Promote Michigan Blog

Once again, I’ve spent a great deal of time eating my way around the state of Michigan. It’s a wonderful life when it is your “job” to eat, drink and play in your homestate. Living now in Petoskey has introduced me to a wealth of new restaurants serving up the tastiest of fare. Here are 15 that stood out as best of the best for me.

Since the early 1800s, families have hung stockings from the mantel on Christmas Eve in anticipation of a visit from St. Nicholas. As you plan for this year’s holiday season, look to the Mitten State for unique and inexpensive stocking stuffers for everyone in the family.

When it came time to celebrate my dad’s birthday on October 9, only one place was on my radar. I began plotting the secret gathering before Labor Day and there were times I was so excited I almost blurted it out to him or shared something publicly on my Facebook.

I’ve been fascinated Michigan lighthouses since 1997, when I started working at the West Michigan Tourist Association (1997-2004). Did you know Michigan has more lighthouses than any state? And, that a fair number of those are rumored to be haunted? Although I’ve never experienced any of these ghostly encounters myself, I’m happy to share the stories that have been passed along to me by others. If you’d like to learn more about “Michigan’s Ghostly Beacons,” I invite you to attend one of my upcoming presentations on the topic.

There’s still plenty of time to get out and explore Michigan’s waterways before the seasons change. Whether you’re looking for a two-hour sail or a four-day excursion, there are countless ways to set sail here in Pure Michigan!

For years, I’ve heard about (and even written about) the Upper Peninsula communities of Hessel and Cedarville, the historic harbor towns on the mainland around the Les Cheneaux Islands. And while I was casually aware of their significance, I had yet to visit.

One of the things on my 2015 “Bucket List” was to make beer at Saugatuck Brewing Company! Back in March and April, I had the opportunity to do just that—along with my daughter, Mollie; her friend, Kailey; the notable musician Delilah DeWylde and her friend Natalie Biddle.

Our finished product: Borealis Blonde (named because I now am finally able to see the Northern Lights where I live and, well…I’m blonde!).

After moving to the “country” last March, I began paying closer attention to the birds that were flying around the yard visiting the feeders and eating off the trees and other plants. I was googling birds (looking for not only photos, but also sounds).

Not being able to identify many birds beyond the robin, cardinal (male and female) and bluejay, I quickly invested in “Birds of Michigan” field guide by Stan Tekiela, and began marking pages with post-it notes as I observed and identified different species.

In the land of Little Traverse Bay, Petoskey Stones, Ernest Hemingway and the Underwater Crucifix. Last March, I made a long-time dream of moving to Northern Michigan a reality when I relocated to Traverse City (just north of Lake Ann). On March 28, I made the move further north to the charming community of Petoskey, about five miles north of town on the 333-acre Round Lake…to The Write House on Round Lake, to be more specific.

March. The month of St. Patrick’s Day, four-leaf clovers, the arrival of spring and all things green and alive! For me, this year it is also a month of new adventures, new neighborhoods, new chapters and new beginnings!

A year ago, I realized a long-time dream of moving to Northern Michigan! With no set plan, other than a general idea that I wanted to be near Traverse City, I began searching Craig’s List for rental properties had enough space to welcome visiting family and friends.

Just after the first of the year, I decided it was time to get back out there trying new experiences around the state of Michigan! When I launched Promote Michigan more than 10 years ago, I took this quest seriously — engaging in an aggressive “try something new every month” campaign. It worked, and for a while I even blogged about it pretty consistently — I even contemplated a book recapping the experiences (which still isn’t out of the question).

One of the greatest gifts I received this holiday season was a pen pal from Mexico. Her name is Jazmin and she lives with her family in a small village, on $96 a month! Less than my average grocery bill (per week) and often less than what I drop, without hesitation, for a meal and a bottle of wine at any number of restaurants around Michigan. Imagine living on less than $1,200 a year! I pay more than that a month for rent and utilities here at the Blog Cabin. How’s that for an eye opener!