Anna Faller | Author
From Hunting Ghosts to Tending Gardens
Oct. 26, 2024
If you looked up “Jane-of-all-trades” in the dictionary, you’d likely find Samantha Fall’s picture.
A Michigan native, Fall (née Harris) is a demonologist with a background in abnormal psychology, a former ghost hunter and deliverance minister (i.e., a…
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Fingers Crossed's Grilled Cheese
Oct. 26, 2024
Comfort food meets worldly flavors in Fingers Crossed Northport’s new fall menu (gochujang wings, anyone?), and we can’t think of a more perfect pairing than the Leelanau Raclette Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup ($15). An elevated riff on the classic combo, this nourishing plate …
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The Daily Grind's Orange Creamsicle Soda
Oct. 19, 2024
Have we got the perfect, pumpkin-hued pick-me-up for your next fall afternoon! Tucked at the east edge of downtown Traverse City, The Daily Grind’s drive-through trailer is designed for on-the-go indulgence. Inside, they’re cranking out Roaster Jack coffee, organic teas, and fre…
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Upscale Staycations Up North
Oct. 12, 2024
When you hear “luxury vacation” what do you think of? Is it a sumptuous bed with satin pillows? A swim-up bar on a pristine beach? Spa services or award-winning golf courses? A certain number of hotel rating stars?
Northern Express caught up with two local accommodations…
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2 the Moon Bakery's Vanilla Bourbon Poached Pear Croissant
Oct. 12, 2024
It’s still stone fruit season, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a scratch-made pastry. Enter: 2 the Moon Bakery’s Vanilla Bourbon Poached Pear Croissant ($4). Bosc pears (sourced from 3rd Day Farm in Lake City) are the stars of this Danish-style tr…
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The Mill's House Rosé
Oct. 5, 2024
For the perfect rosy-hued drink to go along with the early days of fall, the 2023 House Rosé from The Mill in Glen Arbor is a no-brainer. Crafted in partnership with Boathouse Vineyards in Lake Leelanau, this wine is made with 100-percent estate-grown (and organic) Cabernet Franc gra…
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Putting Michigan Wines on the Map
Sept. 28, 2024
In its literal sense, “terroir” refers to the natural and environmental factors—like soil type, climate, and topography—that not only affect how a wine tastes and smells but also help define it as an undeniable expression of where it was made.
In other words,…
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Slabtown Cookies' Molasses Cookies
Sept. 28, 2024
Our grandma always told us that a cookie in both hands meant we were doing it right, and that’s just what we find ourselves doing when the Slabtown Molasses Cookies are on the menu at Slabtown Cookies in Traverse City. Inspired by owner and baking magician Katie Otterman’s secre…
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Poppycocks' Crystal Chai Margarita
Sept. 21, 2024
Things are getting warm and cozy at Poppycocks in Traverse City thanks to lead mixologist Emily Bryant's newest cocktail, the Crystal Chai Margarita. This autumnal flavor bomb blends traditional Masala chai—that’s black tea brewed with aromatic spices, like ginger, clove, and ca…
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Reimagining the Cherryland Center
Sept. 14, 2024
Back in the nineties and early aughts, the Cherryland Center in Traverse City was a bustling shopping center at the intersection of Garfield and South Airport roads. But the rise of online shopping, several recessions, and the decline of big box stores led to the property slowly emptying&he…
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Raduno’s Bolognese
Sept. 14, 2024
If pasta is a love language, Raduno in Traverse City is the mother tongue! Now in their seventh year of business, this Italian-inspired gastronomia is cranking out spools of scratch-made pasta, which owner Janene Silverman crafts from a blend of semolina and all-purpose flour and Michigan e…
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State Street Coffee's Apple Crisp Latte
Sept. 7, 2024
State Street Coffee Company in Cheboygan is all about catering to your sweet treat cravings, and it doesn’t get any more decadent (or caffeinated!) than their seasonal Apple Crisp Latte. Inspired by fresh-picked orchard apples—and the eponymous autumnal dessert—this cuppa …
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Shakespeare, or Someone Else?
Aug. 31, 2024
With nearly 30 books to her name, internationally bestselling author Jodi Picoult says the secret to finding great stories is to keep asking questions: about people and culture, about current headlines, and increasingly, about what the world might look like for people generations from now.<…
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TJ's Pub's Pub Prime Soup
Aug. 31, 2024
TJ’s Pub is tucked downstairs at the Ramsdell Inn, built circa 1891, and while you might go for the Victorian vibes, you’ll stay for the locally infamous and made from scratch daily Pub Prime soup. This stick-to-your-ribs recipe is inspired by classic pub fare of old and incorpo…
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The State of Foster Care Up North: "We Just Don't Have Enough Homes"
Aug. 24, 2024
It's no secret that the U.S. needs more foster parents. The Michigan foster care network alone comprises about 10,000 children.
Though the state has made some recent strides—1,600 children were adopted in 2021, and as of late 2023, the number of kids in foster care was down by…
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Old Mission Distilling's Soggy Dollar
Aug. 24, 2024
Only good vibes are allowed at Old Mission Distilling on Old Mission Peninsula thanks to their newly-released craft cocktail menu. While you’re drinking in those last days of summer, the Soggy Dollar ($13) makes the perfect pairing. Inspired by the tropical flavors of a swim-up bar, t…
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Faro's Panuzzo
Aug. 17, 2024
What happens when a sandwich meets pizza? The answer is the pocket-shaped panuzzo: an Italian street-food specialty and the answer to our lunchtime cravings! At Faro in Northport, these baked-to-order baddies comprise a cold-fermented sourdough crust—a 72-hour labor of love—cook…
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OBrien Vineyards' Vinho Verde
Aug. 10, 2024
It's all about the culture of wine at ŌBrien Vineyards in Traverse City, where Old World inspired flavors collide with northern Michigan’s growing climate. With the dog days of summer in full swing, we’re emulating coastal Portugal, and with it, the heat-beating effervescence of…
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Brine and Vine's Jalapeno Business Sauerkraut
Aug. 10, 2024
Prepare your tastebuds, readers: We’re about to turn up the heat on your next barbecue! Enter: Brine and Vine’s Jalapeño Business sauerkraut. The brainchild of food industry veterans Matt Vujea and Dan O’Neill, this naturally-crafted condiment was born to up the sta…
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So You Want to Buy an Instrument
Aug. 3, 2024
Rock band Wild Cherry once demanded that we “lay down the boogie and play that funky music.” To do that though, there’s some prep involved. We need instruments, a lesson or two, and maybe even some sound equipment.
Good news: We know where to start. Northern Ex… Read More >>