Northern Express Dec26

It’s a Green World After All

In his column “If Only We Would” (Dec. 17), Stephen Tuttle envisions wonderful gifts for the world, including an end to racism, antisemitism, and slavery. On his wish list is “the gift of protecting and maintaining our forest lands around the world.”

I have great news, Dear Reader. Stephen Tuttle’s wish for a greener world is being granted.

In a scientific article published last January, the authors summarized several independent studies that concluded the world is getting greener. Even deserts are starting to green. One study (published in Nature Climate Change, April 2016) by an international group of scientists estimates the additional greenery covers an area almost twice the size of the continental U.S.

There are several reasons for our verdant world. In tropical countries, swaths of farmland are reverting to nature as people abandon their land and move to the cities in search of better lives. Also, improved agricultural technology means less land area is needed to grow food crops. New “secondary” forests are emerging in tropical regions at a rapid pace. According to The New York Times in 2009, “for every acre of rainforest cut down each year, more than 50 acres of new forest are growing in the tropics on land that was once farmed, logged or ravaged by natural disasters.”

Another important reason for our greening planet is more atmospheric carbon dioxide! As we all learned in biology class, plants need carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to create sugars that plants use to live and grow. The study in Nature Climate Change also reported in 2016: “From a quarter to half of Earth’s vegetated lands has shown significant greening over the last 35 years largely due to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.”

Perhaps Stephen Tuttle can check “greening of the earth” off his wish list.

Neal Stout | Charlevoix

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Sliding into the New Year

Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs is ready for a week of sledding and pizza parties Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 from 128pm. The working farm has plenty to explore on the property—a winery, brewery, cafe, market, hiking trails, and a playground await in addition to the sledding hill. Their weeklong event is free for those who want to sled and use the trails, and you can BYO sled or borrow one on-site. (No wood or metal sleds if you’re bringing from home.)

Pond Hill will also have a bonfire going and plenty of warming food and drink available for purchase. The party happens snow or shine. And don’t miss a chance to sign up for their upcoming Farm to Table dinner on Wednesday, Jan. 25: seven courses plus estategrown wines for $150 per person. Get more details at pondhill.com/events.

A Week of Festive Films

Get the popcorn ready! The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay is offering a different holiday-themed movie every evening through the end of 2022—except Christmas Day—at 7pm for only $5/person. Take the whole family (an appropriate choice for many of the films) or sneak away from the holiday hubbub for a quiet night in the theater with their brand-new, ultra-comfy seats. In order from Monday, Dec. 26, through Saturday, Dec. 31: White Christmas, Remember the Night, Gremlins, The Bishop’s Wife, The Shop Around the Corner, and Love Actually. Find tickets at thebaytheatre.com.

Hey, Read It! Motherthing 4

Ainslie Hogarth has left us all a little ho-ho-holiday horror in her newest black comedy, Motherthing. Longterm care worker Abby Lamb has never liked her motherin-law, a cruel and recalcitrant woman named Laura who seems to delight in her daughter’s discomfort. Abby likes her even less when Laura takes her own life near Christmas and then has the audacity to haunt Abby and her husband Ralph, eternally thwarting their future plans as ghost. (Or is her presence imagined? We might never know). Abby decides she’s had enough when she learns that her favorite inpatient, the ironically maternal Mrs. Bondy, is being moved to another location and hatches a scheme of Home Alone-level genius to expunge that evil thing in her basement— and take her life back—once and for all. We won’t give spoilers here, but prepare for a juicy twist of an ending! (PSA: This book contains strong language and sensitive topics—we recommend caution for younger readers)

Edson Farms’ Sugar Cookies

Established in the late ’70s, Edson Farms Natural Foods has long been our go-to for local produce and better-for-you deli staples. We just can’t help ourselves, though, when it comes to their house-baked sugar cookies. Inspired by owner Jessica Edson’s own family’s dietary needs, these holiday treats are gluten-free and call for only whole ingredients like grass-fed butter, raw vanilla, and eggs from Kingsley’s River Valley Farms. Each six- or 12-count cookie box contains an array of festive cut-outs, from stockings to stars to gingerbread men, and is ready to take home and decorate. Top them off with a schmear of organic icing or a shake of naturally-colored sprinkles—complete with tiny Christmas sweaters—and let the sugar rush commence! Grab a box (for $6 and $12 each, respectively) at Edson Farms Natural Foods, 835 S. Garfield Ave, Traverse City. (231) 9415221, edsonfarms.com

Start those New Year’s resolutions off on the right foot with the South Course SnowK Food & Fun Run at beautiful Arcadia Bluffs. (No, you can’t bring your driver, but at least you can start daydreaming about golf season.) The organizers have given you seven days to get past the champagne hangover and into the gym to gear up for the 3-mile race, which starts at 10:30am on Jan. 7. Better yet, the run is untimed, which takes the pressure off that first race of 2023. Registration is $35 for the SnowK and free for the 1-mile Kids Fun Run, which takes place at 10am. After all that exercise, enjoy a lunch buffet (included in your SnowK registration and available to spectators to purchase the day of the event—$20 for adults; $10 for kids) plus activities, prizes, and plenty of hot cocoa. Get the details and sign up at arcadiabluffs.com/news/snowk.

Stuff We Love: Merry Less Mess

According to a study by Stanford University, Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the holidays than we do the rest of the year. (And we always rank in the top five countries for most waste production.) So how can you cut down on waste these next few weeks? 1) Skip the wrapping paper and shiny gift bags—most of them (like the fun, glittery kinds) can rarely be recycled anyway—and use packing paper or reusable bags and boxes instead. 2) Say no to bows and ribbons and other adornments that wind up in the trash. 3) Opt for white tissue paper that is sans harmful dye. 4) Send your holiday cards electronically or print on recycled paper. 5) Keep bubble wrap and plastic bags separate to dispose of at your nearest plastic film recycler. 6) Don’t drop the Christmas tree at the dump—contact your municipality to learn about their organic material recycling programs. Let’s all be merry and make less mess!

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently released a new National Broadband Map. But does it really reflect internet connectivity in the U.S., especially in rural areas like most of northern Michigan? The Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA) and personnel at the new Michigan High-Speed Internet Office are working to challenge the map, as it could help secure future federal funding for internet projects. The NLEA is recommending that folks who live in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties head to broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home and check to see if your home and/or business is accurately reflected on this new map before Jan. 13, 2023. If it isn’t, you can file an availability challenge. The NLEA is on hand to help with more resources and information at northernlakes.net. You can also contact the Michigan HighSpeed Internet Office at LEO-MIHighSpeedInternet@michigan.gov.

bottoms up Mari Vineyards’ Maple Wine

Yes, you read that right—maple wine. This is a first for the Old Mission Peninsula winery, which is known for its Italian-style wines and Old World ambiance. The Essenza Dell’Albero (aka essence of the tree) Maple Wine was made from estate sugar maple trees, with syrup tapped and aged each year from 2017 to 2020. We didn’t know what to expect, but suffice to say if you like maple syrup, you’re going to love this wine. Maple is, fittingly, the first and strongest flavor you’ll find, but the hints of vanilla and caramel give it a rich finish. This is a decadent treat—not unlike maple candy in a glass, though it’s not overly sweet—and is perfect for pairing with a pecan or pumpkin pie after Christmas dinner. (The experts at Mari also recommend serving at brunch with chicken and waffles, and we give this idea two thumbs up.) Find a bottle ($50) at Mari Vineyards, 8175 Center Rd, Traverse City. 231-9386116. You can also order online at marivineyards.com.

opinion

While writing my last column of 2022, the urge to recap the year is not lost on me. It’s impossible to avoid—our culture marks this juncture where December greets January as a time of reflection and reckoning. Whether religious ritual, commercial enterprise, or nature’s solstice is how you mark this time, its influence on our thoughts is undeniable.

Looking back on an entire year can be tough. Months of events and revelations, dosed out throughout the year, seem to reappear all at once on our minds on the cusp of a new year. Mass shootings, ruthless wars, and racism showed the worst of humanity. The fossil fuel driven climate crisis and other pollution catastrophes showed the failure of our industries to be safe and sustainable and our institutions to live up to our ideals. Looking forward, how will we change this?

In last week’s issue, columnist Isiah Smith gave me hope that we can. He reminds us that “the way to lasting change…is incremental, consistent, humble, and persistent effort.” He points out that we all have the “mundane capacity” to grow and learn from our mistakes, even if it means questioning our beliefs. This practical view makes our ideals seem less lofty, and more attainable.

In this spirit of optimistic persistence, I would like to look back to gain perspective and understanding rather than despair and start 2023 looking forward with hope. The past year certainly offered plenty of mistakes to be learned from, but there were also many notable events and actions to show that we can and will do better.

This includes plenty of climate wins to celebrate. Renewables are on the rise. Already more affordable than fossil fuels, renewables comprise 25 percent of the energy market, a share expected to double by 2027. Market share of EVs and hybrids is up to 5 percent of new vehicles sold.

Congress (finally) made some moves. Passed in August, the Inflation Reduction Act commits hundreds of billions for equitably just climate and energy solutions to develop technologies and infrastructure in public and private sectors. States and local governments did some good work as well; not waiting for federal lawmakers, several states passed their own major energy and climate legislation in 2022. These laws are growing more comprehensive and ambitious than past efforts, with accelerating timelines to achieve results (Inside Climate News).

Environmental laws are now expected to consider and correct for past harm and inequities. This allows plans to focus on frontline communities who have been most impacted by energy pollution and to ensure that the typically low- and moderate-income folks living in those places have their needs met.

This fair restoration approach went global when the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) closed with a long sought-after agreement to provide “loss and damage”

funding for vulnerable countries hit hard by climate disasters. This is not a Band-Aid— this is a restructuring of the World Bank that will allow less wealthy countries who have contributed the least to, and suffered the most from, climate change to rebuild stronger, without the weight of crushing debt (The New York Times).

Progressives increased their numbers in government. Some saw this as an “existential uprising” (Stephanie Taylor, Progressive Change Campaign Committee) over rights issues. In fact, several states, including our own, passed one or more ballot measures protecting voting rights, enshrining reproductive rights, establishing permanent childcare funding, or declaring affordable healthcare a right under the state constitution (Americans of Conscience Checklist).

In a boost for diversity and representation, many candidates this year will become “firstevers” in their office. These include Mary Peltola, the first woman to represent Alaska in the U.S. House and the first Alaska Native ever to serve in Congress; Wes Moore, the first Black governor of Maryland; and Maxwell Frost, the youngest member and first Gen Z in the House. In deep red Florida, Frost ran on the issue of gun violence prevention. And of course, by presidential appointment, Justice Katenji Brown Jackson became the first Black female member of the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a spirit of bipartisanship, and against bigotry, 12 Senate Republicans joined Democrats to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, protecting interracial and same sex marriage from further culture warfare.

Youth are registering and voting more. Researchers at Tufts University estimated that 30 percent of young adults between the ages 18 and 29 voted in the 2022 midterm elections, marking the second-highest youth turnout in three decades.

Confirming that nobody gets anywhere on their own, unions are on the rise. Challenging what were thought to be unwinnable workplaces, unions won more elections (76 percent) than they have in nearly 20 years. Unions’ approval rating (70 percent) is at its highest since 1965 (Vox).

