Up Close
With the Editor
Happy 4th of July!
It seems the phrase “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth” has been replaced with a bit more modern “I want it all and I want it right now!” I’ve even been guilty of making the statement. Guilty ofimpatience and greed? Yes, I’m afraid so, at times. Our kids are growing up in a world that seems to promote this cultural motto interpretting “freedom” is expressed by doing whateverwe want and whenever we want to do it. . . having anything we want and however we can get it. After all, it’s a “Free” country. Right? But in the world of reality, I wonder if perhaps these beliefs aren’t ultimately leading to painful consequences? The Bible tells us Jesus came to set us “free” from a life full of regretful choices. He delivers us from sin’s power, so we’re “free” to follow Him and live healthy, godly lives. When people are inundated with cultural messages encouraging independence, they tend to yearn for the power to do as they please. Paul referenced this freedom in 1 Corinthians 10:23. Everything is permissible’ - but not everything is beneficial. “FREEDOM” should mean we get to choose God’s best for our lives every day. I thank God every day that we have the freedom to choose. Our country was based on religious freedom. Our forefathers have fought and many have lost their lives fighting for our freedom. On this July 4th holiday, let us all remember those who have paid dearly to protect our precious freedom of choice. And with this issue, there must be choices made. There are simply so many fair, festival and concert events, that they overlap on the calendar. It’s going to be physically impossible to attend and enjoy them all. So, I encourage you to study the schedules and previews on each page, click the links to websites, and choose as many good clean family outings as you can - then wave those flags high in celebration of our “freedom.”
Kathy Barnett, Senior Editor Page 4
About the Cover : Get ready for a fun-filled summer. Over the next few months, communities around Michigan will host ethnic festivals, balloon championships, parades, fireworks displays, races, art fairs and much, much more.
The Weekender Published quarterly online by Barnett PRO, 71 Plymouth St., Plymouth, OH 44865. PHONE/FAX: 419-687-0002 Email: info@barnettpro.com Publisher: Michael Barnett Sr. email: mike@barnettpro.com Managing Editor: Kathy Barnett email: editor@theweekendermagazine.com Assistant Editor: Samantha Barnett Sam@barnettpro.com Contributing Editors Sheeree Oney • Norman Reed Kenny Turner Advertising Director Kenny Turner Ken@theweekendermagazine.com
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July, 2012
Things to Do: Hoist the Sails Lift the sails and let the deep waters of the Great Lakes as well as Michigan’s bounty of inland lakes tempt you to while away an afternoon against a backdrop of alluring scenery, mesmerizing sounds and amazing adventure. America’s third coast--Michigan’s 3,200-mile freshwater coastline---is a sailor’s delight. The Great Lakes--Huron, Michigan, Superior and Erie--and Lake St. Clair are spectacular on their own. Add sandy beaches, rocky and forested shores, historic lighthouses, populated and remote islands, waterfront villages and port cities—now you have an irresistible Michigan sailing adventure. Old salts and landlubbers alike are tempted by the deep waters of the Great Lakes as well as Michigan’s bounty of beautiful inland lakes. For sloop or sunfish, services are plentiful. State, local and other governmental units administer more than 80 Great Lakes harbors and marinas External Link, as well as public access sites on inland lakes. Private companies cater to sailors
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with charter yachts, transient dockage, fuel, dining, shopping and entertainment options. Don’t know stem from stern? Sign up for lessons designed for beginning sailors through experienced navigators at schools such as Bay Breeze Yacht Charters External Link in Traverse City or Scrimshaw Sailing Charters External Link on Lake St. Clair. Sailing the Great LakesJust want to relax and enjoy the wind in your hair, the sun on your face and the wide open waters? Regularly scheduled trips allow you to enjoy the relaxed, informal atmosphere that defines sailing. Choose from two-hour morning, afternoon and romantic sunset cruises aboard The Sunshine 2 External Link, a 45-foot cutterrigged ketch that sails Lakes Charlevoix and Michigan. The Irish Wake External Link, a sixpassenger, 30’ Pearson, sets out from Pentwater to Lake Michigan for daily 90minute morning, lunchtime, afternoon and sunset sails all summer long. Sandy beaches, www.theweekendermagazine.com
rocky and forested shores, historic lighthouses, populated and remote islands, waterfront villages and port cities--Michigan is an irresistible sailor’s paradise. New sailors, day trippers and old salts will enjoy this WJR podcast with Rod Call of Unsalted Sailing External Link as he discusses a wide variety of sailing adventures available in Michigan and throughout the Great Lakes. Michigan is home to some very popular sail races including the Blue Water Fest, External Link (July 11-15) and the Bell's Beer Bayview Mackinac Race External Link, (July 14). Feel the excitement as experienced racers hoist their sails and brace for the start of some exhilarating contests of precision teamwork and speed. For more Pure Michigan nautical information, visit www.michigan.org/Things-to-Do/Outdoors /Boating /Default.aspx July, 2012
