Geri Dietze | Author

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… Read More >>

Take a Ride to the Carriage House

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… Read More >>

A Little Place in the Country

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… Read More >>

Tacos, Torta, and Tequila

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 … Read More >>

Shrimp at the Supper Club

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… Read More >>

Maple + Batter

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 … Read More >>

Smeltania Lives!

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… Read More >>

The Original Girl Power

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… Read More >>

Northern Express' Kid Camp Special

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)… Read More >>

Vive la French Place

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… Read More >>

Boyne City’s Bella Vita Restaurant & Bar

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.
 
While it’s not a traditional recipe for restauranteurs, the Woodards&… Read More >>

The Gold Standard

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… Read More >>

Boyne City’s Lake Street Pub

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 … Read More >>

Freshwater Gallery

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… Read More >>

Morgan Lafonte Comes Home

Dec. 8, 2018

Former world champion snowboarder Morgan Lafonte learned to ski at Nubs Nob, near Harbor Springs, but it wasn’t until she was introduced to the nascent sport of snowboarding in Colorado that she found her métier on the slopes. By the late 1980s, Morgan was breaking all the rule… Read More >>