Speaking of working together, volunteers put action into activism. 63 million American volunteers log an average of 50 hours a year (Nonprofits Source). Volunteers improve their own well-being by helping others, finding community, and working together.

Whatever you did this year to make one person’s life, your town, or the world better— thank you. And cheers to another year of consistent, humble, and persistent effort!

Cathye Williams serves as volunteer and media liaison for the Grand Traverse and Manistee chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby. She writes from the northern corner of Manistee County.

guest

by Cathye Williams

NEW YEAR, NEW PRODUCTS

Oh, what fun…are the holidays! This is a joyous time of year for you to create memories with your loved ones. What can be a little less fun, however, are those pesky New Year’s resolutions.

As the Yuletide dwindles, you begin to think about the new year that is right around the corner. Your mind begins filling with all the ideas of how to enrich your life: Perhaps your day will begin with a glass of water or half an hour of meditation before starting work. Implementing that 15-minute workout has always been a habit you wish you followed through with. Eating better or curbing alcohol consumption could make your gut—and your waistline—happier

Whatever the resolution, some new products are hitting the cannabis market that may help make it easier to maintain the adjustments you would like to embrace in this next year.

First up on our list for 2023 are a wide variety of fast-acting edibles that will allow for a shorter onset and quicker duration. This means less time having to wait for your gummy to kick in, giving you more peace of mind to keep on schedule. This Nano Emulsion technology enables fast-acting THC and/or CBD delivery within 10 to 15 minutes, with a duration of about 60 to 90 minutes. Find this technology in your favorite gummy, baked good, or drink-enhancing liquid or powder.

Sublingual products are expanding as well. We have seen a variety of tinctures, melts, mints, and sublingual sprays, but soon we will see gum, toothpicks, and strips (similar to the breathing strips you see at a convenience store). The ease of application calls for quick absorption into your bloodstream. This consumption form helps those who are cautious of caloric and carb intake.

We found these applications can give you a boost during the long winter season, which helps you keep up the motivation to stick with your resolutions. Check out the Dunegrass website for more information on these product types, where to get them, and how easily you can incorporate them into your new habits today for a new you tomorrow.

Who Knew?

In June 2023, people in South Korea will suddenly become younger, the BBC reported.

On Dec. 8, the South Korean parliament voted to switch from two traditional methods of counting age to the more widely recognized international method for official documents. Currently, Koreans are 1 year old at birth and then gain another year on the first day of each following year. An alternate method has them at 0 upon birth, then adding a year each Jan. 1. So, for example, someone born on Dec. 31, 2002, is 19 years old using the international method. But under Korea's traditional methods, they might be 20 or 21 years old. One member of parliament said the change would reduce "unnecessary socio-economic costs, because legal and social disputes as well as confusion persist due to the different ways of calculating age."

Unclear on the Concept

Phoenix police officer Christian Goggans, who had been assigned to home duty, took advantage of the situation by dedicating more hours to his porn career, KOLD-TV reported. Goggans is facing an internal investigation after he allegedly traveled back and forth to Las Vegas while on the clock to produce and star in pornographic videos. He posted the films to a public Twitter page using his "stage" name, Rico Blaze (which has since been made private). A Phoenix PD public information officer said Goggans' work-from-home assignment required only that he call in once daily.

Your Tax Dollars at Work

Someone aboard the USNS Yuma, a Navy transport ship moored on the Greek island of Crete, is having a superior bathroom experience, thanks to the installation of the Bio Bidet BB-1000, The Washington Free Beacon reported on Dec. 12. At a cool $553, the BB-1000 offers a heated seat, blow dryer, remote control, deodorizer and an "effective enema function," which a retailer called "the absolute strongest spray pressure of any electronic bidet seat on the market." The Military Sealift Command confirmed the purchase but declined to offer more details.

People Different From Us

In Japan, a phenomenon known as rojone -- literally, sleeping on the road -- is once again becoming a hazard as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and people are out partying more, reported The Guardian. The number of deaths of snoozing partiers has nearly doubled in Tokyo compared to last year, police say, and they're worried that the impending end-of-year celebrations will only add to the problem. Officials have also asked taxi drivers and others to drive with their high beams on and slow down.

Animal Antics

A live nativity scene in Carolina Beach, an island community about 140 miles southeast of Raleigh, North Carolina, was missing its cows on Dec. 4, the News & Observer reported. The two cows escaped their pen at Seaside Chapel around 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 3, police explained, and were apparently so determined to get away that they ended up in the Cape Fear River. Carolina Beach police were joined by state park rangers and a K-9

with special herding skills as they hauled the soggy bovines back to shore.

Bright Idea

A homeowner in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, was puzzled when he discovered five bullet holes in the siding of his house, along with another in his son's bedroom window, the Grand Forks Herald reported. Police were summoned, and they questioned a next-door neighbor, Michael James Powers, 76, who readily admitted that he'd been shooting at a squirrel that was on his bird feeder; as he put it, "Well, that's war." Powers was aiming from his own bedroom window, and said it wasn't the first time he'd shot at squirrels. He offered to go talk to "the other guy" and make it right, but officers had something different in mind: They arrested him for reckless discharge of a firearm. When Powers told his wife he was being arrested, she responded, "Well, I told you."

Police Report

Anthony Thomas Tarduno, 48, saved the Hernando County (Florida) Sheriff's Office the trouble of investigating after one of their patrol cars was set on fire on Dec. 7 in Spring Hill, Florida, WTSP-TV reported. As officers looked over the scene, Tarduno walked up and confessed to being the arsonist, saying he "had been drinking at a bar ... and decided he'd like to set it on fire." Tarduno placed a bag of garbage under the patrol vehicle and used a lighter to set it ablaze, police said. Tarduno admitted to detectives that when he gets drunk, he does "stupid things."

It's a Mystery

Residents of South Tampa, Florida, are shaking their heads, trying to discover the source of "a deep, vibrating bass sound" that's been occurring on Saturday evenings for months, Fox13-TV reported. "You can feel it when your head's down on the pillow," said Abbi Reynolds. People have posted on social media, saying that their "windows are literally rattling" and "it reverberates from neighboring tall houses like an echo chamber." But Tampa police can't locate the source, either. They've checked with the local Air Force base and cruise lines, neither of which are responsible for the noise. Resident Zach Reynolds and others want to get to the bottom of it, trying to triangulate the noise and station people in different areas to suss out the culprit.

Crime Report

Police in the village of Warzymice, Poland, are hunting for an unlikely culprit in a vandalism case, Notes From Poland reported on Dec. 12: a Christmas tree. The odd figure cut a hole in a fence and slashed the tires of 21 vehicles belonging to a meat warehouse around 1 a.m., and cameras recorded the whole incident. In fact, the figure is seen loitering nearby and covering themselves with branches taken from nearby trees before committing the crime. Mateusz Watral, who works for the meat company, called it "more of a guerilla (action) than a well-prepared operation. Along the way he lost his 'camouflage,' (and) branches were scattered everywhere."

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?

By Ross Boissoneau

A new year brings new opportunities for all kinds of celebrations. From north to south, posh venues to the streets at midnight, there’s something for practically everyone to celebrate the arrival of 2023. Here are just a few of the options.

CherryT Ball Drop | Downtown Traverse City cherrytballdrop.org

Where else can you watch a 600-pound cherry dropping from the sky to mark the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023? (Spoiler: nowhere else.)

This is the 13th year for the celebration, and this time around at the corner of Cass Street and Front Street, there will be a “Party with a Purpose.” (Suggested donation is $5 per person.) Over the years, the CherryT Ball Drop has raised nearly $110,000 for local nonprofits focused on food insecurity, and this year’s beneficiaries are Goodwill Northern Michigan’s Food Rescue and Northwest Food Coalition. Each year, Food Rescue rescues, harvests, repacks, and distributes 1.8 million pounds or $3.3 million worth of food to food pantries and community meal sites in a five-county region. Northwest Food Coalition is a group of 70 food pantries and emergency meal sites in northern Michigan, serving roughly 500,000 people each year.

So how’s the party, you ask? Must be pretty special, as an estimated 8,000-12,000 people attend. Gates will open at 10:30pm with entertainment starting on the stage soon after.

In addition, this year the CherryT Ball Drop is partnering with new restaurant North Bar for Masquerade ’23. You can celebrate above it all with the best live view of the festivities on the street from the heated rooftop bar, with cocktails, appetizers, a DJ, dancing, and more from 8pm-1am.

The Great Turtle Drop | Mackinac Island mackinacisland.org/event-calendar

Speaking of dropping things, you can indeed celebrate the season on the island. And it’s not about fudge, or ice cream, or even lilacs. Instead, ring in the New Year on the island in Lake Huron with the Great Turtle Drop!

Experience the countdown to midnight

on the island and watch as a giant festive turtle is lowered from the top of the Lilac Tree Hotel. It’s a uniquely Mackinac celebration that started in 2011 and has become a favorite of island residents and visitors alike.

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa | Acme grandtraverseresort.com/nye

Fire and ice never sounded so nice. At least at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, where the Fire and Ice Party is guaranteed to start your new year off with a bang. Party people have two options available: One is a two-night package that includes accommodations, a four-course dinner in the Michigan Ballroom, and entrance to the Fire and Ice Party in Governors’ Hall. The other is party-only tickets. The event features the John Pomeroy Band, cash bar, late-night hors d’oeuvres, and a fireworks display at midnight.

Meanwhile, kids 6-12 years old can enjoy the New Year’s Eve Kids Party in the Health Club with pizza, games, swimming, a movie, and balloon drop at midnight. The party goes from 7pm-12:30am.

But wait, there’s more! Those looking for something a little more romantic can book a reservation on the 16th floor of the Tower at Aerie Restaurant & Lounge for a four-course, pre-fixe menu with options like seared lump crab cake, braised pork belly, and crispy salmon. Dinner is 5-10pm and live music plays from 7pm-1am. And you’ve made it to January 1? The New Year’s Day brunch buffet in Aerie Restaurant & Lounge runs from 10am-2pm.

Black Star Farms blackstarfarms.com/new-years-eve-dining

Also for the foodies, Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay is offering a wine-and-dine dinner ($155 per person) that’s as much experience as it is a culinary treat. Each of the five courses is carefully paired with a Black Star wine, from the grilled shrimp cocktail starter with 2017 Blanc de Blanc to a key lime panna cotta that’s partnered up with a glass of 2022 Bubbly Nouveau. The chef will share the inspiration behind each course, and a member of the winemaking team or Black Star family will present the wine pairings.

“It is a dinner which is presented in long tables, communal style. I like to say that these special dinners are where strangers become friends, as the conversation flows,” says Black Star Farms Proprietor Sherry Fenton.

“On New Year’s Eve, and all holidays, this is when I get a lot of joy out of inviting our local community in to celebrate with us. We love to be that special gathering spot.”

A Grand New Year’s Eve | Marion oldemillvenue.com

If you’re looking to enjoy an engaging, intimate party, consider the Olde Mill Venue in Marion. The unique location—a former barn—at the Mill Pond will be hosting this black tie event featuring live classical music during cocktail hour and dinner, followed by a plated three-course dinner. Then it’s dancing with a DJ till the wee hours and a champagne toast at midnight. Formal attire is required, as are pre-purchased tickets ($100).

