Dennos Museum Summer Exhibit

As a History of Art major, it should come as no surprised that I'm a big fan of Traverse City's Dennos Museum Center (housed on the Northwestern Michigan College campus). And, even though I technically studied the "history" of art, I'm a big fan of art in the here and now. New artists and fantastic pieces are popping up all the time, and whenever I get the chance to wander about and admire some awesome artwork, I'm all over it. 

The Dennos has two great exhibits going on right now: Sideways (which explores skateboard art and culture) and Perimeter (a photo story filled with portraits taken around the perimeter of Lake Michigan. The high-quality visual images in these two exhibits greatly compliment each other.

 As someone who knows absolutely zero about skateboarding (and probably couldn't make it down a straight road on a board without falling over), I found this exhibit to be so fresh. It's bold, colorful, and rooted in a culture I know nothing about but am now totally enraptured by. 

The Dennos put out a call for skateboard art submissions to the community at large, and in return they received a wide array of clever, original, and downright awesome designs. Artists range from all ages and locations, and there are some really beautiful works on display. I have a few favorites myself, but I don't want to ruin the fun for everyone else, so you should go see it for yourself!

Professional artists are also represented. There's a gorgeous mural covering an entire wall in the gallery room, detailed screenprinted works, plus stunning photographs from Michigander Mike Blabac. Honestly, though, nothing took my breath away like the simple yet powerful works of Aaron Draplin, an NMC alum who is absolutely slaying the graphic design world. There's a whole wall of his latest and greatest designs, and he'll be in TC this Friday giving a special presentation as part of the Dennos' skateboard weekend extravaganza (June 20-21). A few of my favorites from Draplin:

 Skateboarding not your thing? Well, it's impossible to not be a fan of the Great Lakes, and Kevin Miyazaki's portraits taken from all around the border of Lake Michigan remind us just how many people love and live around the majestic Michigan. The portraits hug the whole gallery. It's great to see the lake personified in the faces of all these people: young, old, working, vacationing, in groups or all alone.

 My personal favorite part of the Perimeter exhibit is the wall of pictures depicting Lake Michigan from different points around the lake at different times. The entire wall engulfs the viewer in sky and water, and it creates a really intriguing geometric pattern.

 Both exhibits are on display at the Dennos until early September, so go and check it out! Don't forget about the fun and festivities for the TC Park Jam this weekend, too!

Spring at Stormcloud Brewery

A few weeks back, I found myself in the shoreside town of Frankfort for work. Frankfort is a little over an hour away from Traverse City, due west, and is one of the most beautiful places to spend a summer's day. It's a sleepy place in the winter, but I felt very welcomed by the businesses that were open on Main Street.

One of my favorite go-to places in Frankfort is Stormcloud Brewing Company. Stormcloud opened up in spring of 2013, and as they turn the corner of their second summer in business, I can safely say they are doing so many things right.

The micro-brewery has its own beers on tap, as well as other speciality drinks from the region. They host game nights and awesome live music gigs, bringing a lively family-friendly atmosphere to the smorgasbord of shops in downtown Frankfort. As an added incentive, they're open year-round so the folks braving the winter winds can be guaranteed a good drink and hearty meal.

I was lucky enough to snag a flatbread pizza while I was in town, and it was fantastic. I've had some other chow at Stormcloud over the past two years, and experience has taught me that whoever runs that kitchen knows what they're doing! Everything is fresh, original, and whole-heartedly deeelish.

With Spring just around the corner--no, seriously, I promise Spring is coming!--make sure to add Stormcloud on your list of to-do attractions in the greater Grand Traverse area. If you're wise, you'll make the trip before the throngs of beach-goers invade Frankfort this summer (not that I can blame them). Whenever you decide to visit, Stormcloud is a great choice for a few drinks or an afternoon snack. Stop in and see for yourself!

Trivia Night at Rare Bird

The bar scene is a staple for any young professional--and there is nothing wrong with that!--but here in Traverse City, we are spoiled with the variety and quality of all our bars. One of the newer bars on the scene, Rare Bird Brewery, is located on the fringe of our downtown area and boasts an awesome vibe.

Low-key comfort paired with high-end food and drinks makes for a great night out on the town. One of my favorite things about Rare Bird, though, is their spunky trivia night. My friends and I have made a weekly ritual of playing trivia at Rare Bird every Tuesday night, and what a fantastic ritual it has turned out to be.

