-year-old Lake City man, was ejected. He was airlifted to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City with life-threatening injuries. Two passengers in the same truck also suffered injuries; none of the three were wearing seatbelts.

Michigan State Police investigated the crash and determined that the at-fault driver had had too much to drink, and they arrested him for drunk driving causing an incapacitating injury.

BREAK-IN AT MT. MCSAUBA Charlevoix County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a break-in at Mt. McSauba.

Someone stole an Arctic Cat four-wheeler equipped with a dump box on July 19; the thieves also made off with electronics and other items that are used to run a day camp at the recreation area/ski resort.

Deputies are investigating and ask anyone with information to call (231) 547-4461.

MAN GUILTY OF WITNESS TAMPERING A 46-year-old Peshawbestown man and a 45-year-old Illinois woman were found guilty in federal court of witnesses tampering after they tried to intimidate a witness amid a drug investigation in Leelanau County.

A federal jury found Melvin James Harris and Vanessa Louis Hunter, of Rockford, Illinois, guilty of conspiring to tamper with a witness in a federal trial. A third member of the conspiracy, Corey John Raphael, pled guilty to conspiracy to witness tampering earlier this year.

Harries was also convicted of distribution of cocaine, assault of a federal officer, contempt of court, and witness tampering. Harris faces up to life in prison; Hunter faces up to 20 years.

The charges stem from events that took place in August 2019, when Harris sold cocaine to a federal informant in Peshawbestown. Four days later, Harris assaulted a federal officer who was trying to arrest him.

After he was charged in that case, he learned the identity of the informant and conspired from jail with his co-defendants in an effort to stop the witness from testifying against him, according to a Department of Justice press release.

MAN ACCUSED OF ACCOSTING CHILD State police spent a year building a case against a downstate man who met an Emmet County child online and convinced her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself.

Troopers from the Gaylord and the Rockford posts worked on the case that led to the arrest of 23-year-old Allendale resident Aaron Matthew Aument on charges of accosting a child for immoral purposes and possession of child sexually abusive material.

A parent of the girl went to police last July after discovering that she had been sending nude photos to an adult downstate through Snapchat; investigators identified Aument and determined that he had established a connection with the girl on the social platform and then coerced her to send explicit photos.

Aument was arraigned on the charges in Emmet County July 16.

by patrick sullivan psullivan@northernexpress.com

TWO ARRESTED FOR METH A Wellston man and an Irons man face charges after they allegedly sold methamphetamine to an undercover officer.

Manistee County Sheriff’s deputies and officers from the State Sheriff City Enforcement Narcotics Team arranged for an undercover police officer to purchase 3.7 grams of the drug from the men in Wellston on July 15.

After the purchase, deputies pulled over the men and found three occupants in the vehicle, including a female who was searched but was not arrested.

Deputies arrested Michael Lott, 30, and William Agster, 43, on charges of delivery of methamphetamine.

MAN SOUGHT IN HOME INVASION Benzie County Sheriff’s deputies need help finding a home invasion suspect.

Dispatchers sent deputies to a home invasion/ structure fire on South Carmean Road in Colfax Township on July 4.

A resident who returned home had surprised an intruder as he was walking out of a garage, leading to a brief argument. The resident then went into the house to call police. Inside the house, the resident discovered that the intruder had vandalized the house and soon after that the detached garage went up in flames.

The suspect is a white male in his late 50s or early 60s who is about five feet eight inches tall with a stocky build and a short beard. The vandalism and arson caused $270,000 in damages to the property, according to a press release. There is a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

Anyone with information should contact sheriff’s deputies at (231) 882-4487.

MAN CHARGED WITH ABDUCTION, ASSAULT A 15-year-old girl is recovering in intensive care after she was abducted and assaulted in a harrowing day-long ordeal.

The girl was found unresponsive and taken to Munson Medical Center where she is expected to recover, said Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Capt. Randy Fewless. Fewless said that had a deputy not spotted a wanted vehicle on the evening of July 19, it’s likely the girl would not have survived.

The investigation began when deputies were called to Munson at 11am where a 13-year-old girl — the girl’s sister — was undergoing treatment after she had been attacked with a hammer.

The girl told investigators that she and her sister had accompanied 20-year-old Brandon Reyes to an unoccupied residence under construction on Lafranier Road and that Reyes attacked her and her sister.

The younger girl told deputies that she and her sister had met up with the man shortly after midnight because he was in possession of some of the older girl’s belongings. He allegedly assaulted them with a hammer and brandished a handgun, and then drove the girls to a secluded area on Lafranier Road.

In the morning, he let the younger girl go. That girl ran home to tell her mother what happened; the mother took the girl to Munson and called police.

Authorities issued an Amber Alert for the 15-year-old and at just before 10pm, a deputy spotted the Reyes’ car parked at a pharmacy near Chum’s Corners. The deputy found the girl inside a locked car and no sign of the suspect. Although she was unresponsive at first, the deputy was able to get the girl to unlock the car. Shortly after, the suspect came out of the business and was arrested.

Reyes was arraigned July 23 on 13 felony counts including torture and felonious assault and he was jailed in lieu of $250,000 bond.

SPRUCE KITCHEN

CHECK OUT SPRUCE KITCHEN!

SERVING FOOD: TUESDAY-THURSDAY 4-9PM

FRIDAY-SUNDAY 12-10PM facebook.com/sprucekitchentc

(231) 252-3552 439 E Eighth St. Traverse City Paddle • Ride • Surf Apparel • Gear • Bike Shop Celebrating 26 years

emmet cheboygan YOUR SUP & KAYAK HEADQUARTERS

charlevoix

Red Hot

Best

2020

TOP 3

antrim

otsego

MyNorth is the home of Traverse Magazine

Leelanau

benzie

grand traverse

kalkaska

crawfor D RENTALS: HOURLY, DAILY, WEEKLY 312 M A I N S T F R A N K F O R T 2 31. 3 9 9 . 0 3 2 9

manistee

wexford

missaukee

roscommon

214 S B E N Z I E B LV D B E U L A H 2 31. 8 8 2 . 2 5 2 7 NEW

!

Shop online at CRYS TALL AKEADVENTURESPOR TS.COM

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 7

BIG CHANGES ARE NEEDED, SO LET’S START SMALL opinion

BY Gary Howe If ever there was a time for reimagining our society, the time is now. The last six months have amply shown the need for addressing a cracked system. We need a massive investment in public health and healthcare, a commitment to justice in our justice system, and a government that — well, actually tries to govern. We can get there. We will get there. Right?

As we work to overcome those inequalities and leadership gaps locally, I’m quietly beaming over three pandemic responses in my hometown of Traverse City. The three changes are intended as temporary but deserve consideration to be made permanent.

And although they pale in significance to the more significant troubles in the country, they improve our corner of it.

blissfest.org

The changes I’m excited about are the State Street conversion to a two-way street, the introduction of four-way stops downtown, and parklets and street cafes on Front Street. It is fully understood that all three changes were merely a response to the decision to close two blocks of Front Street to foot traffic during the pandemic. However, they deserve the City’s attention on their own merits.

their intersections as a matter of pride. They are expensive, complicated, and controlling, so cities can show they are doing something to relieve motorists’ anxieties. Recently, that preference has begun to change. Mainly this is due to concerns about street safety and a desire to create walkable destinations. It turns out that worrying about our anxieties when we drive isn’t as profitable as prioritizing our comfort when on foot.

Stop signs create an immediate need for awareness and negotiation into street life. You must pay attention instead of getting lulled into complacency by signals. Due to this interaction between users, the research shows that four-way stop signs are actually much safer than signals.

A change to 462 intersections in Philadelphia resulted in a 24 percent decline in intersection crashes. Severe injuries plummeted by even more — 63 percent.

When we drive, stop signs cause us to pause, but these pauses are quite brief. We don’t have to sit and wait for a light to turn from red to green. It’s a situation where more stops can mean a quicker traverse. And, stop signs eliminate the dangerous racing to catch the yellow before it turns red.

It turns out that worrying about our anxieties when we drive isn’t as profitable as prioritizing our comfort when on foot.

First, for too long, State Street has been subservient to Front Street. Its primary function has been to serve the parking needs of downtown. As a broad one-way two-lane street, it also supports circulating automobiles — often for people circling the block to score a parking spot on the coveted main drag.

In recent years, new developments have been trying to expand how we see State Street.

Those businesses would only benefit from a slower-paced, people-focused street. The Downtown Development Authority recently announced that the long-awaited civic square will be located at Union and State streets. This is welcome news, and the park deserves an unbroken street to match it, just as new homes and businesses do.

What are the benefits of two-way streets? Here are a few:

An unordinary shopping destination Find us on Facebook & Instagram 222 St. Joseph Ave • Suttons Bay 231-271-5462 • Open 7 days thelimabean.net

8 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

• Reduces speeds and, thus, vehicle noise.

• Improves safety and comfort for all users.

• Benefits businesses with increased foot traffic and visibility.

• Reduces circling traffic, which can add up to 30 percent of downtown volume.

• Reduces dangerous counterflow driving.

The four-way stops downtown also deserve consideration on their own merit. They are now necessary to facilitate the temporary change in traffic patterns without changing the signals at each intersection. You may have noticed how the flow of traffic has improved with the stop signs in place. No one is waiting for a red light to change to green as they sit there, the only car on the street.

For many years, cities added traffic signals at

Lastly, let’s embrace the use of public space to create comforting spaces for people instead of the storage of cars. In 2010, a group of radicals brought the international event of Park(ing) Day to Traverse City. The event reimagined what other uses a parking spot can serve.

They paid the meter and created small parks for each space’s two-hour parking limit. Since then, cities worldwide have devoted hundreds of parking spaces to hosting parklets. Traverse City has even adopted platform cafes on the side streets downtown, but we could do so much more, and the time is ripe.

A parklet can come in many shapes and sizes, but it is basically a protected extension of the sidewalk. It provides public space and amenities. When many are present, they create a sort of side friction, to slow us down when we drive downtown. They also improve the walkability of a district by creating points of interest, places to rest and meet, and generally, improve the aesthetics of the street. All of this means improved business and a more enjoyable downtown. And places to step out of the way when it gets crowded.

We might not be able to solve the major issues facing our nation immediately. We have a lot to fix. However, as we’ve seen in the last four months, we can make significant changes to our downtowns almost overnight. Let’s doubledown on making them an ever-evolving place for people. The increased community built from better design might be the spark for even greater change.

Gary L Howe is a Traverse City resident, photographer, and the advocacy director of Norte.

OUR FINAL DAYS! Gallery Closing July 31 Preordained Justin Couch, 25, of Spring Hill, Florida, who sports a tattoo of a machete under his left eye, was arrested June 13, according to the Hernando (Florida) County Sheriff ’s Office, for allegedly attacking a man with a machete.

The unnamed adult male victim told officers Crouch forced him out of the home where he’d been living and began arguing with him “for no reason,” reported Fox13 News. As the man attempted to gather his belongings from the home, deputies said, Couch allegedly hit the victim with the flat side of the machete’s blade, “then swung the machete at the victim’s face,” striking his arm with the blade as the man tried to ward off the blow. “The victim is currently unable to use or move his left hand due to the severity of the injury he sustained,” investigators said. Couch was arrested for aggravated battery.

Sign of the Times A perfect storm may be brewing to strike down the long-maligned one-cent coin, the penny. Earlier this year, the U.S. Mint cut back on coin production to keep its workers safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, reported NPR’s Planet Money. At the same time, people stopped spending, especially with cash, and word of a coin shortage spread, prompting some stores, such as Kroger, to start rounding their prices to avoid making coin change. Last year, the mint made more than 7 billion pennies, almost 60% of its total coin production, and each one-cent coin cost TWO cents to produce, putting the loss at more than $72 million. Still, the mint has no plans to eliminate the coin. It’s been up and running at full capacity since mid-June, and according to spokesman Michael White, about 40% of the coins it has produced since then have been pennies.

Angry Animals At Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California, five acres around Manzanita Lake were shut down after a man was attacked by an otter on June 25. Park Superintendent Jim Richardson told the Redding Record Searchlight the unnamed man was swimming in the river and came too close to the otter’s offspring, known as kittens. “It is significant anytime an animal attacks a human,” Richardson said. He did not believe the man was seriously injured, and he said the otter would not be relocated. “It’s the protective momma (doing her job), and the attack came as a surprise,” he said.

Neighbors on Occidental Street in a North Oakland, California, are at odds over the presence of Bruce, aka Paco, aka Peter, aka Pierre, aka Abraham ... a peacock. While some residents are happy to welcome him, SFGate.com reported on July 15, others want him to move on and have lodged a complaint with the city. “For the past 15 weeks or so he has screamed relentlessly, every day,” Jesse T. wrote on the Nextdoor app. “It literally feels like he is inside my house.” The peacock is believed by Animal Control to be feral. But Dennis Fett of the Peacock Information Center in Minden, Iowa, thinks Bruce/Paco/ Peter is providing a service. “They’re like a watchdog,” Fett said. “They have keen hearing.

(The neighbors) should count their blessings.”

Chutzpah!

Amber Gilles made news in San Diego, California, in June when she posted a photo of Starbucks barista Lenin Gutierrez,

complaining that he “refused to serve me cause I’m not wearing a mask. Next time I will wait for cops and bring a medical exemption.” In response, KGTV reported, Matt Cowan of Irvine started a GoFundMe page to collect tips for the barista who “faced ... a Karen in the wild,” and soon raised more than $100,000, which Gilles now claims she should get half of. “I’ve been discriminated against,” Gilles said, noting that hiring a lawyer to help her get her half was too expensive, so she has started her own GoFundMe page to raise money.

Gutierrez said he plans to use the money to further his education and follow his dream of being a dancer.

• SHOP THE SALES IN OUR LAST DAYS • Thank You for

Can’t come in?

“Michigan Artists Gallery Tour” on YouTube

Wonderful Years!!

317 E Front, Downtown TC MichiganArtistsGallery.com

24

Coming Soon! MAG Online under new ownership

Schedule your FREE site assessment for solar energy at your home, farm or business

888-90-SOLAR

Latest Religious Message Maintenance workers pruning trees in Itaquirai, Brazil, on July 9 discovered a compelling image in a fresh cut from a willow tree. Some of them were convinced that Jesus Christ was depicted in the wood grain of the branch. Oddity Central reports Odimar Souza, who was overseeing the work, posted the image online and explained that just before the image was discovered, the chain on the worker’s chainsaw broke and had to be replaced. Back at work, “we cut this same trunk in two pieces and that was when this perfection appeared,” Souza wrote.

Inexplicable An unnamed 37-year-old man driving along a Lincoln, Nebraska, street on July 14 came upon Dominic Kinser, 20, beating a car with a shovel, KOLN reported. After the man pulled over and got out of his car, Kinser turned his anger on him, according to police, yelling at the man and then going into his garage, where he grabbed a rifle, which he pointed at the passerby. Kinser, who police determined owned the car, was charged with making terroristic threats and possession of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

Animal Lovers in Maine At the Inn Town Motel in Norway, Maine, manager Andrew Coombs was not happy when he entered the room rented by Sean Schoomaker and his girlfriend July 11, hoping to collect payment, and discovered more than 50 large spiders, most of them tarantulas, in plastic boxes. “I booted him,” Coombs told the Sun Journal. “He must have snuck them all in at night. We never would have allowed that in our motel.” Animal Control officer Robert Larrabee responded to the motel, and the Maine Warden Service confiscated the arachnids, taking them to a facility for exotic animals in Lewiston. Schoomaker was cited for possession of three tarantulas that are illegal in the state.

Officers from the Somerset County (Maine) Sheriff ’s Department and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency searched the apartment of Jessica Hutchins, 36, looking for drugs on July 13, which they found, according to Sheriff Dale Lancaster.

“We also got an alligator out of her home,” he told the Morning Sentinel. The 2-footlong gator was being kept in Rubbermaid tubs, but, Lancaster said, having an alligator in Maine is illegal without proper permits.

Officers seized a total of $12,000 worth of drugs along with the alligator, and Hutchins and several accomplices were charged with a number of drug-related crimes. The gator was removed by the Maine Warden Service.

THE OUTDOORS IS FOR EVERYONE

144 E FRONT STREET

MO-TH 10-6

TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49684

FR-SA 10-8

plamondons.com

SU 1-5

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 9

Stuart Fenton

James Linderman

Triston Cole

Daniel Bean

THREE RACES TO WATCH Antrim and Grand Traverse County sheriffs and the Emmet County prosecutor face challengers from within their own party.

By Patrick Sullivan Across Northern Michigan, sheriffs and prosecutors are facing challenges from within their own party.

Perhaps the most dramatic of the races, at least in terms of backstory, is in Emmet County, where a former chief assistant prosecutor has challenged his one-time boss for his job.

In Antrim County, a conservative state representative said he was recruited to run against a long-time incumbent sheriff.

And in Grand Traverse County, another long-serving incumbent sheriff faces a challenger from outside of law enforcement, one who is considerably less well known.

RACE FOR EMMET PROSECUTOR Stuart Fenton spent six years as the chief assistant prosecutor in Emmet County until a year ago, when he was fired.