Nub’s Nob | Harbor Springs nubsnob.com/calendar

Prefer a snowsuit to a suit and tie? The week between Christmas and New Year’s is the perfect time to hit the slopes. (Supposing, of course, we have the snow to back it up.) To celebrate the new year, check out the familyfriendly Torchlight Parade at Nub’s Nob.

Starting at 5:30pm—it helps that it gets dark early in the winter—the Nub’s Nob ski patrol and Winter Sports School instructors will make a run down Smokey and another down Valley with flares in hand, creating a beautiful light display.

“We typically have about 50 instructors and patrollers participate in the parade. It lasts for about 15 minutes and there is no charge. That, in addition to the relatively early start time, make it a nice option, particularly for families with younger kids,” says Brian Boeckl, the marketing director at Nub’s.

Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa | Thompsonville crystalmountain.com/event/new-years-evecelebration

There are parades on the slopes at Crystal Mountain, too, and you can join in the fun. The first 100 people age 18 and up can carry a torch, while the first 100 age 6-17 can carry a glow light. The parades begin at the top of Cheers to Lou at 10pm (register before 8pm), and after the parade fun ends, overnight guests, Four Seasons Club members, and property owners are welcome to enjoy fireworks over the mountain.

The resort’s offerings also includes a family party in Northwest Territories in the Crystal Center, with a dinner buffet, non-alcoholic beverages, party favors, live entertainment, and goody bags. Adults can dance to live music with the TC Knuckleheads at the Vista Lounge, and you can even celebrate in your own private setting with special Crystal Party Packs, including four top hats, tiaras, noise makers, “Happy New Year” eyeglasses, and a Happy New Year banner. For a low-key night, enjoy dinner at The Thistle or at the Wild Tomato—both restaurants have special NYE menus.

Want something to do on New Year’s Day? Snowshoeing is permitted on all Crystal Mountain property except the downhill slopes and cross-country trails. And there’s no better place to explore than Michigan Legacy Art Park, the 30-acre preserve with over 50 sculptures.

Great Wolf Lodge | Traverse City greatwolf.com/traverse-city

Too chilly outdoors for you? Enjoy the warmth of the holidays at the 84-degree indoor water park at Great Wolf Lodge. No, it’s not exclusive to New Year’s, but hey, who doesn’t enjoy a respite from the snow and cold?

The interactive Snowfall Celebration provides plenty of holiday joy as families gather to ring jingle bells, sing seasonal melodies, and participate in a festive dance party to conjure magical snow flurries. Plus there’s holiday yoga, games from bingo to trivia to a scavenger hunt, and more, including dinner at the resort’s three restaurants.

Shanty Creek | Bellaire

shantycreek.com/event/new-years-eve

Did someone say family fun? The entire clan will enjoy a comedian, magician, and DJ with dancing in the Lakeview Hotel’s Grand Ballroom for a prime rib dinner show. Doors open at 6pm, and entertainment begins at 8pm.

Sans kids? Dine at the River Bistro or the Lakeview; the latter provides floor-to-ceiling views of the fireworks at 11pm. (There’s also a fireworks display at 10pm over Schuss Mountain.) On that side of the property, enjoy the adults-only party at Ivan’s with The Phoenix Theory, a dance, pop, and rock group from Detroit.

Parties, dinners, and events across the North to ring in 2023

Resolution Dining

Eat clean and live well in 2023

By Geri Dietze

We all know the benefits of a plant-based diet—it’s good for us and good for the planet. But just how hard is it to make that transition to a new way of eating and experiencing food? Thankfully, going vegetarian or vegan in Traverse City is getting easier and tastier all the time. Northern Express has compiled a short list of eateries and watering holes to help you get started, whether you’re ready to go cold-turkey (cold-tofurkey, in vegan parlance) or whether you want to start slow with a meatless Monday in the new year. Here’s to good food and good health!

HEXENBELLE

hexenbelle.square.site, (231) 486-6128, WarehouseMRKT, 144 Hall St., Suite 107

An enthusiastic Facebook review about Hexenbelle says it all: “I’m not a vegetarian, but I am a foodie.” In other words, Hexenbelle is for anyone who relishes great food, with lively flavors, cleanly sourced, and packed with nutrition. This is international vegetarian comfort food, enhanced by the chef’s Palestinian heritage. Find breakfast and lunch, plus weekly dinner specials.

We like the Ful Mudammas, a favorite with smashed fava beans, tahini, fried egg, and herbs. Or try the Palestinian Rice Bowl: vermicelli rice with ghee, Kofta lentils, cucumber, sumac pickled onions, and labneh. Pastry lovers rejoice: Hexenbelle is also a great source for healthy baked treats, including Peanut Butter Tahini cookies, and doughnuts—Maple Sesame for example, or the gorgeous Pomegranate Rose Pistachio, almost too pretty to eat.

TAPROOT CIDER HOUSE

taproottc.com, (231) 943-2500, 300 E. Front St. #104

Taproot Cider House is “rooted in community,” and they mean it: Go there once, and you’ll feel like a regular. And, while Taproot’s menu has something for everyone, including kids, it is also THE place to embrace a plant-based diet. The knowledgeable staff will help you choose dishes specifically created for certain dietary requirements, whether gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian.

Try the Yogi Bowl, combining organic brown basmati rice with tomato-based masala chickpeas, kale, snap peas, herbal green shawarma sauce, garlicky toum, and sumac salt. The Grilled Cheese with smoked gouda, tomato aioli, power seeds, pickled jalapeño, kale, and red onion sounds too good to pass up. Or choose the Spaghetti Squash Pesto featuring grilled tomato and onion, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, fresh basil, and toasted pine nuts.

ZEST PLANT-BASED KITCHEN

zesttc.com, (231) 421-3141, 439 E. Front St. Talk about presentation! Everything on the menu is gorgeous to look at, full of color (aka vitamins and nutrients), and truly mouthwatering. Zest’s husband and wife team are passionate about plant-based eating and the health benefits that go with it, so if you are ready to go thoroughly vegan and gluten-free with minimally processed, whole-plant-based dishes, this is the place. You’ll find a great selection of toasts, bowls, handhelds, salads, and wraps, plus a smoothie for every day of the week.

One item that caught our eye was The Set-Up, a flavorful take on avocado toast with cashew cream cheese, everything seasoning, red pepper flakes, nutritional yeast, sliced tomatoes, hemp seeds, microgreens, and pickled onions. Or try the Bollywood Burrito: turmeric tofu scramble, house-made root vegetable hash, black beans, spinach, cilantro, avocado, salsa, pickled onions, and warming spices served in a tortilla. For a quick to-go, try the Samosas, Zest’s version of Indian street food: fried pastries filled with savory fillings and spices. And for variety, Zest features a weekly soup choice, plus a weekly authentic Indian dish.

RARE BIRD BREWPUB rarebirdbrewpub.com, (231) 943-2053, 229 Lake Ave

Rare Bird earns high marks for both its brews and its food. This is elevated pub fare with plenty of meatless options, including a special menu for the gluten-free and vegan crowd. It’s the perfect spot to go with friends who are at different stages of their vegetarian journey.

The Hummus Board is a meal in itself, with roasted red pepper hummus, veggies, and homemade tortilla chips. The Buddha Bowl is a generous helping of quinoa, roasted red peppers, red onion, cucumber, fresh greens, hummus, and cotija cheese. Meatless Monday specials include a Vegan Cheeseburger with all the fixings; Spicy Cauliflower Tacos with tempura fried cauliflower, sriracha aioli, candied jalapeños, pickled cabbage, and green onion; or a Grilled Three-Cheese sandwich with homemade apple butter and caramelized onions on French peasant bread.

Taproot's yogi bowl.

Hexenbelle's peanut butter tahini cookies.

Rare Bird's cauliflower tacos.

Zest's PB&J smoothie.

DRY JANUARY

A month with no booze…it’s less difficult than it sounds, especially when you can have your pick of delicious non-alcoholic beverages around town. Nowadays, most bars will have mocktails on the menu, but we were especially impressed by the offerings of these two spots when it comes to creative and delicious drinks for Dry January and their plant-based menus.

THE COIN SLOT thecoinslottc.com, (231) 642-5661, 346 E. Front St.

The Coin Slot is the place for vintage arcade games, pinball machines, and pool that serves up a fun helping of generational nostalgia. It sports a huge collection (200+) of canned drinks with enough flavorful non-alcohol choices to keep gamers sticking to their resolutions.

We love all the Faygo selections from Cola to Rock & Rye, plus Barritt’s Ginger Beer, Walker Brothers Cucumber Melon Kombucha, NA IPA, and the Liquid Death collection of sparkling waters. Also find CBD-infused drinks, including Marz Juniper Fizz CBD Elixir and Oh Hi Pomegranate CBD Sparkling Seltzer, alongside hop water options from folks like Short’s Brewing Company. Glizzy’s, the in-house food vendor, has gluten-free and vegan eats.

BREW COFFEEHOUSE AND CAFE brewtc.com, (231) 946-2739, 108 E. Front St.

Brew has a full complement of brews, spirits, and wines, but you can belly up to the bar with a choice from their large selection of brewed coffees and teas, plus kombucha, smoothies, and mocktails.

We especially like the coffee vibe, with its Grand Rapids-based Madcap coffees, responsibly sourced from the finest growers in the world and roasted in small batches right here in Michigan. This is a coffee experience that invites the same attention one would give to a fine vintage wine: the aroma and the notes, the flavor and the finish. Madcap is serious coffee, and that’s why people love it. Try the BOLT Blend with deep chocolate notes and a syrupy feel in the mouth or the Eureka, redolent of black cherry, chocolate, and orange zest. All this, plus plenty of meatless menu items, helps you keep those resolutions.

AU NATURALE BEAUTY

Handcrafted beauty products giving drug-store brands a run for their money

By Rachel Pasche

As the new year approaches, so does the time for self-care, and for 2023, we’re leaning into all-natural beauty and wellness products. These four Michigan makers have just the thing to make your skin smooth, your nails gleam, and your hair shine…and they found many of their ingredients right here in your backyard.

HIPPIE TWIG BOTANICS hippietwigbotanics.Etsy.com

Based in Traverse City, Hippie Twig Botanics offers an array of natural, smallbatch products, sourcing ingredients from local farms, Michigan-based vendors, or the great outdoors. Owner Heidi Sharp is passionate about making products that are good for customers and the planet, and her offerings change with the seasons to ensure customers can find what their skin needs at that time.

Express: How did you get started?

Sharp: When I discovered my passion for herbalism and learning the intelligence of plants, I was working as a full-time nurse and looking for a creative outlet. I became particularly enchanted with how [plants] support our largest organ, the skin. That spark eventually led to learning how to craft various self-care products and opening up my small business.

Express: What kinds of products do you carry?

Sharp: Our offerings include herbal-infused soap, various skin and hair care products, aromatherapy, candles, and occasionally a supportive tea and/or tonic.

Express: How do you source/make your products?

Sharp: My products are lovingly crafted in small batches in my home. I aim to source as many ingredients as possible from other small businesses in my home state. Most of the plants I work with are purchased from small Michigan farms or ethically wild-harvested. Other ingredients sourced are certified organic and support fair trade whenever possible.

