Geri Dietze | Author
Fancy Feast
Oct. 15, 2022
There’s something special about autumn, when crisp days and nights lend themselves to cozy get-togethers. Cool-weather meals are substantial and worth lingering over, and changing colors create an enticing palette for decorating.
To help you get in the entertaining-indoor…
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The Perfect Pairing
Oct. 1, 2022
It all starts with the soil and the crops, and whether the result is a collection of award-winning vineyards or a dedicated cohort of sustainable farms and artisanal purveyors, the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsula wine trails are a particularly fitting venue for fine dining. This is where…
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No More Wandering for This NOMAD.
Sept. 3, 2022
The Morrison family is on a winning streak. Their game? Some of the best food in the North, from waffles and omelets to ceviche and filets.
These are the folks who brought you Maple + Batter—the reimagining of the beloved Original Pancake House—just last year. Twins Phil…
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Retro Relaxation
Aug. 20, 2022
In the 1950s, when Americans were urged to “See the USA in your Chevrolet,” the typical roadside motel was a series of connected rooms, sometimes with a café and a swimming pool on-site. Over time, the interstate highway system diverted travelers away, and chains like Hol…
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In Good Hands
July 16, 2022
Way back when, Good Harbor Grill was founded on the basic idea of what owners and sailors Ann Derrick and Brendan Burrows looked for every time they made port: fresh and healthy food.
When Northern Express last profiled the restaurant in 2006, the couple had owned and opera…
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Torch Lake
July 2, 2022
The secluded spots and quaint towns tucked away in harbors and bays on the Lake Michigan coast have long been desirable destinations for those seeking a weekend respite or relaxing summer season away from the usual harried hubbub. Sandy beaches with hidden Petoskey Stone treasures becko…
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June 11, 2022 For a BBQ joint such as Charlevoix’s Smoke on the Water, there is no higher praise than that from a true aficionado—in this case, a seasoned BBQ judge here on vacation from Kansas City. After finishing his pulled pork omelet, he asked to see owner/chef Julie Mann. “That is…
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May 21, 2022 Mackinac Island blacksmith Robert Benjamin had an eye for prime real estate. In 1900, he built his home near Biddle Point, overlooking Lake Huron and the Straits of Mackinac, on one of the most beautiful waterfront parcels on an island chock full of beautiful waterfront. Benjamin di…
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May 14, 2022 At La Bécasse in Maple City, French country cuisine is the star, the raison d’être that keeps chef Guillaume Hazaël-Massieux in his kitchen and fills the dining room with satisfied patrons. La Bécasse, under different ownership and name, has b…
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April 30, 2022 Mexican cuisine was the first to be named a heritage cuisine, in 2010, by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Some of that amazing food has made its way north, and—in honor of Cinco de Mayo—we highlighted a few of the local restaurants …
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March 5, 2022 Charlevoix’s Argonne House, christened in 2020, is the present-day iteration of the Argonne Supper Club, the much-lauded shrimp house and the longest family-owned restaurant in Charlevoix County. Fred and Mary Taylor, who purchased the restaurant in 2018 from previous owners Steve Age…
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Feb. 26, 2022 When the Original Pancake House, a Bay Harbor fixture for over 20 years, closed its doors due to the state’s early pandemic orders, a group of like-minded family and friends stepped in to execute their vision of a breakfast and brunch-style eatery. But how did this crew …
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Feb. 19, 2022 Boyne City’s Smeltania Festival, February 25 through 27, revives a storied time in Boyne City’s past, when a little fish came to town and helped it weather the Great Depression. Today, the festival does a bit of the same, giving an economic boost to Boyne businesse…
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Jan. 29, 2022 The brightly colored WWII poster is an icon of another time: the tenacious, can-do American gal pushing up her sleeves and doing her part to save the world from Fascism. Take that, Adolph! But, the history of Rosie the Riveter is a living history as well, and some of it is being lived…
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Jan. 15, 2022 Michigan boasts hundreds of summer camps for kids and teens, from the traditional Kumbaya-around-the-campfire to high-tech STEM camps, with activities like backcountry backpacking, trapeze arts, paintball, and just about everything in between. To help prospective campers (and their parents)…
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Jan. 8, 2022 When Northern Express first reached out to Brian and Emily Freund, owners of That French Place in Charlevoix, the couple was in Paris. There, they were hosting a small culinary travel group and taking baking classes at La Cuisine Paris, an English-speaking French cooking school ove…
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Aug. 3, 2019 “We’re off the beaten path, and we don’t advertise,” said Kelly Woodard, who co-owns with her husband, Matt, Boyne City’s popular Italian dining destination Bella Vita. March 2, 2019 Two sisters, sharing a commitment to family, an appreciation for the land, and some serious entrepreneurial chops are making their mark on a prominent corner in downtown Charlevoix. Harwood Gold, their café and retail destination is an extension of Parsons Centennial Farm, south of C…
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Jan. 12, 2019 Boyne City is a restaurant town, and breaking into an established market might seem daunting, but after eight short months, Lake Street Pub already has a feeling of permanence. Opening in late May 2018, LSP began operations with everything in place: contemporary ambiance, professional wait …
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Jan. 12, 2019 By day, Boyne City’s Freshwater Gallery is a thoughtfully curated art collective representing over 200 Michigan artists working in variety of mediums. But come the cold weather, Freshwater opens its doors for a series of intimate evening concerts featuring some of the best worki…
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Smoke on the Water
Take a Ride to the Carriage House
A Little Place in the Country
Tacos, Torta, and Tequila
Shrimp at the Supper Club
Maple + Batter
Smeltania Lives!
The Original Girl Power
Northern Express' Kid Camp Special
Vive la French Place
Boyne City’s Bella Vita Restaurant & Bar
While it’s not a traditional recipe for restauranteurs, the Woodards&…
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The Gold Standard
Boyne City’s Lake Street Pub
Freshwater Gallery