Ross Boissoneau | Author

Super Summer Getaways

March 17, 2018

Looking for a summertime sabbatical in northern Michigan? You’re in luck. Even though many Up North cottages are rented out a year in advance, just as many are still available for fun in the sun.

We checked with local consultants, real estate and rental agents, and the t… Read More >>

On the north side of Petoskey, there are the Victorian cottages and music of Bay View. On the south, there’s the appeal of tony Bay Harbor, with golf, equine and water activities, and the upcoming opening of the Great Lakes Center for the Arts.

North, south, and… Read More >>

Stormcloud Brewing’s Forecast: 100 percent chance of growth

March 10, 2018

With demand at the Frankfort brewpub and retail outlets exceeding even its founders expectations, five-year-old Stormcloud Brewing Co. has opened a (giant) second facility and tasting room just a mile from its first. Northern Express goes inside.

Whe… Read More >>

Wildflower Crusaders

March 3, 2018

What does it take to grow wildflowers? In the case of lady slippers, one of the region’s native orchids, quite a lot. Just ask Chuck and Janet Dickerson of Omena, who have spent a decade trying to grow and then replant them. “They’re very sensitive, touchy plants. That&rsq… Read More >>

Downsizing

March 3, 2018

Seems like every other week, some publication or website mentions Traverse City as among the best places to retire. Whether it’s Forbes or MarketWatch, Money Magazine, Movoto, GreatRetirementSpots.com, TopRetirements.com, CBS — all tout Traverse City as a great place for the gol… Read More >>

On Trend: House Concerts

Feb. 24, 2018

For many musicians, gathering together in a friend’s house to strum their guitars is how their career started. But what if that was their career? Or at least a large part of it?

House concerts are a fact of life for many artists, both newcomers and established performers. They… Read More >>

Black Star Farms' Half-million Dollar Flash Détente

Feb. 17, 2018

Northwestern lower Michigan is well-known for its wine, but the weather can throw a wrench into the works. Frigid winters, late frosts, or summer storms can damage, even destroy an entire year’s crop. Witness the harvests — or lack thereof — in 2014 and 2… Read More >>

Igoe’s Last Show, Your Last Chance

Feb. 17, 2018

Those who were in the audience the last time Tommy Igoe played the City Opera House might think they know what to expect. After all, the masterful drummer and his powerhouse Birdland Big Band roared through a supercharged set of tunes, mostly from his then-recent recording Eleven, … Read More >>

The 2018 Weddings & Bridal Issue

Feb. 12, 2018

Most wedding receptions follow the same format. It doesn’t really matter where it’s held or who the participants are. “You eat, drink, dance and go home,” said Tracy Magoon, an events planner with Social Butterfly in Traverse City.

That doesn’t mean the… Read More >>

With the Band?

Feb. 10, 2018

The flowers. The dress. The cake. And, oh, the music. All the elements of a wedding and reception are important, but oftimes it’s the lattermost that gets the most attention and offers the most variables. String quartet? Pianist? Rock band? Polka band?

While DJs are still a po… Read More >>

See Me

Feb. 5, 2018

Some see the world in black and white — you’re this or you’re that. For teens in the Grand Traverse area and their parents who appreciate the shades and contours, there’s Grayscale. The story-based advocacy program for LGBTQ+ students 13–17 years old is hosted … Read More >>

Traverse City’s Calypso Grill

Feb. 5, 2018

There’s really no better time to go to the Mediterranean than midwinter — especially since it’s so close. Calypso Mediterranean Grill on Traverse City’s Miracle Mile offers a taste of the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, though sorry to say, not the same typ… Read More >>

Whose T-shirt is it Anyway?

Jan. 20, 2018

Of course Michiganders are happy to showcase the Great Lakes State. And who doesn’t want to look good?

Welcome to the Michigan T-shirt. More and more people are proudly displaying their home state in clever and colorful ways. That’s true whether it’s M-22, the Mich… Read More >>

Cabin Fever

Jan. 13, 2018

Plummeting temperatures tend to leave the less hearty among us housebound. Which is fine, until cabin fever sets in. Before your own four walls drive you to the brink of insanity, drive yourself to a new set of walls to experience winter Up North at its warmest, quaint-est best.

Hop Lot Brewing in Suttons Bay

Jan. 13, 2018

Brothers Steve and Drew Lutke knew they wanted to do something special with their microbrewery on the south end of Suttons Bay. Even before building their facility, they had begun researching the style and aesthetic they wanted to draw in customers. So they decided to showcase what brought … Read More >>

Subzero Swimmers

Dec. 30, 2017

Taking a quick dip in the bay is almost de rigueur in the summer. In the off-season, when temperatures go from highs in the 80s to the 40s, 30s or colder, you have to be made of sterner stuff. Or almost crazy, you decide.

For your consideration, exhibit A: Evan Smith.… Read More >>

Clare’s Rooftop Landing Reindeer Farm

Dec. 16, 2017

It’s not every day you see a gaggle of Santa Clauses, but where better to do so than when they’re surrounded by reindeer? That’s the case each fall at Rooftop Landing Reindeer Farm outside Clare. “We had about 100 professional Santas,” said Dave Aldrich, the ow… Read More >>

"The Nutcracker" turns 125

Dec. 2, 2017

The dancers whirl around the floor, before coming together to toast one another, then spin away again. The director watches closely, holding off for several minutes as the action continues, before stopping things and then starting it over. In the corner, the rehearsal pianist… Read More >>

2018 Ski Report

Dec. 2, 2017

The early blast of winter gave heart to winter enthusiasts across the region. With cool ocean temperatures in the Pacific, indications are that this will be a La Nina year, with more storms in the Midwest and Great Lakes; Accuweather suggests the Great Lakes region will have cold temperatur… Read More >>

27 Years In, The Iceman Still Cometh

Oct. 28, 2017

Even the name sounds foreboding: The Iceman Cometh. Kind of gives you the shivers. And while participants may warm up on the 30-mile race from Kalkaska to Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort on the eastern edge of Traverse City, the weather might not be especially cooperative. Over the … Read More >>