“It was a completely unjustified termination; what I did, prosecutors do all the time, which is write notes on files,” Fenton said.

Fenton said his old boss and now primary opponent James Linderman committed a much more serious transgression when he used county resources and office staff to make his reelection announcement, something Fenton said violated campaign finance law.

“He either knew it and blatantly violated the law, or he certainly should have known it,” Fenton said. “It would be grossly negligent at the very least for him not to know it.”

Fenton said he was fired on a pretense because Linderman knew he was planning to run for prosecutor this year and wanted to get rid of him. What’s more, Fenton said, Linderman, who is 72, had announced plans to retire from his position and changed his mind only after Fenton had made clear his intentions to run for prosecutor.

“He was supposed to be retiring,” he said.

“He’s been elected four times, and he’s been in that office for 40 years. … It’s time for change. Emmet County needs someone with new ideas and fresh enthusiasm.”

Linderman, on his campaign’s Facebook page, touts his support of Donald Trump and is critical of Fenton, whom he said did not vote for Trump in 2016.

Fenton said he doesn’t understand why Linderman made that attack.

“I find it highly unusual that he’s

running for office not on the credentials of what he’s accomplished as a prosecutor, but on politics,” Fenton said. “What does national politics have to do with running a prosecutor’s office?”

In his career, Fenton said he’s handled every kind of criminal case there is, including 30 homicides. He adds that he ran a cold case homicide unit in Kalamazoo, serves on the state’s Attorney Discipline Board, and today, in Petoskey, he’s involved in many organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the local bar association, for which he’s served as president.

“I have 33 years of experience working in courtrooms as a successful prosecutor, so I know I am the most qualified person running,” Fenton said. “Unfortunately, in Emmet County, the elected prosecutor has decided long ago not to handle cases or go to court.”

“I don’t just fire people randomly,” Linderman said. “I try to work with them over a period of time.”

That was the case with Fenton’s chief assistant prosecutor, who left the scene of an early-morning crash on New Year’s Eve and then refused to talk to police; actions that looked suspiciously like an effort to avoid a drunk-driving charge. The assistant prosecutor later pled guilty to a charge of leaving the scene of a property damage accident, but he kept his job.

Linderman said that the attorney had never been in trouble before and had been a good employee up until then. He said he wanted to give the assistant a second chance, like he would for any employee, but that he did suffer consequences.

The case was investigated by the police and, because Linderman would have posed a conflict of interest, prosecuted instead by

“Crime goes up every year, and the sheriff ’s budget goes up every year, but you know what doesn’t go up?

The staff we have to fight crime.”

NOT SO FAST, LINDERMAN SAYS Linderman disputed Fenton’s characterization of how the two came to be running against each other. He said Fenton announced that he was going to run several years ago, at a time Linderman thought he probably would retire.

Later, as the election drew near, Linderman said, he changed his mind and decided to run. Meanwhile, he said, he had decided he needed to fire Fenton last year because problems kept cropping up, and he realized that he could not work with Fenton.

“It became very obvious as the time went on that he was not the person for the job because of some of the things he was doing,” Linderman said.

Linderman said Fenton was difficult to work with and he had to reprimand him over record-keeping practices, because he wrote on files in violation of office policy, and because he was “in general, rude and abrasive to support staff.”

10 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

the city attorney. Afterward, Linderman said he suspended the assistant prosecutor for 30 days without pay.

As for Fenton’s criticism over the campaign finance violation, Linderman said he was understaffed at the time, very busy, and got distracted so much that it didn’t occur to him that he was committing a violation until it was pointed out to him.

Once it was, he said, he took responsibility.

“I never had a thought that this digital information would be a violation because I was using county email services to send something out,” he said.

Linderman said he is proud of his record as prosecutor and believes he is the better prosecutor.

Sure, Fenton might be a good trial lawyer, Linderman said, but running the prosecutor’s office involves a lot more than going to trial; Linderman said he has learned how to manage an office that efficiently stays on top of a large caseload and that if he was trying cases personally,

he wouldn’t be able to manage a caseload of that size.

“For the past 16 years, voters have provided me the opportunity to serve them, and in that time, we created one of the safest places to live in Michigan,” Linderman wrote in a message on his campaign’s Facebook page.

ANTRIM COUNTY’S SHERIFF RACE Triston Cole will be term-limited after this year, bringing his career as a state house rep to a close. Cole will need to find a new job, but he said that’s not why he decided to run for sheriff.

Cole said it wasn’t his idea to run for. He said he was recruited.

“This was brought to me by members of the law enforcement community and some other members of the community a year ago,” Cole said.

Cole said that at first, he refused, but that he reconsidered after several people independently asked him to run for sheriff, and that he finally gave in after a Facebook page was set up calling for him to run.

“They wanted a restart with the department, with the administration,” Cole said. “They wanted me to do this. I was just very humbled and honored that they would think of me.”

He said he would focus on making the department’s operations more transparent, making the office more accessible, and improving communication with the public.

He said that under Sheriff Daniel Bean’s leadership, turnover has been a problem at the department, with, by his estimate, 26 people who have either quit or been fired while working for Bean. Cole said the undersheriff of Otsego County, for example, used to work for Bean and has come out publicly in support of Cole.

Cole also boasts support not only of the statewide police union — the Police Officers Association of Michigan — but said the local union also indicated its support in a recent vote by members of the department.

He said that while the local union didn’t endorse him, it came pretty close.

Out of 12 votes cast, one was cast favor of Bean, five were cast in favor of Cole, and six were neutral.

“I’ve got to be honest; I was pleasantly surprised with how the numbers worked out,” he said. “I just know that there is massive support for change in the administration.”

ng issues surprised by who’s reading this right now? or v a l F NortherN express readers:

Scott Sieffert

Cole said non-police officers with the right skills are capable of being good sheriffs.

He said across Michigan, 20 percent don’t have a law enforcement background before they are elected sheriff.

Cole said that the amount of support he has within the local law enforcement community should calm anyone’s concern over his lack of experience.

“The sheriff is the administrative head of the department, an elected political position,” Cole said. “Obviously, a ton of law enforcement support me, and I think that speaks volumes. They know how I’ve worked in Lansing with people and for my district.”

Cole, who said that if he is elected, he will stay in the position and not seek higher office, said another advantage he would have over Bean is that he knows how to find funding in Lansing because of his experience in the legislature.

“Especially in rural Michigan, with this COVID[-19] crisis going on, revenue sharing is going to be cut to local communities,” he said.

“ONLY ONE WITH EXPERIENCE” Bean, the incumbent, said voters should pick him because he knows the job.

“I’m the only one with experience,” Bean said. “I have been leading here since 2009.”

Bean said he started as a summer police officer in East Jordan almost 40 years ago, and he’s been a police officer ever since, as a sergeant, a DARE officer, and an undersheriff, before taking over the department.

“We have been leading this department in a progressive fashion and have been keeping up with technology,” he said.

Bean downplayed Cole’s contention that people should have concern over turnover in his department. If there were 26 employees who left since he took over, that’s just over two per year. Anyway, he said, being a deputy is stressful and not for everyone.

“I think the job has just become very hard, and yes, there are some people who have left because the job is so difficult,” he said.

Bean said that he doesn’t believe there was a movement to recruit Cole to run for his position out of concern over how he’s performed on the job.

“I think there are a couple of people who are disgruntled and maybe not happy when they have not gotten what they wanted out of this office,” he said. “This office is not political.”

He also questioned the significance of the local union vote that seemed to lopsidedly favor Cole.

“Let’s clarify that there’s 53 employees here, and of that, there’s four different unions,” Bean said. “I’ve always told my employees to stay neutral; to stay out of politics. … I believe Triston has done that through the unions.”

Tom Bensley

Have a median income above $86,500 an incredible 92 percent of express readers have purchased food, wine, or products based on an ad they saw on our pages For advertising information contact: info@northernexpress.com

expres s N O R T H E R N

www .nort

THE B A Y B O A T S, S, W & WA IND VES hernexpr ess.c

om

NORT

HERN

MICH

IGAN’S

WEEK

LY •

June

2 - Jun

e 8, 201

4 Vol . 24

No. 22

Micha

el Poehlm

an Photog

raphy

“There are always going to be employees who are not happy because I’m in management, and I have to make the tough decisions,” Bean said. “I think being here as long as I have and how well this office has been run … speaks for itself.”

MORE DEPUTIES FOR THE DEPARTMENT? In Grand Traverse County, a candidate has emerged from relative obscurity to take on Tom Bensley, incumbent sheriff who has been on the job for a dozen years and who will also face a Democratic challenger in the general election in November.

Scott Sieffert said that though he lacks experience as a police officer, he spent nine years with the Michigan Department of Corrections, 25 years in private security, and the past two years on the council for the Village of Kingsley, a background he said gives him the tools he needs to be sheriff.

“Crime goes up every year, and the sheriff ’s budget goes up every year, but you know what doesn’t go up? The staff we have to fight crime,” Sieffert said.

He said the reasons he is running is because he believes the department should have more deputies, he is concerned about corruption (he pointed to the case of former jail administrator Todd Ritter, who was forced out his job over allegations of lewd behavior and misuse of funds), and he said he believes that the department is disconnected from the community.

Bensley said he’s wanted to add deputies since he was first elected.

“We’ve been trying to do that for 12 years,” he said. “That request has been made every year to the county board, and it’s been denied. … I would like to know: How does he plan to hire more deputies when he doesn’t have control of the purse?”

Bensley also denied that his sheriff ’s office is disconnected from the community.

“We’ve had, for a very long time, a community police officer program,” Bensley said. “These officers are in tune with those communities. They are in very close contact with the supervisors in those townships.”

Bensley bristled at the allegation that his department is corrupt, and he said the Ritter matter was handled when it came to his attention.

“If people believe that I and other command officers knew that it was occurring and didn’t do anything about it, well, that’s bullshit, and you can quote me on that,” he said. “We had a captain who had a lot of trust, and he broke that trust. When it was brought to our attention, it was investigated, and Capt. Ritter is gone.”

Bensley said he believes voters will be able to see that he is the best candidate for the job.

“I don’t think there’s any question that I’ve got the experience,” Bensley said. “I don’t think my opponent does.”

surprised by who’s reading this right now? expres s

NortherN express readers:

Have a median income above $86,500 an incredible 92 percent of express readers have purchased food, wine, or products based on an ad they saw on our pages For advertising information contact: info@northernexpress.com

N O R T H E R N

www.n

THE B A Y B O A T S, S, W & WA IND VES orther

NOR THERN

MICHIG

AN’S

WEE

KLY •

June

2 - Jun

e 8, 201

4 Vol. 24

No. 22

Michael

nexpre

ss.com

Poehlma

n Photogra

phy

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 11

NORTH P U R YOU IVING GIFT G RGE… IE CONC hopping to us! ship. the s Leave op, wrap, and o!) h to s p ku We ide pic

(curbs

A N E W D AY.

12 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

SPONSORED CONTENT

{ 13 Questions }

Chasing Deals And Changing Lives With Jason Hoffer Jason Hoffer is CEO of B2 Outlets, stores with a mission like no other: they sell new merchandise at lower prices, and then also give back about half of their profits to nonprofits or families in need. And now they’re in northern Michigan, including a new Traverse City store at Cherryland Center.

Jason shared some amazing stories of impacting lives.

1 > First of all, congrats and welcome to Traverse City!

Thank you very much. It’s a region we’ve opened stores in the past year or two, and Traverse is one of the cities we’ve wanted to get to. I’ve spent some time there connecting to leaders and nonprofits in the community, and there’s definitely an awareness there of ‘are you a native or just someone coming to make money and leave.’ And our honest attempt is to give Traverse City nice, new products that are less expensive, and to give back and make a real difference in the community. This is Traverse City’s store, truly.

2 > I was surprised to learn you’re already in Gaylord, Cadillac, Ludington, and Big Rapids?

Right. We have 22 stores now, including two in Detroit, Lansing, Chicago, Kalamazoo, and seven in West Michigan. It’s funny, people haven’t heard of us or think we’re a thrift store, but then when we open in a town, we create such a following. People really feel invested in a store that has a mission to give half its profits back to the community.

3 > Yes, it’s an incredible mission. I’ll get to that in a moment. It’s interesting that as retail really suffers, you’re growing?

It’s really gratifying to have opened 22 stores while seeing some retailers dying or going bankrupt. We have probably one or two more openings and then we’ll be heading south and west for growth.

4 > Tell the company’s incredible origin story.

It started with [father] Duane and [son] Matt in Hudsonville. Their mother, Karen, was a nurse, and received a cancer diagnosis. Things went downhill pretty fast, and Duane called Matt at his college in Florida and said, ‘hey, mom’s not going to make it much longer.’ So Matt graduated and moved back.

They started out wanting to payoff college loans, so Duane and Matt started finding random trailer loads of overstock retail goods and selling them.

Then Karen passed away, and they took some of her life insurance money and decided the best way to steward her life and passion was to give back to nonprofits as her legacy. So they started auctions of goods, and right away Hudsonville was attracted to it, so five years ago they opened their first brick and

10 > Seems like you’d be competing with much bigger players for the best stuff?

mortar store in an abandoned lumber barn — and that’s still there today. And we’ve given back more than $1 million as of the end of 2019.

5 > So impressive. What drew you to the business?

I came on about a year ago. Honestly everyone here could make so much more money elsewhere, but there are some impressive folks who left corporate jobs to join and learn about a third way of doing business, a responsible way. And we really don’t own this whole thing; we’re simply trying to steward it as best we can.

6 > So let’s get into the stores, because they’re amazing. I didn’t realize I’d see Patagonia or Chips Ahoy or Tide or Starbucks in your stores!

[Laughs]. Right! And everything is new, not used.

We might not have the exact coat in your size or that brand or flavor you’re looking for yet, but we will have it eventually.

7 > And the coffee we buy is $9 everywhere else. I saw it in your store for $4.99!

Yes. And could we sell it for $7.99 and make an extra buck or two? Probably. But we want to give great deals, move merchandise, bring in the new, and give back to people who need it.

8 > Ok, but a Tommy Bahama dress $149 in other stores for $15! How common is that?

It’s very common. There’s this very trendy women’s swimsuit brand Cupshe. Trust me, they sell for a lot more in other places. We got a lot of them, so we sell them now for a great deal.

9 > And how do you get all this merchandise at such great prices?

There’s a whole off-price industry, a kind of world of its own. Typically we’ll get merchandise from big box retailers, their overstock or out of season items.

They need to make space for newer goods, so we get truckloads of their merchandise. Or maybe The Gap orders 1,000 pairs of jeans from overseas and then suddenly decides they only need 500. That’s where we step in. Sometimes we have to remove the brand’s tag or label as part of the contract.

You’d think. But what’s been so incredible is that we now have such a good reputation, that some of our partners will say, ‘we’d rather sell this to you because we trust you, and we’ll give you an even better deal because of your mission.’ So that helps our supply chain, it lowers our prices for the customer, and lets us give back more money!

11 > After visiting the store the first time, it made me think there’s probably a best day or time to get the best deals. Share some secrets!

It’s true, and our store leaders are always happy to tell. So [manager] Dorothy in Traverse City, for instance, will know she’s getting three pallets of general merchandise, or mens clothing, but she won’t know exactly what. But yes, for every store there is a set delivery schedule, and if people ask in the stores, they’ll tell you! We also sometimes broadcast our newest merchandise on Facebook Live, and we see people race in afterward to grab some of it.

12 > OK, let’s get to the best part: You’re giving away money with every single sale?

Yes, we are. We give roughly half of our profits to local and global non-profits. Being an outlet store is good for the customer, but this aspect of our mission sets us apart. It remains the guiding principle for why we do what we do.

13 > You must have some amazing stories about changing peoples’ lives.

We do. Our store managers know this is their store and their community. We tell them ‘you do what you need to do. If something matters, let’s give back to them,’ and they’re able to respond and make a difference. One family in Coldwater recently lost everything in a fire and we were able to really help them. Recently in Grand Rapids a single mother lost her house, so we were able to get her in a house for several months. In Gaylord there’s a mom who fosters several kids. We said, ‘hey, come on in. We’ll close the store and give you a shopping spree.’ So many stories like that in every community.

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 13

3rd annual

By Criag Manning

Northern Michigan’s Legendary Dishes

Even in the best of times, a remarkable dish from a local restaurant is a joy, a comfort, and a reminder of the best that life can be. It’s safe to say that 2020 has not been the best of times, but in an odd way, that’s only made the bright spots feel that much brighter. Suffice to say that, when you’re stuck at home and facing a historic pandemic, few things sound better than a bite of a beloved dish from your favorite restaurant. Perhaps it reminds you of better times — of celebrations with friends and family, good times you hope will come again soon. Or maybe it’s simpler than that. Maybe that bite of bursting, heavenly flavor is enough to make you forget all the bad news, if only for a few moments.

Whatever the reason, it seems a lot of locals and tourists alike are seeking solace in local culinary delights. When speaking to restaurants for the third installment of our “Iconic Eats” series, the Northern Express heard tales of heavy traffic and high demand. The takeaway? Even in this uncertain time, no one wants to go without that old standby sandwich or that beguiling Bloody Mary. In tribute to that mysterious power of great food, here are our next five inductees on the menu of legendary northern Michigan dishes.

