Anna Faller | Author
Terrain’s Skipping Stones
Jan. 7, 2023
The holiday season might be over, but Terrain Restaurant in Bellaire toasts local bounty all year long, and we think the plummy nuance of the Skipping Stones cocktail deserves its own celebration. Named for the local stone fruit it features, the drink begins with Kalkaska’s North Ri...
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Is Winter Outdoor Dining Here to Stay, or Are We All Headed Back Inside?
Jan. 7, 2023
Outdoor dining—snow, rain, or shine—went through the roof during the first year or two of the pandemic. But now, with most eateries going about business as usual, patrons seem to be fair-weather fans of al fresco dining. So what’s the plan for all those yurts, igloos, an...
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Edson Farms’ Sugar Cookies
Dec. 24, 2022
Established in the late ’70s, Edson Farms Natural Foods has long been our go-to for local produce and better-for-you deli staples. We just can’t help ourselves, though, when it comes to their house-baked sugar cookies. Inspired by owner Jessica Edson’s own family’s...
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Paddle Hard’s River Rampage
Dec. 17, 2022
We’d be lying if we said that Paddle Hard Brewing’s house IPA didn’t have us longing for sweltering temps, neon pool floaties, and lots of glorious sunshine. (Remember sunshine? We hardly do…) But, are we still sipping it in December? You bet. The second in a thre...
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Through Ice and Snow They Go
Dec. 17, 2022
There is nothing quite so unpredictable as a Michigan winter. Though it’s true that a handful of weeks each year can be relied on for snow and sub-arctic temperatures, the rest of the season is anyone’s guess. Wintery weather does have one common feature, though: how it’...
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Spring and Porter’s Seared Venison
Dec. 10, 2022
The cold temps have left us craving all things cozy—we’re talking herb-laden stews, roasted root veggies, and multiple pairs of fleecy sweatpants. But, before you give in to that long winter’s nap, tuck into a plate of Seared Venison Backstrap ($54) at Spring and Porter ...
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Ethanology’s Marriage Counselor
Dec. 3, 2022
Picture, if you will: a powdery layer of new-fallen snow, punctuated by a crackling fire and a mug of something hot in your hands. Heck, maybe there’s even a yurt involved! If a more restorative scene exists, we don’t know what it could be, but we do know it begins with Ethano...
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Big Cat Energy
Dec. 3, 2022
Meet Alice Wong. She’s the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online creative space for promoting and sharing disability media, as well as the editorial mind behind the 2020 essay collection Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-F...
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Nov. 26, 2022 While the rest of us pulled out our winter boots and grabbed an extra blanket (or five) this past week, 7 Monks Taproom in Traverse City was cranking up their menu’s heat in the form of a creamy queso, which they’ve spiked with flecks of flaming ghost pepper—and frankly,...
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Nov. 19, 2022 As its name suggests, there’s nothing small about Big Buck Brewery. Established in 2018 (though the space had a past life in the mid-90s), this iconic Gaylord alehouse impresses, from its 300-seat interior to the can’t-miss-it beer bottle on the lawn. The pub has pulled out al...
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Nov. 19, 2022 The holidays are fast approaching, and you know what that means…it’s time to get cooking! Before you bust out your cookbooks, have a peek at our list of 10 local makers whose goodies are changing the gourmet game. Stock up on early gift ideas or just stock your pantry shelves...
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Nov. 12, 2022 If you ask us, there’s never a wrong time for breakfast. No shade to lunch and dinner, of course; there’s just something about a cheesy egg scramble or buttery toast that sates at all hours. To quell those singular AM cravings, Elberta’s Lighthouse Café is a must,...
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Nov. 5, 2022 What do you do when life hands you honey? For beekeepers Kirk and Sharon Jones, the ownership team behind Sleeping Bear Farms, the answer is make it into mead—and cider and occasionally beer and wine. Enter: Beulah’s St. Ambrose Cellars. Established in 2010, what began as an a...
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Nov. 5, 2022 These days, retiring is no easy feat. In a sea of inflation and increased costs, those caught without a floatation device (or a sizable savings account) often flounder. How do you stretch those hard-earned dollars in today’s sink-or-swim marketplace? And, most importantly, how do yo...
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Oct. 29, 2022 Do you believe in magic? If the answer is no, we’re about to change your mind, because we’re pretty sure Chubby Unicorn is sneaking fairy dust into their sandwiches. The brainchild of Traverse City restaurant veterans Justin Chouinard and Ashley Moore, this gourmet lunch bus h...
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Oct. 22, 2022 The fall colors are changing, folks! And at Cheboygan Brewing Company, so are the beers. Opened in 2011, this old-school alehouse-turned-urban pub offers a rainbow of hand-crafted suds, from Blackberry Blonde Ale’s rosy pink to the deep cocoa of Oatmeal Cookie Stout (psst – th...
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Oct. 15, 2022 Opened in September, the Traverse City location of nationwide chain Playa Bowls specializes in surf-friendly eats like juices, smoothies, and healthy bowls, all with a superfood twist. Of these, antioxidant-packed acai (which they source straight from Brazil) is the top banana. It’s...
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Oct. 15, 2022 Of the countless stages Margo Price has played, Traverse City’s State Theatre isn’t one of them…until now. On Thursday, Oct. 20, the acclaimed country musician joins the National Writers Series to discuss her memoir, Maybe We’ll Make It. It’...
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Oct. 8, 2022 Since its establishment in the early 1980s, American Spoon has hung its hat on homemade brunch and breakfast bits, from Blueberry Coffee Cake to fruit conserves. (Try the Spiced Pear and thank us later.) Craft cocktail blends are a recent addition to their lineup, and the Paloma Mix is gi...
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Oct. 1, 2022 For Jeff and Patti Dewes’ family, the communal table (“tafel” in German) has always featured cinnamon rolls, thanks to Grandma Tillie Dewes’ famous gourmet recipe. Opened in December 2020, Tillie’s Tafel in Petoskey—named for Grandma Tillie herself&mdas...
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7 Monks’ Braised Pork Nachos
Big Buck Brewery’s Michigan Sunrise
The Holiday Foodie Guide
Lighthouse Cafe’s Pumpkin Pancakes
St. Ambrose Cellars’ X.R. Cyser
The How-to-Retire Checklist
Chubby Unicorn’s Truffle Philly
Cheboygan Brewing Company’s Blood Orange Honey
Playa Bowls’ Pura Vida Bowl
Maybe We’ll Make It
American Spoon’s Paloma Mix
Tillie’s Tafel’s Cinnamon Rolls