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Traverse City: A Holiday Shopper’s Dream

November 20, 2012

Jennifer Lake loves to shop almost any time of year – but she’s especially enthusiastic when it comes to picking out the “perfect” holiday presents for family and friends. Luckily, she happens to live in Traverse City, where the opportunities for creative shopping multiply exponentially this time of year. Below, she shares a few of her recommendations.

For more ideas on places to shop and visit in Traverse City, visit michigan.org.

Right now, I’m doing everything in my power to resist the leftover Halloween candy that’s sitting just out of reach on my desk. The most helpful technique? Distracting myself with thoughts of what lies ahead.

I’m not talking about snow (did I really see flurries this morning?!), I’m talking about the holidays and all that they entail: the family gatherings, the mouthwatering food and – oh yes, the shopping! Admittedly, I’m a shopping enthusiast. I take pride in making the perfect purchase, and I love finding things that can’t be found anywhere else. Being a designer, it’s just engrained in my psyche to seek out the unique, colorful surprise that brings a smile to the people whose names are on my list.

Fortunately, I don’t have to go far to find those special treats for my loved ones (or myself) this year, because here in Traverse City, the holiday shopping is very hip! It’s true that TC doesn’t have big malls or zillions of choices of department stores, but what we lack in quantity we certainly make up for in quality. This is a place full of boutique shops and unique markets that make holiday shopping a downright joy! It’s got one-of-a-kind items, friendly shop owners and affordability. What more could one want?

If you’ve been to Traverse City before, you know that the downtown district is brimming with old favorites and new stores to delight all kinds of cravings, especially when it comes to fashion, food, and furnishings. I could spend all morning browsing the wonders of Horizon Books and make my rounds to Sweet Pea (for my one year old), then What To Wear (for me) and on to several of the new salon boutiques (for friends) until I land myself in Amical for much needed nourishment and a big ol’ glass of red wine. And then my shopping frenzy really starts to get interesting.

I’ve found that some of the best shopping in Traverse is popping up in the revitalized Warehouse District, the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, and at the increasingly growing number of artist markets around town. In the Warehouse District (Hall and Garland) I keep discovering amazing gift ideas like terrariums at the Green Room, eclectic decor goodies at The Red Dresser and plenty of stylish socks and accessories at freshly opened Relish. The Grand Traverse Commons continues to surprise me with new stores like 27 Stitches (local, handcrafted gifts and yummy yarn) and great collections of jewelry at Silver Fox Jewelry and Gallery Fifty. (Did someone say Fordite? I’m there!)

Finally, indie art markets are becoming very trendy in the area this year, and it’s exciting to see the talent and variety of items available at these events. I hit the local Makers Market in September and I’m already plotting to attend next year with my organic knapsack ready to fill. This weekend I’m headed to The Children’s House Holiday Art Market to get my fix of adorable winter hats and scarves, pottery, soaps and ornaments – all handmade, all one-of-kind, all made right here in Traverse.

And did I mention that this shopping experience is beautifully enhanced by incredibly helpful people, no line-waiting and the numerous cozy restaurants that seem to appear around every corner just when you need a break? Traverse City shopping is a package deal! So, in case you need another excuse to visit our lovely city this season, put on your boots (from Robert Frost) and find out what holiday shopping is really all about. It’s not a chore, it’s a celebration!

‘Tis the Season, after all.

Guest blogger Jennifer Lake is the founder of Brand Tonic, a boutique design and branding firm giving a daily dose of creativity to businesses throughout Michigan. Talk with her at jen@brand-tonic.com.

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Enjoying Holiday Nights as an Insider

November 16, 2012

in Events,GeoCoded

Holiday Nights return to The Henry Ford this season! Today, Lish Dorset, social media manager for The Henry Ford, fills us in on what makes this celebration special to her and what she’s looking forward to seeing from her behind-the-scenes view this year.

Posing for a family photo in Henry Ford Museum, 1986

If you live in metro Detroit, chances are you’ve been to Holiday Nights here at The Henry Ford at some point. While Greenfield Village closes down for the season in about a week, we open back up at night during the weekends to celebrate the holiday season. This year’s Holiday Nights will be a very special visit for me – it’s my first time as an employee of The Henry Ford and my first chance to see all of the hard work that happens behind the scenes.