Mary’s Kitchen Port (Traverse City)

THE GOBBLER If you live in Northern Michigan, there’s a very good chance that The Gobbler — the iconic turkey sandwich sold pre-wrapped at Mary’s Kitchen Port in Downtown Traverse City — needs no introduction. Mary’s Kitchen Port, now in its 39th year of operation, is both a sandwich-and-salad shop and a boutique kitchen-goods retailer. Whether you’re looking for coffee makers, cutlery, or cookware, you’ll probably find something to suit at MKP. Somewhere along the line, though, Mary’s Kitchen Port became most famous not for its stock of kitchen wares, but for a single sandwich. On paper, the Gobbler sounds like an incredibly simple formula, one that wouldn’t be so hard to replicate at home. The toppings — roast turkey breast, shredded cheddar cheese, tomato, romaine lettuce, and Hellmann’s mayonnaise — are all deli 101. And yet, according to Kathy Baier, co-owner of Mary’s Kitchen Port, the establishment makes and sells 300-500 Gobblers every day — sometimes even more. What’s the secret to this simple sandwich and its resounding success?

“Everybody says, ‘It’s the salt! It’s the salt on the bread!’”

Baier said with a laugh. She’s referring to the house-made focaccia bread on which each Gobbler sandwich is served.

Employees start making that bread around 4:30am every day, topping it with flakes of sea salt that do indeed help give the sandwich an extra jolt of flavor.

The special salty bread wasn’t always a part of the equation, though: Baier notes that, in the early days, the Gobbler was actually served on a croissant. It wasn’t until 20 or 25 years ago that Mary’s Kitchen Port switched over to the focaccia bread.

Perhaps not surprisingly, that’s about the same time that the Gobbler went from being just one of the sandwiches at MKP to being the store’s calling card.

“We’ve always made many different sandwiches every day, but the Gobbler just grew,” Baier told Express. “We didn’t plan on it being the most popular sandwich but that’s the one that took over.”

Today, Baier says the Gobbler’s reputation extends far and wide. There are locals who stop into the store almost daily all year-round to pick up a fresh Gobbler, but there are also tourists who wander through the doors in search of the legendary sandwich they’ve caught wind of through strong word-of-mouth.

Our guess at the Gobbler’s considerable and consistent success? In addition to being delicious in a familiar and comforting way, it’s also versatile. Whether you’re planning a picnic, doing a supply run for a boat trip or beach day, or heading out on a road trip and in need of something that’s easy to eat while driving, the Gobbler fits the bill. No wonder it’s become (arguably) Traverse City’s signature sandwich.

14 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

Alliance

(Traverse City) THAI STYLE CHICKEN Alliance, located in Traverse City’s Warehouse MRKT, is known for its inventive, locally sourced, and ever-shifting menu. From kinilaw shrimp served in a richly-flavorful coconut milk sauce to beef tongue tacos, you’ll find dishes on the Alliance menu that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else in northern Michigan. Yet, in spite of Alliance’s far-reaching creativity and dynamic menu, there’s at least one staple that’s almost always available: the Thai Style Chicken, a plate of crispy fried chicken served with toasted ginger rice, jalapeno, onion, and a smorgasbord of fresh herbs. It might just be the best chicken dish in the entire region.

According to Head Chef James Bloomfield, the dish — and the many other Asian-influenced recipes that cycle in and out of the Alliance menu — was inspired mostly by world travel. He, along with Alliance Sous Chef Becca Snook and Wine & Service Manager Andrew Kemp, have all taken multiple treks to Thailand over their course of their lives, and have all fallen in love with the Thai way of preparing food.

“They include tons of fresh herbs — cilantro, mint, basil, etcetera — chile peppers, acid, fish sauce … we really wanted to bring that brightness back home to Michigan,” Bloomfield said.

The Thai Style Chicken is the result of that aim. The dish starts with chicken from Otto’s Chicken in Byron Center — known for its humane, locally raised, farm-fresh, antibiotic-free, and hormone-free poultry.

Bloomfield then adds a slew of ingredients from Loma Farm in Leelanau — including the fresh herbs, ginger, onions, and pepper — and tosses it all with delightfully crunchy toasted rice to tie the whole thing together.

Though the Thai Style Chicken has long been a favorite at Alliance, which first opened its doors in 2015, Bloomfield says that the pandemic has helped popularize the dish among a new, younger audience. After a successful takeout run during Michigan’s stay-at-home order, Alliance has opted to keep its (relatively compact) dining room closed for the summer season. Pivoting to a carryout model has had the effect of making Alliance more of a family dining option, with the Thai Style Chicken being the dish that seemingly everyone can agree on.

“Parents that haven’t brought their children in to dine with us are now able to give them the Thai Style Chicken and other dishes at home,” Bloomfield explained. “We have had some really awesome feedback about how much the kids are enjoying the fried chicken.”

3

The Cabbage Shed (Elberta)

FAMOUS SHED BORSCHT “Borscht” is a type of soup heavily associated with Eastern European and Asian cuisine, with variants popular in the Ukraine, Russia, Japan, and elsewhere. We know what you’re thinking: soup doesn’t exactly scream “summertime” — especially with the heatwave weather that’s been impacting Northern Michigan over the past month or so. Borscht, though, isn’t exactly your usual soup, and the Famous Shed Borscht — the signature dish of The Cabbage Shed in Elberta — is the must-try at a restaurant that itself screams “idyllic northern Michigan summer.”

Though it looks a bit like chili, borscht is actually a sour soup whose primary ingredient is typically red beets. According to Tony Roethler, who manages The Cabbage Shed along with his wife Beth, borscht recipes can vary quite a bit from one part of Europe or Asia to the next. Some are hot and some are cold, and some are heavier and heartier than others. The Cabbage Shed’s take on the tradition is a Russian-inspired recipe, with red beets, braised beef, green cabbage, and tomato broth, plus a generous helping of smoked paprika sour cream on top.

Jim Clapp, the founder of The Cabbage Shed, opened the restaurant in 1985.

The borscht was on the menu from day one — a contribution from Clapp’s wife, who was of Russian descent. When the Clapp family sold The Cabbage Shed in 2015 — to Colleen and T.J. Hudson, Beth Roethler’s parents — the borscht recipe was passed along as part of the purchase. A good thing, too: when news of the sale broke, Roethler says he received dozens of calls and emails from Shed regulars, all imploring the new owners keep the borscht on the menu. They listened, and the beloved dish has remained largely the same since then — though the Roethlers did add the smoked paprika to the sour cream, to give it an extra something special.

One of Roethler’s favorite things about running The Cabbage Shed has been watching people try borscht for the first time. When customers see the Famous Shed Borscht on the menu, he says that many have doubts or reservations about the concept of a beet soup. His advice? Try it anyway.

“We’ll essentially give you a money back guarantee on that,” Roethler chuckled.

“If you don’t care for it, we’ll get you something different. But that doesn’t happen because people are just very pleasantly surprised at how well the combination of flavors works.”

Still doubting that a sour soup is right for summer? Take advantage of The Cabbage Shed’s outdoor seating, enjoy a warm breeze coming off the adjacent Betsie Bay, stir in the sour cream to lighten the hearty soup a bit, add a breadstick for dipping, and wash it all down with a pint of local craft beer. Just like Roethler’s past patrons, you’ll be surprised at how well the combination works.

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 15

4

The Cove (Leland)

THE CHUBBY MARY Who says a Bloody Mary can’t be a full meal? At very least, The Chubby Mary at The Cove in Leland qualifies as an appetizer — and an increasingly world-famous one at that. In 2013, Bon Appetit named the Chubby Mary as one of the 10 must-try “Overthe-Top Crazy Bloody Marys from Across America.” It’s also a favorite of celebrity chef Mario Batali, has been shared in recipe form on Midwest Living, and even inspired an adoring thread on Reddit of all places.

What makes the Chubby Mary so unusual? Well, in addition to the usual Bloody Mary fixings, this deluxe cocktail adds a smoked chub to the mix. The fish is placed right into the drink itself — “standing proud,” as the menu puts it — and some of the smokiness of the chub tends to transfer over to the Bloody Mary, giving it an extra dimension. Most patrons of The Cove will pluck the fish out of the drink and eat it as an appetizer, enjoying the smoky flavor while sipping their Marys on the side.

While the Chubby Mary has become increasingly famous over the years, Cove co-owner Sean Wanroy says the cocktail actually started out as a joke. At this point, the story has become a bit of a myth, with certain details lost to time, but Wanroy is pretty sure the core inspiration was the famous Saturday Night Live “Super Bass-O-Matic” sketch, a mock infomercial where Dan Aykroyd drops an entire fish into a blender. The initial result — a margarita featuring smoked chub — “Didn’t go down so good,” according to Wanroy. But when the experiment paired The Cove’s signature Bloody Mary with the same fish, the combination just worked.

Today, Wanroy says the Chubby Mary has become “an experiential kind of adventure” that most people visiting Leland make sure to take at least once. Sometimes, the notoriety of the drink proves to be a double-edged sword. Chubs aren’t as easy to come by in the Great Lakes as they used to be — thanks to zebra mussels, quagga mussels, and other invasive species — which means that The Cove isn’t always able to get its hands on the fish that ties this unique Bloody Mary concoction together. In fact, the popularity of the cocktail even led the restaurant to double-down its search for a reliable supplier.

“We searched high and low, and I think now we have a good source, and we want to keep it that way,” Wanroy said of the chub situation, before adding: “I won’t tell you where we get them!” Fair enough, Sean.

Eat, Eat, and Repeat

Northern Express launched its first Iconic Eats list in 2018 — with many thanks to you, our wellinformed and highly opinionated food-loving readers. Each year, you write in with dozens of suggestions that send us taste-testing around the region, helping us craft a list of some of the most legendary Up North eating experiences around. Here’s a look at the unparalleled dishes you (and we) have shared so far. See something missing? Don’t keep it a secret; shoot us an email — subject “Legendary Eats 2021” — and we’ll make sure to check it out before we publish the next round.

Iconic Eats, 2018 edition

Poppycock’s, Traverse City Tomato Spinach Swiss Soup

Iconic Eats, 2019 edition

Art’s Tavern, Glen Arbor Chicken Jalapeno Soup

7 Monks, Traverse City Abbey Burger Pearl’s New Orleans Kitchen, Elk Rapids Louisiana Jambalaya

Vernales, Harbor Springs Dry-aged Tomahawk Ribeye

The Rowe Inn, Ellsworth Herb-encrusted Rack of Lamb

16 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

Amical, Traverse City Chicken Pot Pie

The Villager Pub, Charlevoix Whitefish Dinner

Village Cheese Shanty, Leland North Shore Sandwich

since 1876

05325 US 131 SOUTH, PETOSKEY • 231-373-2090 boynevalleyvineyards.com

downtown suttons bay

now in-store Tribal Handkerchief Hem Midi Dress

7/30 - Michelle Chenard 8/1 - Tyler Parkin 8/6 - Chris Calleja 8/8 - Tyler Parkin 8/13 - Tyler Parkin

EAT, DRINK & BE HAPPY!

8/15 - Chris Calleja

beautiful summer comfort Bahles.net | (231) 271-3841

LIVE MU SIC

Mon. – Sat. 11 am – 5 pm & Private Shopping by Appointment

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 17

benzonia’s Hill Top Soda Shoppe A lesson in old-fashioned ice cream

By Ross Boissoneau I scream, you scream — most of it directed at the road construction on US-31 in Benzonia — but despite the difficulties posed by the orange barrels and plumes of dust outside, Hill Top Soda Shoppe is drawing lines of customers.

You could say that’s exactly as owner Victoria Mekas envisioned it, but in truth, before she opened the Soda Shoppe in 2005, she had another business venture on her mind: “I wanted to be a florist,” she said.

So after graduating from Benzie Central, she headed off to Michigan State University to study. Once there, however, she found the curriculum geared more toward horticulture, and she eventually left school to return home to Northern Michigan and pursue her dream. Soon after, she opened Victoria’s Floral Design in Beulah. Six months later, she met her now-husband, Chris. It would prove to be a precipitous meeting.

Victoria’s Floral Design shop was doing such a brisk business, that within three years, it outgrew the cozy confines of its Beulah location, so the designer bought a lot just east of US-31 in Benzonia, where her father had built a strip mall.

There was just one problem: Her flower shop wasn’t big enough to fill all the space there. “We needed another business,” she said.

As fate would have it, Chris has a background in the restaurant industry; his family had owned eateries in Detroit and Ann Arbor. The couple considered integrating a restaurant, but ultimately decided an ice cream shop might make more sense. Decision made, the couple were off to ice cream school in North Carolina.

They quickly learned that to make the best ice cream, to stand out among countless other ice cream shops in a summer tourism region,

they needed to start with the best ingredients.

“Since day one we’ve used Country Dairy in New Era [Michigan]. It’s a high-end dairy,” Victoria said, noting that it’s not only rBSTfree but also exceptionally creamy, thanks to a content of 16 percent butterfat.

Add to that cow-not-chemicallyengineered goodness: all of Hill Top’s ice cream is sweetened with real sugar, not corn syrup. Most flavors are gluten-free, and they use local ingredients whenever they can.

“There’s something about local strawberries. We use Grossnickle strawberries only,” she said, referring to Grossnickle Farms in nearby Kaleva. “We have a freezer full of strawberries. We usually run out in spring,” just shy of the summer harvest.

Also au natural: “Our sorbets are from fresh fruit, sugar, and lemon and lime juice, too.”

Among Hill Top’s unique ice cream flavors are Benzie Berry Blast (with those indemand strawberries); Pear and Port Wine Sorbet; and special school flavors like Husky Puff Supreme, chock full of cherries and cheesecake; Buckley Bear, a coffee ice cream with sugar cookies and a chocolate swirl; and the Mekas’ twist on Neopolitan, in which mint chocolate chip replaces strawberry.

While a floral design shop and an ice creamery might be enough for most folks, the couple’s success spurred them to seize more opportunity. When a coffee shop closed in Frankfort, they dove in and opened Petals and Perks, a combo coffee house and gift shop that opened in 2013.

Two years later and just a couple doors down, they opened their fourth business, Lynn & Perrin, a purveyor of specialty jams, jellies, chutneys, crackers and chips, flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars, herbs and spices, wine, and craft beer.

It turns out the couple has had some foresight, both in terms of business choices

18 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

and, in particular renovation project they took on at Hill Top. They remodeled two years ago, expanding from 140 square feet to 600 — “We needed more room to make ice cream,” said Chris.

“It’s much bigger and better. Now we have more freezers and an outdoor freezer.

We can go after more wholesale accounts,” added Victoria.

Fortuitously, they also installed a drivethru. When the pandemic hit, they leaned hard on that particular addition in to serve their popular ice cream, coffee, and fresh donuts to their loyal customers who couldn’t or chose not to come inside.

Keeping an eye on four separate businesses is challenge enough. Add in the strains of a nationwide pandemic and summer roadwork outside your ice cream shop, and it seems like more than most could handle. Yet it all paled next to Victoria’s health crisis when she was diagnosed with cancer. She said dealing with cancer in the middle of a pandemic is not anything she anticipated, but she

Top left: Ice Cream is Hill Top’s claim to fame, but trust us, the donuts are divine, too.

Center Hill Top Soda Shoppe and Victoria’s Floral Design are among four businesses Victoria Mekas and her husband, Chris, own. The couple, shown here, with their daughter, Beatrice.

Right: Why eat in the car when you could slip out to Hill Top’s lovely outdoor deck?

Bottom: Hill Top Soda Shoppe’s makes ice cream “the right way,” Mekas said: In small batches, using local ingredients, real sugar, and dairy sourced from a small family farm that grows its own feed and milks its own cows. Photos by Cathy Boissoneau

has been able to continue to working on a nearly daily basis.

The reaction from customers is what keeps them — and, you might say, Victoria, coming back. “When people say … it’s the best ever,” she said, “that gives you a lot of pride.”

Find Hill Top Soda Shoppe, open 11am to 9pm daily at 7117 South St., in Benzonia. (231) 882-9697, www.Hill Topsodeshoppe.com

EAT — DRINK — CURL

BURGERS • S SS-FED ICILIAN-STYLE PIZZA G RA 20 TAPS & FUL L BAR

YS! A D N7 E P O

A LEARN TO C TAKE URL CLASS! SIGN UP ON O U R W EB SITE

www.eatdrinkcurl.com

172 W Burdickville Rd • Maple City

MONDAY JULY 27 - SUNDAY AUGUST 2 In lieu of our annual Classic Car benefit for local DAV Chapter 38, please donate your change to help change the life of a Disabled American Veteran.

All donations accepted.

