Ross Boissoneau | Author

Best. Cherry Fest. Ever.

June 23, 2018

OK, sure, there’s fireworks, perfect for ooohs and ahhhhs. We know about the Blue Angels and the air show. There are concerts, parades, and don’t forget the Great American Duck Race. Or the Cherry Pie Eating Contest. Well, maybe forget the pie-eating contest, because you want ... Read More >>

Oh, Yes!

June 23, 2018

 

 

Most bands don’t get a recording contract. Most that do don’t make it big. Most groups that make it to the top don’t hang around for long.

Yes isn’t most groups. The band is celebrating 50 years of its progressive rock by takin... Read More >>

Sommelier Central

June 16, 2018

Police are here to serve and protect. It’s all about the law. Sommeliers are here to serve and educate. For them, it’s all about the wine.

The source of all knowledge, Wikipedia (ahem), calls a sommelier “a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally wo... Read More >>

 Tax Reform Means Breaks for Wine Industry — For a Few, and For a While At Least

June 16, 2018

 

Death and taxes, and tax breaks in the wine industry … maybe. That’s what we all have to look forward to, though the lattermost is not yet set in stone.

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — aka the Trump tax cuts — is impacting virtually all are... Read More >>

The Latest on the Region's Wine Scene

June 16, 2018

So many wines, so little time. Each year brings new vintages, new styles, new tasting rooms and events, even new grapes. With some four dozen wineries scattered around the region, how do you keep up with what’s new and exciting?

For starters, the Old Mission Peninsula Wineri... Read More >>

Outdoor Summer Sounds Abound

June 9, 2018

Sure, you can spend the big bucks at concert venues across the region, from Interlochen to Bay View to the new Great Lakes Center for the Arts at Bay View. Who doesn’t want to see Yes, Blondie, or Pink Martini? Add the bars, clubs, casinos and festivals, and you’ve got tons of... Read More >>

Historic Resort. Humongous Concert Venue.

June 9, 2018

It’s a safe bet that when Lydia Morrison of Cincinnati built Fountain Point Resort in 1889, she had no intention of it becoming a concert venue. But fast-forward a century and a quarter, and the quaint, quiet resort on the south shore of Lake Leelanau not only offers cottages and a ... Read More >>

Get Inside the Great Lakes Center for the Arts

June 9, 2018

Coming soon, to a theatre near you: a theater near you. The Great Lakes Center for the Arts is readying for its opening act, a benefit gala coming July 7.

Patrons will have an opportunity to “Raise the Curtain” at a benefit for the new facility, as well as take i... Read More >>

Honey, We Bought a Preserve

June 9, 2018

Jim Lamond had a vision. And if it wasn’t the kind where you see God, maybe it could be said it was a vision where he and others saw God’s handiwork, in the form of an 80-acre parcel of land, home to eagles, foxes, deer, and other flora and fauna. The land was destined for dev... Read More >>

The Kindness Kids Club

June 9, 2018

“Be kind to your parents, though they don't deserve it. Remember they’re grown-ups, a difficult stage of life."

When Harold Rome wrote that song in 1954, he probably didn’t have the vagaries of 21st-century life in mind. But as he said later in the song,... Read More >>

Mr. Summer, Troy Daily

June 9, 2018

Those growing up in a family business often either turn to that business when they grow up — or run away from it into an entirely different direction. Troy Daily did both, and as the force behind food trucks, local beer tours, a marketing company, and an event company, he’s st... Read More >>

Hurricane Maria is Gone; Hurricane Miriam Hasn’t Quit

June 9, 2018

For Miriam Pico, the destruction Hurricane Maria wrought on Puerto Rico was personal. The Traverse City-based singer-songwriter was born there and spent the first two years of her life in Puerto Rico.

Though she’s lived in Traverse City since age four, Pico still sees the is... Read More >>

Everybody’s a Critic

June 9, 2018

Social media has made critics of us all. Had a great time with your friends? Tell the world. Lunch was outstanding? Let everyone know. Your accommodations didn’t meet your expectations? Blast the place online.

But what if you’re a hotelier in one of the most touristed ... Read More >>

State of the Art

June 2, 2018

Northern Michigan is synonymous with many things: Lake Michigan, cherries, beautiful rolling hills, wineries, and, of course, art — folk art, fiber art, photos, oil and watercolor paintings, sculpture, ceramics, and on and on.

While there’s no way to cover all the gall... Read More >>

Albert Loeb’s Crazy Charlevoix Experiment Turns 100

May 26, 2018

It’s a castle. It’s a site for weddings. It’s an extraordinary garden. It is — or at least was — a giant rockin’ concert venue. And this year, it is 100 years old.

“It” is Castle Farms in Charlevoix. The sprawling grounds and the man... Read More >>

Will the Dark Sky Park Ever Be So Stellar Again?

May 26, 2018

Recent controversy isn’t slowing down the Headlands Dark Sky Park a bit, said Marci Schmiege, the director of parks and recreation for Emmet County.

“The park is open 24/7. We have a new gift shop that just opened and the observatory is open. It’s doing very well... Read More >>

Sounds of Summer Start Now

May 19, 2018

The summer music season gets underway with the Round Lake Music Festival in downtown Charlevoix May 25–27. Three bands each on Saturday and Sunday will provide the festivities, with the Jelly Roll Blues Band kicking things off with a special Friday evening performance starting at 5p... Read More >>

The State of the Market Up North

May 5, 2018

Back in the early 2000s, the real estate market was exploding. Lenders were eager to provide money to buyers and property values were appreciating yearly. Then the recession hit, the bubble burst, and the values started to tumble.

If you’ve been paying attention, you probabl... Read More >>

More For Sale By Owner Than Ever?

May 5, 2018

With what is undeniably a seller’s market, it seems like this would be an ideal time for a seller to forego the cost of a Realtor and sell their home as a FSBO (For Sale By Owner, pronounced FIZZ-bo). And when you look around, both on the street and online, you do see signs of an in... Read More >>

One Week to Change Your Life

May 5, 2018

Those interested in creating plays have friends they might not even know about. That’s because Katherine Carter and Rachel Sussman are offering emerging artists an opportunity to hone their craft at a retreat in September in Bear Lake. The MITTEN Lab — aka the Michigan Incubat... Read More >>