Anna Faller | Author

Poppyseed Bakery's Vanilla Cranberry Cheesecake

Dec. 14, 2024

’Tis the season for festive treats, and it doesn’t get any sweeter than Poppyseed Bakery’s Vanilla Cranberry Cheesecake. Inspired by the season’s staple flavors, this mini delight stacks baker extraordinaire Maggie Hardy’s rich vanilla bean cheesecake atop brow… Read More >>

Water Bearer Coffee's Sugar Cookie Latte

Dec. 14, 2024

The holiday magic has officially hit downtown Traverse City, and it’s got us feeling that childlike glee—especially when we’re sipping a Sugar Cookie Latte from Water Bearer Coffee! The adult-ified (and caffeinated!) version of everyone’s favorite seasonal treat, thi… Read More >>

A (Candle) Light at the End of the Tunnel

Dec. 7, 2024

It’s no secret that people love their pooches. But what would you do if the unthinkable happened, and you were faced with thousands of dollars in emergency bills to save your fur baby? For many pet owners, it wouldn’t be possible, at least not without some help.

Enter: c… Read More >>

Snowbelt Brewing Co.'s Sneaky Pants

Nov. 30, 2024

Time to put on your party pants, people! It’s officially festive season, and the Sneaky Pants cider at Snowbelt Brewing Co. in Gaylord is a humdinger of a holiday treat. Named for the powerful punch it packs—both in flavor and ABV, which clocks in at around 7 percent—this … Read More >>

Fighting Words, Healing Conversations

Nov. 23, 2024

Content Warning: Both the featured book and this article contain references to topics like sexual assault, attempted suicide, drug addiction, and child abuse. Please consider this when choosing when and how to read.

Award-winning children’s author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley wan… Read More >>

Sam's Graces Cafe's Eggs Benedict

Nov. 23, 2024

Opened in 2020 (though it had a previous life in Harbor Springs), this eclectic little eatery in Petoskey offers an elevated mix of Euro and American fare all made from scratch, right down to the English muffins on the wildly popular Eggs Benedict ($16). This brunch classic starts with a ru… Read More >>

The Little Fleet's Harvest Moon

Nov. 16, 2024

With the winter solstice on the horizon, we’re packing in all the autumnal flavors we can, and we’ve got one more “must” for your checklist alongside pies and apple-picking: the Harvest Moon cocktail ($13) at The Little Fleet. Inspired by Michigan’s seasonal bo… Read More >>

Inside the Science of EMDR

Nov. 9, 2024

When you think about therapy, what comes to mind? Is it a chaise lounge in a quiet room? A stoic professional taking notes? Sigmund Freud?

Whatever visual the term conjures, we bet it doesn’t include using bilateral stimulation to help process traumatic experiences—but t… Read More >>

Archie's Brunch Burger

Nov. 9, 2024

Gathering around great food is the name of the game at Archie’s Social House in Traverse City, and it wouldn’t be a proper party without their infamous Brunch Burger ($18). Crafted in homage to the eatery’s food truck roots, this sandwich starts with two smash-style Beefal… Read More >>

Paddle Hard's Cinnamon Ghoul

Nov. 2, 2024

Halloween might be over, but we’re still feeling the spooky energy and seeking a ghoulishly-good cocktail! Enter: the newly-concocted Cinnamon Ghoul ($8) at Paddle Hard Brewing in Grayling. Inspired by the decadence of a freshly-dipped caramel apple, this fall-ified White Russian riff… Read More >>

From Hunting Ghosts to Tending Gardens

Oct. 26, 2024

If you looked up “Jane-of-all-trades” in the dictionary, you’d likely find Samantha Fall’s picture.

A Michigan native, Fall (née Harris) is a demonologist with a background in abnormal psychology, a former ghost hunter and deliverance minister (i.e., a… Read More >>

Fingers Crossed's Grilled Cheese

Oct. 26, 2024

Comfort food meets worldly flavors in Fingers Crossed Northport’s new fall menu (gochujang wings, anyone?), and we can’t think of a more perfect pairing than the Leelanau Raclette Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup ($15). An elevated riff on the classic combo, this nourishing plate … Read More >>

The Daily Grind's Orange Creamsicle Soda

Oct. 19, 2024

Have we got the perfect, pumpkin-hued pick-me-up for your next fall afternoon! Tucked at the east edge of downtown Traverse City, The Daily Grind’s drive-through trailer is designed for on-the-go indulgence. Inside, they’re cranking out Roaster Jack coffee, organic teas, and fre… Read More >>

Upscale Staycations Up North

Oct. 12, 2024

When you hear “luxury vacation” what do you think of? Is it a sumptuous bed with satin pillows? A swim-up bar on a pristine beach? Spa services or award-winning golf courses? A certain number of hotel rating stars?

Northern Express caught up with two local accommodations… Read More >>

2 the Moon Bakery's Vanilla Bourbon Poached Pear Croissant

Oct. 12, 2024

It’s still stone fruit season, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a scratch-made pastry. Enter: 2 the Moon Bakery’s Vanilla Bourbon Poached Pear Croissant ($4). Bosc pears (sourced from 3rd Day Farm in Lake City) are the stars of this Danish-style tr… Read More >>

The Mill's House Rosé

Oct. 5, 2024

For the perfect rosy-hued drink to go along with the early days of fall, the 2023 House Rosé from The Mill in Glen Arbor is a no-brainer. Crafted in partnership with Boathouse Vineyards in Lake Leelanau, this wine is made with 100-percent estate-grown (and organic) Cabernet Franc gra… Read More >>

Putting Michigan Wines on the Map

Sept. 28, 2024

In its literal sense, “terroir” refers to the natural and environmental factors—like soil type, climate, and topography—that not only affect how a wine tastes and smells but also help define it as an undeniable expression of where it was made.

In other words,… Read More >>

Slabtown Cookies' Molasses Cookies

Sept. 28, 2024

Our grandma always told us that a cookie in both hands meant we were doing it right, and that’s just what we find ourselves doing when the Slabtown Molasses Cookies are on the menu at Slabtown Cookies in Traverse City. Inspired by owner and baking magician Katie Otterman’s secre… Read More >>

Poppycocks' Crystal Chai Margarita

Sept. 21, 2024

Things are getting warm and cozy at Poppycocks in Traverse City thanks to lead mixologist Emily Bryant's newest cocktail, the Crystal Chai Margarita. This autumnal flavor bomb blends traditional Masala chai—that’s black tea brewed with aromatic spices, like ginger, clove, and ca… Read More >>

Raduno’s Bolognese

Sept. 14, 2024

If pasta is a love language, Raduno in Traverse City is the mother tongue! Now in their seventh year of business, this Italian-inspired gastronomia is cranking out spools of scratch-made pasta, which owner Janene Silverman crafts from a blend of semolina and all-purpose flour and Michigan e… Read More >>