CULVERS WILL MATCH THE DONATIONS COLLECTED! Come on in to your local Culver’s restaurant:

Culver’s of Traverse City (Two Locations)

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 19

Pop Goes the Dinner From a pizza pickup truck to a Friday fish-fry picnic, to a once-a-summer

lobster party — it is open season for these six pop-up suppers. Feast while you can. By Emily Tyra

S2S 2Nite 1371 Gray Drive, Traverse City, www. sugar2salt.com

Couple Stephanie Wiitala and Johnathan Dayton helm the kitchen at the breakfast restaurant and catering company S2S | Sugar 2 Salt. Inspired, not soured by seeing their catering business all but dissolve this summer, they are now dabbling in dinner, too. “We call it S2S 2Nite,” said Wiitala. “It gave us a chance to explore.” The special window walk-up and callahead menu, offered 3pm to 8pm on Friday and Saturday nights only, includes lake trout fish and chips with roasted lemon and pickled ramp tartar sauce, a mélange of homemade sausages served with purple kraut, and a garden-fresh risotto with a poached egg on top to create its own sauce. Snap a pic for your Instagram feed before you tuck into the charcuterie box: sausages, duck ham, pancetta, cured lake trout, pickled vegetables, honeycomb, farmers cheese, spent grain crackers and bread.

All food is takeaway, so find a picnic spot in S2S’s big backyard, under the water tower at Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Or, suggested Wiitala, pop by neighbors Earthen Ales or Left Foot Charley to dine with an accompanying ale, cider or wine. “Welcome to our micro community,” she laughed.

“We have a nice synergy.” S2S plans to do the weekend dinner pop-ups “most definitely through Labor Day,” said Wiitala, all the while producing their famous breakfasts and brunches, also to-go.

Thursday Night Dinners, A Matter of Taste @ Tapawingo

9502 Lake St., Ellsworth, www.amatteroftastemi. com How’s this for a dream scene: a freshly mixed cocktail and dinner prepared with local farm ingredients, accompanied by fingerstyle acoustic guitar, down in the valley on St. Clair Lake. Ginny McCallum, executive chef/owner of the wedding and event business A Matter of Taste @ Tapawingo, said she and her team created their Thursday Night Dinners to treat their neighbors to a serene evening at a beloved venue. “Our price of $35 was designed so that it could become a Thursday night thing that would be affordable. We are developing regulars.”

McCallum’s son lends his talents, too: “Kadin McCallum is my son and our incredible talented acoustic guitar player.”

On Thursday, July 30, look for a backyard standard: local brisket slow-cooked in cherry barbecue sauce.

For dessert? Grown-up “Pop-Tarts” filled with Michigan berries. Next up, on August 13,, the feast is an ode to Mexican street food. The Thursday Night Dinners run through November; tickets are via MyNorth Tickets, at https://mynorthtickets.com/organizations/a-matter-of-taste-tapawingo

Private Pop-Up Dinners at Black Star Farms 10844 East Revold Rd., Suttons Bay, www.blackstarfarms.com

With the usually epic weddings held at Black Star Farm’s estate postponed, the catering team is rethinking how they do events — and that dovetails seamlessly into smaller private dinners for any special celebrations. “These are a way to experience something elevated in a very safe way and create positive memories this summer with your family or close friends,” said Sherri Campbell Fenton, proprietor at Black Star Farms. “Small, private dinners can ‘pop up’ anytime we have availability. Over the 160-acre winery there are several exquisite backdrop spots where we can set up a small table,” she said. “Sometimes the person being celebrated has a special affection for something, and we are happy to prepare that dish! We make dreams come true.”

She added that they consider dinners from two to 20 “small,” and have seen groups of families of that size booking with them. (This summer might be your classiest family reunion yet?!) Learn more here: www.blackstarfarms.com/private-dinners/

Extend the evening into morning: Make a reservation to stay overnight at the Inn at Black Star Farms, currently a contender as one of the best Wine Country Hotels in the nation in the latest USA Today Readers Choice poll. (Help it get to No. 1 by voting — no more than once per day — until August 10, at https://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-wine-country-hotel/inn-at-blackstar-farms-suttons-bay-mich/ Lux Light Photography

20 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

From the Ashes fans Kelly and Andrew Bennett delight in the dockside delivery option at Fountain Point Resort. Photo courtesy Kelly Bennett

From the Ashes Wood Fired Pizza Food Truck

Lobster Fest at Grand Traverse Lighthouse

How many fun things can you pack into one moment? Farm-to-table pizza … ordered from a food truck … delivered dockside … at a classic Lake Leelanau resort. Yep, it’s a real thing, and Kristy VerSnyder, co-owner of the From The Ashes food truck, is grateful: “A beautiful historic resort is where we get to call home for our vintage 1953 Ford F600 truck, which is outfitted with a Mugnaini wood-fired pizza oven,” she said. After all but four of their Island Thyme catering jobs were snuffed out this season, VerSnyder and her teammate/chef Matt Fitzke-Loll pulled up to Fountain Point with a truck-full of hope and pizza dreams.

Follow From the Ashes Wood Fired Pizza on Facebook and Instagram for weather-dependent hours and the farm-fresh pizzas of the moment. Definitely summer-crush worthy: a creation of sweet basil pesto, prosciutto, goat cheese, herb roasted tomatoes, and a balsamic glaze. And as a heads-up for hungry boaters on Lake Leelanau, order ahead (231-866-1545), and your pizza will be delivered to you at Fountain Point’s docks. By-land guests are also welcome to pop by for a pie-to-go.

One evening every summer — even this summer — Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum staff and volunteers invite guests to an alfresco lobster dinner at the lighthouse, at the very tip of Michigan’s pinkie. But no pinkies in the air here, just a chance to take in unmatched views of Cathead Bay and the Manitou Passage while taking a crack at a fresh Maine lobster with boiled redskins, corn on the cob, rolls, coleslaw, and a cherry dessert. Beer, wine, and lemonade are available and, carnivores, know grilled filet mignon or chicken are options. New this year will be the social distancing of tables on the lighthouse grounds, which are located within Leelanau State Park. The fundraiser is a go for Aug.15, with two seatings: 5pm and 6:30pm. All proceeds benefit the continued restoration and preservation of the historic Grand Traverse Lighthouse, which has been guiding ships and sailors since 1858. The cost per guest is $75 with a limited 200 tickets available. Tickets are on sale now at MyNorth.com: mynorthtickets.com/events/annual-lobster-fest-8-15-2020

Currently parked at Fountain Point Resort, 990 South Lake Leelanau Dr., Lake Leelanau, islandthymecatering.com/from-the-ashes/

15500 North Lighthouse Point Road, Northport, www.grandtraverselighthouse.com/

Farm-to-Table Dinner Series at Crystal Mountain 12500 Crystal Mountain Drive, Thompsonville, www.crystalmountain.com

Executive chef Jack Wenz builds a custom three-course menu by “literally going to the farm,” he said. “Yesterday we picked cherries and saskatoons and, later, blueberries at Bulldog Berries. I try to be there for roll call at Loma Farm in the morning.” Then he brings the amazing summertime crops of Northern Michigan farmers to delight diners at the Thompsonville resort’s Thistle Pub & Grille the third weekend of each month, May through September.

For the Aug. 14 and 15 dinner, Wenz has his heart set on whitefish — “Our fishing boat goes out of Northport” — plus grilled peaches, sweet corn relish … he will ultimately let mother nature decide but prepared to be bowled over by the vibrancy of the produce and the luxe-but-cozy hospitality. Find out more at www.crystalmountain. com/event/farm-to-table-august/

Flavor

Flavor

Corned Beef Hash Skillet

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 21

Please be seated for these abbreviated versions of the restaurant reviews we’ve featured since our last RestauranTour issue. Bon Appetit!

THE EMPIRE VILLAGE INN The Empire Village Inn has been a fixture in the tiny tourist village on Lake Michigan for 60 years.

Over that time, the VI, as it’s known around town, has transitioned from a bar to a restaurant/tavern to — a grocery store?

That’s right. While still known for its pizza, burgers, and other small but inventive takeout items, it’s added grocery staples to its menu. Fresh fruits and vegetables, rice and pasta, canned goods, loads of Michigan craft beer and wine, cleaning supplies, dairy products, even sanitizer and gloves can now be found in the pop-up store in the north end of the building.

This isn’t the first makeover the place has gone through over the years. When the Village Inn opened in 1959, it was a bar.

After a succession of owners, Mike Wiesen bought it in 1987. He added more windows and a full kitchen, and he changed the name from its previous iteration as the Hard Times Saloon and Good Times Kitchen back to the original Village Inn. On the Menu: The VI is known first and foremost for its pizzas. Options like roasted red peppers, pickled red onions, even a spinach pie with an Asiago cheese base make it a standout, but it’s the foundation — an exceptional cheese blend, homemade sauce, and a crust that (similar to hand-tossed New York-style) is both crunchy and chewy — that makes VI pies so special.

A close second? The burgers. Note: They aren’t offered with as many topping options as they are at the VI’s attached sit-down sister eatery, Joe’s Friendly Tavern, but the meat is the same high quality, ground-inhouse stuff locals have come to expect. (Not into beef? Try the veggie burger; rightfully popular salmon burger; a wrap with crispy Portobello fries, spinach, onions, and Swiss cheese; or the grilled cheese with Havarti, Swiss, sliced apple, and pickled onions.)

Other must-tries: The starters, two in particular: Portobello fries (Portobello mushrooms drizzled with a honey-garlic sauce and served with ranch dressing) or the most requested, chicken drumsticks, also tossed in a honey-garlic sauce.

Find it: The Empire Village Inn at 11601 S. Lacore Rd., in Empire. (231) 421-8800; www. empirevillageinn.com MCGEE’S 72 McGee’s 72 — located in the building formerly occupied by the heavily Italian-influenced TraVino

Traverse Bar & Grille and, earlier, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa’s golf center — still caters to golfers and longtime TraVino diners. But it’s become a major hotspot for Traverse City east-siders in the know. The bar is perennially popular, thanks in part to all-day happy hour specials on beer, wine, and well drinks, and McGee’s signature Happy Hour Sangria, but it’s the food that keeps customers returning.

On the Menu: Favorite bar-side appetizers include the risotto “tots” — fried pasta-andcheese balls of goodness — and boneless wings with your choice of sriracha lime glaze or mango chipotle BBQ. For dinner, guests find an array of options, from the prime rib on Friday and Saturday nights to flatbread pizzas and smoked Gouda chicken pasta with bacon, asparagus, and portabella mushrooms.

Seafood reigns among the entrees, with classic Great Lakes walleye alongside Ahi tuna and cioppino. And some of the lunchtime favorites — the “Express Lunch: Pick Two” is not to be missed — are present as well, like McGee’s ever-popular Baja Chicken Tacos and the San Marzano Tomato Bisque.

Influences from local sister restaurants Sorrelina (downtown Traverse City) and Harrington’s by the Bay (TC’s west side) make a welcome appearance too. The La Sorellina salad (baby spinach, candied pecans, gorgonzola, pear, and citrus vinaigrette) is a big hit, and the Harrington’s custom ground steak burgers are another top item.

Like so many others, McGee’s 72 made a lot of changes during the initial COVID-19 restrictions. While the state remains under executive order, one of the biggest and best received changes continues on: A buy-one, get-one-half-off deal on carry-out dishes.

If you’d prefer to sit a spell, no problem; an expansive indoor dining room and large patio are also available.

Find it: McGee’s 72 at 4341 M-72 East, in Williamsburg. (231) 421-8800; www.mcgees72.com.

C.R.A.V.E. Opened in May of 2018, C.R.A.V.E. Pasta Pizza Pub serves up creative pizzas and pastas in one of Gaylord’s most iconic Main Street buildings. For the history buffs, The A.B.C. Comstock Hardware store was built in 1878 and housed the well-known Audrian Hardware from 1939 to 1999.

The building was also one of the first to convert to Gaylord’s signature alpine look during the ’60s, setting the tone for the entire town’s aesthetic. While updates were made

22 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

when C.R.A.V.E. moved in, the original tin ceiling remains, along with a few nods to the history of the area.

“We had this awesome, historic building that we wanted to revive and bring to life again,” says general manager Dave Jambor, referring to himself, C.R.A.V.E.’s chefs, and owners Gary and Wendy Kosch. The Kosch family is well known in the northern Michigan restaurant scene, with ties to eateries like the Alpine Tavern (also in Gaylord) and The Boathouse (Old Mission).

On the Menu: C.R.A.V.E. isn’t just the name; it’s the eatery’s model for success, and it starts with “C,” for “Customizable,” says Jambor: “There are literally a quintillion flavor combinations available.” (And he only slightly exaggerates: Diners can choose from a classic crust or a gluten-free cauliflower version before loading up with toppings like brisket, Spanish onions, fresh basil, arugula, and about two dozen others.)

Can’t decide? Try C.R.A.V.E.’s own tested-and-approved combos: The Salty Hog features bacon onion jam, pulled pork, and balsamic drizzle. Spice lovers will drool over the Blu Diavolo, with spicy red sauce, pepperoni, and sweet pepper drop. And there’s also the Mediterraneaninspired Bruschetta di Gamberi, made with Parmesan cream sauce, bruschetta, shrimp, and goat cheese.

Although the pizzas often take top billing, C.R.A.V.E.’s pastas are taste-bud tempting in their own right; the noodles are fresh, not dried, which lends itself to the speed C.R.A.V.E. is known for. One to try: The Cavatelli Blanco, with fire-braised chicken, parmesan cream sauce, spinach, roasted red pepper, and gourmet mushroom blend — shitake, oyster, and crimini mushrooms.

Other menu items include salads, ovenbaked sandwiches, and an array of Italianinspired appetizers, soups, and desserts — culled from around the nation, taste-tested in the community, and tweaked until perfect.

Find it: C.R.A.V.E Pasta Pizza Pub, open for dine-in (inside and outside), as well as takeout, at 148 W. Main St. in Gaylord. (989) 748-4848, www.cravegaylord.com MUNDOS EAT HOUSE In a whirlwind decision at the end of May, Dan and Melissa Clark, owners of Mundos Roasting & Co., harnessed the power of dreams — and their awesome kids — to turn the suddenly open space in front of their Suttons Bay coffee shop into a breakfast and lunch spot, Mundos Eat House.

In a wildly quick window of “less than a week,” the Clarks took over the lease at 206 North Saint Joseph Street, purchased the ovens and equipment, and renovated the space in the same spare, airy style as their sister coffee shops in Suttons Bay and Traverse City.

On the Menu: One of the most impishly irresistible menu items at the new Mundos Eat House was conceived by the Clark’s 12-year-old son, Ben: ice cream floats for breakfast. Scoops of vanilla bean ice cream are doused ceremoniously with one of four choices: matcha and mint syrup, cold brew coffee and vanilla syrup, house-made chai, or fresh-squeezed lemonade.

The rest of the short and carefully calibrated menu, presented by categories on clipboards on the whitewashed walls — “Waffles.” “Croissant Bun Sandwiches.”

Avocado.” — belies its exceptional offerings.

Word on Saint Joseph Street is that many Suttons Bay shopkeepers have already made the avocado bowl (sliced avocado, heirloom tomatoes, marinated cabbage/onions, kale, and two poached eggs over brown rice, quinoa and chickpeas) for their midmorning or afternoon pick-me-up.

But those looking to indulge will find ample reason: hot and crisp waffles, fresh from the iron, can be served sweet (think: jammy strawberries plus whipped mascarpone) or savory (with sharp cheddar sauce, bacon, and lime.

Then there’s the not-so-humble breakfast sandwiches perfected by Mundos’ house baker Miles Eastman (who is married to the eldest Clark sibling, Sarah). He lovingly proofs laminated dough — dough that’s rolled and folded multiple times with lots of butter between — to create an uber-buttery, flaky bun for all sorts of comforting fillings.

The Cajun houses roasted butternut squash, andouille sausage, red peppers, onions, and cajun mustard; the Cheddar Lime Hash brings a deep drench of cheddar sauce, bacon, lime, potatoes, sausage, and two poached eggs to the table. Clark says you still can’t go wrong with their classic bacon, fried egg, and cheddar, spread with herbed mayo.

Fit it: Mundos Eat House offers takeout only but boasts a small patio and easily walkable proximity to Suttons Bay Beach.

Find Mundos Eat House at 206 N. Saint Joseph St., in Suttons Bay. (231) 590-1781, www.mundoseathouse.com.

OPA! GRILL & TAPROOM Owner Paul Barbas and his family moved to Traverse City from the Detroit area in the early 2000s, only to discover Mediterranean fare wasn’t on

SMALL BATCH AT THE CUPOLA The interior of Small Batch at the Cupola — part bakery, part restaurant — is home to an extensive collection of art, cookbooks, vintage furniture, and the soft and peppy crooning of ’40s-style music. It gives patrons the distinct impression they’re dining in a private home. And that’s exactly as owner and creative director Lauretta Reiss intended.

The well-traveled former shoe designer, who retired to her longtime summer hometown of Harbor Springs in 2012, said, “I wanted to create a compelling, exciting, interesting dining experience,” she said.

“You’re dining not only with art surrounding you but also with art on your plate. There’s an artistry in what we do.”

On the Menu: Having been inspired and taught her way around the kitchen from an early age by her Filipino artist mother, Reiss has no formal culinary training. All of the recipes at Small Batch are her own creations, dishes that she says are tried, true, continually tweaked, and always made from scratch.

