Good Tunes, Good Times

 Does anyone else feel like winter will never end? Anyone? I'm ok with the snow, and, well, winter in general, but these subzero temps and blustery winds have been really taking a toll on me. Add all of that to a long...and I mean LONG...week of work and you've got one tired out girl. When I got home Friday I was about ready to hit the sack. My conscience kept nagging at me, though, "You've got to go check out this 'InsideOut' place that you're friend has been telling you about..." and when said friend was performing that night, how could I not listen to that little voice in my head??

A little back story: A good friend of mine who lives in the area has been playing with the group "Outside In" at the bar "InsideOut Gallery". I've been receiving numerous Facebook requests to go check them out. Of course I've wanted to go, but there always seems to be something in the way...work obligation, family event, out of town...not wanting to dig your car out for the millionth time that day...*ahem*...so when I found myself at home this past Friday (with decent weather), I forced myself out the door despite the fact that I was falling asleep on my feet.

Tucked away in the Warehouse District just east of Downtown Traverse City, InsideOut Gallery (website is insideoutarttc.com, or just click the link above) is an art gallery, music scene, and bar all rolled into one. Throw it all into an old furniture warehouse and you've got one hip place to hang out. Don't blink, you might miss your turn--Garland Street isn't exactly a major intersection.

Front entrance of InsideOut Gallery..sorry about all the dark photos. It was, well, dark outside when we went and we took these with a cell phone...I didn't want to bring along my large camera for this trip.

Front face of this old furniture warehouse

I love the entrance way.

Bryan and I arrived early, and we were able to easily find a seat. We had our choice of tables, booths, and even couch/lounge areas (I thought this was cool.) I headed to the bar and got myself a beverage. They had quite a menu, everything from micro-brew, "Grandpa Beer" (Bud, Bud Light, Miller, Blatz...you get the picture), to wine, cocktails, and even Absinthe. Their cocktails are highly popular, however I was in the mood for a good beer. I settled for a Manitou Amber Ale on tap, made by Brewery Terra Firma (gotta go local!). P.S. Even though I'm discovering that most amber ales aren't my thing, I wasn't disappointed with this brew.

The bar area was a popular place to hang out. It filled up long before the rest of the warehouse. It wasn't quite this crowded when I went up to order!

After my trip to the bar, I took a seat and soaked in the atmosphere. The artwork is not your typical "fine art". Bold in color, funky in theme, and just a little bit quirky at times. From the info I could find, it seems that the featured artists are mainly local, with one being from San Diego, CA: Ron Wharton. Although I don't recall seeing her artwork at InsideOut, I particularly liked Tara Hackett's retro looking art (go to this link, hover over the drop down menu and click on her name.)

The view from our booth

Bryan's look after I tell him there's not Cherry Coke... ;)

A view facing the booth we sat at. I love the lounge area/couches they have along the wall! Perfect for relaxing with a drink after a long day!

Bryan checking out some of the awesome artwork on display.

And of course I can't forget the group InsideOut. They really rocked out the place. A little funk, a little jazz, great company and a cold drink. What more do you need on a Friday night?

Outside In playing at InsideOut--loved it!

Links:
InsideOut Gallery: www.insideoutarttc.com
InsideOut Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/insideoutgallerytc
Brewery Terra Firma: http://www.breweryterrafirma.com/

Vine Update and Other Wine News

Photo from Leelanau Peninsula Vinters Association Facebook Page.

EatdrinkTC posted an interesting article dealing with the current outlook on the 2014 grape crop. The article features information via reps from Left Foot Charley, Forty-Five North, Chateau Grand Traverse, Black Star Farms, Brys Estate, Bel Lago, and Brengmen Brothers. I found it interesting reading about their newest vintage and/or their prediction for this coming growing season. Last year was a great year for farmers (from all that I've heard.) Will this year be the same? Check out the eatdrinkTC article here: Traverse City Winter Wine Update.

In other wine news, I just read today about the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail's new Leelanau Loop Adventure. There are an amazing amount of wineries on our peninsula, and I've often wondered where to begin planning my visit. I'm definitely one for organization (you save so much time and miss much less, in my opinion, if you've got a game plan!) and it looks like the LLA groups these wineries in a way where you can easily visit ALL the wineries in this region in a three day period. The Sleeping Bear Loop takes you to six wineries along the southwest area of the county, west of Lake Leelanau. Being close to the National Park, I have no doubt that you'll see some fantastic views along this route! The Northern Loop features ten wineries from M-204 north, one of them being Gill's Pier (one of my favorite wineries!) The third loop is the Grand Traverse Bay Loop, which takes you through nine wineries along the east side of the county, the Grand Traverse Bay side. It looks to begin in Suttons Bay and head south. This definitely takes the guess work out of it for me. I've visited a few of these wineries throughout the years, but I can't wait to truly dedicate some time to visiting them! This will be added to my Leelanau Bucket List!

