Anna Faller | Author

Behind the Curtain with the National Cherry Festival’s Entertainment Team

June 29, 2024

The 98th annual National Cherry Festival (NCF) is upon us, and with it, eight nights of live entertainment. The NCF lineup ticks a variety of musical boxes and often features star-studded headliners, some of whom paved their paths to fame from the Pepsi Bayside Music Stage.

So, what… Read More >>

The Parlor's Strawberry Basil Lemonade

June 29, 2024

What beats an icy-cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day? How about an adult-ified version with berries, herbs, and a boozy kick? Enter: The Parlor’s Strawberry Basil Lemonade ($13). This quenching cocktail has long been part of the bar’s staple menu, and it tastes like nost… Read More >>

Cafe Meria's Albacore Tuna Croffle

June 22, 2024

We all remember the 2010 cronut craze, but have you ever heard of a croffle? This genius little pastry calls for buttery croissant dough baked in a waffle iron, and it’s begging to be stacked with toppings! Quell the mid-morning snackies with a stop into Café Meria in… Read More >>

Where the Wild River Rolls

June 15, 2024

"We're wild about rivers…and so much more."

That’s the motto of Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA), a “rewilding” nature nonprofit headquartered in Traverse City. Since its formation in 1968, the CRA has expanded across 15 northwest Michigan counties and e… Read More >>

Chunky Bear Coffee Roasters' Sticky Bear Latte

June 15, 2024

It’s all about the three C’s at Chunky Bear Coffee Roasters in Cadillac: community, conversation, and (of course) a top-notch cuppa. Head in for their signature Sticky Bear latte, and emerge from hibernation victorious! It starts with a shot of Electric Grizz espresso—that… Read More >>

Oakwood Proper Burgers' Chili Queen

June 8, 2024

Opened in 2021, Oakwood Proper Burgers in Traverse City is all about crafting meaningful eats, and when it comes to next-level flavor, the Chili Queen burger ($14.50) is the crowning jewel. Picture this: a one-third pound beef patty (sourced from a single Michigan farm), seared to juicy per… Read More >>

Closing the Housing Gap in Frankfort

June 1, 2024

It’s no secret that finding affordable housing is an increasing issue in northern Michigan. In fact, housing nonprofit Housing North estimates a regional gap of more than 30,000 units in the next five years. It’s a big gap, and the Frankfort Area Community Land Trust (FACLT) is … Read More >>

Missing History, Broken Promises, and Steps Toward Healing

June 1, 2024

On a gloomy morning in 1900, members of the Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians watched in horror as their homes and belongings burned before they were driven off their ancestral land.

This event is known as the Burt Lake Burnout, and if you were raised in northern Michiga… Read More >>

Iron Fish Distillery's Soft Parade Vodka

June 1, 2024

There’s something about a fruity cocktail that screams “summer,” and the 2024 batch of Iron Fish Distillery’s Soft Parade Vodka has us hollering from the rooftops! Crafted in collaboration with Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire, this local little number combi… Read More >>

Traverse Bay Cafe's Strawberry Sando

May 25, 2024

While you might know Traverse Bay Café for its home-style lunch and breakfast selections, we bet you didn’t know this eatery also dabbles in international flavors! Head in for a morning smorgasbord of beignets and banana fritters, and top it off with a cool and creamy Strawberr… Read More >>

Maple Moon's Maple Gold Wine

May 18, 2024

If maple syrup is liquid gold, Maple Moon Sugarbush & Winery in Petoskey has hit the beverage jackpot with their bestselling Maple Gold wine, which blends sugaring with viniculture for a port-style sip steeped in local flavor. It starts with a base of pure maple syrup (sourced from the … Read More >>

What’s New at Norte?

May 11, 2024

Norte Youth Cycling is known for their brightly painted Wheelhouse, neon orange jerseys, and packs of pedaling children that appear on northern Michigan’s sidewalks each summer. But the nonprofit is so much more than just a biking club for kids.

“We’re showing chil… Read More >>

Lil Bo's Chicken Tenders

May 11, 2024

Since opening in 1932, Lil Bo Bar and Restaurant in Traverse City has mastered elevated pub-style eats, and their pickle-brined chicken tenders are the true cock of the walk. These punchy little bites start with a 24-hour marinade in kosher dill pickle juice and fresh buttermilk (this secre… Read More >>

JAX Northside’s 6th Green Cocktail

May 4, 2024

Time to dust off those argyle socks, everyone! It’s officially golf season, and JAX Northside Food & Spirits in Charlevoix is a gimme for pre-game fuel. This local favorite specializes in scratch-made American fare (including an epic salad bar), paired with an array of craft libat… Read More >>

The Flour Pot's Cherry and Cheese Danish

April 27, 2024

Classic treats meet modern flair at The Flour Pot Bakery and Coffeeshop in Elk Rapids. This sugary mecca has been cranking out baked goods for decades, and though its name has changed, the recipes haven’t. We especially love the Cherry and Cheese Danish ($3.50) for spring. A perfectly… Read More >>

The Blue Goat's Cocktail Bundles

April 20, 2024

With patio season well on the way, sipping on a tasty tonic at home has never sounded better—especially if you don’t have to buy full-sized bottles of booze! Enter: The Blue Goat’s new Cocktail Bundles. Mixed up just in time to pack in picnic baskets and boat-day coolers, … Read More >>

The Munchies

April 13, 2024

It’s a tale as old as time…weed brings on the munchies. It’s hard to achieve canna-bliss when you’re hungry, so we asked seven dispensaries throughout northwest Michigan for the restaurants, cafés, and coffee shops they recommend to their customers. (It&rsquo… Read More >>

Spoonful of Granola's Cinnamon Roll Granola

April 13, 2024

For those in search of the ultimate snack, we raise you: Spoonful of Granola’s Cinnamon Roll Granola. Rolled out just in time for spring, this not-too-sweet treat packs all the cinnamon-y goodness of its namesake pastry into a handful of key natural ingredients: old fashioned oats, ho… Read More >>

Left Foot Charley's Tepache

April 6, 2024

Warm weather is finally on the horizon, and we can’t think of a better way to welcome it than Left Foot Charley’s Tepache hard cider. Inspired by Tepache, a traditional Mexican fermented beverage, this dry and highly-sessionable cider (which clocks in at around 5 percent ABV) be… Read More >>

Mysterious Michigan Reads

March 23, 2024

We can’t think of a better way to spend spring break than with a great book. Northern Express asked local booksellers to share their favorite set-in-Michigan (or written-by-Michiganders) titles to mystify readers of every age.

Get your tea and slippers ready, folks&md… Read More >>