Among Small Batch’s most popular breakfast features: the Heavenly (lemon ricotta pancakes with fresh blueberries and lemon zest glaze), Cali Dreaming (avocado mash, pickled red onions, tomatoes, cheddar, and two sunny-side-up eggs on grilled ciabatta), and Gravy Train (a grilled golden biscuit topped with crispy fried chicken, sausage gravy and two fried eggs), as well as daily specials, often some version of a quiche.

The dinner menu is nothing if not diverse, with bold flavors and choices ranging from the Holy Smoke (St. Louis ribs slathered in house BBQ sauce) and Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (crispy chicken,

mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, slaw, and a biscuit) to the Don Chipotle (a pork-belly BLT with fried green tomato and chipotle aioli). Occasionally, Filipino classics like pancit (a noodle dish) or, recently, a seafood boil (with crawfish, mussels, crab, shrimp, andouille sausage corn and potatoes) appear on the specials list.

“People come back to us again and again, not only for our restaurant menu items but also for our baked goods,” said Reiss. The sea salt chocolate chip cookies are the No. 1 seller, but the butter cake, lemon pound cake, and the beyond decadent triple-fudge bundt cake are equally beloved by customers, as are the magic bars (Oreo cookie crust, walnuts, coconut, and chocolate chips) and the wide array of fanciful cupcakes.

Find it: The Small Batch at the Cupola restaurant, also home to Small Batch Local bakery and catering, offers dine-in and togo on all menu items. Find it at 340 State St. in Harbor Springs. (231) 242-4686, www.smallbatchhs.com.

SHIPWRECK CAFE One day while cleaning fish after a successful charter trip, charter captain and licensed building contractor Steve Nowicki had an epiphany. He looked across the street at a vacant building on M-22 in Empire, between the EZ Mart and Roman-Jones Engineering. “I thought that was a perfect spot for a to-go [restaurant],” he said.

Nowicki knew the building’s owner, so he called the guy, and quicker than you can say “Anchors away,” he and his wife, Jennifer, were opening the Shipwreck Cafe.

On the Menu: Most notably, breads, buns, cookies, and treats all baked fresh daily by Jennifer. The sandwiches themselves tend toward quick and delicious: chicken salad (with the requisite dried cherries, of course) in a wrap, spicy tuna melt with Colby jack and tomato, or the always-popular BLT with avocado. Those would be Madiera, Rouse Simmons, and S.S. Noronic, respectively — each named, like all of the cafe’s sandwiches, for ships that foundered on the Great Lakes.

Most popular is the Fitzgerald: Turkey, bacon, Havarti cheese, cucumber, lettuce, and herb mayo on one of those freshlybaked pretzel rolls. “People go crazy for that,” he said. “It’s 30 percent of our sales.”

Also popular, even in the midst of a heatwave, is Shipwreck’s homemade white chicken chili. “We probably went through three gallons of chili, even today,” Nowicki said while the mercury hovered around 90 degrees. “I’m surprised. We never know what to expect.”

In addition to the chili — served daily, of course, the Shipwreck offers a soup of the day and several salads, which subscribe to the basics — Caesar, chicken Caesar, chef, garden, house, and Southwest — but up the flavor factor by using local in-season greens and homemade herb croutons with each one.

Hungry before lunch? Three hearty breakfast wraps are available before 11am — The Crib, with eggs, hash browns, cheese, onions, peppers, and tomatoes; the Fog Horn, which adds to The Crib’s mix your choice of ham, bacon, or turkey; and the Lighthouse, with just egg, hash browns, and cheese, plus your choice of ham, bacon, or turkey.

Find it: the Shipwreck Cafe, with limited indoor and outdoor seating, at 11691 S. Lacore Rd. (M-22) in Empire. (231) 8352580, www.shipwreckcafe.com

GALLAGHER’S

FARM MARKET & BAKERY SWEET CHERRIES, BLUEBERRIES SWEET CHERRIES! & LOCAL VEGGIES Home-baked Bread Home-baked Bread&&Pies Pies Homemade Jams Homemade Jams&&Jellies Jellies Local Honey Honey & Maple Local MapleSyrup Syrup Cherry Products & Wine Ice Cream & Donuts Donuts & Wines Cherry Products

Summer Special

ON M-72 JUST 3.5 MILES WEST OF TC 231-947-1689•gallaghersfarmmarkettc.com OPENDAILY DAILY 8am - 8pm OPEN 8am-6pm

Buy 3 Slices Get the 4th Slice Free Both Stores open 7 days & nights

eASt BAY, ACMe 4500 US-31 No. 231-938-2330

DowNtowN trAVerSe CItY 116 e. Front St 231-947-4841

Downtown TRAVERSE CITY 116 E. Front Street 231-947-4841

EAST BAY, ACME 4500 US 31 North 231-938-2330

See it Made...

www.murdicksfudge.com • 1-800-2-FUDGE-2

6-30.cf.216104

the menu Up North. For the 100-percent Greek Barbas, the culinary hole was a surprise … and an opportunity. Shortly after moving, he decided to leave his sales job and start a restaurant.

Focusing on classic Greek recipes — with a few Polish dishes in homage to Barbas’ wife, whose family hails from Poland, the original Opa! opened in the Cherryland Center in 2007. Now, 13 years later — and in a new standalone location at Grand Traverse Crossing, across from the Grand Traverse Mall — the family’s Greek and Polish traditions are going strong, with flavorful Mediterranean and Eastern European dishes alongside comfort foods, Coney dogs, and hearty salads. And with “Taproom” now part of the name, dozens of beer selections stand ready to complement your meal.

On the Menu: The No. 1 item on Opa’s menu is the gyro [a mix of lamb and beef, or marinated chicken breast] and the Greek side salad. Said Barbas: “If you’re craving a great gyro right off the rotisserie, you’ll find it at our place.”

For those looking to explore the menu a bit more, Barbas recommends the Greek Moussaka (eggplant, potato, ground sirloin, tomato, red wine, and béchamel) and the Greek Kisses, in which individual wontons are filled with three different cheeses, flash fried, and finished off with a balsamic drizzle.

Although Opa’s breakfasts are on a temporary break, when they return, they are not to be missed: Potato waffles, omelets — with feta, of course — grain bowls, and even a fun breakfast-cocktail menu are typically available.

Find it: Opa! Grill & Taproom, with indoor and covered outdoor seating, at 2658 Crossing Circle in Traverse City. (231) 947-6721, www. opagrill.com

Creamy, Delicious Fudge for over 50 Years!

Sugar-free fudge & candies old fashioned peanut & cashew brittle

Both StoreS oPeN 7 DAYS!

RETIREMENT IS ALL ABOUT INCOME

For high income and tax benefits, purchase a rail road tank car.

Your car will be leased to a food company IN BUSINESS FOR 74 YEARS! Tank cars cost $12,000 and PAY $2,840 per year

Marlin Schmidt - marlin.schmidt@att.net 800-842-5317 OR 574-217-0878 Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 23

CADILLAC, GAYLORD, GRAYLING, MT PLEASANT, PETOSKEY, TRAVERSE CITY, BELLAIRE, SUTTONS BAY

CALL TODAY: 989-607-4576 & 231-225-0376

231-225-0376

231-225-0376

(989) 607-4576 & (231) 225-0376

24 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

The delicious taste of real fruit, gently carbonated, creates a completely authentic taste experience.

Zero calories, zero sugars, zero sweeteners.

TASTE WHAT’S REAL.

Dorthe Mailil is a Danish designer and illustrator living and working in Herning, Denmark.

Her charming brand of toys merge modern Scandinavian design with storybook whimsy and meticulous attention to detail.

“I studied at the L’ecole D’art de Marseille and Paris, which provided me the inspiration behind many of the sweet and nostalgic characteristics that define the Maileg brand.”

@drinknomi

drinknomi.com

In The Village at Grand Traverse Commons 231.932.0775 | sanctuarytc.com

ingredients for your perfect summer...

Now open in the former Lucky’s Market and the original 10th St. location • oryana.coop • Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 25

ESCAPE TO AL FRESCO During the past several months, we have all been spending a lot of time inside our homes.

And when the weather began to warm up, we were grateful to be able to move outside to our porches, patios and decks, enjoying lunches, dinners and cocktail hours with family or a few close friends. But now that summer is in full swing, and we have adapted to the “new rules,” many of us are longing to branch out and spend some time on other porches, patios and decks, namely at restaurants who will be just as happy to see us again as we will be to relax and be served by them again. We’ve sought out a selection of great options across Northern Michigan for doing just that, all the while maintaining “social distancing,” yet appreciating the feeling of returning to some normalcy in these anything-but-normal times. By Janice Binkert

Martha’s Leelanau Table

Bennethum’s Northern Inn

413 North St. Joseph St., Suttons Bay

3917 Old US Highway 27 South, Gaylord

Entering the secluded patio adjoining the barn-red clapboard house that is Martha’s Leelanau Table is like stepping into a scene from a fairytale garden, with lush greenery, flowers and trees framing the idyllic setting. This charming farm-to-table restaurant in downtown Suttons Bay, whose vibe might be described as upscale cottagey, is a must-visit destination on the Leelanau Peninsula year-round, but especially in summer, when its menu, inspired by the annual group trips that owner Martha Ryan leads to Europe, is best showcased. Pan-seared Norwegian Salmon (with blackened shrimp, topped with a tomatobasil cream sauce) is a particular customer favorite on the menu of elegant, creatively prepared and presented dishes, complemented by an excellent wine and beer selection. At present, Martha’s is serving dinner on the patio only, 4pm–9pm Wednesday–Sunday, as well as offering takeout. Reservations are highly encouraged for patio seating. (231) 271-2344, www.marthasleelanlautable.com.

Bennethum’s, a family-owned and operated restaurant, prides itself on its appeal to a wide range of guests — and one of the most appealing features in the warmer months is its idyllic, flower-lined outdoor brick patio and lawn dining area. The regularly fluctuating menu features everything from chophouse classics to upscale pub fare. Local ingredients mix with those from further afield, and almost everything is made in-house. Especially popular among regular patrons are Bennethum’s Tenderloin Queso Tacos (incorporating char-grilled filet mignon, fire-roasted bell peppers and Spanish onions, bubbling Mexican cheeses, house-made guacamole, chipotle remoulade, grilled flour tortillas, lime wedges and a side of spicy pico de gallo). The restaurant’s carefully curated wine cellar showcases bottles from prestigious wine regions in the U.S. and around the world, the bar features six rotating microbrews, and Bennethum’s barkeepers are skilled in the art of making handcrafted cocktails. Serving dinner 4pm–10pm Monday–Saturday, closed Sunday. (989) 732-9288, www.bennethums.com

Boyne City Taproom

220 South Lake St., Boyne City The Boyne City Taproom, just steps from the town’s lovely marina, beckons on balmy days and evenings with its romantic and inviting red brick wall-lined patio, which is often enhanced by live music. The restaurant bills itself as an American Bistro, and the menu bears that out with a variety of shareables, classic salads, creative sandwiches and wraps, burgers and entrées (check out the Loaded Mac & Cheese). Although its 40 different beers and ciders on tap are a big draw, craft cocktails are also a specialty here. One such concoction is the Call Me a Cab (Gypsy vodka, lemonade and a house cab floater), a light, refreshing apéritif that would be the perfect prelude to a savory, herby plate of Ebel’s Half Smoked Chicken (with parmesan-rosemary fries). A children’s menu is also available.

Serving lunch and dinner 11am–9pm Tuesday–Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. (231) 459-4487, www.bctaproom.com

NOTE: Al fresco dining is, of course, weather dependent, so it’s wise to call ahead and/ or check websites/social media before you go to be sure that these outdoor spaces are open.

26 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

Mon March 16- $5 martinis, $5 domestic beer pitcher, $10 craft beer pitcher.

TUESDAY JULY 28TH Tues - 4-8pm: The Pocket 8-9:30: TC Comedy 9pm-1am: Kung Fu Rodeo Collective Wed - Get it in the can night - $1 domestic, $3 craft- w/DJ JR

Thurs -$2 off all drinks and $2 Labatt drafts w/DJ Ricky T

Sunday Aug 2nd karaoke Sat March 21 - The Isaac Ryder Band 10pm -2am Sunday March 22

Fri March 20 - Buckets of Beer starting at $8 (2-8pm) Happy Hour: The Chris Michels Band Then: The Isaac Ryder Band

Stafford’s Weathervane

106 Pine River Ln., Charlevoix Jeff ’s Deck, the Weathervane’s enviable outdoor dining venue, overlooks the beautiful Pine River Channel, making it the prime spot for viewing large and small boats as they slowly cruise by, coming and going under the town’s iconic drawbridge, which raises dramatically every half hour to let them through. Originally built as a grist mill, the structure was converted to a dining establishment in the mid 1950s. Designed by legendary Charlevoix architect Earl Young, in the style of his famous “mushroom houses,” the Weathervane has been a local landmark ever since. Its menu highlights American and Northern Michigan classics with a twist, including the a full or half-rack of signature BBQ Baby Back Ribs (with spicy cherry chipotle barbecue sauce, French fries and coleslaw). In the beverage department, the Weathervane bar provides a well-rounded medley of beer, wine and creative cocktails. Serving lunch daily 11am–4pm, and dinner 4pm–9pm. (231) 547-4311, www.staffordsweathervane.com

(No Covers)

KARAOKE ( 10pm-2am)

941-1930 downtown TC check us out at unionstreetstationtc.net

sally@keyhomestc.com

231-499-5075

Knot Just a Bar

5019 North West Bay Shore Dr., Omena Sit back, relax and forget your cares on Knot Just a Bar’s long, spacious deck as you gaze out at tranquil, picturesque Omena Bay. Order a Leelanau Lemonade or a Knot Punch and peruse the menu of starters, flatbreads, soups, sandwiches and “big plates.” Taking first place in the latter category — and in the hearts of regulars — is the (k)not to be missed Knot’s Famous Kone (beer-battered and fried pike-perch or shrimp with French fries, creamy coleslaw and tartar sauce). And save room for dessert, because the “monster” Share It Carrot Cake is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. And if you’re nearer to Bay Harbor than Omena? Knot Just a Bar at 820 Front Street there has virtually the same menu and an equally stunning view from its terrace on the yacht harbor. Currently serving lunch and dinner daily at both locations from noon to 8:30pm. Omena: (231) 386-7393, Bay Harbor: 439-2770, www.knotjustabar.com

Beards Brewery

215 East Lake St., Petoskey Whether you catch a dazzling sunset at night or watch the sun dance on the waters of Little Traverse Bay by day, the expansive deck at Beards Brewery is the place to be when the weather’s fine. And not just for the beer — while you’re there, don’t miss the delicious food that the owners (at least one of them sports a beard) have put together to accompany their wittily named brews, such as Oh! The Citraninity! (notes of citrus and grapefruit, balanced bitter finish) and Copperstar Galactica (hoppy but not bitter, aromas of fruit punch and pomegranate). Pizzas, though surrounded by an enticing array of other beer-friendly menu items, are a big deal at Beards. Go bold and try the Peppadew and Pepperoni version (also with red onion, marmalade, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, cheese blend and house marinara sauce on a garlic-parmesan crust). Serving lunch and dinner 11:30am to 10pm Wednesday– Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday. (231)753-2221, www.beardsbrewery.com

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 27

28 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

july 25

saturday

60TH ANNUAL LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY REGATTA: July 24-26. The Ugotta Regatta begins with “one-design” racing on Fri., followed by a “tour-of-the-bay” course on Sat., & windward-leeward racing on Sun. ltyc.org

---------------------FISHTOWN’S 5K GOES VIRTUAL: The 12th Annual Friends of Fishtown 5K, “Seiche Happens,” can be completed between July 18-31.

Walk, hike or run on your own time wherever you choose. $35. fishtownmi.org/events/fishtown-5k

---------------------GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg, July 1 - Aug. 9. traversecityhorseshows.com/greatlakes-equestrian-festival

---------------------MICHIGAN HARVEST VIRTUAL RUN SERIES: CHERRY RUN: Run a 5K any time between July 15-31. runsignup.com/Race/MichiganHarvestRun/Page-5

---------------------NUENERGY’S FIRST ANNUAL VIRTUAL 5K COLOR TOUR: Run any time between Aug. 29 - Sept. 8. Proceeds benefit the T.A.C.K.L.E. Fund of the Otsego Community Foundation.

“Together Against Cancer, Kept Local Everyday.” Must register by Aug. 22. $30 for 18 & over; $25 for under 18. give.otsegofoundation. org/event/6th-annual-color-tour/e267391

---------------------TO THE WATER CHALLENGE: A virtual fundraising event organized by Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA). Participants will engage with water, reflect on their experience, & share on social media. Runs July 24-31. schoolship. org/news-events/to-the-water-challenge

---------------------TOUR DE TART GOES VIRTUAL: Experience nearly 100 miles of trail by running, walking, biking, skating &/or roller skiing your way across the TART Trails bingo card. Complete your Bingo card between July 10-26; electronically or printed. Prizes will be randomly awarded to participants throughout the event. All participants who complete the registration form & submit their completed horizontal, vertical, or diagonal Bingo pattern will be eligible to choose a prize at an in-person prize pick up between July 24-26. $15 kids/$30 adults. traversetrails. org/event/tour-de-tart

---------------------VIRTUAL BEAR RIVER CRAWL: Run or walk a 5K or 10K anywhere, anytime between July 18 - Aug. 1. Benefits the Northern Michigan Cancer Crusaders. Register. $25. nmsmc.enmotive. com/events/register/2020-bear-river-crawl

---------------------DOWNTOWN FRANKFORT STREET SALE: 9am-4pm.

