Laurel Manke | Author

Creating Confidence and Community

May 27, 2023

Girls enter middle school at a pivotal age, a time when self-esteem can plummet, a lot of changes are happening, and life gets more complicated at just about every level. However, middle schools often lack supportive programming that empower girls to find and use their voices.

&ld... Read More >>

Bringing The Lewis School Back to Life

April 29, 2023

In June 2020, Liza Polaskey and her fiancé, Connor Brown, purchased The Lewis School, a historic one-room schoolhouse near Kalkaska. The white, wooden building has deep roots in the community and is situated near land with a meaningful connection to Brown’s family.

Fo... Read More >>

Trail Troubles

April 8, 2023

Our region’s nature preserves are home to dozens of incredible trails. Most northerners treasure these wooded walkways but often take for granted that they exist. Meanwhile, local conservancies juggle changing habitats, financial constraints, and workforce recruitment (among other c... Read More >>

Cozy Eats on the Shores of Walloon Lake

Feb. 11, 2023

Tucked on the southeast shoreline of Walloon Lake, Barrel Back Restaurant is a lakeside diner’s dream. May through October, vacationers and boaters flock to Barrel Back’s open air dining room and dock bar in the Village of Walloon Lake’s marina. Even the name is a nod to... Read More >>

What’s Hot on the Ice

Jan. 21, 2023

Curling has become the pickleball of the colder months, gaining popularity in northern Michigan each winter. We spoke with three area curling organizations to learn more about the sport’s appeal to long-time curlers and curious newbies alike.

Traverse City Curling Club

Fresh Fare for the Winter Months

Dec. 17, 2022

As the days grow colder and the nights grow longer, many of us turn to our kitchens to cook up comfort. Whether your style is preparing a pot of soup in your pajamas or fashioning an impressive charcuterie spread for a bright night of hosting, northern Michigan’s farmers markets and... Read More >>

Nostalgia Is Just Around the Corner

Nov. 12, 2022

Opening a restaurant was a childhood dream of Around the Corner Food and Fun owner Laura Cavendish, so it’s only fitting that her dream came true in a beloved destination from her youth.

Growing up, Cavendish visited Northport every holiday and summer. Post-college in 2006, ... Read More >>