Ross Boissoneau | Author

Kid Geniuses

May 5, 2018

So when should one start preparing for the job market? Maybe it’s never too early — though that’s not necessarily the motivation for two groups of elementary students. Teams from both Traverse City’s Central Grade and Crystal Lake Elementary in Benzonia have made t... Read More >>

The Arrangement

April 21, 2018

There’s nothing like a symphony. Sure, you can plug in guitars and turn them up to 11, pound massive drum sets, even make whale sounds on synthesizers, but the power and majesty of a symphony orchestra can’t be duplicated. Not when you have 40, 50, 60 or more people all keepin... Read More >>

Computer Scientist Gives up Software Career for Piano

April 21, 2018

Peter Bergin’s choice was simple, though fraught with challenges. For 24 years, he had worked in the computer and software industry, mostly for Silicon Valley companies such as Autodesk and Adobe. He fed his musical muse with side jobs as a church musician and teaching piano lessons... Read More >>

A former Freep writer tells his story about the Red Wings’ famed Russian Five

April 14, 2018

It was more than two decades ago, but in many ways it feels like yesterday. In 1997, the Detroit Red Wings were on top of the world as Stanley Cup winners, thanks in very large part to the Russian Five. Days later, that euphoria was suddenly, shockingly ended when the car carrying Vladimi... Read More >>

Young Playwrights Get a Chance to Strut (and See) Their Stuff

April 7, 2018

 

When writing a story, the characters come alive on the pages. For many that’s enough. But five young writers from around the area will see their characters come alive on stage April 29 at the Young Playwrights Festival at the City Opera House.

The Young Playwr... Read More >>

Making Civic Engagement … Civil?

March 24, 2018

In this increasingly polarized time, where name-calling, ridiculing, and shouting without listening (a favorite of both public servants and anonymous online trolls) is increasingly the norm, is there any hope for civil engagement? Several local institutions think so, and they’re doi... Read More >>

Interlochen Students Join Grammy-winning Groups to Tackle Music Few Can

March 24, 2018

Two celebrated percussion groups and Interlochen Academy students will play some of the most demanding music in the classical canon — over and over and over again. The repeating and slowly mutating rhythms and motifs of classical composer Steve Reich will be presented at a two-night... Read More >>

Super Summer Getaways

March 17, 2018

Looking for a summertime sabbatical in northern Michigan? You’re in luck. Even though many Up North cottages are rented out a year in advance, just as many are still available for fun in the sun. 

We checked with local consultants, real estate and rental agents, and the... Read More >>

Abuzz in Petoskey

March 10, 2018

 

On the north side of Petoskey, there are the Victorian cottages and music of Bay View. On the south, there’s the appeal of tony Bay Harbor, with golf, equine and water activities, and the upcoming opening of the Great Lakes Center for the Arts.

North, south, a... Read More >>

Stormcloud Brewing’s Forecast: 100 percent chance of growth

March 10, 2018

With demand at the Frankfort brewpub and retail outlets exceeding even its founders expectations, five-year-old Stormcloud Brewing Co. has opened a (giant) second facility and tasting room just a mile from its first. Northern Express goes inside.

 

W... Read More >>

Wildflower Crusaders

March 3, 2018

What does it take to grow wildflowers? In the case of lady slippers, one of the region’s native orchids, quite a lot. Just ask Chuck and Janet Dickerson of Omena, who have spent a decade trying to grow and then replant them. “They’re very sensitive, touchy plants. That&r... Read More >>

Downsizing

March 3, 2018

Seems like every other week, some publication or website mentions Traverse City as among the best places to retire. Whether it’s Forbes or MarketWatch, Money Magazine, Movoto, GreatRetirementSpots.com, TopRetirements.com, CBS — all tout Traverse City as a great place for the g... Read More >>

On Trend: House Concerts

Feb. 24, 2018

For many musicians, gathering together in a friend’s house to strum their guitars is how their career started. But what if that was their career? Or at least a large part of it?

House concerts are a fact of life for many artists, both newcomers and established performers. Th... Read More >>

Black Star Farms' Half-million Dollar Flash Détente

Feb. 17, 2018

Northwestern lower Michigan is well-known for its wine, but the weather can throw a wrench into the works. Frigid winters, late frosts, or summer storms can damage, even destroy an entire year’s crop. Witness the harvests — or lack thereof — in 2014 and... Read More >>

Igoe’s Last Show, Your Last Chance

Feb. 17, 2018

Those who were in the audience the last time Tommy Igoe played the City Opera House might think they know what to expect. After all, the masterful drummer and his powerhouse Birdland Big Band roared through a supercharged set of tunes, mostly from his then-recent recording Eleven... Read More >>

The 2018 Weddings & Bridal Issue

Feb. 12, 2018

Most wedding receptions follow the same format. It doesn’t really matter where it’s held or who the participants are. “You eat, drink, dance and go home,” said Tracy Magoon, an events planner with Social Butterfly in Traverse City.

That doesn’t mean t... Read More >>

With the Band?

Feb. 10, 2018

The flowers. The dress. The cake. And, oh, the music. All the elements of a wedding and reception are important, but oftimes it’s the lattermost that gets the most attention and offers the most variables. String quartet? Pianist? Rock band? Polka band?

While DJs are still a ... Read More >>

See Me

Feb. 5, 2018

Some see the world in black and white — you’re this or you’re that. For teens in the Grand Traverse area and their parents who appreciate the shades and contours, there’s Grayscale. The story-based advocacy program for LGBTQ+ students 13–17 years old is hoste... Read More >>

Traverse City’s Calypso Grill

Feb. 5, 2018

There’s really no better time to go to the Mediterranean than midwinter — especially since it’s so close. Calypso Mediterranean Grill on Traverse City’s Miracle Mile offers a taste of the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, though sorry to say, not the same t... Read More >>

Whose T-shirt is it Anyway?

Jan. 20, 2018

Of course Michiganders are happy to showcase the Great Lakes State. And who doesn’t want to look good?

Welcome to the Michigan T-shirt. More and more people are proudly displaying their home state in clever and colorful ways. That’s true whether it’s M-22, the Mi... Read More >>