---------------------G.R.A. 5K: 9am, Hanson Hill Recreation Area, Grayling. runsignup.com/Race/MI/Grayling/ GRA10K

33RD ANNUAL WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR – NOW VIRTUAL: Participate any time now through Aug. 16. Help make transformational wishes come true for Michigan children battling critical illnesses. The largest fundraising event for Make-A-Wish Michigan. Register for the WAM 300 or WAM 50. 810-522-6510.

Cost: $95 to register, but WAM 300 riders must raise at least $1,200 to ride. WishAMile.org

july/aug

25-02

---------------------RED DIRT ROAD POPUP STORE IN CHARLEVOIX: 10am-8pm. Handmade ladies fashion accessories from Cambodia will be available at the Thistle store in Charlevoix from July 22-26. All proceeds will benefit the villagers in a remote village with no running water or electricity. 989-430-8628.

send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

---------------------TADL VIRTUAL SUMMER READING CLUB: Keep track of your daily reading minutes. Runs through July 27. Sign up online at tadl.org or via the TADL app. The Finale Party will be held on Mon., July 27 via Zoom or Facebook Live. tadl. org/summer-reading

---------------------6FT APART ART: POP-UP EXHIBITION + ARTIST DEMOS #1: 11am-3pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center parking lot. Watch studio artists demonstrate how they work & create. Participating artists: Kim Bazemore, Lindy Bishop & Angela Saxon. Blues guitarist Blair Miller will also perform. Free. glenarborart.org

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

EAST JORDAN GARDEN CLUB’S ANNUAL NON-STANDARD FLOWER SHOW: 12-4pm, outside, at the Friends of the Jordan River pavilion, East Jordan. This year’s theme is “Fun & Games.” Admission is free. 231-536-3282.

---------------------TC PIT SPITTERS VS. GREAT LAKES RESORTERS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters

---------------------SUMMER FUN FILMS: “JURASSIC PARK”: 7:30pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Must adhere to social distancing & wear masks. Limited to 50 people per showing. $3. thebaytheatre.com

---------------------GREAT LAKES MUSIC FESTIVAL: LAITH ALSAADI: 8pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Winning a spot in the Season 10 finale of NBC’s “The Voice,” Al-Saadi brings a mixture of funk & groove, electric blues & soul, & rock n’ roll. $35. greatlakescfa.org/event-detail/ great-lakes-music-festival-laith-al-saadi

---------------------MOVIES BY THE BRIDGE: 9:30pm, Michilimackinac State Park, Mackinaw City. Featuring “Wreck-It Ralph.” Free. mlive.com/ news/2020/06/watch-movies-in-a-historic-fortor-by-the-mackinac-bridge-this-summer.html

july 26

sunday

60TH ANNUAL LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY REGATTA: (See Sat., July 25)

------------FISHTOWN’S

5K

GOES

The USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author of the award-winning psychological suspense novel The Marsh King’s Daughter, Karen Dionne will present her latest book, The Wicked Sister, at Petoskey’s Crooked Tree Auditorium, Sat., Aug. 1 at 6pm. Tickets are $5 and will be redeemable for $5 off any purchase at the event. mcleanandeakin.com VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------RED DIRT ROAD POPUP STORE IN CHARLEVOIX: 11am-5pm. Handmade ladies fashion accessories from Cambodia will be available at the Thistle store in Charlevoix from July 22-26.

All proceeds will benefit the villagers in a remote village with no running water or electricity.

989-430-8628.

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

here to social distancing & wear masks. Limited to 50 people per showing. $3. thebaytheatre.com

---------------------MICHIGAN HARVEST VIRTUAL RUN SERIES: CHERRY RUN: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------NUENERGY’S FIRST ANNUAL VIRTUAL 5K COLOR TOUR: (See Sat., July 25)

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

GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: (See Sat., July 25)

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. GREAT LAKES RESORTERS: 5:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters

SUMMER FUN FILMS: “JURASSIC PARK”: 4:30pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Must ad-

TO THE WATER CHALLENGE: (See Sat., July 25)

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

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

YOUR LOCAL DELTA PPO & BCBS DENTAL PROVIDERS

THREE LOCATIONS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE

638 WILLOW DR., BELLAIRE, MI 49615 | 231-533-5001 • WWW.BELLAIREDENTALHEALTHCAREMI.COM 4480 MT. HOPE RD., SUITE A, WILLIAMSBURG, MI 49690 | 231-486-6878 • WWW.ACMEDENTALHEALTH.COM 2120 M-137, INTERLOCHEN, MI 49643 | 231-276-9051

DR. DENNIS SPILLANE DR. SHAWN SPILLANE DR. THOMAS VARGA DR. LARRY WARECK

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 29

TOUR DE TART GOES VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------VIRTUAL BEAR RIVER CRAWL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------VIRTUAL TRAVERSE CITY TRIATHLON 2020: traversecitytriathlon.com

---------------------33RD ANNUAL WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR - NOW VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------TADL VIRTUAL SUMMER READING CLUB: (See Sat., July 25)

july 27

monday

CREATIVITY BOOT CAMP W/ MARGE LONG: 1pm. A free online workshop presented by Gaylord Area Council for the Arts. Open up your creative talents through some simple techniques. Posted on GACA’s Facebook page or web site. Call or email for a list of materials needed for each workshop. gacaevents.weebly.com/events--exhibits.html

---------------------FISHTOWN’S 5K GOES VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------MEET SCOTT SIEFFERT, CANDIDATE FOR GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY SHERIFF: 4-7pm, Judson’s Market & Restaurant, Kingsley. A meet & greet.

---------------------MICHIGAN HARVEST VIRTUAL RUN SERIES: CHERRY RUN: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------NUENERGY’S FIRST ANNUAL VIRTUAL 5K COLOR TOUR: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------VIRTUAL CANDIDATE FORUM: 6-7pm. Hosted by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council & Michigan Environmental Council. Residents near the Straits of Mackinac, Soo Locks or the Harbor Springs & Petoskey area will have the chance to ask Michigan House of Representatives candidates for the 107th district their stances on environmental & conservation issues. Register.

Free. environmentalcouncil.org/events_107

BENZIE BEE GUILD WORK BEE: 2-3:30pm, Grow Benzie, Benzonia. This working bee at the hives located at Grow Benzie is held every other Tues. Find on Facebook.

VIRTUAL BEAR RIVER CRAWL: (See Sat., July 25)

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

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

MICHIGAN HARVEST VIRTUAL RUN SERIES: CHERRY RUN: (See Sat., July 25)

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

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

------------------------------------------NUENERGY’S FIRST ANNUAL VIRTUAL 5K COLOR TOUR: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------GREAT ART ON SCREEN FEATURES “DINOSAURS”: 2pm, Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee. A documentary event film. $15. ramsdelltheatre.org

---------------------TO THE WATER CHALLENGE: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------GREAT LAKES RESORTERS VS. TC PIT SPITTERS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters

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

---------------------TADL VIRTUAL SUMMER READING CLUB: (See Sat., July 25)

july 28

tuesday

TALKS, TUNES & TOURS: MIDWEEK MORNINGS IN MANISTEE: 10am, Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee. William Hattendorf presents “Democracy: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Free. ramsdelltheatre.org

---------------------“FRANKLY SINATRA”: 7pm, Old Town Playhouse, Theatre Under the Tent, parking lot, TC. Two consummate musicians join forces to bring alive the music & legend of Frank Sinatra; keyboardist David Chown & vocalist Doc Probes.

Masks & social distancing observed. $20 plus fees; $25 evening of. oldtownplayhouse.com

---------------------FISHTOWN’S 5K GOES VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: (See Sat., July 25)

OUTDOOR GALLERY DEDICATION: 5:30-8pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center. The inaugural exhibition features work by Empire painter Mark Mehaffey. Five of Mark’s acrylic paintings were reproduced on 5 ft. x 5 ft. aluminum panels & installed on the GAAC’s west & south exterior walls.

Mehaffey will create an original painting of the natural area surrounding the GAAC. Free. glenarborart.org/events/outdoor-gallery

TVEDTEN FINE ART’S SUMMER OPENINGS: 5-7pm, Tvedten Fine Art, Harbor Springs. Featuring art by Sarah Sedwick. tvedtenfineart.com

---------------------EAST JORDAN MUSIC IN THE PARK: 7pm, East Jordan Memorial Park Band Shell. Enjoy blues with the Jelly Roll Blues Band.

---------------------VIRTUAL BEAR RIVER CRAWL: (See Sat., July 25)

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

GREAT LAKES MUSIC FESTIVAL: JOE HERTLER & THE RAINBOW SEEKERS: SOLD OUT: 8pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Funk & groove, electric blues & soul, & rock ‘n roll. $25. greatlakescfa.org/ event-detail/great-lakes-music-festival-joehertler-the-rainbow-seekers

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

33RD ANNUAL WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR - NOW VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------33RD ANNUAL WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR - NOW VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

july 29

wednesday

CHARLOTTE ROSS LEE CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Noon, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey. Featuring Pete Jackson Country. Free.

FISHTOWN’S 5K GOES VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25) GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------CONCERTS ON THE LAWN GOES RADIORETRO FEATURING GRAND TRAVERSE PIPES & DRUMS: 7pm. Bringing you recorded concerts from the Grand Lawn to your own lawn, couch or kitchen table through the radio airwaves on WCCW 107.5 FM. Pass the virtual bucket for any free-will donations by visiting the website during the concert at www.gtpavilions.org/donate.

---------------------MICHIGAN HARVEST VIRTUAL RUN SERIES: CHERRY RUN: (See Sat., July 25)

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

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

GREAT LAKES RESORTERS VS. TC PIT SPITTERS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters

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

NUENERGY’S FIRST ANNUAL VIRTUAL 5K COLOR TOUR: (See Sat., July 25)

FISHTOWN’S 5K GOES VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------33RD ANNUAL WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR - NOW VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

thursday

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

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

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

GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: (See Sat., July 25)

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

july 30

TO THE WATER CHALLENGE: (See Sat., July 25)

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. GREAT LAKES RESORTERS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters

---------------------VIRTUAL BEAR RIVER CRAWL: (See Sat., July 25)

33RD ANNUAL WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR - NOW VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

CHARLOTTE ROSS LEE CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Noon, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey. Featuring Katherine Ryan.

VIRTUAL BEAR RIVER CRAWL: (See Sat., July 25)

ENVIRONMENTAL & CONSERVATION CANDIDATE FORUM: 4pm. Presented by Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation & Michigan Environmental Council for the 104th House district. Held on Zoom. Register: environmentalcouncil.org/events_104. All three candidates from the district have been invited. Free.

TO THE WATER CHALLENGE: (See Sat., July 25)

GREAT LAKES RESORTERS VS. TC PIT SPITTERS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters

NUENERGY’S FIRST ANNUAL VIRTUAL 5K COLOR TOUR: (See Sat., July 25)

------------------------------------------AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL ZADOORIAN: 6pm. An online conversation with critically-acclaimed, Michigan Notable Book author Michael Zadoorian. Michael is the author of “Beautiful Music,” as well as “The Leisure Seeker”—the basis for the 2018 Sony Pictures Classics film starring Helen Mirren & Donald Sutherland.

Michael will discuss his latest book, “The Narcissism of Small Differences.” Co-hosted by Leelanau County libraries. Email programs@ lelandtownshiplibrary.org to receive the Zoom meeting details. Free. lelandlibrary.org

---------------------MICHIGAN HARVEST VIRTUAL RUN SERIES: CHERRY RUN: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------NUENERGY’S FIRST ANNUAL VIRTUAL 5K COLOR TOUR: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------DOING GOOD FROM A DISTANCE - JAZZ, JOKES, & JESUS: 7pm. Featuring The Backroom Gang recordings. Live-streamed. Free will offering recipients: Food Rescue, Salvation Army, Love Thy Neighbor, & Good Will Street Outreach. youtube.com/presbyterianchurchoftraversecity

---------------------TO THE WATER CHALLENGE: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------JAZZ AT THE LIBRARY: 7pm, Charlevoix Public Library, Children’s Garden. Featuring Mike & Michelle Davis. Bring your own lawn chair. Free. charlevoixlibrary.org

30 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

------------------------------------------SUMMER FUN FILMS: “FIELD OF DREAMS”: 7:30pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Must adhere to social distancing & wear masks. Limited to 50 people per showing. $3. thebaytheatre.com

---------------------THE SERIES @ LAVENDER HILL FARM, BOYNE CITY: 7:30pm. Featuring Horton Creek Bluegrass. Bring your own lawn chair. $30; $10. lavenderhillfarm.com/the-series

aug 01

saturday

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

ARTISTS INVITATIONAL & VIRTUAL AUCTION: Aug. 1-8. Fifty-five artists make art on Aug. 1-2. You window shop online Aug. 6-7. Then buy online Aug. 8, 5-9pm. This is a fundraiser for GAAC. glenarborart.org

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

GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------TO THE WATER CHALLENGE: (See Sat., July 25) VIRTUAL BEAR RIVER CRAWL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------33RD ANNUAL WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR - NOW VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

july 31

friday

YOGA AT LABC: 11am-noon, Lake Ann Brewing Co. Bring a yoga mat & water. $5. lakeannbrewing.com/events.html

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

GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------“LOVE LETTERS”: 7pm, Old Town Playhouse, Theatre Under the Tent, parking lot, TC. Each performance will feature a different couple who has often performed at the Playhouse. Masks & social distancing observed. $20 plus fees; $25 evening of. tickets.oldtownplayhouse.com/TheatreManager/1/online

---------------------MICHIGAN HARVEST VIRTUAL RUN SERIES: CHERRY RUN: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------GOING TO THE WATER VIDEO SERIES: Noon. Local celebrities share their love for water & how they care for it. Videos will be released each Fri. from July 10-31 on the Inland Seas Education Association YouTube channel & shared on the ISEA Facebook page, Instagram account & website. July 31 features Sarah Payette, Project Based Learning coordinator & assistant head of school, The Greenspire School, & Peter Payette, executive director, Interlochen Public Radio.

------------------------------------------PETOSKEY ANTIQUES SHOW: 9am-5pm, Emmet County Community Center, Petoskey. Featuring nearly 170 dealers from around the country. $5 (good for both days). petoskeyantiques.com

---------------------MICHIGAN HARVEST VIRTUAL RUN SERIES: CHERRY RUN: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------PORTSIDE ARTS FAIR: 10am-5pm, Elm Pointe Park, East Jordan. portsideartsfair.org

---------------------NUENERGY’S FIRST ANNUAL VIRTUAL 5K COLOR TOUR: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------VIRTUAL PLEIN AIR PAINT OUT AUCTION: 10am. glenarborart.org/events/2020-plein-airweekend-saturday-paint-out

---------------------ETIENNE CHARLES & CREOLE SOUL: 5pm & 8:30pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. This young jazz artist in his 20’s is a trumpeter/bandleader who has already recorded three albums for his own Culture Shock Music imprint. $40. greatlakescfa.org/event-detail/ etienne-charles-creole-soul

---------------------VIRTUAL BEAR RIVER CRAWL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------AUTHOR EVENT WITH KAREN DIONNE: 6pm, Crooked Tree Auditorium, Petoskey.

Karen will present her latest book, “The Wicked Sister.” Tickets are required for admission to this event. $5 per person. mcleanandeakin. com/event/karen-dionne-0

---------------------33RD ANNUAL WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR - NOW VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. GREAT LAKES RESORTERS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters

---------------------SUMMER FUN FILMS: “FIELD OF DREAMS”: 7:30pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Must adhere to social distancing & wear masks. Limited to 50 people per showing. $3. thebaytheatre.com

---------------------THE SERIES @ LAVENDER HILL FARM, BOYNE CITY: 7:30pm. This award-winning husband & wife duo made up of Chris Wagoner & Mary Gaines play an eclectic mix of Americana. $30; $10. lavenderhillfarm.com

---------------------MOVIES BY THE BRIDGE: 9:30pm, Michilimackinac State Park, Mackinaw City. Held at dusk. Featuring “Space Jam.” Free. mlive.com/ news/2020/06/watch-movies-in-a-historic-fortor-by-the-mackinac-bridge-this-summer.html

aug 02

sunday

PETOSKEY ANTIQUES SHOW: 10am-4pm, Emmet County Community Center, Petoskey. Featuring nearly 170 dealers from around the country. $5 (good for both days). petoskeyantiques.com

---------------------ARTISTS INVITATIONAL & VIRTUAL AUCTION: (See Sat., Aug. 1)

---------------------PORTSIDE ARTS FAIR: 10am-4pm, Elm Pointe Park, East Jordan. portsideartsfair.org

---------------------GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------SUMMER FUN FILMS: “FIELD OF DREAMS”: 4:30pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Must adhere to social distancing & wear masks. Limited to 50 people per showing. $3. thebaytheatre.com

---------------------MICHIGAN HARVEST VIRTUAL RUN SERIES: CHERRY RUN: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------NUENERGY’S FIRST ANNUAL VIRTUAL 5K COLOR TOUR: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------33RD ANNUAL WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR - NOW VIRTUAL: (See Sat., July 25)

---------------------THE SERIES @ LAVENDER HILL FARM, BOYNE CITY: (See Sat., Aug. 1)

ongoing

MOVIE NIGHTS: Mondays, 8-10pm, Lavender Hill Farm, Boyne City.