Places to Go: The Worlds Premier Automotive Exhibition Explore the fascinating story of cars, people and culture at Henry Ford Museum's Driving America-- the world's premier automotive exhibition. The interactive display features everything from the oldest surviving American car to modern-day SUVs. You'll see genuine artifacts and magnificent images. Centered around an unparalleled collection of historically significant vehicles, this remarkable mix of authentic artifacts, digital media, interactive play and personal accounts focuses on the enormous influence the automobile has had on American culture—from the automotive innovations that have changed our lives to the everyday choices we make. The Driving America Timeline offers a quick glimpse of the exhibit’s major themes and stories. The exhibit features 20 focal areas that cover everything from hot rods and road trips to road food and racing. Some 18 interactive 42-inch touchscreens are sprinkled throughout Driving America, offering hundreds of additional details, images, videos and oral histories. Hundreds of artifacts on exhibit have their own digital record, so you can tap and enlarge, view automobile exterior and interior images, look at a 360-degree view, scan through original advertisements, repair manuals and much more. A handy Driving America smart card, given to you when you enter the exhibit, can store what you experience as you walk the exhibit and then digitally transfer July, 2012
your personalized compilation for online viewing later. “Talk Like a Trucker” but keep it clean - we’re talking CB radio! Approached in a fun, participatory way, this interactive game introduces you to wonderful auto-centric lingo through a recording created at the height of the CB radio craze. Keep your eyes peeled for Lamy’s Diner where all are welcome to sit down at the counter, slide into a booth or grab a chair on the attached patio and enjoy some coffee and light fare 1940s diner style Everybody can relate to something in Driving America, because this exhibit is about more than automobiles, it is about American culture and how much of it has been influenced by the automobile over the past 100-plus years,” said Patricia Mooradian, president of The Henry Ford. For more information, visit thehenryford.org
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People to See: Legendary Golfers LAKE ORION - The U.S. Senior Open, one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events, is coming to Indianwood Golf and Country Club July 915. More than 156 professionals and amateurs (over the age of 50) are expected to play. Previously, Indianwood has hosted two U.S. Women’s Opens in 1989 and 1994. Ticket options to purchase for the 2012 U.S. Senior Open Championship are Daily Practice Rounds, Daily
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Championshp Rounds, Weekly Ticket and Gene Sarazen Club. Parking is free and is included with your ticket purchase. Children 17 and under will be admitted for free with a ticketed adult. Many of golf's legendary players will be eligible to play in the 2012 U.S. Senior Open at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Lake Orion including six of the World Golf Hall of Fame members. These WGHF Members are Fred Couples, Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, Bernhard Langer, Larry Nelson, Greg Norman, Nick Price and Tom Watson. Local lodging packages include Hilton Suites Hotel Auburn Hills and Auburn Hills Marriott Pontiac at Centerpoint For more information, visit www.michigan.org/Partners/USSenior Open/Default.aspx?&utm_ source=govdelivery&utm_medium= Email&utm_campaign=Newsletter
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July, 2012
Places to Go: Grand Rapids Art museums, a presidential museum, antique shops, wineries and some of the top restaurants in the state–see what city life in Grand Rapids has to offer. You’ll want to spend more than a weekend in this top notch city, which boosts a high-energy, walkable downtown with nightlife, sports, entertainment venues, and unique shops and boutiques. Grand Rapids offers a multitude of opportunities for family fun. Below is a sample of things you can do and see while you’re in town: Located just a few miles away from downtown, discover the splendor of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, a 125-acre botanical garden and world-class sculpture park, or plan to spend time at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. The museum's commitment to current and future generations includes opening the doors of its current home in 2007 as the first newly-constructed, LEED Gold certified art museum in the world. A night at the symphony: If you’re looking for truly sophisticated fun, then you’ll want to join the Grand Rapids Symphony for their Picnic Pops series and other great performances in July and August. Or, you can check out Circle Theatre–a community theater performing main stage and special children’s productions. Performances this summer include Treasure Island, Hair, See How They Run and Trailer Park. The Voigt House Victorian Museum gives visitors a glimpse into the lifestyle, customs and traditions of late 19th-century and early 20th-century Grand July, 2012
Rapids. If you work up an appetite during your escapades, then you should venture outside of the city to Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery, where you’ll find a bakery, a lunch counter and eating area, plus a cider mill, wine tasting area, and gift shop. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the Blandford Nature Center --a free, 143-acre wooded park within city limits with miles of hiking trails through forests and wildflower meadows. One of the center's added-value amenities includes a 19th-century log cabin homestead and nature education activities. At Coopersville area farms, just 20 miles from Grand Rapids, you can pick your own bushels of fruit in season at Gavin Orchards and Ven Roy’s Blueberries. One Trick Pony offers a grill and taproom along with fine dining and exceptional wine flights, plus top local and national music acts. Treat the family to Mediterranean cuisine including pasta and parmesan-encrusted chicken, as well as burgers, sandwiches and pizza at Rose’s, an inviting eatery located on Reed Lake. Jersey Junction provides a bit of nostalgia with its old-fashioned ice cream parlor and candy store, which has more than 200 different candies, including some old favorites such as candy buttons, candy necklaces, rock candy suckers and old fashioned candy sticks. Round out your Grand Rapids area itinerary at The Acorn Grill at Thousand Oaks Golf Course Club and enjoy seafood, steaks, lamb, roasted duck breast, pasta, succulent starters, and beautiful greens in an inviting and picturesque setting.