Express: What is one product you make that everyone should try this winter?

Sharp: It’s so hard to recommend just one! I would have to say a Hippie Twig lotion bar comes in really handy this time of year. They are portable, low waste, and provide the perfect amount of moisturizer to keep skin hydrated and nourished.

Express: Where can customers find your products?

Sharp: The Refillery, Blessed Be Apothecary, Red Door Coffee House, Oryana West, and Blue North Arts. Seasonally, I am at the Interlochen Farmers Market, and I have an Etsy shop.

NORTHERN NAIL POLISH

northernnailpolish.com

KC Springfield had the ingenious idea of creating natural nail polishes a decade ago and has been wowing people with her creations ever since. With no dyes or harsh chemicals, her polishes, balms, oils, and removers keep hands healthy and looking their best. (And we love that the colors are Michigan-themed, like the peachy pink “America’s High Five” or the rose gold “Dune Climb.”)

Express: How did you get started? Springfield: I started making nail polish 10 years ago after reading an article about the exposure to chemicals like carcinogens and endocrine disruptors in conventional nail polish brands. I set out to create colors and a formula that is safe for everyone! It’s vegan, non-toxic, cruelty free, long lasting, and chip-resistant.

Express: What kinds of products do you carry? Springfield: My colors vary from Petoskey Stone taupe to Cherry Festival red, and everything in between. I have a color and texture of nail polish for everyone, of all ages and preferences. I also offer cuticle oils and balms, nail files, and natural soy-based nail polish remover.

Express: How do you source/make your products? Springfield: My raw material suppliers are all USA based, and most are women-owned small businesses like mine. It’s important to me to support and build relationships with other small businesses. I use micas that are ethically sourced, and that is also how my polishes are cruelty free, vegan, and won’t stain nails after removal, because my polishes don’t contain dyes.

Express: What is one product you make that everyone should try this winter? Springfield: I recommend our Nourishing Base Coat, 30 Second Top Coat, Cuticle Balm, and a glass nail file. Our Nourishing Base Coat can be applied under a color or worn alone for the moisturizing properties which help nails during the winter, or even after removing gel/acrylics.

Express: Where can customers find your products? Springfield: We have a small storefront behind the Pit Spitters stadium called Northern Self Care & Gifts, open on Saturdays from 11am-5pm [428 W Commerce Dr, Traverse City MI]. Or at northernnailpolish.com.

Lynn Rodenroth is a master soapmaker who takes pride in creating products that are as useful as they are fun. From natural bath fizzies that add an extra bit of “ahh” to your routine to softening soaps and salts, Great Lakes Bath & Body has plenty of body care options.

Express: How did you get started?

Rodenroth: I dug hard into researching and formulating bath and body products starting in 2005 because I had severe skin issues. I became a product formulator and master soapmaker, and in 2008, I launched Great Lakes Bath & Body. In 2012, we launched our online store, then our flagship store on Front Street in downtown Traverse City.

Express: What kinds of products do you carry?

Rodenroth: We carry all the fun and useful basics: handcrafted soaps, premium lotions, soaking salts, bath fizzies, soy candles, and more.

Express: How do you source/make your products?

Rodenroth: All of our products have been formulated by and are proprietary to Great Lakes Bath & Body. We manufacture on-site under GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices). We take a great deal of care in ingredient selection, including the sourcing of those ingredients. This high standard also applies to all of our packaging components.

Express: What is one product you make that everyone should try this winter?

Rodenroth: Our popular bath fizzies … fizz like crazy as they release your favorite scent and soften your skin. They contain no colorant, and you won’t have to scrub out the tub after a relaxing bath.

Express: Where can customers find your products?

Rodenroth: We are located at 110 E Front Street, in Downtown Traverse City and online at greatlakesbathandbody.com.

FLORA AND FUNGI APOTHECARY

florafungiapothecary.com

Amanda Derocher runs Flora and Fungi, a modern-day apothecary that uses organic and wild harvested ingredients in all of their products and practices traditional methods of steam distillation and infusion. She crafts a range of products in her workshop in Au Gres, all of which evoke a nostalgia and appreciation for the natural beauty of Michigan.

Express: How did you get started? Derocher: I’ve been making basic skincare products for years for family and friends, but I went back to school for cosmetic science and formulation training to level up my skills and ensure I was creating safe, effective products before launching my brand.

Express: What kinds of products do you carry?

Derocher: I handcraft a range of skincare products, from facial lotions and serums to salves and shampoo bars made with botanicals native to the Great Lakes region.

Express: How do you source/make your products?

Derocher: My process begins with research into the chemical composition of each plant to determine the best ways to transfer the medicinal properties of the plant into the future product. Plants are harvested at the peak of their season from healthy ecosystems. Some plants are dried to be used in oil infusions; other plants are steam distilled to obtain their hydrosols and essential oils. Others are treated with solvents to obtain potent extracts to incorporate into my products.

Express: What is one product you make that everyone should try this winter?

Derocher: Lauma: Goddess of Trees Coniferous Forest Facial Elixir is my favorite facial product I make, formulated to protect the skin’s barrier from harsh Michigan winters. This lotion is rich in occlusive ingredients, including balsam fir oleoresin, frankincense resin, and cocoa butter paired with hydrosols of Eastern Hemlock and Black Spruce.

Express: Where can customers find your products?

Derocher: My products can be found at Blue North Arts in Suttons Bay; Nature Walk Sleeping Bear Dunes in Empire; and at the Crooked Tree Art Center Petoskey’s Gallery Shop (soon at Crooked Tree Traverse City), as well as on my website.

INSIDE AND OUT

Healthy approaches to diet and exercise for your 2023 resolutions

By Al Parker

Every January, millions of us promise to get behind the two most popular New Year’s resolutions: eat better and get fit. While we can’t be your spotter at the gym, Northern Express did talk with two northern Michigan experts to get their advice on how to achieve these elusive goals, once and for all.

Make Smarter Food Choices

Fad diets are out, folks. (And often rather dangerous.) Eating right is no longer about drastically restricting food intake or treating carbs like the enemy, but instead about consuming what’s right for your body right now. That’s the approach Certified Holistic Nutritionist Anne Baker of Lake Ann takes to help people with chronic health issues reclaim their good health.

“Food is information the body uses,” says Baker. “Every time we ingest food, it either helps nourish our body or acts to drive up inflammation, which ultimately leads to disease. Most chronic health issues are preventable. While we can’t yet alter our genes, everyone can reduce their risk of developing a chronic disease by being smarter about their food choices.”

She tells us there are three “pillars” that

have a direct impact on health and longevity: diet and nutrition, environmental factors and toxic exposures, and lifestyle choices, including exercise, stress and your sleep/ wake cycle.

You can optimize your health and reduce risk by eating an anti-inflammatory diet, according to Baker, so identifying and removing inflammatory foods will help improve your ability to digest and absorb nutrients.

What causes inflammation can be different for different people. As a first step, Baker recommends keeping a “diet log” for a couple of weeks, noting how you feel physically and emotionally. It can help identify problem foods that should be eliminated, including anything deep-fried, soft drinks, high sodium snacks and packaged foods, hydrogenated oils, sugar, candy, and commercially prepared baked goods.

Other items to avoid include highlyprocessed foods like packaged deli meats and products with long lists of additives, such as artificial coloring and flavors.

Go Green

What should you be eating instead? In a word: veggies.

“Most Americans get enough protein but don’t consume enough leafy green

and non-starchy vegetables,” says Baker. “Even most vegans don’t consume enough vegetables because they rely on a carbheavy diet. Vegetables are naturally high in vitamins and minerals…I advise my clients to aim for seven to 10 servings [a serving is ½ cup] of vegetables every day.”

Baker says it helps to think outside the cereal box when it comes to typical breakfast foods. That goes for lunch and dinner, too.

“Soups and stews, wraps, egg dishes, for example, can be eaten for any meal,” she says. “For those who dislike or cannot tolerate eggs, it’s perfectly fine to eat a leftover dinner meal for breakfast. Leftover vegetables are great on a salad and can be added to omelets or wraps, and starchy vegetables can be made into quick blender soup by adding in some broth.”

She recommends batch cooking and freezing entrees and sides to help maximize your food budget and cut down on meal prep time. “Pick two or three entrees or sides to batch cook on weekends or a day off work and freeze some of what you cook,” she advises. “Do this twice a month and replenish your freezer. That way you always have something home cooked in your freezer to build meals around.”

Reclaim Your Health

Baker began eating a diet based around organic whole foods and medicinal herbs in her early teens. She read everything she could find about holistic nutrition and kept up with it for years.

“Once I hit my mid-40s, I felt like my body was falling apart,” she recalls. “I was experiencing excruciating migraine headaches several times a week. They were so bad that they forced me to take time off work. I had constant nagging low back pain, chronic constipation, rosacea, and such serious fatigue, I would literally fall asleep sitting up in a chair. Eventually I found out I had chronic fatigue syndrome and was diagnosed with precancerous cells during a routine checkup.”

Baker reclaimed her health by applying everything she had learned in her study of nutrition.

“My health improved by focusing on making simple lifestyle changes and by finding the right mix of foods, herbs, and targeted supplements that fit my specific health needs,” she recalls. “This is now called BioIndividual Nutrition. In making these changes, I repaired my leaky gut, rebuilt my immune system, and decreased my risk.”

So what’s her favorite comfort food or treat?

The GT Bay YMCA in Traverse City works with physical therapy patients throughout the year.

Anne Baker encourages her clients to put whole foods, especially vegetables, at the top of their grocery lists.

“Soup is my go-to cold weather comfort food,” she says. “One of my favorite soups to make is chicken tortilla soup made with homemade bone broth. My warm weather favorite is all the seasonal fruit grown locally.”

Baker helps others on their wellness journey by finding and addressing the cause of their problems while avoiding prescription medications that just treat symptoms. Her therapeutic nutrition plans are built around “safe” foods, targeted nutrients, and lifestyle changes to bring the body back to health. She works with people across North America through virtual phone appointments and is currently accepting new clients.

Find more at nourishholisticnutrition.com.

Get Moving

Exercise is another area where we’ve been programmed to believe we have to meet a certain standard or conform to a specific mold. If you’re not doing high intensity interval training first thing in the morning or running at least two or three marathons a year, you’re a couch potato, right?

Wrong. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that each week, “adults need 150 minutes of moderateintensity physical activity and 2 days of muscle strengthening activity.” That breaks down to about 20-30 minutes a day, which is certainly a commitment, but not quite the challenge of training for a marathon.

Their definition of moderate-intensity physical activity includes walking, water aerobics, and even mowing the lawn. (Perhaps they’d give us Michiganders points for snowblowing the driveway, too.) In fact, the CDC’s biggest recommendation is “move more and sit less,” and that’s a resolution we can all get behind.

Take the Healthy Habits Challenge

A good place to start? The folks at the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA are eager to help you make 2023 your best year yet with their Healthy Habits Challenge Series ($80 for members, $120 for community participants).

It’s a series of six-week holistic health challenges designed to improve your body, nutrition, and movement. You’ll learn (or relearn) the important components of a healthy lifestyle, and the series begins and ends with essential fitness testing, so participants can track their transformation as it unfolds. By using habit-tracking, you’ll be encouraged to engage in healthy behaviors that will turn into lifetime habits.

