Jillian Manning | Author

New Name, Same Problem

March 12, 2022

One of northern Michigan’s peskiest, pestiest insects is now operating under a new name. Introducing the Spongy Moth, previously known as the European Gypsy Moth. Why the change? According to a statement from the Department of Natural Resources, the name switch was made by the Entomol… Read More >>

Make a Splash

March 5, 2022

This Saturday (March 12), Otsego Resort in Gaylord welcomes back Splashdown, the watery celebration that marks the transition from winter to spring. A full day of St. Patrick’s Day-themed activities will be happening around the resort, including live music, a costume contest, and Iris… Read More >>

Light the Way at Duncan Bay

March 5, 2022

Join the Little Traverse Conservancy, Cheboygan Brewing Company, and Friends of Island Lake State Recreation Area for a peaceful evening stroll along Lake Huron. On March 12, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., folks are invited to register for a lantern-lit hike at the Duncan Bay Nature Preserve. These &… Read More >>

A New Season at Great Lakes Center for the Arts

March 5, 2022

Five years ago this summer, the Great Lakes Center for the Arts (aka the Center) in Bay Harbor opened their doors. Since then, they’ve seen more than 75,000 visitors and presented 150 events—no small feat given two of those years were eaten up by the pandemic. They’ve also… Read More >>

Michigan Magic

Feb. 26, 2022

Retired elementary school teacher Debbie Watson sat down at her desk in May 2020 and began to write. It was early morning, and she’d just woken from a dream about a girl and a polar bear and a dragon on the shores of Lake Superior. She knew there was something magical brewing in her m… Read More >>

Therapy Hits the Road

Feb. 26, 2022

Back in November of 2021, Northern Express reported on the growing mental health crisis in northern Michigan. From the stress of the pandemic to bullying on social media, a variety of factors are causing the need for mental health services to skyrocket among children and adults. Me… Read More >>

Breaking the Ice

Feb. 26, 2022

For 47 years, the Traverse City Figure Skating Club (formerly known as Twin Bays Skating Club) has been producing athletes bound for college teams, national-level competitions, and even the much-beloved “Disney on Ice” show. TCFSC is also the driving force behind the Northern Li… Read More >>

Carrying on the Tradition

Feb. 12, 2022

What do Double Frosted Bourbon Brownies, Mock Apple Pie, and Prince of Wales Cake have in common? (Besides sugar and appearing together in the sidebar, you clever reader.) They're all recipes from Michigan author Carole Eberly’s cookbooks, which date back to 1977 and have all the nost… Read More >>

"Steaking" its Claim

Feb. 12, 2022

The No. 1 steakhouse in Michigan — according to MLive (and a vocal cadre of Northern Express readers who named its Tomahawk Ribeye to our first Iconic Eats list — is nestled in Harbor Springs, serving up award-winning Wagyu beef just past the intersection of M-119 and Powell Roa… Read More >>

If You CAN Do, Teach

Feb. 12, 2022

For almost 20 years, Joel Papcun has been preparing the next generation of chefs at Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute. He has not only trained and graduated hundreds of students into the culinary industry but also opened the institute’s teaching rest… Read More >>

Great Meals, Hot Deals

Feb. 12, 2022

One of the biggest perks of enduring the colder months in northern Michigan is that we locals can finally get into our favorite restaurants without a wait. Even better, our foodie friends are eage… Read More >>

It's a Date: Three Fresh Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

Feb. 5, 2022

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Northern Express set out to find some creative new ways to observe the holiday. Say so long to flowers and dinner — from breaking glass to getting sweaty with your partner to catching the performance of the season, here are our top three r… Read More >>

Green Girl: Kelly Young of Torch Cannabis Co.

Jan. 29, 2022

Kelly Young owns a dispensary, but her goal isn’t to get you high. Instead, at Torch Cannabis Co. in Central Lake, Young promotes a holistic approach to self-care.

“My whole passion has been around helping people get access to [cannabis],” she says. “To learn… Read More >>

The Old Mission General Store's Pizza

Jan. 8, 2022

The Old Mission General Store cooks up some of the tastiest pizza in town … 15 miles out of town, on Old Mission Peninsula. (Trust us — it is well worth the drive!) Their New York-style pies have a perfect blend of cheese, sauce, and thin, crispy crust that can be finished with… Read More >>

Right Brain Brewery to Host NM E3 Book Fair

Jan. 8, 2022

There’s nothing we love more than a great team-up. Northern Michigan E3, the Traverse City region’s antiracism taskforce, has partnered up with Right Brain Brewery to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr., weekend with good books, good cheer, and good changes for our community. On S… Read More >>

Cider Centerpieces

Nov. 14, 2020

Hold my beer (and my wine) because autumn is cider time. Truly, could there be a better place to enjoy cider than the apple Mecca of northern Michigan? You probably know one of the farmers whose apples made it into your glass. You get all the inside jokes that cider makers include when nami… Read More >>

Flying Noodle: Launched In A Pandemic, And Going Strong With Gusto

Sept. 19, 2020

Is it a bird? A plane? No — it’s a flying noodle! And it landed in downtown Traverse City this summer, at 136 E. Front St., the space formerly occupied by eateries like Gaijin and, before that, Harvest). The aptly titled “Italian Pasta House” offers a delightful arra… Read More >>

The Dish's "Heat At Home" Meals

Sept. 19, 2020

The convenience of takeout and the comfort of a home-cooked meal meet at The Dish Café in Traverse City, now offering “Heat at Home” meals Monday through Friday. Intended for two — with the promise of yummy lunchtime leftovers — these hearty dishes include an entrée … Read More >>

No Barriers

Sept. 12, 2020

Since 2017, Wells Fargo bank and No Barriers — a nonprofit whose goal is “to fully unleash the potential of the human spirit” — have teamed up to offer a unique program: the Global Impact Challenge. The program is focused on diversity and inclusion and is open to edu… Read More >>

The Den

Sept. 5, 2020

Axe throwing. An escape room. Mini-bowling. An upscale bar. It’s all at The Den — located inside Grand Traverse Resort and Spa — a petite entertainment center-slash-eatery that packs a grizzly-sized punch.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE BEAR
Golfers will im… Read More >>