Art Bukowski | Author

What Happens When Your Dog Gets Ahold of a Weed Gummy?

April 18, 2026

Plenty of people enjoy cannabis, perhaps more than ever now that it’s legal and widely available in Michigan.

But greater accessibility has led to an uptick in dogs or other pets ingesting this psychoactive substance. Local vet offices deal with hundreds of dogs a year that ei… Read More >>

Smart Moves and Big Mistakes for Home Buyers and Sellers

April 4, 2026

It can be a jungle out there for those looking to buy or sell a home in northern Michigan. Even though the market has backed off those truly crazy days driven by very low interest rates a few years ago, it’s still a very competitive space where it’s best to have all of your duck… Read More >>

Welcome to Jeannine’s

Feb. 28, 2026

In a bright and cozy space at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula sits Jeannine’s Restaurant, which opened in Northport’s celebrated Tribune building late last year. Owners Ron Marcotrigiano and Jeannine Logie aim to take up their predecessor’s mantle and become a go-to spot… Read More >>

Le Metro Rises from the Ashes as Brasserie Bobo

Feb. 14, 2026

Do you want the good news or the bad news?

The bad news first: No, Le Metropolitain will not reopen. The popular food truck parked outside Traverse City Whiskey Co. was severely damaged in a November fire, and owner Eric Fritch says the truck won’t return this spring.

No Bad Hair Days

Jan. 31, 2026

More than anything else, Susan Bianchi just wanted to feel like herself again.

A few years ago, Bianchi was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Fighting cancer is already hard enough, but looking in the mirror and seeing a bald head staring back at her just added insult to injur… Read More >>

A Hive, a Bird, and a Boat

Jan. 31, 2026

Business is business. But for Landon McDaid, business needs to mean more. That’s why Landon and his wife, Nicole McDaid, want the impact of their three Leelanau County operations to go beyond their own pocketbooks.

The McDaids’ Hive Coffee Co. in Suttons Bay supports men… Read More >>

Building the Life You Want

Jan. 3, 2026

Who needs a life coach?

While people seek out life coaches for a variety of reasons, one theme is almost always present, coaches say: They’re stuck.

Sometimes they can clearly identify the hump. Sometimes it’s just a general feeling of spinning wheels without pos… Read More >>

Ice-cold Camaraderie

Dec. 13, 2025

One by one, vehicles rolled into a bayside parking lot caught somewhere between a cold fall night and a day that had yet to fully arrive.

And one by one the dads got out, yawning, smiling, and shaking hands with others who had arrived at Bryant Park for what’s become a sacred … Read More >>

The Blue Bird Is Back

Nov. 29, 2025

Skip Telgard is resting a little easier these days—literally.

It’s not that his work in the brand-new version of Leland’s beloved Blue Bird restaurant is done. Far from it. It will be a few more months, at least, before all of the loose ends are tied up and the spa… Read More >>

The Beauty in the Broken Glass (Co.)

Nov. 15, 2025

As far as art forms go, few things are more traditional and stoic than stained glass.

This ancient practice invokes thoughts of quiet churches, stately administrative buildings, and other imposing structures, where it has been used for more than 1,000 years to add color and tell sto… Read More >>

The Art of the Decoy

Nov. 1, 2025

On mantles and shelves around the country (and indeed, around the world) sit intricate and beautiful wooden fish decoys that began as blocks of wood in the cozy workshops of three northern Michigan artisans.

In a practice that was far more prevalent in years past, ice fishermen use … Read More >>

Cash or Card?

Oct. 18, 2025

Cash was once king, but credit cards have pulled a coup. According to U.S. Federal Reserve data, cash accounted for about 16 percent of all in-person transactions in 2023, down from 31 percent only six years prior. According to some reports, cash was used for up to 50 percent of transaction… Read More >>

The New GT County Senior Center Gains 13 Times More Members in 2025 than in 2024

Oct. 4, 2025

Has the new Grand Traverse County Senior Center been a big hit?

Consider these numbers: Since around the time the new and improved bayfront facility opened in February, it’s gained about 4,000 new members. In all of 2024, by comparison, they gained 307 members.

“… Read More >>

Tariffs Loom Over the Wine Industry

Sept. 20, 2025

Tariff talk has been rampant in recent months, with much discussion about how these age-old economic tools applied with vigor by President Donald Trump will impact a variety of businesses across the nation.

Here in northern Michigan, the wine industry is rapidly approaching cherry p… Read More >>

Seven Super Coaches in Traverse City

Sept. 6, 2025

If you’re a long-time reader of Northern Express, you know each fall we profile a slate of exceptional athletes to watch throughout the year. Well, this time we’re also going to profile the coaches who help them shine! Going forward, we’ll focus on a different are… Read More >>

Strange and Severe Weather Threatens Local Agriculture Now More than Ever

Aug. 2, 2025

Local farmers face no shortage of challenges these days.

There are broad, long-standing problems like increased pressure to sell for development, declining interest from the next generation, and decreased prices due to competition from imported products. Then there are more acute is… Read More >>

Traverse City Food & Wine Festival: A Preview

July 19, 2025

Traverse City’s newest festival is right around the corner.

Traverse City Food & Wine is a five-day event that promises to capitalize on and further promote the region’s blossoming culinary and wine scene. Organized and hosted by Traverse City Tourism, the event take… Read More >>

Meet the Karens

July 5, 2025

Every so often, Northern Express includes stories suggested by readers. This is one such story, and it came from Ada Takacs. In her words:

“I have been hearing folks refer to ‘Karen’ in a derogatory sense for a few years, with many online comments referrin… Read More >>

Cherries Are Who We Are: The State of the Cherry Farming Industry

June 28, 2025

It’s easy to get caught up in the National Cherry Festival’s fireworks, carnival rides, corn dogs, air shows, and much more. Northern Michigan’s signature event draws countless thousands to Traverse City in part because it offers a broad array of attractions for the whole … Read More >>

Cherry Festival by the Numbers

June 28, 2025

Traverse City’s signature festival is here at last, and there’s a lot that goes into this annual celebration before, during and after the big week itself. Northern Express checked in with the folks at the National Cherry Festival to provide a glimpse at the festival by … Read More >>