Skaters take to the ice rink

Growing up in Birmingham, my family’s Christmas tradition has been to spend Christmas Eve morning at Henry Ford Museum. Year after year we took our family portrait of the small cousins in front of the gigantic Christmas tree housed in the museum plaza. When Holiday Nights started more than 10 years ago, our family, with us cousins now looking more like grown-ups, added that to our must-do holiday activity list. We spent hours ice skating, touring the homes, and enjoying some mulled cider as we awaited the holidays.

Warming station help keep guests and presenters warm during Holiday Nights

I had the chance to take my fiance and best friend to Holiday Nights last year for their first visits. We watched the Liberty Craftworks glass artists pull beautiful candy canes, a favorite among THF members, as we learned more about glass blowing and all the crafts they produce for the holidays. December in Michigan tends to be fairly cold, so a visit to the glass shop and their hot furnaces was a welcomed stop from my group. A visit to the Guild Beer Hall didn’t hurt, either!

Holiday Nights preparation is officially underway, even though it seems like we just put away the last of the Hallowe’en scarecrows and pumpkins! As I drive down Village Road past Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum, I’m always excited to see which decoration was put up that morning. It’s not unusual to see rows upon rows of dark green wreaths being prepared for hanging or our grounds crew surveying the best location to add more accessories.

Singing the night away...

And it’s beginning to look a lot more like the holidays inside the museum, too. The model trains have been getting a holiday makeover over by the Allegheny Locomotive, and the gift shop is packed with ornaments, brand-new toys, and the latest handmade offerings from Greenfield Village’s artisans for holiday gift giving.

While I’m lucky enough to see some of the hard work that goes into another exciting year of Holiday Nights, you can bet I’ll be out wandering Greenfield Village in just a few short weeks with my fiance and friends, celebrating the holidays and starting another round of festive traditions.

Lish Dorset is the social media manager for The Henry Ford in Dearborn. She lives in Royal Oak with her fiance and fat cat, Ronnie. When she’s not sharing some of her favorite artifacts from the collections of The Henry Ford with fans on Facebook, she’s at home crafting. You can learn more about Holiday Nights by check out The Henry Ford’s blog.

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Experience the Magic of Classical Music with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra

November 7, 2012

in Events,GeoCoded,Guest Blogger

Have you ever experienced the world of classical music? The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is something Michiganders and visitors alike don’t want to miss. Today, Leonard Slatkin, Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, fills us in on the history behind the DSO and what’s new for concert goers this year.

Join Leonard for a live webcast this Sunday, November 11^th at www.dso.org/live and follow #DSOLive on Twitter. Let us know if you tune in, or if you’re planning to check out an event in person this season!

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What’s your background like and what led to you becoming Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra?

A: I come from a musical family and my previous music directorships were with the St. Louis Symphony and the National Symphony in Washington, D.C. In addition to my role in Detroit, I am also currently the music director of France’s Orchestre National de Lyon and principal guest conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Q: What do concert goers seem most excited about when attending a DSO performance?

A: The live experience. There can be almost 2,000 people in the hall but there are also 2,000 opinions as to how they enjoyed, or did not enjoy, the concert.

Q: What makes the DSO, Orchestra Hall and the Max M. Fisher Music Center unique?

A: As one of the great halls of the world it is inviting both visually and acoustically. Musicians love playing here and the intimacy and warmth of our beautiful home make the audience feel very much a part of the DSO family. We’re also excited to be situated in the heart of midtown, near our friends at the DIA, Wayne State, and the Detroit Medical Center, and playing our role in the revitalization of our city.

Q: What do you like most about working in Detroit?

A: The spirit of optimism that prevails throughout the city. We never give up because it just simply is not the Detroit way. And as many people know, I’m a diehard baseball fan who tries to never miss a Tigers game when I’m in Detroit.

Q: What’s new for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra this year?

A: We’ve hired several key new musicians, all immensely talented and many of them settling in Detroit, including concertmaster (Yoonshin Song), principal flute (David Buck), English horn (Monica Fosnaugh), French horn (Johanna Yarbrough), principal percussion (Joe Becker) and strings (Sheryl Hwangbo, Rachel Harding Klaus, Peter McCaffrey and David LeDoux). Turning to our programs this season, we perform all nine Beethoven symphonies this February, all of which you can experience at Orchestra Hall or online at www.dso.org/live, and all four Ives symphonies, which we’re taking to New York City as part of two back-to-back performances at Carnegie Hall, the orchestra’s first visit to that legendary stage in 17 years.