---------------------6TH ANNUAL HAIKU CONTEST: Send in your original haiki by Aug. 15. You can enter as many as you’d like. Email submissions to: landmark-

bookstc@gmail.com or drop off at Landmark Books in The Village at GT Commons, TC.

---------------------OUTDOOR MOVIE: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Bring a chair or blanket to watch a movie under the stars. Movies range from G to PG 13.

Held at the Mountain Adventure Zone on Wednesday & Saturday nights at dusk, July 8 - Sept. 5. crystalmountain.com/activities/outdoor-movie

NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

---------------------STREET MUSIQUE: Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm.

Each Thurs. will have a theme with music & musician types that fit the themes. Social distancing will be kept in place. Presented by the Harbor Springs Chamber Foundation & Blissfest Music Organization. Held on the streets of downtown Harbor Springs.

CSA VEGGIE BOXES: FLEXIBLE + YOU MAY ADD-ON GRASSFED BEEF, LAMB & PORK

---------------------STORY HOUR WITH MISS DIANE: Wednesdays, 11am-noon, Bellaire Public Library. For ages 0-5. Includes a story, snack & craft. bellairelibrary.org

---------------------2020 WATERSHED CHALLENGE: Celebrate the clean, healthy water our region boasts by participating in the 2020 Watershed Challenge: Grand Traverse Bay Your Way. This virtual challenge encourages people to get outside & bike, swim, run, paddle, or hike.

Participants are challenged to collectively exceed the goal of 2,020 miles completed. Runs from July 25 - August 22. https://runsignup. com/2020watershedchallenge

MANISTEE AND TRAVERSE CITY LOCATIONS 231.946.8822 Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures

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

Sports Injuries Ankle Replacements

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

Dr Jeffrey S Weber, DPM, Fellowshipped Trained Surgeon Dr Randy G Hartman, DPM, Board Certified

WINE, WATER & WHEELS!: The Inn at Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay. This Black Star Farms Outdoor Adventure Package will provide a day of biking & sightseeing through Leelanau County, & one’s choice of paddle activity on Suttons Bay. Visit Black Star Farms online for details. blackstarfarms.com/package-specials OUTSIDE ISN’T CANCELLED! GRAND TRAVERSE KIDS’ BIKE LIBRARY: To keep elementary-aged students pedaling by making sure they always have a bike that fits, no matter their family’s resources. See what’s available online, schedule an appointment to pick up your bike from the Wheelhouse, & then ride it until it doesn’t fit anymore. Free. elgruponorte.org

www.birchtreefootandankle.com

YOU ARE INVITED! Join to get your local deliveries of deliciousness. Pick-ups in many northern MI towns.

Recipes & storage tips in every box so nothing goes to waste. Weekly & semi-weekly options.

ASPARAGUS & STRAWBERRIES IN EARLY SUMMER CSA BOXES You may choose your weeks, switch some veggies for others, and put your share on hold if you leave town.

CSA members get first-dibs on our produce, future seasons and events. We are a year-round CSA farm.

PROVIDENCEORGANICFARM .COM

---------------------BIKE NIGHT & CAR CRUISE-IN: Tuesdays, 6pm through Sept. 1 at Boyne Mountain Resort, Clock Tower Lodge circle drive, Boyne Falls. Bring your roadster, hog or coupe. Live music, weekly raffle to benefit local charities & more. Find on Facebook.

---------------------CHAIRLIFT RIDES: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Ride the Crystal Clipper chairlift & enjoy panoramic views of three counties & top-of-themountain attractions including live musical entertainment, snack bar, cash bar & more. Available Wednesday & Saturday evenings through Sept.

5. $9/person; free for 8 & under with paying adult. crystalmountain.com/event/chairlift-rides

---------------------FREE FOOD BAGS: The Depot, East Jordan.

Pick up on Mondays from 12-1pm.

57TH PORTSIDE ART FAIR

Saturday, Aug 1 and Sunday, Aug 2 beginning at 10am

A juried art fair on the shores of Lake Charlevoix in a setting that celebrates the inspiration of nature 1.5 miles N. of East Jordan at 1787 M-66 Hwy - www.portsideartsfair.org

* apparel * footwear * accessories Find us on Facebook & Instagram 222 St. Joseph Ave • Suttons Bay 231-271-5462 • Open 7 days thelimabean.net

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 31

Mix and match

Create your own

Ellie Harold Presents ‘Birds Fly In’ August 7 - September 11, 2020 South Side of 2nd St. | Frankfort, MI | www.oliverart.org

Visit us at: Kornergem.com Traverse City 231.929.9175 Frankfort 231.357.4375

32 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

OFFERING THE LARGEST KEEN SELECTION IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN! 144 E FRONT STREET

MO-TH 10-6

TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49684

FR-SA 10-8

plamondons.com

SU 1-5

You deserve to be listened to.

You deserve to have your calls answered.

You deserve to have a partner in this process who is responsive, professional and your trusted advocate.

JENNIFER’S FEATURED LISTINGS INCREDIBLE WEST BAY VIEWS $950,000 | MLS #1870571

PRIVATE LONG LAKE WATERFRONT $850,000 | MLS #1876542

Be the priority.

T

RAC

ONT ER C

UND REALTOR

IN-TOWN CONDO

$429,000 | MLS #1873559

WOODLAND DRIVE

$295,000 | MLS #1875303

BASS LAKE

$278,000 | MLS #1875861

ACT

NTR

CO DER

UN

JENNIFER GASTON

jennifer@jennifergaston.com 231.313.0591

ROSE COURT

$215,000 | MLS #1876153

ACT

NTR

CO DER

UN

HURON HILLS DRIVE

$439,000 | MLS #1876392

IN-TOWN TRIPLEX

$375,000 | MLS #1877331

jennifer@jennifergaston.com • 231.313.0591

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 33

nitelife

july 25 - aug 02 edited by jamie kauffold

Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

ACOUSTIC TAP ROOM, TC 7/25 -- Sean Miller, 8-10 7/27 -- Poets Meet Musicians, 7-9 7/28 -- Open Mic Night, 7 7/31 -- The Menchacas, 8 8/1 -- Rob Coonrod, 8 BRENGMAN BROTHERS WINERY, TC 7/25 -- The Duges, 4-6

CHATEAU CHANTAL, TC 7/30 -- Unplugged on the Terrace w/ Samantha Gutowski, 5-7; Jazz at Sunset w/ Jeff Haas Trio & Laurie Sears, 7-9:30

THE PARLOR, TC ON THE PATIO: 7/25 -- Jimmy Olson, 6-9 7/29 -- Wink Solo, 6-9 7/30 -- Chris Smith, 6-9

FANTASY'S, TC Mon. - Sat. -- Adult entertainment w/ DJ, 7-close

UNION STREET STATION, TC 7/26,8/2 -- Karaoke, 10 7/28 -- TC Comedy Collective, 8-9:30

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, TC 7/25 – Shady Hill, 8-11 7/27 -- Eric Clemons, 7:30-10:30 7/30 -- Clint Weaner, 7:30-10:30

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 7/25 -- Outdoor Music Series w/ Blair Miller, 8-11 8/1 -- Outdoor Music Series w/ Chris Michels Band, 8-11 HELLO VINO, BELLAIRE 7/27 -- Monday Night Live w/ Jes-

sica Dominic, 5-8 7/28 -- Doc Woodward, 6-8 7/29 -- Rick Woods, 5-8 7/31 -- Cocktails & Karaoke, 7-10

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, CENTRAL LAKE 7/29 -- Clint Weaner, 7-10 7/30 -- Jessica Dominic, 7-10

LAVENDER HILL FARM, BOYNE CITY 7/31 -- Horton Creek Bluegrass, 7:30 8/1-2 -- Gaines & Wagoner, 7:30

STIGGS BREWERY & KITCHEN, BOYNE CITY 7/25,8/1 -- Under the Moon, 7-10 7/31 -- Chris Koury, 7-10

34 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY ON THE PATIO: 7/25 -- Chris Calleja, 2-6 7/30 -- Michelle Chenard, 2-6

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY 7/31 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

Leelanau & Benzie 45 NORTH VINEYARD & WINERY, LAKE LEELANAU 7/30 -- Summer Music Series: Larry Perkins, 3-6 BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS TASTING ROOM ON THE NARROWS, LAKE LEELANAU 7/26 -- Larry Perkins, 4:30-7 7/29 -- Jim Hawley, 5:30-8 8/2 -- Bryan Poirier, 4:30-7 CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY Wed,Thu -- Evenings in the Pergola w/ Live Music, 5:30-8

Antrim & Charlevoix CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS 7/31 -- Reese Keelor, 5-8

Emmet & Cheboygan

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE

LEVEL FOUR ROOFTOP BAR, 7-9: 7/26 -- Chris Smith 7/30 -- Mike Youker 7/31 -- John Pomeroy 8/1-2 -- Christopher Winkelmann

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 7/25 -- The Ted & Ron Show, 2:305:30; Maggie McCabe, 6-9 7/29 -- Bill Frary, 6-9 7/31 -- Ted Alan, 6-9

DICK’S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. — Karaoke, 10-2 LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 7/25 -- The Whiskey Charmers, 7-10 7/28 -- New Third Coast, 6:30-9:30 7/31 -- Jazz North, 7-10

STORMCLOUD BREWING CO. & PARKVIEW TAPROOM, FRANKFORT 7/25 -- Serita's Black Rose, 7-9 8/1 -- Blake Elliott, 7-9

SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY PATIO: 7/31 -- Levi Britton, 4-7 8/1 -- Randy Reszka, 4-7

THE HOMESTEAD RESORT, GLEN ARBOR WHISKERS, 7-10: 7/25 -- Rhett & John 7/31 -- Chris Sterr 8/1 -- Craig Jolly

Otsego, Crawford & Central BENNETHUM'S NORTHERN INN, GAYLORD 7/28 -- Pete Kehoe, 6-9

the ADViCE GOddESS Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hide

Q

: I’m a 30-year-old gay man with a new boyfriend. He is a total social butterfly: the kind of person who shows up to a bar on a random Friday night and just happens to know 10 people there. I, on the other hand, don’t love being super social.

It’s not that I’m shy. I just find socializing exhausting. I really like him, and we mostly hang out one-on-one. However, the times we are with a lot of other people, even when they’re a bunch of his friends, I feel a little overwhelmed. I’m worried he’ll find me boring because of this, and I’d rather know sooner than later if my being a wallflower will be the death of the relationship.

— Introvert

A

: There are great parties and introverts’ version of great parties: the ones they arrive at on the wrong day and find a locked, dark house.

What is introversion? Good question, and, annoyingly, one that researchers have yet to agree upon an answer to. So, best I can generalize from quarrying through the research: Introversion is most correctly summed up as the other end of the spectrum from extroversion, with extroversion as “outgoingness” and introversion as “ingoingness.” In the middle are “ambiverts,” those who, depending on their mood and the situation, are sometimes a social butterfly and sometimes a social bug in amber.

An extrovert thrives on human contact and is motivated to pursue “novelty” (experiences they’ve yet to have) and excitement. An introvert, on the other hand, is more focused on (and comfortable in) the world in their thoughts than they are in the world of people, loud noises, and buzzing activity.

Introversion gets confused with shyness. But shyness is a psychological problem to overcome — a fear- and shame-driven reluctance to engage with others — whereas introversion is merely a preference for quieter, less populous environments. In other words, introverts aren’t dysfunctional. They’re differently functional.

Extroverts and introverts’ differing social preferences (essentially, “I love a parade!” versus “I love a cave”) seem to result from differences in the ways their brains process “stimulus” and “reward.”

In psychology, a stimulus is something that happens in the environment around a person (like a horn honking or a spider legging it across their pillow) that’s registered by their senses and then their brain, motivating a response.

BY Amy Alkon Cognitive scientist Debra L. Johnson used brain imaging to explore differences in stimulus processing in introverts and extroverts. In introverts, sensory input – input from their senses — led to increased blood flow in the brain (playing out as their being socked with increased stimulation).

In extroverts, the same sensory input led to less overall blood flow, which plays out as less sensitivity to external stimulation, likely leading to a need for more of it.

Input from the senses also takes off down different paths in the brains of introverts and extroverts, “thinky” (in introverts) versus “feely” (in extroverts). For example, in introverts, it led to activity in frontal lobe “higher reasoning” areas used for problemsolving, remembering, and making plans. In extroverts, rear areas of the brain that process sensory experience (like seeing, watching, and touching) were activated, making an extrovert’s brain optimal for managing environmental stimuli (like from a big raging party) that can lead to sensory overload in an introvert.

WE'LL SEE YOU SOON donations memberships gift cards

Extroverts also get encouragement to be social (in neurochemical form) from increased activity in their brain’s “reward network,” according to research by psychologist Richard Depue, among others.

The neurochemical more active in extroverts’ brains is dopamine, which motivates seeking and wanting. It energizes them to pursue social connection, and there’s a memory component, too, like pop-up ads on a browser, reminding them of all the previous awesomeness they experienced while being swarmed by people. (Introvert: I’d rather be swarmed by angry bees.)

Relationships can work between an introvert and extrovert — like my boyfriend and me. I’m the extrovert. If you’re human and not dead, I want to talk to you. My introvert boyfriend, on the other hand, says things like, “I enjoy interesting conversation, even if it involves talking to people.” I take him to parties when necessary, but I will often leave him home, which leaves him overjoyed.

Explain the science to your boyfriend, along with your fears that he’ll come to long for the sort of partner who swings from the chandelier while throwing back martinis and exchanging witty banter with those below.

Sure, he might realize he needs a partner who is his social doppelganger, but he also might tell you he finds your introspectiveness refreshing and even quietly sexy. If so, you could make your relationship work by being mindful of each other’s differing needs and figuring out ways for each of you to get yours met with a minimum of hellish discomfort for the other — or, as you might put it, “Till party do us death.”

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 35

Mike Cummings

Broker Owner/Realtor ®

TCarea.com

SRS - Sellers Representative Specialist SFR - Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource Certified US Army Veteran, Licensed Builder, Webmaster, RSPS Serving 7+ Northern Michigan Counties since 2002

Mike@TCarea.com

Anytime (231)

570-1111

Helping You with YOUR Summertime Real Estate Plans

Planning a move? Thinking about investing? Have a desire to establish your family dynasty with an acreage purchase?

Want to take advantage of market conditions & need an expert to help?

Estate or divorce situation?

Have questions about financing & where to start?

Just need some friendly advice & guidance?

Call or email us anytime!

Deanne Savinsky

Realtor ® Social Director, Artist

Dee@TCarea.com (231)

Acreage Properties

570-0050

10 Acres to 100 Acres!

We have many properties listed within 4 counties — starting at $1,800 an acre. We are Vacant Land Experts.

Manistee River

Log & Wood Cottage/ home on over 1 acre with prime frontage.

Just outside Fife Lake.

Large attached garage $169,900

TCarea.com

Stately Victorian

4 Bd/1.5 Bath With 2 Garages on 1/2 acre in town Mancelona Fenced yard & qualifies for ALL financing

$129,500

, LLC

™

620 Second St, Suite B, Traverse City, MI 49684

Diligent - Honest - Informed - Full-time - Powerful Marketing

RETIREMENT IS ALL ABOUT INCOME

For high income and tax benefits, purchase a rail road tank car.

Your car will be leased to a food company IN BUSINESS FOR 74 YEARS! Tank cars cost $12,000 and PAY $2,840 per year

Marlin Schmidt - marlin.schmidt@att.net 800-842-5317 OR 574-217-0878 36 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

“Jonesin” Crosswords "R-ationing" --it's three for the price of one. by Matt Jones

ACROSS 1 “RuPaul’s ___ Race” 5 Twitch streamer, often 10 Ride around town 13 Drink brand with a lizard logo 14 San Antonio mission, with “the” 15 Rescue team, briefly 17 Pictures of surrealist Joan’s work?

19 Fortnite company 20 One way to sit by 21 “And here’s to you, ___ Robinson ...”

22 Arrange alphabetically 23 Mountaineer’s vocalization 25 Manzarek of The Doors 26 Stereotypical person who might demand to speak to the manager of this puzzle 27 End of Wikipedia’s URL 28 Sound from a meadow 30 “Hansel and Gretel” setting 31 Villain who only wears his purple suspenders and “W” hat two days at a time?

35 California city near Stockton 36 Muralist Rivera 37 “Won’t do it” 41 Comedy duo of scientist Marie and singer Burl?

44 It may be served in a spear 47 Bonding words 48 Sixth sense, supposedly 49 Got up 50 Baha ___ (“Who Let the Dogs Out” group) 52 Element #5 54 Cruise destination 55 Die maximum, usually 56 Rapidly disappearing storage medium 57 Actress Kendrick of the Quibi series “Dummy” 58 Program again onto an antiquated computer storage format?