“The Y is a place where all are welcome to create community,” says Liz Bloom, senior director of membership and wellness. “We’re less about resolutions and more about healthy habits.”

This is good news, as New Year’s resolutions aren’t known for lasting for a year…or even much more than a month. A University of Scranton study found 23 percent of people gave up on their resolutions after a single week, while a OnePoll survey found the average person sticks with their resolutions for just 32 days, making February 1 something of a notorious date.

At the Y, at least, it seems easy to make exercise goals stick with dozens of group classes available weekly, ranging from

swimming to pickleball to yoga to weight lifting. Members also have opportunities to work with staff to enhance their wellness journey or pursue one-on-one instruction.

Bloom says some of the most popular classes include Strength Train Together, a high energy barbell class; Enhance Fitness for active older adults; and Aqua Fit in the pool for an all-around low impact workout.

Other upcoming options include: Exploring Yoga and Meditation; Mastering Suspension Training; Introduction to Strength Training for Teens; and free programs like the popular community breakfast offered the first Friday of each month.

Visit gtbayymca.org for details.

Weightlifting classes for all ages and skill levels are available at the Y.

Swim and aqua fit classes are popular at the Y for their low-impact workout benefits.

All in the Family

How to commit to your family’s mental health and wellbeing

By Craig Manning

“This year, I’m going to take better care of myself.”

When it comes to setting New Year’s resolutions, many people return to some version of the above statement every December or January. But how about this version?

“This year, we’re all going to take better care of our mental health.”

That focus is one that Sander and Wendy Weckstein are urging everyone to adopt in 2023—especially families with kids and teens. The Wecksteins are two of the most respected mental health professionals in northern Michigan, particularly when it comes to addressing the growing epidemic of mental health challenges in young people.

Sander owns Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services and is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with more than 30 years of practice under his belt in northern Michigan. Wendy is a physical therapist and a certified instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, as well as the director of wellness for Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services. Together, the two are doing their part to foster sound mental health for young people in the Grand Traverse area.

But that work, the two say, has absolutely gotten more difficult in recent years.

A Perfect Storm

“The mental health needs of children and adolescents—and adults—after the pandemic have skyrocketed,” Sander tells Northern Express. “If you talk to any therapist or psychiatrist in the community, they will tell you that it is the busiest it’s ever been for them. I have hospitalized, psychiatrically, more teens in the last few years than I ever had in the past.”

Even before COVID, youth mental health challenges were on the rise in the United States. The Wecksteins point to a whole slew of factors to explain the trend, including social media, excessive screen time, lack of sufficient physical activity, not enough time outdoors, poor nutrition, and a constant cycle of “bad news” headlines, ranging from political division to school shootings to climate catastrophe.

The pandemic put all those stressors into a bottle and shook it up. “You take all the factors that already existed, and then you add the reality of kids not being in school,” Sander says. “They suddenly lost all their structure, and because of that, they were even

more sedentary, even more on the internet, and with less and less supervision. It was a perfect storm of multiple events that really negatively impacted their functioning in so many ways. And virtually every evaluation that I see now, I will hear parents and kids going back to something relating to the pandemic being an additional stressor for why they’re here.”

If there’s good news, it’s that the dark cloud of the pandemic receded in a big way over the course of 2021 and 2022, allowing kids and teens to return to something resembling a pre-COVID normal. The structure of school, extracurricular activities, and face-to-face time with friends is back in place.

And yet, even with the worst tidal waves of COVID (hopefully) in the rearview, the Wecksteins say there are still things to worry about when it comes to youth mental health. First, there’s the blast radius of the pandemic and all its far-reaching impacts on youth development and wellbeing. Second, all the stressors that existed before COVID-19 still exist as we look toward 2023.

Brighter Days Ahead?

So, how can kids, teens, and their families find their way toward brighter days in 2023? We asked Sander and Wendy for their best tips to make the New Year a healthier one for mental health.

Some strategies can be implemented at home right now by shifting the ways that families interact with one another—and with technology.

“Spending time together without the internet, without video games, that’s really important,” Sander says.

Wendy concurs: “A huge tip is just getting outside as a family and enjoying outdoor activity together as much as possible.”

“I’d also say that parents shouldn’t be afraid of setting limits,” Wendy adds. “Don’t be afraid to specify when it’s time to turn off the phone. Having technology timeouts one to two hours before bed is especially important, because the blue light has an impact on stimulation and can affect their sleep. How about bringing in meditation or journaling or reading prior to bed instead? Those things make a huge difference in terms of getting better sleep—which in turn means less irritability, less anxiety, less depression. One of the big problems right now is that a lot of teens are on their devices 14-16 hours a day.”

Another option for families looking to

be proactive about mental health in the New Year is to seek professional help—whether in a one-on-one capacity (like what Sander does) or in a group class-based environment (something Wendy offers).

Building The Toolbox

Wendy’s courses focus on the aforementioned Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), an eight-week program that she says can provide “healthier coping strategies through mindfulness.” Participants can then take those strategies and put them in action to help deal with stressors in their day-to-day lives.

Developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in the 1970s, MBSR is an evidence-based approach that employs mindfulness meditation, body awareness, yoga, and other tactics to reshape the way the brain responds to certain negative stimuli. The program has been researched by institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and UCLA and has shown considerable benefits in helping people navigate stress, anxiety, severe depression, and even chronic pain.

“Every time I’m teaching these classes, I’m in tears, because the kids come in just feeling crushed—without a center and without anything to really hold on to,” Wendy says. “And then we learn that we have these inner resources that we can cultivate to deal with stress. A lot of times, teens come in really not wanting to [go through the program]. It’s often been recommended by a doctor, or their parents are forcing their teens to take the class because they’re struggling in some way. So, they come in with their heels a bit dug in.”

But eventually, things start to turn

around. “By the second or third class, they are like sponges; they are just so open to the process,” Wendy continues. “And that’s because they start to see the benefits of breathing, and mindfulness, and meditation, and yoga, and all of these self-regulating practices. It’s just incredible to see the transformation by the end of the class. And then when they leave, they have this toolbox that they can reach for whenever they’re in the midst of a stressful moment.”

Sander says he often gets to see firsthand the extent of that before-andafter comparison. “I’ve had patients where we were doing therapy and utilizing both medications and supplements, just really working comprehensively to try to get the best outcomes, and they were still just stuck. Then they end up in one of these classes, and like Wendy said, they go in really gun-shy. But then by the fourth class, they’ll be saying to me, ‘This is the best night of the week for me.’ And then, on the other side when they’ve finished the class, I see that they’re still utilizing the strategies.”

Through Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services, Wendy offers MBSR programs for both teenagers and adults. While those classes are separate, Wendy does note that families can and do work through the process together. “I like when a parent takes the adult course concurrently with their teen taking the teen course,” she says. “They go at the same pace on different days, so families can work together on these strategies as a unit and bring them back home into their family dynamics.”

Interested in learning more about MBSR courses? Winter sessions start the week of January 23 and details are available online at nmpspc.com/classes.

Sander Weckstein

Wendy Weckstein

saturday

FESTIVAL OF TRAINS: 10am-4pm, Creekside Community Church Hall, TC. Presented by the Northern Michigan Railroad Club. With nearly 6,000+ visitors each year, this is now one of the largest fundraisers for Traverse City charities. nomirrc.wordpress.com/about/festival-oftrains/#:~:text=NMRRC%20Festival%20 of%20Trains%20–%20Christmas,of%20 the%20church%20and%20gymnasium.

KIDS’ SATURDAY CHRISTMAS MATINEES: 10am, The State Theatre, TC. Featuring “The Polar Express.” $1. stateandbijou.org/homepage/kids-matinees

SKIING WITH SANTA: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Give Santa a friendly wave before his trip around the world. Santa will hit the slopes beginning at 10am. crystalmountain.com/event/santa-ski

HOLIDAY MOVIES AT THE BAY: 7pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Featuring “Meet Me in St. Louis.” $5. thebaytheatre.com

sunday

FREE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DINNER: 1-3pm, East Jordan United Methodist Church. 231-5362161.

monday

MERRY MYSTERY SASQUATCH SEARCH: 9:30am, noon & 2:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Use sasquatch science to investigate & explore the mystery of Bigfoot. Then, make your own footprints. Free with Museum admission. greatlakeskids.org

SLEDDING & PIZZA PARTY: Pond Hill Farm, Harbor Springs. Held Dec. 26-31, noon-8pm. Enjoy free trails & sledding. Also available for purchase will be homemade pizza, hot cocoa, beer & wine, & soups. There will be a bonfire, gnome house hunt, animals, a market & more. Sign in at the market before heading out. Sleds will be available to use, but you can also bring your own. No wood or metal. pondhill.com/events

SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: Noon4pm, Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay. On Saturdays through the winter, explore easy to moderate trails & then warm up on the heated Terrace Patio & Hearth & Vine Café with wine & snacks. Onsite snowshoe rentals are available from noon - 4pm. Additional dates include: Dec. 26-30, 2022; Jan. 15, 2023; & Feb. 19, 2023. blackstarfarms.com/ snowshoes-vines-wines

HOLIDAY MOVIES AT THE BAY: 7pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Featuring “White Christmas.” $5. thebaytheatre.com

tuesday

MERRY MYSTERY SASQUATCH SEARCH: (See Mon., Dec. 26)

SLEDDING & PIZZA PARTY: (See Mon., Dec. 26)

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

HOLIDAY MOVIES AT THE BAY: 7pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Featuring “Remember the Night.” $5. thebaytheatre.com

wednesday

MERRY MYSTERY SASQUATCH SEARCH: (See Mon., Dec. 26)

SLEDDING & PIZZA PARTY: (See Mon., Dec. 26)

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

“THE HAUNTING OF EBENEZER”: SOLD OUT: 3pm, Bonobo Winery, TC. An acoustic concert retelling of Dickens’ classic tale. Featuring 16 original Americana songs that guide a listener through Ebenezer Scrooge’s haunting & transformation. Part concert, part musical theatre, & all holiday cheer! Tickets: $10; includes a glass of wine for ages 21+, & a cup of hot cocoa or warm apple cider for those under 21. exploretock.com/bonobowinery/event/379128/the-haunting-of-ebenezer

HOLIDAY MOVIES AT THE BAY: 7pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Featuring “Gremlins.” $5. thebaytheatre.com

FRESHWATER CONCERTS PRESENTS: LARRY MCCRAY BAND: 8pm, Freshwater Art Gallery & Concert Venue, Boyne City. On the heels of his latest critically acclaimed album, “Blues Without You,” the Larry McCray Band hits the Freshwater Stage. 231-5822588. $40.

thursday

MERRY MYSTERY SASQUATCH SEARCH: (See Mon., Dec. 26)

hot cocoa, and beer and wine available for

Pond

SLEDDING & PIZZA PARTY: (See Mon., Dec. 26)

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

READ TO A DOG: 1pm, Leland Township Library, Leland. Patrons of all ages & skill levels (even pre-readers) are welcome to read to Leo, a certified therapy dog. lelandlibrary. org/programs-events

Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs is hosting their Sledding & Pizza Party, Dec. 26-31, noon to 8pm. Enjoy ‘ Dinner + Comedy w/Dwayne Kennedy

