Guest Blogger Michelle Elliott: Run, Walk, or Leap into Spring!

We're halfway through March and itching for warm weather, but still stuck with plenty of below-freezing temperatures. Still, it's no reason to stay cooped-up inside! YP Michelle Elliott shares her St. Patrick's Day weekend festivities, where she hung out with over 700 green-clad friends having a great time at the Leapin' Leprechaun 5K race. Check out those great costumes!

St. Patrick’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. I know what you’re thinking; it’s because of all the pub-crawls, shamrock shakes and green beer right? Well, not totally. For me St. Patrick’s Day has always been that sign that spring is right around the corner. In the past it has been warm and it has snowed, but regardless, there is typically a party and everyone is having a great time. 

 

This year, I got to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day weekend by working. Yes, working. It’s the nature of the beast if you’re in the event industry. Most of the time you are working while others are playing. I love it. It is rewarding to see all your hard work pay off and witness hundreds of people laughing and joking.  

I work for the National Cherry Festival which organizes the Fifth Third Bank Leapin’ Leprechaun 5K. This fun 5K is held annually on St. Paddy’s day weekend. This year was chilly but we still had over 700 people wake up early to race around town. They definitely dressed to impress in their Irish best.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a St. Patrick’s Day celebration without a gold Guinness at the post-race party. We had a heated tent set up so everyone could warm up and listen to local favorites Don Julin and Billy Strings. It was a brisk morning, but those who came out had a good time.  

There were plenty of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations around town this past week. If you are ever curious about what to do visit the Ancient Order of the Hibernians website.  They have an entire event calendar dedicated to all the Irish festivities in Traverse City. 

"What is Art, Anyway?" Lecture Series at The Box

When I was moving back to Traverse City after attending college in Ann Arbor, I was wary about what kinds of "academic" opportunities would be available, if any. Lucky for me, TC has grown in all kinds of ways since I was in high school, and there are plenty of learning activities and speaker events out there. 

As a History of Art major, I was thrilled to hear that the Art Center of Traverse City was hosting a six-week lecture series called "What is Art, Anyway?" They have different panels slated for each week to discuss what art is, and based on some of the speakers they have lined up (graffiti artists, gallery owners, and even this past years' ArtPrize winner!), it is geared up to be a great series.

 
The other part of this series that was particular exciting to me was the location: The Box. Back in its day, The Box was a cigar factory. Much later in its life, and just prior to the major renovations that converted it into a beautiful event space, it was the gym I went to for years. I'd not been inside The Box yet, and I was itching to see how the space was converted from a place where I took Spinning lessons and read way too many magazines on elliptical machines.

I wasn't the least bit disappointed: The Box is gorgeous. It's an open layout that doubles as a living and entertaining space. The space is modern but intimate, and the tone is very cozy and warm. I loved the high ceilings, wood floors, and magnificent kitchen. I'll look for any excuse to visit The Box again!

I went to the first art lecture, which included three artists: Ann Loveless (the 2013 ArtPrize winner), Del Michel, and Bob Purvis. There were a ton of people there, and even though I was among the younger attendees, I would highly recommend the lecture series to people of all ages and educational backgrounds. The audience actively participated and lots of great questions and conversations were thrown into the mix.

 It was great to get the perspective of three different (and successful) artists from our area. They talked about the growth they've made as artists, the moments they first knew they were artists, and took questions from the crowd about their work, vision, and what art means to them as artists. Plenty of folks from the audience had their own opinions about art, too, but it did make for engaging dialogue. All in all, it was a really enjoyable lecture and I'm looking forward to attending another one before the end of the series (plus, it means another visit to The Box).

If you're looking to attend this lecture series, you can learn more about each week's lecture here. Personally, I think their graffiti, street art, and tattoo art lecture looks really interesting, and it's definitely geared towards a younger generation. Keep your eyes peeled for other great speaking events in our area...if you're an academic, you'll find plenty of opportunities to keep your mind sharp in TC!

Bingo Night at The Little Fleet

Who says that Monday nights in northern Michigan are boring? If you know where to go to scope out a good time, it's hard to be bored in Traverse City at any time of the year. There are lots of great businesses, organizations, and clubs out there insuring that life is never dull in our town.

Point and case: Monday night Bingo at The Little Fleet. My husband and I are taking turns surprising one another with a date night every month. Ever since I learned about The Little Fleet's Bingo nights, I knew I had to take Sam! I love Bingo. It's casual, fun, and completely based on luck: my lack of gambling skills have no weight in my likeliness to win, which is a major bonus for me. When you add in a fantastic hangout like The Little Fleet and some great booze, it's a recipe for a great night.

The Little Fleet is one of my absolute favorite places to visit in the summer, but after spending a relaxing Monday night there for Bingo won my heart for a fun winter locale, too. It's hip, laid-back, and well designed. The atmosphere helps me release the tension in my shoulders after a long workday, and being in the presence of all their happy customers never ceases to put a smile on my face. Life slows down at The Little Fleet, and all the good things in the world float to the top: that's the kind of place I like to be.