62 Bank’s property claim 63 Last letter in the Greek alphabet 64 Rival of Visa or MC 65 Dishonorable guy 66 Intro show 67 Budget allocation

DOWN 1 Psychiatric reference book, for short 2 French monarch 3 Like smaller dictionaries 4 Crystal-filled cavity 5 No longer fresh, as venison 6 Pie ___ mode 7 Igneous rock, once 8 Abrasive manicure substance 9 Monica’s brother on “Friends” 10 Chef Boyardee product that had to be renamed for a “Seinfeld” episode 11 Ballpark figure?

12 “Whose Line ...” comic Ryan 16 What some dryer sheets have 18 “Well ___!” (“Fancy that!”)

23 Feline wail 24 Cookie that released an egg-shaped version for Easter 2019 25 Projections from a hub 26 Backyard pond fish 29 Tennis’s Agassi 30 Palm leaf 32 It does a hold-up job in the parking lot 33 Teensy 34 “Teletubbies” shout 38 Defeat 39 Chilean cash 40 “Pardon the Interruption” network 42 Glob or nod ending 43 “The Many Loves of ___ Gillis” 44 Vatican-related 45 Like some twists of fate 46 Pupil protector 50 Home of the Dolphins 51 Throw out 53 NATO alphabet vowel 55 Octagonal road sign 56 “Aw, fiddlesticks!”

59 Cause of conflict, maybe 60 Hang-out room 61 Abbr. after a telephone number

lOGY

NEW LISTING! Unique Northern Michigan lakefront home.

JULY 27 - AUG 02

BY ROB BREZSNY

NEW LISTING!

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Notice what no one else notices and

you’ll know what no one else knows,” says actor Tim Robbins.

That’s perfect counsel for you right now, Leo. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, your perceptiveness will be at a peak in the coming weeks. You’ll have an ability to discern halfhidden truths that are invisible to everyone else. You’ll be aggressive in scoping out what most people don’t even want to become aware of. Take advantage of your temporary superpower! Use it to get a lucid grasp of the big picture—and cultivate a more intelligent approach than those who are focused on the small picture and the comfortable delusions.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Your

meditation for the coming weeks comes to you courtesy of author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau. “We can never have enough of nature,” he wrote. “We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor, vast and titanic features, the sea-coast with its wrecks, the wilderness with its living and its decaying trees, the thunder cloud, and the rain which lasts three weeks and produces freshets. We need to witness our own limits transgressed, and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.” Oh, how I hope you will heed Thoreau’s counsel, Sagittarius. You would really benefit from an extended healing session amidst natural wonders. Give yourself the deep pleasure of exploring what wildness means to you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Author

and activist bell hooks (who doesn’t capitalize her name) has taught classes at numerous American universities. She sometimes writes about her experiences there, as in the following passage. “My students tell me, ‘we don’t want to love! We’re tired of being loving!’ And I say to them, if you’re tired of being loving, then you haven’t really been loving, because when you are loving you have more strength.” I wanted you to know her thoughts, Capricorn, because I think you’re in a favorable position to demonstrate how correct she is: to dramatically boost your own strength through the invigorating power of your love.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian author Langston Hughes (1902–1967) was a pioneering and prolific African American author and activist who wrote in four different genres and was influential in boosting other Black writers. One of his big breaks as a young man came when he was working as a waiter at a banquet featuring the famous poet Vachel Lindsay. Hughes managed to leave three of his poems on Lindsay’s table. The great poet loved them and later lent his clout to boosting Hughes’ career. I suspect you might have an opening like that sometime soon, Aquarius—even if it won’t be quite as literal and hands-on. Be ready to take advantage. Cultivate every connection that may become available.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Author Faith Baldwin has renounced the “forgive and forget” policy. She writes, “I think one should forgive and remember. If you forgive and forget, you’re just driving what you remember into the subconscious; it stays there and festers. But to look upon what you remember and know you’ve forgiven is achievement.” That’s the approach I recommend for you right now, Pisces. Get the relief you need, yes: Forgive those who have trespassed against you. But also: Hold fast to the lessons you learned through those people so you won’t repeat them again later.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries poet Lawrence

Ferlinghetti is renowned for his buoyancy. In one of his famous lines, he wrote, “I am awaiting, perpetually and forever, a renaissance of wonder.”

Here’s what I have to say in response to that thought: Your assignment, as an Aries, is NOT to sit there and wait, perpetually and forever, for a renaissance of wonder. Rather, it’s your job to embody and actualize and express, perpetually and forever, a renaissance of wonder. The coming weeks will be an especially favorable time for you to rise to new heights in fulfilling this aspect of your life-long assignment.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I live in Northern

California on land that once belonged to the indigenous Coast Miwok people. They were animists who believed that soul and sentience animate all animals and plants as well as rocks, rivers, mountains—everything, really. Their

food came from hunting and gathering, and they lived in small bands without centralized political authority. According to one of their creation stories, Coyote and Silver Fox made the world by singing and dancing it into existence. Now I invite you to do what I just illustrated: Find out about and celebrate the history of the people and the place where you live. From an astrological perspective, it’s a favorable time to get in touch with roots and foundations.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “When I look

down, I miss all the good stuff, and when I look up, I just trip over things,” says singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco. I wonder if she has tried an alternate approach: looking straight ahead. That’s what I advise for you in the coming weeks, Gemini. In other words, adopt a perspective that will enable you to detect regular glimpses of what’s above you and what’s below you—as well as what’s in front of you. In fact, I suggest you avoid all extremes that might distract you from the big picture. The truth will be most available to you if you occupy the middle ground.

120 feet of private frontage on all sports Spider Lake. Largest part of Spider Lake, sunshine on Woodsy setting beautifulbottom. view of Duck Lakecon& the westthe beach all with day,a sandy Quality erly sunsets. Shared Duck Lake frontage within a very short struction, perfectly maintained. Open floor plan w/ soaring vaulted pine ceiling w/ a wall of winwalking distance at the end of the road. Large wrap-around dows looking out the to the lake.

Floor-to-ceiling, natural Michigan wood burning CHERRY KNOLL Oneyard of athat kindbacks property 113 acres w/ a stone, large main home, rentalfireplace home, multi-level decks inFARMS! spacious up toona creek. w/ Heatilator vents.

Built in bookcases in separate area of living room for cozy reading center. workshop, finished garage w/ bathroom, pole building & barn.

Massive kitchen w/ painted wainscotOpen floor plan. Master with cozy reading area, 2 closets, slider Finished family room w/ woodstove.

Detached garage has complete studio, kitchen, workshop, ing, opens to covered front porch.

Formal dining room w/ bay window, original trim/wood wainscotout to deck. Maple crown molding in kitchen & hall. Hickory Large flooring onlevel floor.large Family room in patio, 1970 on main floor, w/ slatepit 1&ing. ½bamboo baths &master its own deck.

2main docks, deck on was mainadded lakeside deck,f/pbon-fire insuite main bedrooms.

Built in armoire & house, hearth, ofbedroom. gentle sloping valley/woods.

Adorable playhouse, dollhouseconducive & wishing to well fish. &dresser multiple sets of stairs.

Extensively landscaped plants allw/ thekoiwildlife inview 2nd 6 panel doors. Finished familyw/ room in & flowers (1871271) $989,500 that surrounds the area.

(1791482) $570,000. walk-out lower level. MLS#1798048 $220,000.

Marsha Minervini Thinking selling?

Making of What Was Making What Was Call now for a free market Old New New Again Again Old evaluation of your home.

2231-883-4500 31-883-4500 w w w. m a r s h a m i n e r v i n i . c o m

500 S. Union Street, Traverse City, MI

231-947-1006 • marsha@marshaminervini.com CANCER (June 21-July 22): The Italian word

nottivago refers to “night roamers”: people who wander around after dark. Why do they do it?

What do they want to accomplish? Maybe their ramblings have the effect of dissolving stuck thoughts that have been plaguing them. Maybe it’s a healing relief to indulge in the luxury of having nowhere in particular to go and nothing in particular to do: to declare their independence from the obsessive drive to get things done.

Meandering after sundown may stir up a sense of wild freedom that inspires them to outflank or outgrow their problems. I bring these possibilities to your attention, Cancerian, because the coming days will be an excellent time to try them out.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Look on every

exit as being an entrance somewhere else,” wrote playwright Tom Stoppard. That’s ripe advice for you to meditate on during the coming weeks. You’re in a phase of your astrological cycle when every exit can indeed be an entrance somewhere else—but only if you believe in that possibility and are alert for it. So please dissolve your current assumptions about the current chapter of your life story so that you can be fully open to new possibilities that could become available.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “One must think

with the body and the soul or not think at all,” wrote Libran author and historian Hannah Arendt. She implied that thinking only with the head may spawn monsters and demons. Mere conceptualization is arid and sterile if not interwoven with the wisdom of the soul and the body’s earthy intuitions.

Ideas that are untempered by feelings and physical awareness can produce poor maps of reality. In accordance with astrological omens, I ask you to meditate on these empowering suggestions.

Make sure that as you seek to understand what’s going on, you draw on all your different kinds of intelligence.

30% OFF

Complete Pair of Eyeglasses

Buy now and Save! Purchase a complete pair of prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses and receive 30% off. Current eyeglass prescription is required.

This offer includes designer frames and prescription sunglasses. *some restrictions apply see store for details. Offer also valid at Midland and Mt Pleasant locations.

ScORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I always wanted to be commander-in-chief of my one-woman army,” says singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco. I think that goal is within sight for you, Scorpio. Your power over yourself has been increasing lately. Your ability to manage your own moods and create your own sweet spots and define your own fate is as robust as I have seen it in a while. What do you plan to do with your enhanced dominion?

What special feats might you attempt? Are there any previously impossible accomplishments that may now be possible?

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 37

NORTHERN EXPRESS

CLAS SIFIE DS OTHER RESTAURANT FURNITURE & EQUIPMENT SALE 7 dining tables 50”round,turn down to 36”square, 105 dining chairs, Dishwasher tables 1)60x30, 1)96x60 w/3shelves & sprayer sink, Ice machine w/500#bin, Neon signs, 1 cactus,1 sombrero,2sets of arch lights. BAR, White Ash, Maple & Oak, 22.5x12.5x21 w/brass rail and 3 shelf glass rack. 5800 sq ft. building on 400 ft. U.S.31 2 mi. S of Elk Rapids 231-264-8686 _____________________________________ SBDC/PTAC INTAKE CONSULTANT / Administrative Support Spec. Networks Northwest is hiring an Intake Consultant/ Administrative Support Specialist who will work directly with the Northwest Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) teams.

Business degree required. This is a fulltime position with benefits and based in TC. For more info or to apply, visit https:// jobs.mitalent.org/job-seeker/job-details/ JobCode/10798595

MEDICAL ASSISTANT IN SPECIALTY PRACTICE We are looking to add a smart, punctual, professional member to our team. Knowledge of EMRs, ideally eCW, essential. Attention to detail and strong communication skills needed. http://www.draustin.com/now-hiring _____________________________________

CUSTOM WOODSHOP FINISHER/ CRAFTSPERSON-FULLTIME Small fully custom woodworking shop in TC needs to replace retiring finisher/cabinet builder. New state of the art facility with AC! Will train. peter@inceptionwoodworks.com. _________________________________

ENVELOPES printed with your return address. #10 business size per 500 $36. Smaller #7 size $33 per 500. Better discounts on larger quantities. Phone (231) 263-7919 or (231) 620-8546. _____________________________________

CALL FOR ENTRY Great Northern Art Explosion $8,000 in awards https:// www.artexplosion.org/

NEW PLUMBING & MECHANICAL Company in Traverse City J’s Plumbing & Mechanical Services 231-350-3917 / jonboy.at.torchlake@gmail.com 25 years experience Plumbing Service Air Conditioning service and installation Heating service and installation Residential boilers service and installation Hydronic piping (boiler piping) Water heater service and installation Water softener service and installation Call / email

northernexpress.com/classifieds Easy. Accessible. All Online.

CONTEMPORARY IN FRANKFORT Nestled in the woods, and close to Crystal Lake, this beautiful contemporary home has many features. Including a newly updated kitchen, seasonal views of Lake Michigan, wrap around deck, inground pool, spectacular landscaping, and a secondary garage perfect for at home boat storage and all the extras. A must see! $549,500 MLS 1874136 A STREAM RUNS THRU IT This artisan built home is an incredible property, privately located off a scenic country road in beautiful Leelanau County. Complete with Dodge Springs Creek greeting you along the property as you arrive home, this one of a kind 4 BR / 3.5 BA home boasts 3 levels with two separate complete living spaces. Rent out the lower level for extra income! In house workshop, pastoral setting, and custom tile work throughout! $599,000 MLS 1855025 ADJACENT TO NATIONAL PARK 3 BR / 2 BA, 1,650 square feet of finished living space in this delightful cottage just a mile outside Glen Arbor village and a 5 minute walk to Glen Haven and the beaches of Lake Michigan. Main floor master bed and shared bath, sun porch, large deck for entertaining, attached 2 car garage, and additional bonus room above the garage that will sleep 4 additional guests!

All of this in the coveted Glen Lake school district! A must see! $459,900 MLS 1858423 COMMERCIAL BUILDING - EMPIRE Located in the village of Empire, this is an ideal location for any Leelanau based business. 816 sq/ft office space in street-side portion has bath & kitchenette.

1908 sq/ft warehouse in rear offers 16’ ceilings, double 14’ overhead doors, lofted mezzanine for additional storage & 2nd bath. $230,000 MLS 1858611

117 ACRES IN LEELANAU Large acreage parcel just 15 miles west of Traverse City. Mostly wooded, perfect for a secluded home site, or hunting camp. Small pond and several clearings made for ideal hunting. With several old logging trails for hiking or skiing. $737,000 MLS 1868477

231-334-2758

www.serbinrealestate.com

38 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

• Outdoor pool • Community lodge • Community activities • City water and sewer • Snow and Lawn Services available • New, pre-owned & custom homes from the $70’s to the $100’s • Pets welcome

Mike Annelin

Enthusiastic & Experienced

Call Mike 231-499-4249 or 231-929-7900

7 Modern Live/Work Units near Boardman Lake Very unique investment opportunity $1,100,000 MLS#1854942

133’ of beautiful Old Mission Peninsula frontage Stylishly impeccable 3 Bed/2.5 Bath $1,075,000 MLS# 1872313

40 acres on Old Mission Peninsula with build site Prime AG land, Conservation Easement in place $850,000 MLS# 1872811

DO

ON EC

Desirable State Street neighborhood Marvelously updated Craftsman, 5 Bed/3 Bath $575,00 MLS# 1869152

D OL

S

Located just one bock west of Union Street Views of West Bay from open air roof top deck Immediate Occupancy $465,000

3 bed/2.5 Bath in desirable Morgan Farms Immaculate and elegant stand alone home $519,000 MLS# 1872877

EP

EP

L SA

Lovely Port of Old Mission 3 bed/2.5 bath condo $400,000 MLS#1875947

ING

EP

D EN

3 bed, 1 bath, amazing location!

Recent updates, great potential rental property $200,000 MLS#1877089

ING

D EN

37 acres, zoned Moderate Density Residential Great development opportunity! $425,000 MLS# 1875714.

L SA

5 bed/3.5 bath, recent modern updates Beautifully wooded 1.5 acres $333,000 MLS#1876787

Charming one-of-a-kind on Old Mission Peninsula Incredible landscaping & award-winning historic barn $500,000 MLS# 186240

ING

D EN

L SA

E

L SA

SIT

G

DIN

N PE

EP

L SA

ING

D EN

3 bed, 1 bath just miles from downtown TC 3.23 acres- lovely country setting $185,000 MLS# 1875799

Northern Express Weekly • july 27, 2020 • 39

BEACHIN’ BONUS CASH AUGUST 28 | 6–9PM in Mackinaw City

AUGUST 29 | 5–9PM in Petoskey

INAW MACKITY C

PETOSKEY

WIN YOUR SHARE OF OVER $29,000 IN CASH!

EARN ENTRIES | August 1–27 in Mackinaw City | August 1–29 in Petoskey

| 2PM–8PM 5 1 & 8 T S U G U A INAW MACKITY C

PETOSKEY

WIN YOUR SHARE OF OVER $23,000 IN CASH, FREE PLAY & PRIZES CKINAW EARN 200 BASE POINTS TO RECEIVE YOUR SCRATCH OFF

ALL SERVICE AND ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL. SEE PLAYERS CLUB TO RECEIVE OFFER. PETOSKEY AND MACKINAW CITY LOCATIONS. Patrons must show or have previously shown Military ID in order to be eligible.

Standard promotional rules apply. See Players Club for details. 2020.

Petoskey Mackinaw City 877.442.6464 231.344.4433

| odawacasino.com STANDARD PROMOTIONAL RULES APPLY. SEE PLAYERS CLUB FOR DETAILS. 2020

40 • july 27, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

MA ITY C

PETOSKEY