HOLIDAY MOVIES AT THE BAY: 7pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Featuring “The Bishop’s Wife.” $5. thebaytheatre.com

friday

MERRY MYSTERY SASQUATCH SEARCH: (See Mon., Dec. 26) --------------

SLEDDING & PIZZA PARTY: (See Mon., Dec. 26)

and trails, followed by homemade pizza, food,enjoygreat drinks,&LAUGHS! tickets available!still

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

HOLIDAY MOVIES AT THE BAY: 7pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Featuring “The Shop Around the Corner.” $5. thebaytheatre.com ----------------------

COMEDY W/ DWAYNE KENNEDY: 7:45pm, Traverse City Comedy Club, TC. Dwayne Kennedy is a stand-up comedian, actor & writer. As a producer, he won a 2019 Emmy Award Winner for the CNN original series “United Shades of America.” $30, $25. traversecitycomedyclub.com

free sled december 31 • Green Salad • Dinner Rolls with Butter • Choice of: (1) Prime Rib, (2) Chicken Marsala, or (3) Pasta Primavera • Mashed Potatoes with Gravy • Broccoli with Cheese Sauce • Coffee or Tea • 1 Beer or Glass of Wine • Cookies and Assorted Small Pastries GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE!

saturday

NEW YEAR’S COUNTDOWN FOR KIDS: 9:30am, noon & 2:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. If you’d like to welcome in 2023, but can’t wait until midnight, watch the ball drop early & make some noise! The ball drop will happen a half hour before each session ends. Activities include decorating the ball, making noise makers & party hats, & more. Free with Museum admission. Reservations required. greatlakeskids.org

KIDS’ SATURDAY CHRISTMAS MATINEES: 10am, The State Theatre, TC. Featuring “Abominable.” $1. stateandbijou.org/ homepage/kids-matinees ----------------------

SLEDDING & PIZZA PARTY: (See Mon., Dec. 26)

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BOOK SIGNING EVENT: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Debbie DeJonge will sign her book “Lead Horse.” horizonbooks.com/ event/book-signing-event-debbie-dejonge

NYE AT BOYNE MOUNTAIN RESORT: Boyne Mountain Resort, Boyne Falls. 4-5:30pm: Hot cocoa & treats at Concierge Desk. 5-8pm: Bonfire with S’mores at The Back Forty; & wagon rides at Circle Drive. 7pm: “Small Foot” Family Movie Night in Geneva Room. 9pm: “Trolls World Tour” Family Movie Night in Geneva Room. 9:30pm: Torchlight Parade & Fireworks Extravaganza on Slopes of Victor. Midnight: New Year’s Celebration at all Resort bars: Forty Acres, The Back Forty, Everett’s & Trophy Room Pub & Pizzeria. boynemountain.com

NYE AT THE HIGHLANDS AT HARBOR SPRINGS: The Highlands at Harbor Springs. 4pm: Cocoa & treats - Main Lodge Tower. 6-9pm: Holiday crafts & movies - HHI Sarazen Room. Around 9pm: Torchlight Parade & fireworks. 9pm-midnight: Family NYE Party. highlandsharborsprings.com/events/ family-nye-celebration ----------------------

NYE AT TREETOPS: Treetops Resort, Gaylord. Family NYE Party: Party, snacks & balloon drop. Adults Only NYE Party: Exit 282 will be rocking out at Hunter’s Grill with fireworks at midnight. NYE Dueling Pianos Dinner. Find ‘New Year’s Eve at Treetops!’ on Facebook.

NYE AT CTAC, PETOSKEY: 5-9pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. The Arts Center will be filled with refreshments & creative activities including arts & crafts stations, musical performances by Levitator & others, pottery & dance workshops, magic shows & more. Included in the admission price, guests will enjoy pizza, salad, pasta, & grinders from Mancino’s. Free activities are also scheduled at the Petoskey District Library & outside on the Bidwell Plaza. These include getting your photo taken with Mo Willem’s “Pigeon,” games, dancing with The North Carolines, festive tunes from DJ Parker Marshall, fire pits & s’more kits, & more. The evening’s festivities conclude with the “Midnight at 9,” Times Square-style ball drop on East Mitchell St. All outdoor activities are free & open to the public. Admission tickets are required for indoor activities at CTAC ($10 adults, $5 students). crookedtree.org

NYE AT SHANTY CREEK RESORTS: Shanty Creek Resorts, Bellaire. Summit Village: The Lakeview Hotel: Family Fun Prime

Rib Dinner, featuring a comedian, magician & DJ with dancing in the Grand Ballroom. $65 adults, $39 ages 6-12, free for ages 5 & under with the purchase of an adult buffet. The Lakeview Restaurant: Traditional dining setting with floor-to-ceiling views of the fireworks at 11pm. $42 adults, $36 ages 9-17, ages 8 & under pay their age. Fireworks over Summit Mountain: 11pm. Schuss Village: Ivan’s: 21 & over only NYE party with The Phoenix Theory. $10 when reserved in advance. $20 at door. Fireworks over Schuss Mountain: 10pm. Cedar River Village: The River Bistro: Watch the Times Square show & celebrate with friends around the eight big screen TVs. Dinner runs from 5-11pm. facebook.com/events/2123622701177388

NYE FAMILY PARTY: Crystal Mountain, Northwest Territories in Crystal Center, Thompsonville. Includes a dinner buffet from 6-8pm; & DJ & dancing from 8-10pm. $85 adults (ages 13+); $45 kids (ages 3-12); free for ages 2 & under. crystalmountain.com/ event/new-years-eve-celebration ----------------------

DINNER + COMEDY W/ DWAYNE KENNEDY: 7pm, Traverse City Comedy Club, TC. Dwayne Kennedy is a stand-up comedian, actor & writer. As a producer, he won a 2019 Emmy Award Winner for the CNN original series “United Shades of America.” $100. mynorthtickets.com/events/nye-dinner-comedy-wdwayne-kennedy-12-31-2022

HOLIDAY MOVIES AT THE BAY: 7pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Featuring “Love Actually.” $5. thebaytheatre.com

KIDS NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY: 7pm, GT Resort & Spa, Health Club, Acme. For kids 6-12. Enjoy pizza, games, swimming, a mov-

ie & a balloon drop at midnight. $60 members; $75 non-members. grandtraverseresort.com/nye

NORTH BAR TC’S MASQUERADE ‘23: 8pm, North Bar TC. Enjoy the best view of the CherryT Ball Drop, a photo booth, full premium cash bar, DJ & coat check. Standard admission: $40; VIP tickets available. thefestivalfoundation.org/p/our-events/ticketedcelebrations?mc_cid=2dd572186f&mc_ eid=56ef0a78b6

THE FABULOUS HORNDOGS’ NEW YEARS EVE BASH: 8:30pm, Empire Townhall, Empire. $20.

NEW YEAR’S EVE FIRE & ICE PARTY: 9:30pm, GT Resort & Spa, Acme. Featuring fireworks, music by the John Pomeroy Band, a cash bar, & late night hors d’oeuvres. Must be 21+. Single ticket: $65; couples ticket: $110. eventbrite.com/e/new-years-eve-fireand-ice-party-tickets-439230900447

CHERRYT BALL DROP: 10pm, corners of Front & Cass streets, TC. $5 donations at the gate will go to GoodwillNMI’s Food Rescue in cooperation with Northwest Food Coalition. cherrytballdrop.org/?mc_ cid=c5b31a670c&mc_eid=56ef0a78b6

FAMILY GLOW LIGHT & TORCHLIGHT PARADES: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. The parades begin at the top of Cheers to Lou at 10pm. Registration is required at the Snowsports Desk (at the Mountain Adventure Zone) on Dec. 31 before 8pm, or while space allows. Spaces are limited to the first 100 people ages 18 & up to carry a torch, & the first 100 people ages 6-17 to carry a glow light. 9:15-9:40pm: Buck chairlift will be accessible for parade

sunday

NEW YEAR HIKE: 11am, Michigan Legacy Art Park, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Enjoy this invigorating snowshoe tour - an hour’s hike to see many of the Art Park’s sculptures along the wooded trail. Led by the Art Park’s Executive Director Angie Quinn, you will hear about the Art Park’s history as well as the sculptures. $10 admission to the park. Children & veterans are free. crystalmountain.com/event/snowshoe-tours

monday

KID’S CRAFT LAB: DRIP DROP SNOWFLAKE: 1pm & 3:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. A little watercolor paint will turn a coffee filter into a rainbow of snowflakes. Make a bunch of flakey fun! Sign up when you reserve your attendance at the Museum. glcm.org

tuesday

STORYTIME ADVENTURES: 10:30am, 1pm & 3:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Featuring “Snowmen at Night” by Caralyn Buehner. Sign up when you reserve your attendance at the Museum. glcm.org

“COFFEE, COPS & CONVERSATION”: 8-10am, Harbor Springs Police Department. Hosted by Police Chief Kyle Knight. Join the Harbor Springs Chamber staff & meet the Harbor Springs Police officers & staff & tour the Harbor Springs Police Department.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30am, Suttons Bay Bingham District Library, lower level Community Meeting Room. Preschoolers of all ages are invited to join for stories, songs & active fun. Free. sbbdl.org ----------------------

TCNEWTECH: City Opera House, TC. Select startups will be allowed 5 minutes to present their pitch & 5 minutes of questions & answers from the audience. The audience is made up of technology-minded people & consists of programmers, IT staff, people looking for opportunities for their tech company, tech companies looking for staff, & more. Register. Cash bar & networking at 5:30pm; investor pitches at 6pm. tcnewtech.org

wednesday

KID’S CRAFT LAB: DRIP DROP SNOWFLAKE: (See Mon., Jan. 2, except today’s times are 10:30am, 1pm & 3:30pm.)

JANUARY RECESS: 5-7pm, Cherry Capital Airport, TC. After work fun for grown-ups. Enjoy a chili bar & local spirits from Cherry Country Cafe, & a drawing for a prize of a $500 airline voucher for Sun Country. Bring your parking voucher in for validation. $10 entry fee. Find ‘Winter Recess Getaway At Cherry Capital Airport’ on Facebook.

thursday

STORYTIME ADVENTURES: (See Tues., Jan. 3)

friday

COMEDY WITH HEATHER JAY: 7:45-9:30pm, Traverse City Comedy Club. With a versatile style, Heather Jay can appeal to men & women from all walks of life. Part intellect, part mom & a little residual party girl, her topics range from the socially conscious to the ridiculous. Tickets, $25-$30. mynorthtickets.com/events/comedy-wheather-j-1-6-2023

saturday

WINTER TRAILS DAY: 1pm, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. This event offers children & adults new to snow sports the chance to try cross country skiing for FREE, & to discover the great fitness & social benefits with this easy-to-learn winter sport. This free 1-hour clinic includes a lesson & rental equipment. crystalmountain. com/event/winter-trails-day

sunday

SIP & SKI: A LEELANAU WINE COUNTRY SKI TOUR: 12:30-4:30pm, Shady Lane Cellars, Suttons Bay. Ski the Leelanau Trail

from Shady Lane Cellars to Farm Club. Enjoy tastes of Shady Lane Cellars wines before heading out on the trail. Then ski 3.9 miles to Farm Club, where you will warm up with their Bon Fuego, a slow fire roasted stew. Enjoy one of Farm Club’s hand crafted beers, ciders, or wines. Included in the tour is transportation back to Shady Lane Cellars. Ambitious skiers are welcome to make the return trip back on the trail. $69/person. grandtraversebiketours. com/sip--ski-tour.html

LADIES NIGHT IN ELK RAPIDS: 5pm, Downtown Elk Rapids. Shop local businesses in Downtown Elk Rapids & Ames Street. There will be food, drink & fun. Free. facebook.com/downtownelkrapids

ongoing

VINE TO WINE SNOWSHOE TOUR: Saturdays, noon-4pm, beginning Jan. 7. Enjoy a snowshoe adventure through the vineyards & orchards to three wineries. The private vineyard trail connects Suttons Bay Ciders, Ciccone Vineyards, & Big Little Wines. This guided tour starts at Big Little Wines, Suttons Bay. The tour includes your snowshoe & pole rental, a catered warm lunch of chili & soups overlooking the bay, & a wine purchase pick up service. grandtraversebiketours.com/vine-to-wine-snowshoe-tour.html

BELLAIRE WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Fridays, 9am-noon. Held at 3 locations: Bee Well Mead & Cider, Short’s Brewing Co., & Terrain, Bellaire.