In the summer, The Little Fleet hosts food trucks in their parking lot. Since it's winter, the food trucks aren't running but guests are still welcomed to bring food in to accompany the Fleet's awesome drink menu. We decided to pair our drinks with some pizza from Paesano's across the street, and I dare say it was a match made in (carb-loaded) heaven. (Yes, pictures of food never really look that great, but trust me when I say the pizza was DEE-LISH.)

We played a few rounds of Bingo, and the place starting filling up as the night went on. Admittedly, I never really knew there was such a vibrant after-10 p.m. crowd roaming around in February up here, so it was a pleasant surprise to see people out and about during what many claim to be a "miserable" time of year. Joy follows optimism!

Of course, we may be a bit biased about how awesome Bingo night was...because Sam won the second round of Bingo! When we finally left, we had full bells, happy hearts, and a sweet new Rubik's Cube koozie. In my opinion, that's always a win.

So, next time you're feeling down-and-out about the cold weather, visit The Little Fleet for their weekly Bingo nights (every Monday at 8 p.m.). I promise it'll warm you up and make Spring seem so much closer!

Guest Blogger: Cindy Evans Snowshoes at the Commons

Happy Polar Vortex Part II, everyone! Our guest blogger this week is Cindy Evans, who works at Grand Traverse Industries and lives in the Traverse City area with her husband and two children. Cindy took on winter (and a lot of hills) during her recent snowshoeing adventure at the Grand Traverse Commons. Read on for some advice about snowshoeing the Commons and a lot of pretty winter eye-candy that will encourage you to get out and explore this season! - Mo

I love Traverse City; I have always loved the area and its charm. This city has so much to offer in terms of opportunities to be active and ways to enjoy its unmatchable beauty in all seasons.

A few years ago I had found myself really disliking the winter season and the fact that I wasn’t out enjoying it either. I decided that I was going to find a way to get out there again and change my perspective because, moving was not an option that either my husband, myself, nor my family was going to consider. I looked on the community events page and thought, well what can I do? My children were young, my husband has a reconstructed knee so his activities are limited, I had suffered from Asthma as a result of contracting the H1N1 flu, and honestly, I was not in great shape after having two children and a few too many pounds I hadn’t done anything about. So needless to say, choices were limited.

One day someone at work told me about guided snowshoeing at the Sleeping Bear Dunes and that equipment was provided if you didn’t have your own. So I called my husband and asked him to sign us up: I wanted to give this a try. This was a great opportunity to see if I could do it before investing money into equipment of my own. That one trip was all it took, and I found this was the perfect activity for my family to be able to participate in together, while also being something I could do while not being in the best shape. I will say that after that first trip I was hooked, and it was the spark I needed to get back to enjoying our majestic winters. I was able to lose some that weight and start feeling better, in part, due to our many winter adventures snowshoeing.

One of my favorite areas to hike with my family in the fall is the trails in and around the GrandTraverse Commons. Since I hadn’t been snowshoeing there yet, I thought I would give it a try. I headed out this past Saturday after the big storm that dumped more than six inches of snow and left us in very low temperatures. I didn’t take my kids since it was so cold, but I am a diehard, right? I can do this, why not!

I was surprised to see that there was more activity on the trails than I had thought there would be, and once I got moving the cold was not a factor. The Village is nestled among 480 acres of preserved parkland, and has a vast array of trails. Thetrails are well marked and have maps at the access points. It’s a great place to get out and meet others along the trail. You will come across frozen creeks, old historic buildings, and see lots of wildlife. If you love to take photos of nature or unique settings, this is the place for you. There are moments to enjoy some solitude and quiet, and just to pause and listen to the wind in the trees. Some trails lead to some old abandoned historic buildings that are now the canvas for local graffiti artists. (Warning: if you are with children there is inappropriate language and images that come with this graffiti work, so just beware.)

I started out on the Tangle Wood trail, which is a fairly easy trail with some rolling hills and a moderately packed pathway from use. The trail meanders through the woods and past a creek. This would be a good place to start if you’re only looking for a short hike. I then headed over to the Cistern Spur trail because I wanted to get some pictures on the higher elevation and of the big round abandoned cistern that is hidden in the woods there. There is an easier path to get to the same area but I opted for the short cut, which includes going up the very steep hill to get there more directly. I don’t believe that was a great idea for snowshoeing but, I will claim frozen brain for that decision. I did slip a few times and needed to use the rail so I didn’t fall or slide down, but after much determination, I did make it to the top, a little….ok, a LOT…out of breath. But I made it, and the view was worth it.

In areas I could see down across the Village and the sights were just amazing. I could have opted to take the easy path down, but I decided I just wanted to see if I could ski down and not fall, knowing full-well this was not how snowshoes were meant to be used. Again, frozen brain mixed with a little stupidity. I do not recommend this because it could lead to injury. Matter of fact, it most likely will lead to injury. I did however have a blast skiing down the trail and, will boast I did not fall but I am sure if my chiropractor ever saw this blog it would make him cringe. I assure you my form was not good, and it was very dicey at moments.

