Lynda Wheatley | Author

A Tough Row to Hoe

May 28, 2022

On a cold, drizzly Monday morning, Eric Dean sits hunched over a long folding table inside a cramped room on his family’s property in Williamsburg, doing what five generations of Deans have done here since before the Civil War: farming.

Eric’s careful work takes place ... Read More >>

The Photoshop Effect

May 28, 2022

Despite the popular misconception, the word “plastic” in “plastic surgery” does not mean “artificial,” but is derived from the ancient Greek word “plastikos,” which means to mold or give form. And across the North, plastic surgeons are doing... Read More >>

K-9 Safety

May 28, 2022

It’s been said—first in 1922 by New York City police Commissioner Richard Enrigh—that all that stands between a law-abiding society and “criminality” is a thin blue line (i.e., the police). Well, truth be told, that thin blue line can also be brown … a... Read More >>

Must-sees on the Way to da U.P.

May 21, 2022

Whether you want to stretch your legs or stretch out your vacation, try at least one—or all!—of these detours on your way up to Michigan’s upper hand.

Sea Shell City
No trip North can be complete without stopping to see, at least once in you... Read More >>

River St. Market’s Meatball Sub

May 21, 2022

Yeah, salads are a stupendous choice for summertime. But it ain’t summer yet. And as good as the salads look on River St. Market’s just-unveiled spring/summer menu, we could not resist getting our mitts on their new meatball sub. Envision, if you will, one toasty house-baked b... Read More >>

Memorial Weekend Flyovers

May 21, 2022

Heading to the U.P. for Memorial Day weekend? Thanks to our long-delayed spring, you might beat the Yoop’s notorious biting black flies there, but why risk it? Pop into Petoskey’s Bearcub Outfitters on your way and pick up one of Outdoor Reasearch’s Deluxe Spring Ring He... Read More >>

Easy Rider

May 21, 2022

Smooth, silent, and…well, kinda supercharged, electric bicycles just might be the best thing to happen to people who love to pedal but could use a boost up hills or to cover more miles faster. Class 1 e-bikes—the most common to rent or buy—have an electric moto... Read More >>

The Forgotten Population

May 14, 2022

You don’t have to be in retail, manufacturing, education, service, or any number of industries to know that employers are hurting for workers. You see it in the long lines at the grocery stores, store window signs begging for help, and the faces of stressed employees just about ever... Read More >>

Streetside Grille’s The Streetside

May 14, 2022

Doesn’t matter if Streetside Grille’s glass garage doors are rolled up or down: Sipping the Suttons Bay bar and eatery’s signature cocktail makes you feel like you’re on a spring picnic. Bubbly club soda and sweet Chambord mingle with a generous shot of our favorit... Read More >>

Hooking a Big One

May 14, 2022

Among the seven recipients of the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation in 2022 is one big fish—or, more accurately, one mighty Fishtown Preservation Society. With three winters of hard work and help from Biggs Construction, Kasson Contracting, Hopkins Burns Design Studio... Read More >>

Ride in Silence

May 14, 2022

At 7pm Wednesday, May 18, groups of bicyclists in hundreds of locations around the world will go for a slow-paced ride together—without uttering a single word. A way to commemorate cyclists killed and support those who were injured while riding on public roads, the international Rid... Read More >>

What’s the Big Idea?

May 7, 2022

Startup incubator. Office space. Tech talent, education, mentorship, and recruitment hub. The breeding ground for innovation that is 20Fathoms offers immense perks and opportunities to its members made up of entrepreneurs, creatives, and tech professionals.

But May 9–15, the... Read More >>

Making our Mailbox a Food Pantry Pick-up Point

May 7, 2022

Keep an eye on your home’s mailbox this week. You might receive a postcard inviting you to be a part of the 28th annual National Association of Letter Carrier Food Drive. And if you do, you can easily help feed the one person of every four in our community who can’t afford thr... Read More >>

Brasserie Amie’s Manhattan

April 30, 2022

Our senior writer comes from a long line of Manhattan drinkers. Her family recipe has always been two fingers of cheap Canadian whisky, one finger of cheap sweet Vermouth (usually Gallo), a dash of bitters, and a single, wax-like preserved cherry (also cheap). So imagine her awe at Traver... Read More >>

A Toast in the Woods to Those We Love and Lost

April 30, 2022

For those who want to join with others to remember and celebrate someone they love, the Michigan Girl Bike (and Hike!) Club is hosting its inaugural Wine Walk (with heart!) 11am–1pm May 15 at Timber Ridge Resort in Traverse City. Club founder Kandace Chapple says the event was inspi... Read More >>

Some Say They’re the Dreamers

April 30, 2022

If you call Luette Frost and her husband, Todd Grayson, real estate developers, expect a slight cringe from Frost. “I don’t know. I kind of hate that—the connotation,” she says. “Developer feels like such a bad word these days.”

Her reaction is ... Read More >>

Moomers’ Super Kid!

April 23, 2022

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s…SUPER KID! It’s the latest flavor to come out of the kitchen at Moomers Homemade Ice Cream, and its April debut is no accident. The Traverse City-based cool spot crafted the heavy-on-the-sprinkles concoction for kids in recogn... Read More >>

Shrinking Shrink-Wrap Pollution

April 23, 2022

A sure sign of spring: boats around the North breaking free of their shrink-wrap cocoons. Before you start stripping off your lake baby’s plastic winter-wear this year, consider checking in first with Dr. Shrink, the “global shrink-wrap giant” based in Manistee. For just... Read More >>

Spring Fashion Forward

April 23, 2022

Sure, those who like to shop til they drop can spend eons happily scouring the myriad clothing boutiques peppering our Up North towns. As for the rest of us? Sometimes we just need someone to tell us what to wear. Here, a look at shops offering unique services certain to spruce up your wa... Read More >>

Less Clutter, More Beer Money

April 16, 2022

Those glorious April days when sunshine streams through our windows don’t only signal spring’s arrival and hibernation season’s end. They also serve as an illuminating revelation concealed by months of early dusks, candlelight, and an ever-replenishing Netflix watchlist:... Read More >>