The LPWT also has some great events coming up, including "Sips, Chips & Dips", an event that pairs wines with everyday snacks (definitely up my alley!) and the "Small Plates" events being held on April 25 and May 30, an event pairing Leelanau wines with gourmet fair. It's a little something for everyone! For more information on upcoming events you should definitely check out their list here.

Cheers!

Links from this article:
1. http://eatdrinktc.com/
2. eatdrinkTC article: Traverse City Winter Wine Update
3. Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail: http://www.lpwines.com/
4. Leelanau Loop Adventure (includes links to the three loops): http://www.lpwines.com/new-leelanau-loop-adventure/
5. Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail events (includes information on "Sips, Chips & Dips" and "Small Plates": http://www.lpwines.com/events/

Ice Caves Addendum

When browsing through Facebook I came across some ice cave photos from times past, and I thought they'd be a nice addition to this post that I wrote not long ago. These old ones are pretty neat to see. They're posted on the Leelanau Historical Society Museum Facebook page. Here's one to catch your interest:

Posted on Facebook by the Leelanau Historical Society Museum Facebook page.

And here's the link to see the rest of the photos! Old Ice Cave Photos

This is how we do it in northern Michigan!

I caught this blurb on the 9 and 10 News Facebook page and thought it was a neat thing to pass along.

Photo from 9and10news.com. Pretty cool!

Check out the story here: Snow Cleared from Great Lakes Central Railroad Tracks.

It's a Good Day to Stay in Bed and Read!

...although, this is kind of what I did yesterday! Today I've already folded laundry, washed a load of dishes, put a load of laundry in the washer, ate breakfast, made/drank my cup of tea AND found time to watch the sunrise--all before 8am. I'm already feeling accomplished!

With the cold temps (when I woke up it was -14 degrees F WITHOUT the windchill factored in!) and harsh conditions this winter, there have been many opportunities to cozy up with a good book. In an effort to learn about my new home, I've started a collection of books detailing the history of Leelanau County.

The first book I decided to buy was "100 Plus Years in Leelanau: A History of Leelanau County Michigan."

This was, I felt,  good book to start with. It gave a very factual description of the history of this county. I definitely appreciated it's straight forward, chronological approach. It was easy for me to understand what the "firsts" were, and who they were performed by. With a total of 80 pages you don't get into too much detail, but what you get is good. It's definitely opened the door for other historical accounts of the county.

The history and purpose of this book is just as interesting as the book itself. As stated in the opening pages, author Edmund Munger Littell (1890-1970) first came to Leland with his family when he was a boy of 11. Upon his retirement, he and his wife relocated to Leland. He gave the publication of this book to the Leelanau County Prospectors Club to use for fundraising. A page in the back of the book explains that the Prospectors club is a men's non-profit organization that aims to benefit its community. One of their main philanthropic events is awarding annual local scholarships to graduating high school seniors. They also support scouting and the Winter Special Olympics, I'm sure among many other causes. As previously mentioned, this book a good place to start when looking for location Leelanau history. I can definitely say that my $10 was well spent!

You've probably noticed my nifty little bookmark from Leelanau Books, an independent book store in Leland, MI. I've grown to love this little store. It's a great resource for that local book, or that national best seller. I frequent it a little too much for my bank account's liking so have made it a rule to not buy another book until I'm finished reading the book I already have. (A girl's got to draw the line somewhere!)

Find a beautiful photo of the Leelanau Books store here, taken by Ken Scott. I can't get enough of looking at his photos!

Through my research of local books I've discovered a few that are currently out of print. One such book is "Vintage Views of Leelanau County." I places this book at the top of my "want list", a little bummed about the fact that, although this book is out of print, there are other, similar books by the same authors that are still IN print. A search on Amazon.com brought up a few copies, but for $50+ plus shipping I was not about to bite (besides it's much more beneficial--and fun--to shop local.) One day it finally dawned on me to Google "Northport Bookstores" (why I hadn't thought of this earlier, I'll never know) and lo! there was Dig Ears Books!

I do not yet have a photo of Dog Ears Books, so I must credit this photo as being Pamela's, the owner.

Once at her website I clicked on "Welcome to Dog Ears Books." Its description was summed up in a few sentences:

"Welcome to the official site of Dog Ears Books, Northport, Michigan. See here for bookstore and other local events.

Dog Ears Books has been in business in northern Michigan since 1993. We sell new, used, and rare books. Selected titles are listed on this site. Many, many more are to be found in our downtown Northport bookshop. 

It's winter now, and our official store hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call first if you're making a long trip, because those hours are always weather-dependent. Or call other days, if the mood strikes you, because you may catch us by chance!

Please return to HOME to reach other pages on this site. For more frequent news of Northport, Leelanau and Dog Ears Books, visit booksinnorthport.blogspot.com. "

My hopes weren't high (the book looks to have been out of print for a few years) but it did look promising, so I sent out a quick email. A couple of days later I received a reply:

"Megan, I do have a copy of that used book in stock. I have it priced as an out-of-print book at $30. Are you here in the county?"

