The village of Walloon Lake, tucked near Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, has roots in northern Michigan’s tourism industry that date back to the late 1800s. It is still a getaway destination for those seeking a quaint and picturesque reprieve alongside multi-seasonal outdoor adventure and this is credited in part to the Hotel Walloon. The lakefront boutique hotel continues to…
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The edible medium
A cake is a symbol of celebration often found at the center of special events such as birthday parties, weddings, and important milestones; and having one to mark the occasion has become tradition for many. For Heather Leavitt, owner and cake designer of Sweet Heather Anne in Ann Arbor, Michigan, designing custom cakes for clients is not only a tradition,…
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Three Cats
As Detroit becomes home to more creative dining concepts, a new upscale retail and dining destination in Clawson, Michigan is making eclectic small plates and a singular shopping experience accessible to the city’s northern metropolitan region. Now known as Three Cats, the full-fledged restaurant and bar opened this fall in the repurposed historic Clawson Theatre and was established by longtime…
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Mi Tocaya
“I don’t give people what they want. I give them what I want to give them and what I want to share,” said Chef Diana Davila, who is the mind behind Mi Tocaya Antojeria, a renowned Chicago antojeria, Michelin Bib Gourmand selection, and 2018 semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s award for Best New Restaurant. Upon opening in 2017 in…
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Fine design
In November 2017, Prime + Proper, a luxurious steakhouse experience, opened in Detroit, and quickly garnered attention for its elaborate interior design and approach to fine dining. Less than two years later in June 2019, McIntosh Poris Associates, the firm behind Prime + Proper’s distinctive style and preserved historic details, received a pair of Restaurant Design Awards from the AIA’s…
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La Crême
Charming and fresh, stepping into La Crême café is not unlike walking into a French crêperie, where serving thin, pancake-like crêpes is a defining characteristic. Located in Zeeland, Michigan, the Parisian-style creamery and crêpe shop was started by Scott and Kim De Young after they were inspired by warm spaces with specialized menus on the west coast of Oregon. As…
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Hint of summer
The visual summer landscape of northern Michigan is often matched by its flavors. Crops like tomatoes, fresh greens, and Traverse City’s famed cherry varietals bloom in time for a vibrant tourist season and at Aerie Restaurant & Lounge, the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa’s acclaimed high-rise restaurant, its flavors will be captured in a Taste of Summer menu set to…
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Nutritional alchemy
“When I started cooking it was more about just healthy food, and then it evolved into a highly specific diet,” said Kendra Peterson, founder of the private chef services firm Drizzle Kitchen in Chicago, Illinois. “We focus on the presence of nutritionally dense foods. I like to use the phrase ‘nutritionally dense,’ because I find that ‘healthy’ is such an…