Every Tuesday is a party at Rare Bird, and I love that I can have a fun, cheap night out on the town in the middle of the week. It's packed, but arriving at 6:30-6:45 p.m. (before trivia starts at 7), and you're guaranteed a good seat to round up a team of six friends. Grab some grub, pool your knowledge, and drink some beer as you compete against some of the fiercest trivia players this side of Lake Michigan.

If you're snacking, make sure to try their garlic-dusted fries or pork belly nachos. Those nachos make me question why I'm still vegetarian every time they arrive at our table. Of course, I'm always willing to oblige my morals and dig into their wonderful black bean burger: it is out of this world.

Unlike other micro-breweries in town, Rare Bird balances their own house-brewed beers with those of other great local and national breweries, so there's something for everyone. They also have wine, cider, and liquor available at the bar. Thirsty Tuesday should totally be a thing, and Rare Bird would lead the way.

We hope you'll join us (Team Cropdusters) at trivia next Tuesday, March 24...and every Tuesday after that!

Eating Out in TC: Bubba's

Greetings, everyone! January is coming to a close, but it's still comfort food season up north. This time of year, I find myself indulging more in dining out at different restaurants in downtown Traverse City. With all the posts I've made on this blog in the last year and a half, I'm shocked that I've left out one of my favorite makes-everyone-happy restaurant: BUBBA'S!

The owners of Bubba's are no strangers to the TC restaurant game: they own Bubba's, Firefly, The Kitchen, Maddy's Tavern (out in Interlochen), and Grandview Catering. I don't know how they manage to maintain so many fantastic restaurants, but they certainly do. Whenever we have guests come into town, we know Bubba's is a safe bet: it has great food with lots of options for whatever anyone would like to get (including gluten-free and vegetarian choices), is reasonably priced, and is located downtown so we can continue the night out on the town if we feel so inclined. It checks everything off the list.

It has a fun bar vibe, but it's also very kid and family friendly. They do table sharing for couples (it's never been uncomfortable, even though it might seem like it could be) and the wait staff really knows their stuff. Plus, with fantastic specials--including 1/3 off the menu Monday-Friday from 3-5 p.m., or a burger and beer for $6 every Tuesday--it's budget and belly friendly.

My three favorite things on the menu are their homemade black bean burger, the avocado salad, and SWEET. POTATO. TOTS. Seriously, get the sweet potato tots. And then ask yourself why people don't serve garlic aioli and Bubba Sauce with everything.

Locals and visitors agree: Bubba's is a TC restaurant staple, and after so many years in business, I'm happy it's here to stay. Whether you live in the area or are coming in for a visit, make sure to add Bubba's to your list of places to visit!

First Time Attendee at a City Commission Meeting

Happy fall, everyone! The few dustings of snow we had earlier this week are melted for now, but it's clear that the color season has passed and winter is on its way. Lucky for me, I'm a big winter sports enthusiast, so I'm waxing my cross-country skis and getting ready!

In the meantime, though, I've given some thought about what kind of community member I want to be. My husband and I have at least a five-year plan to stay in Traverse City, and we are always looking for ways to get involved as active citizens in the community and pay attention to the important issues at play in our region. With all that in mind, we made a big step in our roll as Traverse City residents: we went to our first City of Traverse City City Commission meeting this week. 

There were some vital things up for discussion at this meeting, and we decided we wanted to hear about them in-person instead of the next day in the local media. It's nothing against the local media; we just wanted to be a part of the conversation and listen to all the details from the commissioners for our own knowledge.

At the meeting, the commissioners discussed the traffic study findings following the recent re-striping of Eighth Street (a major cross-town route), a new building proposal for the Traverse City Area Rowing club at the north end of Boardman Lake, and possible changes to the National Cherry Festival. In different ways, each of these issues are important to the residents and visitors to our city, and it was great to learn about them as the commission discussed these issues at the meeting.

Our main interest in attending the meeting was to learn more about the findings of the Eighth Street re-striping. My husband and I both bike a lot, and having such a vital cross-town route include a bike lane is something we wanted to show our support for and encourage the commission to keep. Much to my own surprise, I stood up and spoke for a few minutes during the final public hearing portion to express my support for the re-striping project, specifically the bike lanes, and thanked the commission for exploring different options for this route. I was mega nervous to get up and speak, but I'm proud of myself for sharing my thoughts!

