Ross Boissoneau | Author

Extra Mushrooms, Please

Sept. 14, 2019

Once relegated largely to pizza, soups, omelets, and salads, the modest mushroom — commonly sourced from cans — hasn’t always been a popular part of American restaurant menus. (Morels being the exception Up North, of course.)

But as the public has become more acqua… Read More >>

Queen of Cups

Sept. 14, 2019

It’s not like she has a secret identity, but mild-mannered high school teacher Sarah Bernstein does have another side: Taproom Tarot Gal. Bernstein moonlights as a tarot card reader for friends, private events, and publicly at area brewpubs.
 
Why brewpubs?“Becaus… Read More >>

How a Monthlong Festival Honoring C.S. Lewis Took Over Petoskey

Sept. 7, 2019

Petoskey might seem an unlikely location to fete an author who probably had never heard of the city — one who, in fact, had never even set foot in the United States. But that’s not stopped enthusiasts from nearly two decades of explications and celebrations of the life and works… Read More >>

Not Only Yacht Rock Cruisin’ into Little River Casino

Sept. 7, 2019

When Ambrosia hits the stage at Little River Casino Resort Sept. 14, no doubt fans will want (and get) to hear “How Much I Feel,” “You’re the Biggest Part of Me” and “You’re the Only Woman.” But those pop hits will be balanced by “Nice, … Read More >>

A Rags to Circus Story

Sept. 7, 2019

For most kids, saying “I’m going to run away and join the circus” is an empty threat.
 
Alyk Fuller isn’t most kids. In fact, at 23, he’s not a kid at all. But he is running away to join the circus.
 
By the time you read this, the… Read More >>

Block(s) Party!

Aug. 31, 2019

What would you call an afternoon of music hosted throughout a neighborhood, including musicians both from that area and from outside it? Music that runs the gamut from Americana to classical, punky bluegrass to party pop to — wait a minute, is that a circus act?
 
In Tr… Read More >>

Weekend Warriors Unite

Aug. 24, 2019

As part of the effort to highlight the dangers of Line 5, a group of people will be taking to the waters of the Mackinac Straits Saturday of Labor Day Weekend. The 5th Annual Pipe Out Paddle Out Flotilla and the Water Is Life Festival, which immediately follows on land, will welcome any and… Read More >>

Frankfort's OAC Opens Up the Possibilities

Aug. 24, 2019

Oliver Art Center in Frankfort is expanding, but not with more space. Instead, it has begun utilizing its library in a new way, establishing a permanent community creative space for young artists and their families to explore.

“We’ve always had a library, but i… Read More >>

Leland Gal: Better by Design

Aug. 17, 2019

Maggie Mielczarek had an idea. Take what she loved about northern Michigan, combine that with her love of painting and art, and create a brand that reflected it all: clothing, accessories, even the fabric she cuts from.
 
That’s how Leland Gal became a thing. And it was… Read More >>

What We’re Drinking This Summer

Aug. 10, 2019

What kind of alcoholic beverage is most popular in northern Michigan? Does it differ from Manistee to Harbor Springs, Leelanau County to Otsego?
 
Two quick answers: White Claw, and not much.
 
In an admittedly non-scientific study, we called two dozen party st… Read More >>

’70s Era Bandmates Reunite on stage at age 70

Aug. 3, 2019

When old friends gather together, the years slip away. On Aug. 8, it won’t be years, it’ll be decades, as pals Jim Crockett and Fred Ball will be joined onstage at the Old Art Building in Leland by a musical compadre from their past.

“I’m looking forward with… Read More >>

Leelanau’s Rove Estate Raised Thousands to Fight Childhood Cancer

Aug. 3, 2019

When Creighton and McKenzie Gallagher host the Third Annual St. Jude Sunset in the Vines at Rove Estate later this month, it will be about more than just raising some money for a good cause. The event has become even more personal for them.
 
“My family always supported… Read More >>

TC-raised Filmmaker Brings his Award-Winning Movie Home

July 27, 2019

Lije Sarki is coming home, and he’s bringing some friends with him: Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, Zack Gottsagen, and more.

Sarki, who was born in Michigan and spent most of his junior high and high school years in Traverse City, was one of the producers of The Peanut Butter F… Read More >>

Tales from the Green Room

July 27, 2019

We’ve all heard the stories about high-powered touring performers demanding specific, sometimes ridiculous things in their performance contracts (looking at you, Van Halen, and your infamous “no brown M&Ms” rider). So has that been the case in northern Michigan?
&… Read More >>

Catching Up with Petoskey Filmmaker, now Berliner, Emily Manthei

July 27, 2019

Catching Up with Emily Manthei
Petoskey native began making films in the sixth grade. We tracked her down in Berlin to see what this wunderkind is making now.
 
By Ross Boissoneau
 
Emily Manthei was hooked at an early age. Growing up with an interest in … Read More >>

Beulah’s Lucky Dog Restaurant and Cool Cat Ice Cream Bowl

July 20, 2019

Cool cats and lucky dogs, all in the same place. Thanks to Rich and Karen Allen, the downtown Beulah’s former bowling alley has been reborn as a rustic bar and grille, dubbed Lucky Dog, and ice creamery, Cool Cat Ice Cream Bowl.
 
“Cool Cat came first,’ said… Read More >>

5 Questions with Weird Al

July 20, 2019

When Alfred Yankovic was six years old, he began taking accordion lessons. No one knew then that only one decade later he’d unleash his talents on an unsuspecting world, playing his accordion to parodies of popular music of the day.
 
Today, Weird Al is an institution. … Read More >>

Legendary Detroit Artist to be Honored Up North

July 13, 2019

 

Charles McGee is a legend in the Detroit art scene. His work is found in many contemporary art collections around the world, as well as the permanent collections of the Detroit Institute of the Arts, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, and the… Read More >>

Ludwa's "Codeswitch" Chronicles Life, Music and Murder of Mr. Soul, Sam Cooke

July 13, 2019

Sam Cooke’s mellifluous voice, undeniable stage presence, and talent took him to the top of the charts and to stages across the country. That all came to an abrupt end when he was shot and killed Dec. 11, 1964.
 
Now audiences will have a chance to hear some of his best… Read More >>

Golden Retriever Bash!

July 13, 2019

Each year, Golden, Colorado, holds a gathering of golden retrievers. Which gave local Golden canine owner Jeff Rabidoux an idea. Why not host a group in this area, giving the dogs and their owners a chance to socialize?
 
A Realtor at Crystal Mountain, where his dog, Fisher, … Read More >>