Brighid Driscoll | Author

A Weekend Retreat to Treat Yourself

Oct. 14, 2023

Autumn, a quintessentially cozy time of year, calls for some R&R. After a busy summer and before the hectic holidays, it’s a great time to treat yourself, and what better way than a weekend getaway? We’ve mapped out a perfect self-care day in the Petoskey area packed with sh… Read More >>

Locals’ Summer

Sept. 16, 2023

Take a breath, northern Michiganders. We made it.

Labor Day weekend may mark the end of summer for many, but it’s only the beginning of Locals’ Summer for those lucky enough to live here year-round. The weather is still favorable for outdoor activities, your favorite bar… Read More >>

At the Top of Their Game

Sept. 2, 2023

Step into a world where phones, tablets, and TV screens take a back seat to a couple of well-loved throwbacks: board and arcade games. At The Coin Slot and Tabletop Underground, all the action happens in real time around a table or a pinball machine. Choose your player, stack your decks, an… Read More >>

Charting a Course for Traverse City: This 60-year-old Yacht Is Making Waves on the Bay

Aug. 19, 2023

“The saying goes, ‘You can put a boat on a ship, but you can’t put a ship on a boat,’” Captain Brett Derr says as he climbs aboard his 60-year-old boat, Althea.

Clear skies and a warm but steady breeze all but beg for a sail, and Captain Brett … Read More >>

Bringing the Party to You with Mobile Bars

July 29, 2023

Just as the kitchen is the heart of a home, a bar is the heart of a party. Outdoor gatherings especially raise spirits (pun intended) when the bar goes above and beyond, and local mobile and pop-up bars are doing just that with plenty of versatility and style.

Ready to bring that he… Read More >>

A Local’s Guide to Cherry Festival

July 1, 2023

Skies are blue, temperatures are rising, and your morning commute is probably a little longer than usual; it’s Cherry Festival time in Michigan’s favorite vacation spot.

Though the National Cherry Festival (NCF) attracts over half a million visitors, it also offers some … Read More >>

Where the Croissant Reigns Supreme

June 17, 2023

The French popularized it, pastry connoisseurs love it, and bakers revere it…it’s the almighty croissant.

A tedious process that involves layering dough with butter, croissant-making isn’t for the impatient. But a well-made croissant is a pastry worthy of its labo… Read More >>

Outdoor Living on a Budget

June 3, 2023

It’s all too easy to daydream about splashy outdoor rugs, cool egg chairs, eight-person farmhouse tables, and flower-laden gazebos this time of year. But if your eyes are bigger than your wallet, decorating your outdoor space might seem like too much of an investment.

Never fe… Read More >>

The Wheels on the Bike

April 8, 2023

As temperatures begin to rise, so does the number of cyclists we see about town and beyond. Biking is a great way to commute, recreate, and spend leisure time behind two wheels instead of four, and it’s one of our favorite ways to take in all the beauty of northern Michigan. With bike… Read More >>

Full Steam Ahead for Northern Michigan Summer Camps

Feb. 25, 2023

A rite of passage. A family tradition. An opportunity to learn new things and meet new people. (Or, sometimes, simply a way to keep the kids busy while school is out.) Summertime and camp go together like peanut butter and jelly, but amid staffing and childcare crises, demand has never been… Read More >>

A Picture-Perfect Proposal

Feb. 4, 2023

It all starts with four little words: “Will you marry me?”

No two proposals are exactly alike, and many of them have an element of surprise, which makes proposal photography a unique profession. Local photographer Nicole Geri has seen it all, whether she’s hiking u… Read More >>

Meeting People, Making Friends

Jan. 28, 2023

We’ve had a lot of gray days and not a lot of snow since the start of 2023. Visions of skiing and snowshoeing while the sun streaks through forest branches have sometimes felt just as far away as warm summer beach days. After the seemingly longest month of the year, leaving a permanen… Read More >>

Gifting for the Green Thumb

Nov. 19, 2022

Along with rattan furniture, shag carpet, and macrame, houseplants were a beloved part of many American households in the 1970s. Mid-century modern architecture had exploded decades prior, and interior designers were using houseplants to soften the straight lines while sticking to the conce… Read More >>

Halloween Haunts

Oct. 22, 2022

Halloween is more than a day of neighborhood kids going door to door for candy. Really, it’s a month-long celebration filled with sweet, spooky, and downright scary fun for all ages. We found plenty of local activities to hit up this week, ghosts and ghouls included.

SWEETRead More >>

Donuts, Pumpkin Patches, and Corn Mazes, Oh My!

Oct. 1, 2022

The bittersweet transition from fall to summer has been made a little easier. The Farmers' Almanac has predicted a warmer-than-usual autumn for us northern Michiganders, and with a host of fun fall activities and our beautiful northern Michigan home as a backdrop, we’re excited to spe… Read More >>

Live Music Haunts

Aug. 6, 2022

Live music is abundant in northern Michigan, and with it plenty of places to sit back, relax, and enjoy with friends and strangers alike. From farms, parks, and beaches to wineries, bars, and clubs, there’s an atmosphere for all. We’ve chosen a sampling of NoMi’s coolest l… Read More >>

Northern Getaway

July 9, 2022

’Tis the season when we northern Michiganders start to feel a case of summer ennui setting in. Traffic is heavy, the days are hot, and a rotating cast of friends and family seem to be in the guest room every weekend. (And don’t get us started on how long it takes to get a table … Read More >>

Walking on the Wild Side

June 11, 2022

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBD) is a favorite place for locals and tourists in search of stunning views and sun-soaked hikes. However, while we’re snapping Insta-worthy skylines, crucial mating, nesting, and migrating are going on behind the scenes.

We have a beau… Read More >>

Fab Food Trucks: The intersection of great meals and local wheels

May 28, 2022

It’s late spring in northern Michigan, and everything is coming alive—including the local food trucks. They’ve re-emerged from their winter rest and are ready to provide delicious solutions to the perpetual question of “What’s for dinner?”

Like le… Read More >>

A Farm-Fresh Approach

May 7, 2022

An old saying instructs us to make friends with a doctor, lawyer, and bartender, as an ally in each profession can provide a solution for most of life’s problems: medicine for our ailments, counsel in tough times, and a drink when the other two don’t work.

What the sayin… Read More >>