All Blog Posts (1,849)

'Winter Dunes' Eco-photo Tour Alumni Photo Review: Susan Moore of White Lake, Michigan captured this image of the DH Day Barns and Dune Climb on a sunny morning in February during the…

Sleeping Bear Dunes Winter Photography Weekend: When many choose to stay inside during the cold winter months, a small group of photography enthusiasts ventured to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to learn photography skills and how to operate their own cameras. The participants were part of the …

Barista Spencer McQueen, in the new Cavallino Cafe, brews a cup with an AeroPress coffee press.

When I think about the best changes in American culture during my lifetime, the proliferation of the new American café is right there in the Top 10. Sure, the great coffee and aromas are…

Hi! Here's why I think Harbor Springs is so great to look at:  http://49740.us.com/wordpress/

Hello! Lots of great photos of winter in Harbor Springs here:

http://49740.us.com/wordpress/photo-gallery/

Greetings!  Be sure to catch my new post about gorgeous porches in Harbor Springs:

http://49740.us.com/wordpress/2013/01/31/3000-porch-books-cant-be-wrong-by-pamela-j-tarchinski/

In November, people watch the Northern Michigan weather reports ready to worship the first snowflake. By the end of February, taxed by the stress of clearing driveways, scraping windshields and enduring white knuckled commutes, many people are not glorifying winter's stamina. But I do. In fact, I'm enjoying…

Rico Cruz (front) and Brian Price on cross-country skis, cutting through the cattails near Shell Lake in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

I have a friend who loves to cross-country ski, but avoids trails. For him XC means sticking to the roots of the…

Camping compadre Tim, up on the Escarpment Trail, Porcupine Mountains, Michigan.

I had the great pleasure recently of heading up to the Porcupine Mountains for a winter campout in the snowy backcountry with a couple of longtime pals from Minnesota.

The Porkies are…

Camping compadre Tim sporting a snappy MyNorth beanie (compass always pointing NORTH!), up on the Escarpment Trail, Porcupine Mountains, Michigan.

I had the great pleasure recently of heading up to the Porcupine Mountains for a winter campout in the snowy backcountry with a couple of…

In the fall of ones life, it is a time of pause and reflection. The fullness of a mostly used up allowance of time here on this rock, and a lot less looking ahead.

In the case of a life spent in the outdoors, it is like a constant flow of old movies playing out in that ever expanding theater of the mind. When we get older,we can selectively recall pleasant experiences that make us feel good and even cause us to smile, and possibly alter our mood for a brief moment. The older we get the…

A different year, a different real estate market.  If you're seriously considering purchasing a new or second home in Northern Michigan in 2013, it's time to hit the reset button.  The market is changing and so should your ideas about how to shop for a home.

What's Changed?

In most areas in Northern Michigan prices are rising and the number of  the most desirable homes on the market are decreasing. Last year saw the healthiest market in five years. The average sales…

02 March 2013

Reservations still available!

Vegetarian Cuisine

Chef Perry…

I saw a few helmetless heads in the lift lines today ... Get a helmet. In fact, get your own helmet. Here's why:

Sonny Bono 

Having your own helmet (and wearing it skiing) means that if you should hit a tree, you won't die because your skull was shattered. Sonny Bono died because his…

Kids will find a way to enjoy a big pile of snow. No instructions necessary. Just leave them alone and they'll figure out how to make a carnival out of it. But if you're going to close down the main retail thoroughfare, you'd better have a little something to attract and entertain the adults. So Traverse City Winter…

Highlights, must-sees, and plain ol' neat stuff happening on Front Street this weekend. We're in the final hours of the festival madness, so I'm just gonna get straight to the point:

1. The Ferris Wheel: Sure, it's 16 degrees outside. But how often do you see one of these bad boys in the middle of the street? You don't.…

Traverse City Events: There's not much better than breakfast for lunch—unless it's breakfast for lunch with Allan Havey. We met up with the world-class comedian at the Omelette Shoppe near Cass and State, where what began as a quick QA turned into a private comedy show in itself.…

Traverse City Events: Todd Barry's racked up quite…