Geri Dietze | Author
Brandy’s Harbortown Sails into Bay Harbor
May 4, 2024
The Morrisons—Bryant and Jamie, Philip and Laura—are the inventive restaurateurs behind Bay Harbor’s popular Maple + Batter, home to superior offerings for breakfast and brunch, and NOMAD., elevated, shareable plates inspired by world flavors.
Now the Morrisons, ...
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The Same, But Different at Boyne River Inn
March 23, 2024
For several years, Boyne City residents and visitors were impatiently waiting for the reopening of the Boyne River Inn, a popular downtown landmark for a good drink, a great meal, and a river view. After a seemingly endless round of will it/won’t it, the iconic eatery finally reopen...
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From the Hands of the Artists
March 16, 2024
Is it easy for an artist to switch mediums? In the case of Make Believe Pizza, absolutely. Em Randall is a self-taught northern Michigan artist with a solid following in and outside of Michigan; now, with musician husband Jack Senff, she’s taken their creativity into the kitchen.Read More >>
Have Love Your Way: 14 NoMi Events Around Valentine's Day
Feb. 3, 2024
Candy, flowers, and poetry—that’s how we traditionally think about Valentine’s Day, and it hasn’t changed much since Geoffrey Chaucer was writing about love in the 14th century.
But like all origin stories, this Hallmark holiday’s history is more comp...
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A Getaway for Your Tastebuds, by Way of Mexico
Jan. 13, 2024
Traverse City foodies probably know that Happy’s Taco Shop recently vacated its long-term berth (since 2015) at The Little Fleet to concentrate on its Petoskey and Boyne City operations. Happy’s is a fixture at The Back Lot in Petoskey, Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls, and Happy...
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A Chef-Worthy, Shareable Feast
Dec. 16, 2023
We all know that when winter arrives, it’s here for the long haul. Some of us love it; some, not so much. But the shared experience of breaking bread, especially in the chilly season, is a beloved tradition that helps the short days and long nights pass that much faster.
Ind...
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Coffee, Community, and Conscience
Nov. 11, 2023
If you’ve been to Commongrounds Coop in Traverse City, you’re familiar with its mission to combine “food, family, arts, and wellness” in one inviting space. If you’ve yet to visit, your timing is perfect, coinciding as it does with the recent opening of NoBo ...
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Dammm. Good. Food. (and That’s a Quote)
Oct. 28, 2023
The Foundry Craft Grillery celebrated its Elk Rapids opening this summer in the space previously occupied by American House Pizza and, before that, Siren Hall. Here you’ll find upscale bar food in generous portions, with craft cocktails, wine, and brews—all in a no-nonsense in...
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Hoop’s Pet Food Pantry
Oct. 21, 2023
No one should go to bed hungry, including our pets. To help financially strapped pet owners—and to keep fur babies in their homes rather than being surrendered—Hoop’s Pet Food Pantry steps up to feed between 250 to 300 pets per month at their Saturday Pet Pantry. The non...
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Heart, Soul, and Saltimbocca
Sept. 30, 2023
The Golden Stag in Manistee opened its doors July 2023 to glowing reviews and enthusiastic repeat customers. In fact, first timers not only returned to the Mediterranean restaurant, and returned quickly, but they brought their friends along as well.
“The response was overwhe...
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Where Old and New, Renovation and Regeneration, Meet
Sept. 2, 2023
Something’s been blooming on the corner of Northport’s Mill and Third streets, and it’s not just the gardens. Yard & Lake, an eclectic, quirky, wonderfully inventive collection of spaces and experiences, is the result of a four-stage business plan, thoughtfully plann...
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Welcome to Archie’s Social House
Aug. 12, 2023
The folks behind Archie’s Food Truck parked their rolling stock this past May and moved to a permanent location at 237 Lake Ave., just on the edge of downtown. (The site was previously occupied by Benedict, and before that, Patisserie Amie—a brunch dynasty, if you will.)
... Read More >>Fingers Crossed for a New Era of Dining
July 22, 2023
When Garage Bar owner Bruce Viger finally decided to end his three-decade career in the restaurant business, it was hard on the legions of regulars who loved the Garage. But Viger’s exit was an opportunity for Detroit entrepreneur Dave Kwiatkowski, who already had nine eclectic, hig...
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Taste the Love in Every Bite
July 15, 2023
Thomas Koch, owner of Polish Countryside Kitchen in Cedar, was born and raised in Hamtramck, a little city just a few miles outside of downtown Detroit—or as Koch likes to refer to it, “the jelly to the doughnut of Detroit.” His Polish grandmother and grandfather, loving...
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Draken, Kraken, and Nuts
July 8, 2023
An intrepid crew of sailors, aka Unsalted Nuts, left Port Townsend, Washington, on June 5 to compete in the Race to Alaska (R2AK), a grueling, dangerous, 750-mile run up the inside passage from Washington through British Columbia and Alaska.
The route is a labyrinth of islands wit...
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Life is Just a Bowl of Tart Cherries
June 24, 2023
It seems that the whole world is catching on to the magic of tart cherries, both for their clean, fresh flavor and for their value as a nutritional powerhouse. Even Martha Stewart is singing the praises of this wonderful fruit. (We can’t help wondering about the collab possibilities...
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Hidden Dragons in the Forest
June 17, 2023
Karl Rykert is a self-taught sculptor who was enjoying anonymity until he chose to carve a dragon’s head jutting out of the woods on a busy section of US-131 south of Boyne Falls, near the Charlevoix/Antrim county line. Drivers took notice, word spread on social media, and before he...
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Dig This
June 3, 2023
The Friendly Garden Club of Traverse City, with over 50 active members, is still going strong after a century.
The group enjoys an advantageous mix of skill sets: master gardeners trained in the science and art of gardening, enthusiastic novices, self-taught hobbyists, retir...
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Introducing The Social
May 27, 2023
It’s tempting to call chef Eric Nittolo an overachiever, but perhaps he just channels his enormous energy and prodigious talents into doing what he loves and comes out the other side looking like a visionary.
If you know the name—and you probably do—you understan...
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Home Improvement, the Natural Way
April 29, 2023
What’s your style? Hip and earthy? Sophisticated and minimal? Current decorating trends are embracing natural materials, colors, and finishes, and they are finding their way into a variety of design styles. Because today, if it comes from terra firma, it’s cool. Below, read ab... Read More >>