It was there and priced within my range. Huzzah! Emails were exchanged, calls were made and last Satruday I picked up my book! (NOTE: If you plan on heading up there to check out Pamela's store make sure to bring cash. It's all old-school here. No credit/debit!)

So to make a long story short, finding this book was MUCH easier than I thought! Aaaaand here she is:

It's a little hard to read the cover in this photo so here's the info: 'Vintage Views of Leelanau County" by Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson.

 I haven't had a chance to read very much of it, but after reading the intro and glancing through the book it seems to focus on the history of tourism in the area, rather than of homesteading. I'm looking forward to this read!

Pamela at Dog Ears Books was so helpful and nice to talk with. She also recommended another book, which I've added to my list (remember, one book at a time for me!) P.S. Check out her blog at http://booksinnorthport.blogspot.com/ for book related posts. From my brief encounter with Pamela, she really seems to love what she does! And it should be noted that she was recently the Quote of the Day on shelf-awareness.com, a site for readers both buying and selling. Pretty cool feature and, I think, a very good quote.


I can't wait to get to this book...

Ice Cave Craze

Even though this is my first winter in the great white north, I've been hearing from locals how unusual this winter has been. Between the record amount of snow, polar vortex and high winds a rather rare phenomenon has taken place here: the creation of the ice caves.

I first noticed them through the Facebook page Ken Scott Photography. Ken Scott is a local photographer that does some awesome work, and his photographs of the ice caves are no exception. Before I knew it I was watching a short video made by the local news station, then reading it on a national news website. Needless to say, I had to check these things out for myself.

Bryan and I first tried heading to beach north of Gills Pier Road, but when we got there we knew immediately that it was a no-go. This was the area that was featured on the news. It seemed like everyone had the same idea that we did. So we decided to try a different location. It turned out to be a good decision. Here are some photos from Sunday, February 16:

The first ice cave we saw. A gentleman on the ice was kind enough to direct us towards this area. He told us there were some awesome caves in "that direction." He was right!

Bryan in the cave shown above.

Here I am in a second cave. The icicles looked like stalactites. I would have loved to go farther into the cave, but didn't have good enough traction on my boots--it was pure ice and quite slick!

Tiny Cave

He-Man

Ice was everywhere...here's a small, clear piece.

Here's Bryan standing next to some of the ice formations. He's about 6'2" (to help you use him as a reference point :) )

Ice Wave

Taking a break...

They were small, but mighty for sure! They were awesome to see and I'm glad we chose to not give up after Gills Pier Road.

Despite the fantastic adventure on Sunday night, Gills Pier Road was calling my name when I woke up the next morning. I decided to bundle up and head over there to see if I could get a decent parking spot. I drove up M-22 and reached Gills Pier Road...no line-up of cars like the night before, so I turned left and took my chances. About a mile from the beach I reached the line of cars that were parked along the narrow road. There was no turning around so I pressed forward, thinking that I'd just get out of there because it looked so crowded. To my surprise I found a parking spot extremely close to the beach. I took this as a sign, parked and headed towards the beach. They didn't disappoint.
           

The first view: Someone standing on top of an ice cave with arms stretched out.

To get to the ice caves, which were of course facing toward the lake and not shore, you had to climb over two ice "waves." Here's a photo after I climbed over the first.

Here's a photo looking back to shore. I was probably close to a 1/3 mile out. (Sorry for the poor shot...it didn't turn out quite as I had hoped, but I think you get the idea :).)

Finally over the second "wave!" It took me a while to find a place to climb (and I literally mean "climb") over. The height of these ice formations was amazing, as you can probably tell by looking at the people standing next to them. A big thank you to all those who went out there and created the paths over the "ice waves"... You made my life SOO much easier!

Here I am under the first ice cave I came to. Don't worry, I checked this cave as best I could before going under it...those cracks weren't quite as deep as they looked. I made sure to stand to the side, then get out as soon as the photo was taken (just in case :) ). A big thanks to the person who offered to take this for me!

A second cave with a hole in the ceiling. I wish I would have been standing for this. I feel like I make the cave look much smaller than it is because I'm sitting.

As I was leaving I noticed that there seemed to be a lot more people on the ice, so I turned to take a photo.

Because of the sky conditions (everything is practically the same color!) I felt that my photos didn't turn out quite so well on this day, but the experience is one that I would trade.

I've never really been a winter person, but with stuff like this going on it's hard not to want to go out and just live the experiences offered. Hopefully these few photos (of many taken) offer an insight to how spectacular these caves were. It's definitely something I'll never forget.

Happy Thursday!

Ridi...err...Walking into the sunset :)

Welcome!

Greetings from the snowy north! Welcome to my blog detailing the adventures of a southern Michigan native transplanted into 'Up North'. I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures.