Ellen Miller | Author
Bringing Art to Community
July 26, 2025
With the beauty of the coastline front and center, you could be forgiven for not knowing that Traverse City has a robust public arts scene. Walk around town, though, and you’ll be met with a rich artistic experience, from gallery walls to public art on buildings to TART Trail sculptur…
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Shoring Up Coastal Resiliency
July 12, 2025
Michigan has almost 4,200 miles of coastline, more than any other state except for Alaska. And in recent years here in northern Michigan, the swing in lake levels has been particularly apparent, with high water causing major damage in 2020.
There have always been fluctuations in the…
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The Air Show Must Go On
June 27, 2025
For many, the National Cherry Festival Air Show is synonymous with big jet teams like the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds. Last year, however, news broke that neither group would be back in 2025.
Never fear—the Air Show still has plenty on offer! From a tribute performance to …
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Simple, Scratch-made, and Seasonal at Leto’s Osteria
June 7, 2025
Folks in Petoskey craving authentic Italian need look no further than Leto’s Osteria, which opened in April in the heart of downtown.
From general manager Todd Chinnock and chef Ray Kumm, Leto’s Osteria takes the place of POUR, which had a loyal following among locals an…
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TART Super Bikers
May 24, 2025
For those who love being outdoors (and during Traverse City’s beautiful and fleeting spring, who doesn’t?), the TART Trails are a well-known community asset. This local network includes several multi-use trails in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, as well as a cross-town bik…
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Skate, Jam, and Roll
May 10, 2025
For the past 15 years, TC Roller Derby has been tearing up the rink and building relationships on and off the track.
Back in 2010, a group of interested potential derby players met up to discuss the possibility of forming a team. They met at public spaces downtown, including Horizon…
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Nittolo's Little Italy Comes to Downtown TC
April 19, 2025
Craving a pizza or a hearty bowl of pasta? You’re in luck: Nittolo’s Little Italy, from restaurateur Eric Nittolo, is slated to open downtown in the Warehouse District in this April, pending licensing and approvals.
The new spot was built out in the space where Cut &…
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The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits
April 5, 2025
Jennifer Weiner was on a vacation with her husband in Alaska when she had the vision that sparked her new book. “We were talking to lots of people, eavesdropping on conversations,” she remembers. “I got this image in my head of a woman wearing a giant puffy parka and carry…
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Dining with the Kosch Brothers
Feb. 15, 2025
Everyone has a story for how they got started in their careers. For Gary, Gordie, and Doug Kosch, the story is simple: early experiences working in hospitality led to opportunities and knowledge that they could invest back in their communities.
Getting Their Start
A career…
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The Shoulder Season Slump
Jan. 18, 2025
The weather outside can be frightful, and without the twinkling lights of the holidays, downtowns in northern Michigan can see business slow this time of year as locals snuggle up at home.
All the presents have been bought, the family dinners have been eaten, and the gift cards have…
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14 Creative Classes to Cozy Up with This Winter
Jan. 4, 2025
'Tis the season…the post-holiday season, that is, when the days are short, the light is weak, and a creative project is a welcome distraction. Whether you’re looking for a one-off crafting session or hoping to achieve a lifelong creative dream, there are a bevy of creative clas…
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Serving Up Community by the Slice
Dec. 14, 2024
For Kristine Ingrao and Desmond Berry, running a business is all about family. First the owners of Suttons Bay’s Bay Burrito, the two recently took on a new local restaurant, opening up Bay Pizzeria in September.
Ingrao and Berry have owned Bay Burrito for a few seasons. They …
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Celebration on Tap
Nov. 30, 2024
A novel idea just a few years ago, mobile bars have taken off in northern Michigan with more popping up and different experiences available from each of them. A mobile bar is exactly what it sounds like: they bring the bar experience to you on wheels. These outfits will arrive at your birth…
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Inside the Mind of a Metalsmith
Nov. 16, 2024
Metalsmith Lucy Lowe takes inspiration from the natural beauty surrounding us, so it seems appropriate that the leaves are brilliantly colored when we drive out to her studio near Moomers on the west side of town.
Inside, light streams in from a window; a few select pinecones and ro…
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Meatless in Michigan: Plant-Based Eaters Speak Up
Nov. 9, 2024
Options for vegetarian and vegan dining have exploded in the last decade, including here in northern Michigan.
Long gone are the days where plant-based eaters were relegated to only a salad when dining out. Vegan, vegetarian, or Mediterranean diets (the latter includes some meat and…
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Purrfectly Political in Omena
Oct. 19, 2024
With all eyes on November’s presidential election, plus initiatives and races on local ballots, voters could be forgiven for missing this summer’s most significant local election: the first horse to take the mayoral office in Omena.
Omena’s mayoral race is a compet…
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Back to School for Grown-ups
Oct. 5, 2024
When you imagine the demographics of a college campus, it’s likely 20-somethings that come to mind, young people who are studying (and maybe partying) and exploring paths for their future careers.
But at Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), rich opportunities await at any age,…
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The Most Valuable Home Renovations
Sept. 21, 2024
Sometimes you buy a house and the honey-do list is obvious: there’s a leaking bathtub. Peeling wallpaper from the eighties. A door hanging off its hinges. But if you’re ready to update rather than repair, where do you start? Which projects are going to be most impactful as you l…
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Pickleball by the Numbers
Sept. 7, 2024
Whether you play, know a dinking buddy, or have just heard the distinctive pop-swoosh of a pickleball paddle connecting with a ball, you know: pickleball is the hottest sport of the moment. While pickleball has been around Traverse City since 1985, it has exploded in popularity i…
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Off-Road Exploring
Aug. 17, 2024
Getting out on the trails is almost a requirement in northern Michigan, whether that’s hiking and biking in the summer or snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter. Each year, our outdoor recreation options seem to draw more people to the area. If you hear a rumble or a roar … Read More >>