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BOYNE CITY MARKET AT THE PAVILION: Saturdays, 9am-12:30pm, Veterans Park Pavilion, Boyne City. Shop local produce, baked goods, artisan foods & crafts.

THE VILLAGE INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 10am-2pm, The Village at GT Commons, Mercato, TC. Fresh produce, eggs, pastries, honey, jams & more. thevillagetc.com

art

“GIFT OF A LIFETIME” EXHIBIT: Twisted Fish Gallery, Elk Rapids. Featuring Joani Braun’s lifetime of art. In recent years, Joani was mostly known for her watercolor paintings of subjects ranging from landscapes to homes, portraits & animals. She also worked in other mediums, such as wood carving, oil paint, pen & ink, collage, art therapy & more. Exhibit runs through Dec. 31. Open 10am5pm, Tues. - Sat. twistedfishgallery.com

JUST GREAT ART!: City Opera House, TC. Runs from 10am-5pm during the week & evening events, from Dec. 1 - Jan 31. The group of 12 artists paint using oil, watercolor, pastel or acrylic to create their pieces. They love to depict their northwest Michigan area while painting outside, through the warm months. cityoperahouse.org ----------------------

3RD ANNUAL ART TREE SHOW: Higher Art Gallery, TC. More than 15 local & national artists. Small works of art displayed on the Art Tree. Runs through Dec. 24. higherartgallery.com

CHARLEVOIX CIRCLE HOLIDAY MARKET: Charlevoix Circle of Arts, through Dec. 30. Closed Sundays. A festive, handmade, shopping experience featuring more than 40 local artists & makers. charlevoixcircle.org/exhibits-2022

SHIPWRECKS OF THE MANITOU PASSAGE EXHIBIT: Runs through Dec. 30 at

Leelanau Historical Society Museum, Leland. This exhibit illustrates the stories of the ships, steamers & crews lost in the Manitou Passage, the waters that surround the Leelanau Peninsula & its islands. leelanauhistory.org/exhibits

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC:

- “ENTANGLED: PAPER SCULPTURES

FROM ETCHING PRINTS BY DOROTHY ANDERSON GROW”: Held in the Carnegie Galleries. Dorothy Anderson Grow’s multilayer etching prints are on display in this solo exhibition that runs from Jan. 6 - Feb. 18. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traverse-city/ entangled-paper-sculptures-etching-printsdorothy-anderson-grow-opens

- OCCUPIED SPACES: WORK BY JUSTIN SHULL: Held in Cornwell Gallery. In his solo exhibition “Occupied Spaces,” Michigan artist Justin Shull presents a series of personal meditations on the environments that we shape & inhabit, & he invites us to consider how these environments shape us in return. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-traverse-city/occupied-spaceswork-justin-shull-opens-january-6

OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:

- HOLIDAY ART MARKET: Runs now through Christmas. Shop a diverse collection of local artisan-made gifts, crafts & sweet treats. Open 10am - 4pm, Monday through Saturday. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org

- WINTER MEMBER EXHIBITION: Runs through Jan. 13. Works of all kinds by local & regional artists will be on display in the galleries. This exhibition is sponsored by the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation. Closed on Sundays. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org/events

From the title alone, it is clear that famed director Steven Spielberg’s highly personal, moving-image memoir, The Fabelmans, is not a biography per se, but a fantasy of a biography. And what the film reveals—up to the very tipping point of trauma but never over it— is how the 75-year-old director’s sometimes painful childhood led him to his career as one of the most successful storytellers of all time.

The story itself follows the disguised Spielberg as character Sammy Fabelman, a young Jewish boy (in New Jersey, then Arizona, then California) struggling to understand family, himself, and the world around him as it changes constantly. In response, Sammy finds escapism, healing, and control behind the camera making movies.

Torn between the eccentricities of his artist mother (played hauntingly by Michelle Williams) and his scientist father (Paul Dano in a soft spoken turn), Sammy uses his storytelling super powers to first celebrate, then expose, and finally understand his own life. When friends ask, “What kind of movie are you going to make, Sammy?” they are really asking, “What kind of life are you going to live?”

It turns out to be quite an interesting one. Sammy’s unorthodox childhood and his teen angst as a child of divorce, disruption, and fallible parents give him a profound sense of both small-scale and grand drama, visual clues, and how to create tidier, cleaner endings to life’s messiness.

With a script co-written by Spielberg with Tony Kushner (recent collaborators on the adaptation of West Side Story), the film begins to feel edgier and edgier as you understand the complexities involved. That tension is driven by restrained and precise performances from a memorable cast led by Gabriele LaBelle as Sammy.

But the language of this PG-13 film and the score by John Williams stay somewhat childlike and simple throughout, even as the director reluctantly unpacks the pain of adults. And for Spielberg’s many adoring fans, this is exactly his gift of optimism to a dark world.

If he wanted to oversee and manage his obituary (and what director wouldn’t?), Spielberg has clearly come faithfully and fully to this subjective version, which makes it the most subconscious and true of them all. For that and more, the film is a worthy and lingering fascination, a time capsule of a vanishing movie culture that future generations may treat with confusion rather than reverence, like modern toddlers with Zenith TVs trying to make them work like touch screens. As Spielberg is famously stubborn about insisting on big-screen releases, this film is only available to watch now projected (perhaps ironically) in digital.

The Fabelmans will probably follow in a long line of self-congratulatory awards to Hollywood on Hollywood films, even as more daring choices might speak louder to today’s audiences. But at least Spielberg is still fighting to keep an adult cinema culture thriving. It’s more than the studios have done, who’ve just shoved the same ads, Nicole Kidman “silver screen” promos, and awkward intros from directors thanking us for being there, while we sit among rows and rows of emptier and emptier seats.

I was glad to see the film in a theater if only to fully enjoy the perfect and uniquely cinematic finale I never saw coming—the most fitting example of the film’s promise, delivered, that “movies are dreams you never forget.”

The good ones are, at least.

For Traverse City area news and events,

visit TraverseTicker.com

July 27 through August 5, 2023

Thursday July 27 | 7:30

Drinks, Dessert, and Discussion

A Festival Introduction - Robert Nordling, host

BI Historical Society Print Museum

Ticketed Event

Saturday July 29 | 7:30

Opening Night

Ying Li, solo piano

BI Community Center

Ticketed Reserved Seating Only

Monday July 31 | 7:30

Contemporary Classical Brand-new music - Robert Nordling, guide BI Community Center Freewill Donation Seating

Tuesday August 1 | 7:30

Chamber Music Waterside

Works for small ensembles

CMU Biological Station

Ticketed Reserved Seating

Wednesday August 2 | 4:00

Brass on the Grass: Popular Favorites

Metallurgy Brass Quintet

Whiskey Point Lighthouse Freewill Seating

Wednesday August 2 | 7:30

The Founders Concert: Vocal Music

The Festival Chorus - Kevin Simons, conductor

Beaver Island School

Ticketed Reserved & Freewill Seating

Thursday August 3 | 2:00

Chamber Music al fresco

Donegal Bay Woodwind Quintet Beaver Island Gallery Freewill Seating

Thursday August 3 | 7:30

Mozart Only: Ying Li, piano

The Festival Orchestra

Robert Nordling, conductor Beaver Island School

Ticketed Reserved & Freewill Seating

Friday August 4 | 2:00

Kids in Concert!

The Dorothy Gerber Strings Program

David Reimer, director Beaver Island School Freewill Donation Seating

Friday August 4 | 3:00 – 5:00

The St James Jazz Ensemble

Happy Hour Jazz Standards

Whiskey Point Brewing Company

Ticketed & Freewill Seating

Saturday August 5 | 7:30

Finale Concert

The Festival Orchestra & Chorus

Robert Norlding, conductor

Young Soloist Competition Award Winner

Beaver Island School

Ticketed Reserved & Freewill Seating

by Joseph Beyer

BEL LAGO VINEYARD & WINERY, CEDAR

1/6 -- The Duges Unplugged, 2:304:30

BROOMSTACK KITCHEN & TAPHOUSE, MAPLE CITY

Tue -- Pat Niemisto & Chris Skellenger, 6-9

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE SLOPESIDE TENT, NEAR CRYSTAL CLIPPER CHAIRLIFT: 3-5:

12/29 -- Johnny P 12/30 -- Luke Woltanski

12/31 -- Nick Vasquez

1/1 -- Funtastix

1/7 -- Brady Corcoran

VISTA LOUNGE:

12/26 -- Jesse Jefferson, 2-5; Jim Hawley, 8-11

12/27 -- Meg Gunia, 2-5; Headwind, 8-11

12/28 -- Dominic Fortuna, 2-5; Scarkazm, 8-11

12/29 -- Luke Woltanski, 2-5; John-

ny P Band, 8-11

12/30 -- Johnny P, 2-5; TC Knuckleheads, 8-11

12/31 -- 2 Feet, 2-5; TC Knuckleheads, 8:30pm-12:30am

1/1 -- Boone Doggies, 2-5

1/6 -- Barefoot, 8-11

1/7 -- Christopher Winkelmann, 2-5; Barefoot, 8-11

DICK'S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. -- Karaoke, 10-1

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 5-7:

12/30 – Feral Cats

12/31 -- John Piatek & Friends

1/6 – Lynn Callihan

1/7 – Luke Woltanski

LAKE ANN BREWING CO.

