Craig Manning | Author
Oh, Christmas Tree!
Dec. 19, 2020
Rockefeller Center in New York City might be the home to the country’s most famous jumbo Christmas tree, but the Big Apple isn’t the only city in the United States with a big tree. And if you’ve spotted one of the big trees in Grand Rapids, Detroit, Chicago, or even Oklaho…
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Lost Village Pierogi
Dec. 12, 2020
Up until a few years ago, husband-and-wife team Mike and Holly Kotz weren’t working jobs even tangential to the culinary scene. Mike was a screen printer making T-shirts; Holly was a high school English teacher. Now, they’re on a mission to preserve and share some…
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Running Down a Dream
Nov. 7, 2020
If one were to describe Hunter Jones in three words, it would be tough to think of a better phrase than “fast as lightning.”
A student-athlete at Benzie Central High School, Jones is just a few months into his sophomore year but he’s already the fastest runne…
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The Queen of Underground Country Returns
Oct. 17, 2020
The last time Rachel Brooke released a full-length solo album, things looked very different — both in the northern Michigan country songwriter’s personal life and in the world at large.
That album, titled A Killer’s Dream, dropped on Dec. 4, 2012. Barack O…
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Northern Michigan Modern
Sept. 26, 2020
From rustic log cabins to Victorian-style homes all the way to more traditional suburban-like developments, northern Michigan boasts quite the eclectic range in home design. Until recently, though, modern architecture didn’t have much of a foothold in the region -- but that’s ch…
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Forged In Fire
Sept. 19, 2020
As the new managing director for Traverse City’s Tamarack Holdings, Michael Lahti is helping to lead a company that is one of the biggest players in northern Michigan’s food and agriculture industries. And it’s a job that, had things gone a little differently, he might not…
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Burritt's Wine Sale: Luzón Colección 8 Meses
Sept. 19, 2020
Stocking up on wine for the holidays, or just hunting for the best deal you can find? Don’t miss out on the fall Spanish wine sale at Traverse City’s Burritt’s Fresh Markets (509 W Front St). Burritt’s holds two wine sales each year, offering direct import pricing on…
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Resale is the New Black
Sept. 12, 2020
It’s a common tradition at this time of year: parents flocking to clothing stores in the last weeks of summer to get their kids new duds for back-to-school time. But what happens when the economy is in shambles, when many people have been out of work since March, and when the return o…
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Hall of Fame Athletes: Where Are They Now?
Sept. 5, 2020
Some became Olympians, some became doctors. Some were the stars of their college sports teams, others chose to focus on other things. Northern Michigan’s former standout high school athletes have taken a multitude of paths over the years. And while the region has had no shortage of re…
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Get the Full Hook-Up
Aug. 29, 2020
Why stop at hotels, restrooms, or restaurants when you can take your own lodging, bathroom, kitchen, and dining room with you on the road?
Evidently, a lot of travelers have been having similar thoughts lately. A few months ago, RVshare, a peer-to-peer recreational-vehicle ren…
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Resort Memberships for Locals: Are they worth it?
Aug. 22, 2020
A major perk of living in a heavily touristed region: There are beautiful resort properties tucked in just about every corner, all of them offering an embarrassment of riches in terms of amenities. While some spots and services within the resorts’ properties are earmarked for guests a…
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Welcome to Beer Valley
Aug. 15, 2020
It’s no secret that Northern Michigan has become something of a craft beer Mecca. From Short’s in Bellaire (the third biggest brewery in the state in terms of production volume, after Bell’s and Founder’s) to the collection of breweries scattered around Downtown Trav…
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TC Whiskey’s Barrel Proof Cherry Whiskey
Aug. 15, 2020
On its journey from the barrel to your glass, most whiskey is diluted with water to reduce its strength. Not so with Traverse City Whiskey Co.’s limited edition “Barrel Proof” whiskeys, which are bottled at cask strength. TC Whiskey has been releasing Barrel Proof editions…
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Listen Up: The Latest & Greatest Spins
Aug. 8, 2020
So 2020 has not been a particularly great year for arts and entertainment. Film releases have been delayed. Concert tours and music festivals have been canceled, with no indication of when they might realistically return. The lights won’t come back up on Broadway until at least 2021. …
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Say You Were a Fan First
Aug. 8, 2020
Who are the next big bright stars on the Michigan musical landscape? Who’s the next band to become a local favorite — or, maybe even more than that, a true national or international act? We can’t claim to have a crystal ball, but we do think these four artists have a certa…
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Winning.
Aug. 1, 2020
Which northern Michigan businesses are best positioned to thrive in the aftermath of COVID-19? While the pandemic has been devastating for many industries, it has also created opportunities elsewhere. Northern Express flagged six local businesses that are poised for growth going fo…
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Northern Michigan’s Most Iconic Eats, 2020 edition
July 25, 2020
Even in the best of times, a remarkable dish from a local restaurant is a joy, a comfort, and a reminder of the best that life can be. It’s safe to say that 2020 has not been the best of times, but in an odd way, that’s only made the bright spots feel that much brighter. Suffice…
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High-drama FBI Raid on Alleged TC Forgery Ring
July 18, 2020
On the morning of Tuesday, July 7, the scene in the dirt-and-gravel parking lot of Faith Missionary Baptist Church in rural Leelanau County looked like something out of a movie, or maybe an episode of White Collar: Dozens of FBI agents and members of northern Michigan law enforceme…
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July 16 Update: Farmfest Will NOT Go On
July 11, 2020
Just days after our July 13 issue went to print with the story (below) heralding the triumphant — albeit scaled-down and very COVID-19-cautious — plans for Farmfest 2020, we learned that the 23rd annual show wouldn’t go on, after all. Festival founder and host Stacy Jo…
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July 4, 2020 Why is it that some cocktail styles endure while others fade away? Just about any bar in the world will serve you an old fashioned, or a Negroni, or a whiskey sour, or a Manhattan. Nothing against any of these concoctions (we love them as much as you do), but with a limitless number of poss…
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Hand Me My Highball, Doll