Todd VanSickle | Author

An Outdoor Medicine Cabinet

Aug. 15, 2026

Heartwood Forest Farm is like an outdoor medicine cabinet—you just need to know where and what to look for.

Fortunately for the customers at Heartwood, owner Patti Travioli enjoys informing visitors about what she grows, what health benefits a plant has, and how it can be used… Read More >>

A Perfect Sailing Day Every Day

July 11, 2026

The Torch Lake Yacht and Country Club has sat on a point that juts out into the blue waters of Torch Lake, straddling the 45th parallel, for almost 100 years. The yacht club grounds are filled with cedars, white pine, mature flowering perennials, tennis courts, and an oversized chessboard n… Read More >>

100 Years of Cherries: A look back at some of the biggest moments in Cherry Festival history

June 27, 2026

The National Cherry Festival has been around four times longer than the average lifespan of a Montmorency cherry tree.

This year, the annual eight-day Traverse City event will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Over the years, the celebration has treated festivalgoers to air shows, a … Read More >>

Mountain Biking Trails and Expert Tips

June 20, 2026

There are more than 460 miles of dedicated mountain bike trails in the region, according to the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association—and more trails are in the works. Luckily, finding the right trail is getting easier than ever thanks to several volunteer organizations that are… Read More >>

Hiking and Biking on the North Country Trail

May 23, 2026

Eleven years ago when Kenny Wawsczyk was hired as regional trail coordinator for the North Country Trail, he noticed many people didn’t know about the 4,800-mile trek through eight states.

“When I first started, I used to have to ask people, ‘Do you know what the N… Read More >>

Your Guide to the Fresh Coast Film Festival

April 25, 2026

After a decade of success in the Upper Peninsula, the Fresh Coast Film Festival will celebrate its 10-year anniversary by expanding to Traverse City.

The TC edition will run from April 30-May 3 with a full lineup of 50 documentary films at seven viewing venues around the Boardman La… Read More >>

Detour Season: Interlochen US-31 Reconstruction Begins

April 11, 2026

Interlochen is preparing for the summer, but instead of bracing for the arrival of tourists, many along US-31 are expecting detours and an onslaught of heavy machinery as a major Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) project kicks off this month.

Meanwhile, the business commu… Read More >>

Are Breweries Going Bottoms Up?

March 7, 2026

Let’s face it: adults aren’t drinking like they used to. Add in rising costs, a pandemic, and a saturated market, and it becomes a real buzz kill for craft breweries.

Last year, 434 craft breweries closed and 268 opened in the United States, according to the Brewers Asso… Read More >>

Serving Up a Winning Hand

Feb. 7, 2026

Right Bower Kitchen & Coffee owner Victoria Levinsohn recently returned from El Salvador. The trip was intended to be a vacation, but it turned into business.

“It wasn’t planned this way, but El Salvador is a very renowned coffee growing country, so I was able to do … Read More >>

Finding Autism Answers Up North

Jan. 24, 2026

Jonathan Timm will never forget his first client as a behavior analyst.

“My first client was so challenging,” Timm says. “He was a preschooler. I think three years old.”

Timm recalls sweating and nervously giggling trying to make a connection with the… Read More >>

I Tried Infusion Therapy, and Here’s What I Learned

Jan. 3, 2026

A snowstorm whitewashed the view of Little Traverse Bay as I sat in a leather recliner with an IV in my left arm at Revive Infusions located in Petoskey’s historic train depot in Penn Plaza.

In front of me a television played a continuous loop of a crackling fire on a mountain… Read More >>

Distillery Ups and Downs of 2025: Craft Spirits Industry Is Shifting, but Not Shaken

Nov. 29, 2025

In late October, scores of people bellied up to the bar to sample a variety of spirits made at Northern Latitudes’ new 11,300-square-foot distillery, bar, and restaurant in Lake Leelanau, just a short walk to The Narrows. Throughout the day, a steady drove of customers stopped in to s… Read More >>

Frank’s 231 Takes Midwestern Food Up a Notch

Nov. 8, 2025

“It feels good.” Those were the three words muttered after taking my second bite at Frank’s 231 located at 1779 Garfield Road in Traverse City.

The restaurant’s chef, Dan Compton, has mastered the art of texture and taste in his dishes that are made primarily… Read More >>

Toy Store Trouble Ahead? Local Shop Owners Urge Early Holiday Buying

Oct. 11, 2025

Whether you were good or bad this year, expect more tariffs in your stocking come December. At the start of the second Donald Trump presidency earlier this year, the administration imposed sweeping tariffs on a wide range of products made outside of the United States.

From January t… Read More >>

How ’Bout Them Apples? Michigan Apple Harvest Is Looking Bountiful

Sept. 20, 2025

For the fourth consecutive year, Michigan is on track for an above average apple harvest thanks to mild weather conditions, low disease outbreak, and more high-density orchards.

Michigan farmers are estimated to harvest a combined 30 million bushels or about 1.26 billion pounds of a… Read More >>

Douglas Lake Bar: A Destination Restaurant

Aug. 9, 2025

You won’t see any billboards or flashy advertisements for the Douglas Lake Bar & Steakhouse as you make your way to this hidden summer gem 20 minutes south of the Mackinaw Bridge and just six miles west of I-75.

“It is really a destination restaurant,” says fro… Read More >>

Last Stop for Antiques Roadshow?

Aug. 9, 2025

On July 1, Antiques Roadshow made its last stop of the season at Charlevoix, but recent cuts to federal funding for public broadcasting have some worried it might be the end of the road for many PBS programs.

For almost 30 years, Antiques Roadshow has featured gues… Read More >>

Welcome to Somebody’s Gallery!

July 26, 2025

A little over 10 years ago, Julie Stoppel was shopping in Petoskey’s Gaslight District when a friend pointed out a building that she thought would make a good location for an art gallery—something Stoppel had always dreamed of owning and operating.

“What I wanted t… Read More >>

The Pit Spitters’ Cherry on Top

June 14, 2025

Traverse City Pit Spitter baseball fans now have the option of adding a cherry on top of anything. Per Traverse City Pit Spitter General Manager Jacqueline Holm, “For an extra 50 cents, we now have a button on our cash register that you can get a cherry on a hot dog, a beer, nachos, a… Read More >>

Cadillac, from Timber to Rails to Trails

June 14, 2025

George Mitchell had a vision when he dreamed of developing what is known today as the city of Cadillac, but he may not have imagined that it would become a top destination for recreational trail users in the state.

Today, Wexford County has hundreds of miles of trails, including mor… Read More >>