Whether you like to snowshoe with a group or by yourself, the Commons is the ideal place to go. You can head directly out of the trail and over to Higher Grounds for a warm up with coffee or grab a bite to eat at the various eateries. You can adventure into the Mercato to warm up and enjoy some great shopping, or take a stroll and view the artwork along the walls. There is something for everybody here. Click here for a map of the trails.

Also worth mentioning is the Experience 231 app. This app has all the hiking, biking, bird watching, x-country skiing, paddling, and snowshoeing trails in the area. It allows you to enter search criteria such as distance, or experience level; it will pull up all the trails that meet that criteria. It also gives some information on the trail and its surroundings, along with distance from your location. I found some new places I didn’t know about and it’s worth checking out since it’s free. I hope to see some of you out on the trails, and happy snowshoeing!

Cross-Country Skiing at the VASA Trail

To follow up last week’s adventure downhill skiing, I thought I’d share one of the best place to cross-country ski for this week’s post: the VASA Trail. The VASA is no secret in this town, or the country. If you’re an avid XC-skier, you’re probably familiar with the North American VASA race that takes place in Traverse City every February. It’s quite a sight to see so many skiers in one place, and they come from all over the world to compete on this course. Pretty sweet!

When it isn’t being used as a racecourse for nearly 800 people (which is essentially every day except the day of the Great American VASA race), it is one of the best places to cross-country ski. They have groomed courses for both skate and classic style, and dedicated volunteers maintain both tracks.

My favorite thing about the VASA is its versatility. There are hills if you like hills and flat meadows if that’s more your style. You can also choose from either a shorter 3K or 5K route, or really work it out on the 10K or 25K loops. The farthest we’ve skied with our classic-style skis is the 10K loop, but maybe some day we’ll really bust it and brave all 25Ks. There’s still a lot of winter left to try it out!

We love XC-skiing because it’s a great workout in winter, but it’s also a fantastic way to see all the beauty this time of year offers. The woods and meadows at the VASA are quiet, serene, and truly breathtaking if you make it out after a heavy snow. It is rarely crowded on the longer loops, so it’s a great way to see how peaceful and soothing the woods are when buried in snow.  I’m always blown away by how mentally relaxed and stress-free I am after a ski.

I encourage you to check out the VASA trail yourself this winter if you’re in TC! It’s on the east side of town and easy to access. There’s a big parking lot, and even when it fills up on the weekends you’re still not likely to run into too many other skiers so it’s a great way to escape the world. Pick a day after some snow to get up and start your morning in the woods as the sun rises on a clear day…it’s incredible, and I believe everyone should experience it at least once every winter. Get out there and see it!

Fall Color Tour in Traverse City! Guest Blogger Aly Jarosz

Guest Blogger Aly Jarosz takes us on a fall color tour of Traverse City and makes a new friend called Bacon! :)

 

The sun is setting on our Traverse City summer, and although the warm weather has followed us into October, the trees are begging to change, and the nights have become much cooler. We’re getting ready for the much anticipated color tours, and the bountiful harvest of fall in Northern Michigan. Expect the evenings to creep up much sooner, as our days to become much shorter, and for the temptation of caramel-coated apples to lurk around every corner.

The landscapes that line each our trails have already been sprinkled with color, and pops of orange, yellow, and burgundy take center-stage amongst the greenery. Not only can you see the colors of fall, you can almost smell this crisp, nutty, aroma in the cool breeze as well.

I’ve been welcoming this change by taking long drives out to Old Mission Peninsula, and returning to the Empire Bluffs, with my dog Khloe, one last time before the snow falls. Living in this area lends such beautiful scenery. We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to take a drive along the shoreline, whenever you want to experience the changing seasons and darkening colors of fall.

My one-stop-shop for all of my fall favorites, is Gallagher’s Farm Market! They are located on East Traverse Road, making it my first stop for fresh produce, crisp apples, sweet treats, and choice-pumpkins every year.

As Khloe and I embarked on our hiking adventure at the Empire Bluffs, we made sure to drop in and say hello to an old friend.

It was hard to choose a favorite, but I carefully selected my pumpkins for carving, a big bushel of apples, and even stopped to see an old friend, before I was on my way.

It doesn’t matter how old I am, I look forward to seeing the intricate designs of Jacob’s Corn Maze every year. Jacob’s Corn Maze is conveniently located right across the road from Gallagher’s.

It became so nostalgic to see all of these welcoming signs of fall that I couldn’t help but share my evening with you, in hopes that you would be able to make a visit as well! After all, this masterful maze may have been set-up to stump 8-year-olds, but my friends and I love to compete, and we usually end up treating it as if it were some mad-dash race to the finish!

I found my first fall color tour of the year to be exhilarating. Seeing backdrops of treetops hug every winding corner of the road creates an entirely new experience every time. I’ll be looking forward to pumpkin carving with my friends and family, and homemade apple crisp pie now too!