Craig Manning | Author
The Right Wine, Right Now
Oct. 5, 2019
What’s the best wine to drink in the fall? How can you get the most bang for your buck at the local wine shop? What trends or challenges are currently shaping the world of wine? Northern Expresstapped three wine experts to find out what’s tasty, trending (and a steal!) locally...
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Tandem Ciders' Coloma Blue
Sept. 28, 2019
If you’re a hard cider fanatic, and you haven’t visited Tandem Ciders yet this year, now’s the time. The rustic tasting room — located in an off-the-beaten-path barn near Suttons Bay (2055 N Setterbo Rd, 231-271-0050) — has been packed most of the summer. Wit...
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Homegrown Football Heroes Hitting the NFL & College Turf
Aug. 31, 2019
The end of summer is here, which really only means one thing: football. The NFL regular season commences on Thursday, Sept. 5 with a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. The first NCAA college football games of the year, meanwhile, were played last Thursday, Aug. 29. ...
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The North's New Sex Ed
Aug. 24, 2019
What should a modern sexual education curriculum look like? How much should teachers tell kids about sex in a school environment? And what topics are parents truly comfortable with their kids learning?
These questions have been batted around for years, often with no clear...
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Traverse City's Silver Spruce Brewing
Aug. 24, 2019
Michigan might just be the craft beer capital of the world, if only evidenced by the types of buildings that have been turned into craft breweries over the past decade. Brewery Vivant, based in Grand Rapids, sits in a space that used to be a church, while Traverse City’s own Filling...
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The Tribune Ice Cream & Eatery
Aug. 17, 2019
Tucked near the end of Leelanau Peninsula, in the quaint, unhurried downtown of Northport, diners will find a restaurant that is among northern Michigan’s best-kept secrets. The Tribune Ice Cream & Eatery is a small breakfast and lunch spot located just a stone’s throw awa...
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Vernors Cherry Pie
July 27, 2019
A cherry crumb pie from Grand Traverse Pie Company is the ideal summer dessert. But if you’re looking for something a little more unusual, try this summertime exclusive: Grand Traverse Pie Company’s Vernors Cherry Pie. Exactly what it sounds like — a classic Montmorency ...
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So. Many. Gigs.
July 20, 2019
A duo of singer-songwriters, who just so happen to be married, embark on a worldwide tour with one goal: Play a show every day for 365 days straight. Along the way, they experience the ups and downs of touring life, the power of music to transcend boundaries, and whether their commitment ...
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Where to Dine Waterside
July 13, 2019
No matter what dish or drink you order from the menu, come summertime, it all pairs well with a scenic waterfront view. Fortunately, northern Michigan offers no shortage of such spots. Allow Northern Express to be your guide to some of the best waterside dining experiences in the...
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Pinkus Münster Alt
June 29, 2019
Last week, 7 Monks Taproom in Traverse City made history by becoming the first establishment in North America to tap a keg of Pinkus Münster Alt, from the Pinkus Müller brewery in Münster, Germany. We were on hand to try one of the very first pours, and it did not disappoin...
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Batch 10,000
June 22, 2019
Looks like 2019 has been a milestone year for Short’s Brewing Company. So far this year, the brewery has celebrated its 15th anniversary and brewed its 10,000th batch. Even if you missed the big anniversary party out in Bellaire in April, you can still get your hands on its ode to i...
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Keweenaw Brewing Co.’s Borealis Broo
May 18, 2019
Fans of cold brew coffee, take note. The Borealis Broo from Keweenaw Brewing Company — based in Houghton, Michigan — is a brewer’s twist on the popular summertime iced coffee trend. Most coffee-flavored beers are stouts or browns, heavy beers suited to cold winter nights...
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Northern Michigan's Most Iconic Eats, 2019
May 11, 2019
In early 2018, Northern Express set out to answer a vital question: What are some of the most legendary dishes in northern Michigan?
Through hundreds of recommendations fr...
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The New Groom
April 6, 2019
Used to be that the classic black tuxedo was the standard garb for grooms. It was simple and no-frills, while still fancy and formal. It looked good without drawing any attention away from — let’s face it, the focus of the whole affair — the bride and her gown.
&nbs...
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Fore!
March 23, 2019
In 2018, the Gaylord High School boys golf team didn’t get a chance to practice on an actual golf course until May 6. Less than a month later, the team’s players were teeing off for regionals. Gaylord’s golfers should have been hitting their stride in the ramp-up to stat...
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Lucky You: Local Brewers Spill Their Go-to Beers
March 9, 2019
You won’t catch a Ford salesman tooling around town in a Toyota, but seeing a local brewer tipping back a beer in another’s pub … ? Well, let’s just say it wouldn’t shock us. Local beer culture is a community culture. And be it in the name of love, respect, ...
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Ice Man
Feb. 16, 2019
During most of the year, Mackinac Island is a busy, bustling tourist destination, sometimes seeing as many as 15,000 visitors in a single day. During the winter, though, the island is more or less left to the roughly 500 people who actually live there. As the Mackinac Straits freeze over ...
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Homeschooling Northern Michigan
Jan. 26, 2019
The homeschool movement in northern Michigan is growing fast, moving away from the kitchen table, and making traditional K–12 education anything but. What's homeschooling Up North even like these days? Probably not what you'd think.
It used to be that homes...
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Short-term rental group v. Traverse City
Dec. 15, 2018
For more than two years, city officials in Traverse City have been debating whether to make changes to a 25-year-old ordinance that regulates home rentals. As written, the ordinance substantially restricts the ability of city homeowners to rent out their properties on a short-term basis. ...
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Kid's Extracurricular Activities
Oct. 13, 2018
The school year is now in high gear, and with it, an all-new season of extracurricular sports and activities is underway. Like most communities, northern Michigan has lots of options, both school-affiliated and independent, to keep kids involved, active, and challenged. To get a better se... Read More >>