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Places to Go:
By MIKE NORTON TRAVERSE CITY, MI – After three years as a late August event, the Traverse City Wine & Art Festival will now kick off Traverse City's summer season on Saturday, June 30. The popular festival feature tastings & full glass pours from 27 of the region's best wineries paired with food for purchase by celebrated local chefs, seasoned with a diverse slate of musical performers and an exhibition and sale of artworks by some of the region’s best painters, potters, weavers and other artists. It takes place at one of Traverse City’s most scenic venues: the wide tree-shaded lawn of the Village at Grand Traverse Commons – a former mental asylum whose tawny castle-like buildings are now being redeveloped as the hub of Traverse City’s bustling culinary scene. Festival organizer Andy McFarlane says the change of dates has breathed new excitement into the annual celebration. “You wouldn’t believe the energy and the level of participation we’re seeing,” he says. “On the old date we were competing against the beach and everybody was exhausted – but now we’re the kickoff celebration for summer in Traverse City. Without a doubt, we are going to blow all our previous attendance figures away.” The festival’s 2012 musical guests are headed up by national recording artists Rusted Root, a Page 10
Pittsburgh fusion band famous for their blend of acoustic/rock styles and a percussion section strongly influenced by African, Indian and Latin sources. Rusted Root has sold more than three million albums worldwide. Other acts on the program include Ann Arbor-based Orpheum Bell, Canadian artists Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk and Traverse City’s own The Naughty Neighbors – all Indie bands whose blending of styles and influences makes them difficult to classify, but easy to enjoy. Since its inception, the festival has also built itself around local visual artists, inviting a wide range of them to exhibit and sell their work during the event. This year, organizers are working with ArtCenter Traverse City, the local artists’ collective, to select a suitable slate of exhibitors. Over the past decade, Traverse City has acquired a sudden reputation for its fresh, imaginative cuisine and its excellent wines. In recent years the region has been attracting and retaining a great many talented young chefs. Some are recent arrivals, and an impressive number are graduates of Traverse City’s own Great Lakes Culinary Institute. Recently, superstar chef Mario Batali touted Traverse City in Bon Appetit saying "The food scene has really exploded in the region. It's very cool. The chefs involved in the scene celebrate what's here; they're not trying to be anything they're not. Now people are coming for gastronomic tourism."
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June, 2012
But the original spark was undoubtedly provided by the area’s wine industry. Renowned for their natural beauty, the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas are bathed by cool waters that protect them from early frost and extend the fall harvest season by several weeks. As a result, their vineyards have become world contenders, outscoring California and even European labels in major international competitions for the clear, fresh taste of their wines, which hold their aroma and fruit flavors much more faithfully than those grown in hotter climates. Notable for Rieslings, Chardonnays and Pinot Grigios, Traverse City area vintners are even receiving high praise for their red wines. Each peninsula is a distinct wine appellation area with its own growers’ association and separate promotional events. Wineries on the Leelanau Peninsula, a roughly triangular land mass along the Lake Michigan shore, are represented by the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association (www.lpwines.com). Those on the narrower Old Mission Peninsula, which runs for 20 miles up the
July, 2012
center of Grand Traverse Bay, belong to Wineries of the Old Mission Peninsula (www.wineriesofoldmission.com). It was the Leelanau winemakers who first saw the potential of a festival to showcase local wines and foods on the picturesque Commons grounds. They quickly secured the participation of their Old Mission colleagues and a good selection of local restaurants, artists and musicians. “The Traverse City Wine & Art Festival offers everybody a chance to raise a glass of wine and toast another great summer in Northern Michigan," says McFarlane. The Traverse City Wine & Art Festival will be held June 30, 2012 from 3-10 p.m. Tickets are limited and can be purchased for $20 per person. Ticketing and other detailed information can be found at www.traversecitywinefestival.com . For information contact the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.traversecity.com or 1-800-TRAVERSE.
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