12/28 -- New Third Coast, 6:30-9:30

12/29 -- Levi Britton, 6:30-9:30

12/30 -- Silver Creek Revival, 6:309:30 12/31 -- NYE Daydrinkin' w/ The

Antrim & Charlevoix

Bourdains, 2:30-5:30; then Delilah DeWylde, 6-9

LEELANAU SANDS CASINO, PESHAWBESTOWN

12/30 -- Mark Wilson - DJ, 8 12/31 -- Mark Wilson - DJ, 9

NORTHPORT PUB & GRILLE

12/31 -- Knee Deep, 8

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH

12/29 & 1/5 -- Open Mic Night w/ Jeff Louwsma, 5:30-8:30 12/30 -- After Christmas Blues w/ Keith Scott, 5:30-9

STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT

7-9: 12/28 -- Pinter Whitnick 12/29 -- Ben Traverse Duo 12/30 -- Larz Cabot 12/31 -- NYE Annual Growler Drop w/ Maddy Sharp (performing at 7:30)

nitelife

ACOUSTIC TAP ROOM, TC 1/6 -- John Piatek, 8

BIER'S INWOOD BREWERY, CHARLEVOIX

1/5 -- Open Mic Night: Sign up at 6:15; music at 7

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 7-10: 12/31 -- Ron Getz Quartet 1/7 -- Winter Music Series

HELLO VINO, BELLAIRE

12/26 -- David Lawston, 6-9 12/27 -- Darrell, 5-8 12/28 -- Doc Woodward, 6-8 12/29 -- Rick Woods, 6-9 12/30 -- Nick Vasquez, 6:30-9:30

SHANTY CREEK RESORT, BELLAIRE SUMMIT VILLAGE, THE OTHER BAR:

12/24 & 12/28 -- David Lawston, 7:30-10:30

SHORT'S BREW PUB, BELLAIRE 12/30 -- Distant Stars, 8-10

WEATHERVANE RESTAURANT, CHARLEVOIX

12/31 -- The Foghorn Jazz Band, 10

BEARDS BREWERY, PETOSKEY ROOT CELLAR:

12/31 -- Charlie Millard, Eliza Thorp & Lara Fullford, 6-9; The Lavender Lions, 9-11

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY 4-7: 12/26 & 12/31 -- Michelle Chenard 12/27 & 12/30 -- Chris Calleja 12/28 -- Tyler Parkin 12/29 -- Chase & Allie

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

12/30 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30 12/31 -- NYE Bash w/ Skin Kwon Doe, 10

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BAY HARBOR 7-10: 12/28 – Sean Bielby 12/30 – Brett Mitchell

ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY VICTORIES: 12/30 & 1/7 -- Live DJ, 9

12/31 -- Mega 80's, 9; then DJ 1/6 -- Derailed, 9

THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN

12/31 -- NYE Party w/ Electric Soul, 9

THE NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY

12/28 – The Shouting Bones, 7-10 12/29 -- Ty Parkin, 7-10 12/30 -- Michelle Chenard, 7-10 12/31 -- Sunny Bleau, 8 1/6 -- Dogwood Rhythm, 7-10 1/7 -- Mike Struwin, 7-10

edited by jamie kauffold

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

ENCORE 201, TC 12/31 -- NYE Party w/ Soul Patch & DJ Ricky T, 7:30

KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC 12/28 -- Live Music, 8 12/31 -- One Hot Robot, 9:30 1/5 -- DJ, 9:30 1/6-7 -- Bad Jam, 9:30

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM: 12/26 & 1/2 -- Barrels & Beats w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9 TASTING ROOM: 12/28 -- Ryan Curtis, 5-7

LIL BO, TC Tues. – Trivia, 8-10 Weds. – Aldrich, 9 Sun. – Karaoke, 8

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, TC 12/29 -- Chris Smith, 7:30-10:30

MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC 6-9: 12/30 -- Rebekah Jon 1/6 -- Zeke Clemons

NORTH BAR TC 12/31 -- North Bar TC's Masquerade '23 w/ DJ, 8

THE LITTLE FLEET, TC 12/28 & 1/4 -- Endless Summer w/ DJ Dusty Staircase, 3-10 12/31 -- DJ Wolinski - NYE Sparkle Party, 8

THE PARLOR, TC 8-11: 12/27 – Jesse Jefferson 12/28 – Wink 12/29 – Jimmy Olson 12/30 – Levi Britton 12/31 – Jim Hawley

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

12/26 -- Big Fun Jam Band, 6 12/27 -- Open Mic & Musical Talent Showcase, 7 12/28 -- Jazz Show & Jam, 6 12/30 -- Nicolas Veine, 7 12/31 -- Stonefolk, 8 1/6 -- Clint Weaner, 6

1/7 -- Jazz Cabbage, 6

THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC PATIO:

12/31 -- Silent Disco Party w/ DJ DomiNate & DJ JR, 9

TRAVERSE CITY COMEDY CLUB, TC

12/30 -- Comedy w/ Dwayne Kennedy, 7:45

12/31 -- Dinner + Comedy w/ Dwayne Kennedy, 7

1/6 -- Comedy w/ Heather Jay, 7:45-9:30

1/7 -- Comedy w/ Heather Jay, 7:30-9

UNION STREET STATION, TC 12/24 -- Wax, 10

12/27 & 1/3 -- Open Mic Comedy, 8-9:30; then Karaoke

12/28 -- AJ from Z93, 10

12/29 -- Skin Kwon Doe, 10 12/30 -- Happy Hour w/ Jet Beasley; then DJ DomiNate

12/31 -- Biomassive, 10

1/4 -- 1 Wave DJs w/ AJ Smith, 10 1/6 -- Happy Hour w/ True Tones; then Skin Kwon Doe

1/7 -- The Time Bombs, 10

Otsego, Crawford & Central

NORTHERN INN, GAYLORD

BENNETHUM'S

12/27 -- Michelle Chenard, 5-8

Emmet & Cheboygan

Frankfort’s Maddy Sharp returns to Stormcloud Brewing Co. for the 9th Annual New Year’s Eve Growler Drop. Sharp will perform pop, rock and folk covers on her ukulele at 7:30pm, and the growler will drop at 9pm.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In accordance with your astrological omens in 2023, I've chosen a quote from Capricorn storyteller Michael Meade. I hope you will make it one of your core meditations in the coming months. He writes, "All meaningful change requires a genuine surrender. Yet, to surrender does not simply mean to give up; more to give up one's usual self and allow something other to enter and redeem the lesser sense of self. In surrendering, we fall to the bottom of our arguments and seek to touch the origin of our lives again. Only then can we see as we were meant to see, from the depth of the psyche where the genius resides, where the seeds of wisdom and purpose were planted before we were born." (The quote is from Meade's book Fate and Destiny, The Two Agreements of the Soul.)

VIRGO ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22): How should we refer to your romantic adventures in 2023?

We could be whimsical and call them "Ritual Mating Dances on the Outskirts of History." We could be melodramatic and call them "Diving into the Deep Dark Mysteries in Search of Sexy Treasures." Or we could be hopeful and call them "A Sacred Pilgrimage to the Frontiers of Intimacy." I think there's a good chance that all three titles will turn out to be apt descriptors of the interesting stories ahead of you— especially if you're brave as you explore the possibilities.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): "Coddiwomple" is an English slang word that means to travel resolutely and dynamically toward an as-yet unknown destination. It's not the same as wandering aimlessly. The prevailing mood is not passivity and vagueness. Rather, one who coddiwomples has a sense of purpose about what's enjoyable and meaningful. They may not have a predetermined goal, but they know what they need and like. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the next six months will be an excellent time for you Libras to experiment with coddiwompling.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the theater of ancient Greece, the term anagnorisis referred to a pivotal moment when a character discovered a big truth they had previously been unaware of. Another Greek word, peripeteia, meant a reversal of circumstances: "a change by which the action veers round to its opposite." I bring these fun ideas to your attention, dear Scorpio, because I think 2023 could bring you several instances of an anagnorisis leading to a peripeteia. How would you like them to unfold? Start making plans. You will have uncanny power to determine which precise parts of your life are gifted with these blessings.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Winters are cold in Olds, a town in Alberta, Canada. Temperatures plunge as low as 24 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. But an agronomist named Dong Jianyi has built a giant greenhouse there that enables him to grow vegetables yearround. He spends no money on heat, but relies on innovative insulation to keep the inside warm. In 2021, he grew 29,000 pounds of tomatoes. I propose we make him your inspirational role model for 2023, Sagittarius. My guess is, that like him, you will be a wellspring of imaginative resourcefulness. What creative new developments could you generate? How might you bring greater abundance into your life by drawing extra energy from existing sources? How could you harness nature to serve you even better?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In addition to my career as a horoscope columnist, I have written novels and other books. I have worked as a singer-songwriter in rock bands and performed a one-person show in theaters. As survey my history, I always break into sardonic laughter as contemplate how many businesspeople have advised me, "First, you've got to sell out. You've got to dumb down your creative efforts so as to make yourself salable. Only later, after you have become successful, can you afford to be true to your deepest artistic principles." I am very glad never heeded that terrible counsel, because it would have made me insane and unhappy. How are you doing with this central problem of human life, Aquarius? Are you serving the gods of making money or the gods of doing what you love? The coming year will, I suspect, bring you prime opportunities to emphasize the latter goal.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): I've chosen a sweet taste of advice for you to keep referring back to in 2023. It's in rapt alignment with upcoming astrological omens. I suggest you copy my counsel out in longhand on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet or under your pillow. Here it is, courtesy of author Martha Beck: "The important thing is to tell yourself a life story in which you, the hero, are primarily a problem solver rather than a helpless victim. This is well within your power, whatever fate might have dealt you."

ARIES (March 21-April 19): "Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor," writes Aries author Anne Lamott. "It will keep you cramped and insane." I think that's a key theme for you to embrace in 2023. Let's express the idea more positively, too. In Navajo culture, rug weavers intentionally create small imperfections in their work, like oddcolored beads or stray pieces of yarn. This rebellion against unattainable exactitude makes the art more soulful. Relieved of the unrealistic mandate to be flawless, the rug can relax into its beauty.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Here are my four decrees for you in 2023, Taurus. 1. You are cleared to be greedy if it's in service to a holy cause that fosters others' well-being as well as yours. 2. It's permissible to be stubborn if doing so nourishes versions of truth and goodness that uplift and inspire your community. 3. It's proper to be slow and gradual if that's the best way to keep collaborative projects from becoming slipshod. 4. It's righteous to be zealous in upholding high standards, even if that causes less diligent people to bail out.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In 2023, many interesting lessons will arrive via your close relationships and collaborations. You will have the potential to learn more about the art of togetherness than you have in a long time. On occasion, these lessons may initially agitate you. But they will ultimately provide more pleasure and healing than you can imagine right now. Bonus prediction: You will have an enhanced talent for interweaving your destiny together with the fates of your allies.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Here are some projects I'd love to see you pursue in 2023: 1. Teach your allies the fine points of how to cherish you but not smother you. 2. Cultivate your natural talent for appreciating the joys of watching and helping things grow: a child, a creative project, a tree, a friendship, or your bank account. 3. If you don't feel close to the family members that fate provided you with, find others you like better. 4. As you explore territories that are further out or deeper within, make sure your Cancerian shell is expandable. 5. Avoid being friends with people who are shallow or callous or way too cool. 6. Cultivate your attraction to people who share your deepest feelings and highest ideals.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Mystic teacher Terence McKenna said, "You have to take seriously the notion that understanding the universe is your responsibility, because the only understanding of the universe that will be useful to you is your own understanding." This will be key advice for you in 2023. You will be wise to craft an updated version of your personal philosophy. I suggest you read a lot of smart people's ideas about the game of life. Make it your quest to commune with interesting minds who stimulate your deep thoughts. Pluck out the parts that ring true as you create a new vision that is uniquely your own.

BY ROB BREZSNY

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