I honestly didn't know what to expect at the meeting. I've never taken a strong interest in local politics, but attending the meeting gave me a sense of pride for our town and generally made me care more about the kinds of decisions that are being made at the local governmental level. I felt connected to the city in a different way, like I was truly invested in it and the future of our town, and that is very rewarding.

The city commission meets the first and third Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Governmental Center (near the corner of Eighth Street and Boardman Ave). I highly suggest that anyone in the city or Grand Traverse County attend at least one city commission meeting to learn more about how our local government works and what kinds of issues are being discussed. Get involved!

Traverse City Film Festival: Just Great Movies!

I'm deep in the fun of the TCFF (Traverse City Film Festival), which is celebrating its tenth year of movie awesomeness. No doubt there are better ways to describe the TCFF than "movie awesomeness," but it's really one of those things you have to experience to understand just how great this festival is for our city. 

I've volunteered at eight of the ten festivals, and I'm proud and excited to be a part of this event every year. My husband and I are managers at the City Opera House for our second year (if you recall, we are also managers there during the Winter Comedy Festival). While we normally manage the concessions stand, we are hospitality managers this year and get to help the film, venue, and festival sponsors to their seats for each film. I like being in the front-of-house and working more with the patrons who come to the movies, but I do miss nibbling on popcorn non-stop...

The TCFF is an extraordinary event. This year, the festival is touting over 160 films (not including multiple screenings of films!) playing at ten venues around Traverse City non-stop from 9 a.m. until midnight for five days. Oh, and that doesn't count Opening Night or all the movies that played in nearby towns before the festival started. Or the months of planing that went into making this years' event happen. WHEW! Just thinking about that kind of orchestration exhausts me.

The festival is so much more than just movies, though. They have a free all-day festival for kids, late-night movies outside on a giant screen at the Open Space, international and local musicians, parties galore, free movies, a film school, conversation panels with awesome people, and for cryin' out loud MOVIES ON A BOAT. I don't care who you are, you will find something to get geeked about at this festival (and plenty of eco-friendly ways to navigate it).

One of my favorite parts about TCFF are the film makers, actors, directors, musicians, producers, and other special guests coming to Traverse City to participate in panel discussions, Q&As after movies, or just to sit town and chat with locals in restaurants or waiting for films to start. There is something indescribably special about watching a great movie and then having a conversation with someone who helped the film come together. Maybe it's the inherent human need we all have to connect and understand each other that makes meeting these people so special to me; I can honestly say it never gets old. I love their stories, and I love the art they create and share with the world. The Film Fest makes these experiences possible for hundreds (probably thousands) of people every year, and that's truly remarkable.

I also love chatting with the patrons about what movies they loved, where they live and how far they traveled to get here, and about their experience at the festival. I know many locals that take the whole week off work to either volunteer and make things happen or watch loads of movies and orchestrate their schedules to squeeze in as many films as possible.

Me, I'm a volunteer through-and-through. I like making things happen and I always make new friends (or get to see lots of familiar faces when people come to see the movies). There is great camaraderie at all the festival venues, and since the very first festival I've loved being a part of everything TCFF stands for and what it gives back to the people in this town. If you're interested in being a part of all this goodness, shifts are still available...and we'd love to have you volunteer! Please sign up!

Already I've seen two wonderful movies, but truth be told, I'm a documentary person. We have tickets to see two documentaries this year and I'm so excited for them! I'm missing a few films I'd like to see due to either working my regular job or working my volunteer position (yes, it is an exhausting week for everyone), but I've faith that these films will be available sometime soon. Oh, that's another perk of having a local film festival: foreign, experimental, and/or indie movies make it to our local library and video rental stores when they're released, and everyone in town wants to see them! People recognize titles from the TCFF and want to see films they otherwise wouldn't get the chance to see (because of schedule conflicts or sold-out shows), and that's really cool. There is a fantastic sense of community built into these films and the power they have to bring disparate groups of people together.

Ok, I think that's enough blabbering. The facts are this: TCFF is awesome. Movies are awesome. You are awesome...so you should volunteer, or watch some great movies, or chow down on popcorn, or do all of the above. Just make sure you come check out this amazing festival in Traverse City...and enjoy the show!