Joseph Beyer | Author
Side Traxx’s Ice Cold Jagermeister
Sept. 24, 2022
Long the parody shot of bad judgment, it’s hard to believe that Jägermeister (yes, that mysterious liqueur in the stag-tagged bottle) is, well, having a moment. Cocktail bars across the world are rediscovering this famous German digestif (made with the same secret mix today of 56…
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The Watkins Family Hour
Sept. 17, 2022
Secret summer isn’t fading anytime soon, and if you’re looking for one last hypnotic, harmonica-laced hurrah, you should consider treating yourself to a night out with The Watkins Family Hour when they hit northern Michigan for one performance only Friday, Sept. 23, at Great Lak…
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The Burrow’s Key Lime Pie
Sept. 10, 2022
Ernest Hemingway would have approved of The Burrow’s delish dessert menu, most notably the shortbread cookie crust, custard, and whipped cream that make up their signature Key Lime Pie (big enough for sharing…a bite) at just $10. With just the right hints of fresh citrus and th…
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From Porch Concerts to Comedy Clubs
Sept. 3, 2022
Labor Day weekend is underway—or in the rearview, depending on when you pick up this paper—but the live music scene Up North isn’t slowing down with the changing of the (tourism) seasons.
Porchfest
Taking place on downtown porches and lawns Se…
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A Rabbi Walks into a Comedy Club...
Aug. 20, 2022
Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg has already made me laugh several times, and I haven’t even had my first cup of coffee yet. His demeanor is thoughtful, calm, and seriously funny. The full-time rabbi and part-time stand-up comedian (slash historian) is talking to me from Lake Orion outside the…
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Come One and All for the All Call Music Festival
Aug. 20, 2022
Local restaurateurs Gary and Allison Jonas (The Little Fleet and Farm Club) are perpetually starting new things that lead to even newer things, and this pattern is just fine by them. As pioneers of the craft bar and food truck culture, and now the mini-music-festival scene in Traverse City,…
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August’s Sigh
Aug. 6, 2022
As author Denis Mackail wrote of the approach of August, we may “sigh over the vanished strawberries and all that they signified” … or we can keep the camp chairs in the sandy car, knowing full well that summer is only half over and there’s more acoustic exploring t…
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Larger Than Life
July 30, 2022
Maybe it’s our human ego or maybe it’s just the supersizing of our culture, but big art is in. Innovations in materials and technology now make it possible to imagine and create almost anything, no matter the size.
International visionaries like Christo and Jeanne-Claude…
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Meet the (Film)Makers
July 23, 2022
While there may not be eight million stories in little ol’ Traverse City, there is a small but growing number of story-tellers living and working right here in our laid-back neck of the woods. Here are just a few of the fascinating folks of film who share their thoughts on ho…
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Summer Sounds of July
July 16, 2022
Now that the pungent scent of elephant ears is fading on the wind and the brouhaha of the National Cherry Festival has come and gone, it’s time to trade the spectacle of the big stages for more intimate sonic experiences off the beaten path. Whether you seek it out or find it unexpect…
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Red, White, and Blues
July 2, 2022
Up North, it’s that time of year again when the roads live up to their “Traffic City” nickname and many of us activate our local tradition and civic duty to overbook and soak up as much summer fun as possible. For both casual and hardcore fans of live music, this is undoub…
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All the North’s a Stage
May 28, 2022
From the early glam days of the Cherry County Players to the traveling tours from Broadway, our northern Michigan home has always been a rich and friendly place for the arts. With an almost dizzying array of musicals, plays, opera, and dance available to inspire you this summer, you won&rsq… Read More >>