Q: What concert would you recommend to someone who has never experienced a live classical concert?

A: At the DSO we have programs to fit a variety of tastes. For some it might be a Pops concert, like Home for the Holidays or the Music of Lennon & McCartney; for others it’s an educational event featuring the talented students of our Civic Youth Ensembles. A good place to first experience our classical offerings would be the December performances of excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker.

Q: How are the Live from Orchestra Hall webcasts and other digital initiatives expanding the DSO’s impact?

A: It is still too early to know but with over twenty five webcasts so far, it is clear that we have expanded our audience base to a global perspective – we’ve had viewers tune in from over 75 countries. There is no question in my mind that this is the path to the future and we are proud to be the first orchestra to make ourselves available to music lovers for free on the web and through mobile devices. Our Community Concerts and Neighborhood Series, both of which take us into venues throughout southeast Michigan, have also contributed to remarkable audience growth this past year.

View a Live from Orchestra Hall encore clip below:

Leonard Slatkin, called “America’s Music Director” by the Los Angeles Times, became Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2008, having previously held that position with the St. Louis and National symphony orchestras. Leonard also currently serves as Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Principal Guest Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony and appears regularly with the world’s leading orchestras. An avid fan of the Tigers since joining the DSO, Leonard and his wife, composer Cindy McTee, live in Bloomfield Hills.

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Frightful Fun at the World’s Largest Haunted House

October 26, 2012

in Events,GeoCoded,Guest Blogger

Did you know that Michigan is home to the world’s largest haunted house? Erebus, located in Pontiac, is a four story haunted house that was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Largest Walk-Through Haunted Attraction in 2005. Today, Ed Terebus, who owns and operators Erebus with his brother Jim, fills us in on the haunted house business and what you need to know before making a visit to Erebus.

Q: For those who have never been to Erebus, can you give us an overview of the popular haunted destination?

A: Erebus is the result of Dr. Colber, who worked for the government to build a time machine, then later worked on building the time machine on his own. He was successful at sending people back into time, with the only one glitch being that the time period looked at the people like a virus and wiped them out. Determined to overcome this glitch, he sent in group after group of his own personnel, but they were unsuccessful and he ended up broke and lacking the proper personnel to run his machine.

Dr. Colber came up with a brilliant idea to disguise his time machine as a haunted house (Erebus) and have the general public help fund his project and use the people going through as human guinea pigs. The theme is time travel

Q: How did you get started in the haunt industry and what’s the history behind Erebus?

A: My brother Jim’s boss made him join the Jaycees. They were doing their annual Halloween haunted house, and it was like he was meant to do. Years later when he was working for Ford, he was laid off and decided to open a haunted house. The first haunt was 1200sqft. and $1.50, the second year 2,800sqft and $3.00 and the third year 3,400sqft and $4.00. We ran that for 13 years, then bought a bigger space.

Q: What are some new attractions visitors can expect this year?

A: Erebus, in Greek Mythology, is the son of Chaos and the brother of Night. This year we’re bringing in the “Big Mama” – Chaos is Here 2012. Chaos is unleashing an all-out assault… we’ll hit you from every angle with full on fear… and show no mercy.

Q: What’s one thing visitors should be aware of before they visit Erebus?

A: Michigan is the haunted attraction capital of the world with more than 70 haunts in a 50 mile radius. We can’t buy that really cool prop from the trade show because 25 other haunts will have it in this market. We pride ourselves as one of the most unique haunts in the country by designing and building almost all of our own props in house.

Here is a good example: Buried Alive! will put you in a room, slam the door and dump 10,000 balls on your head (and bury you alive)! How long can you hold your breath? We spent over six years thinking about this and if you want to experience it you have to come to Erebus!

Like I said before, we pride ourselves as being one of the most unique haunts in the country by building almost all of our own props in house. You will see things here that were born from the imaginations of a couple guys that have been thinking about scaring people for 33 years! If you can conceive it and believe it, you can achieve it! That is a motto of success; we just applied it to scaring people!

Q: What’s your favorite part of Erebus?

A: We never work on the same thing! Every year we try to out do what we did the year before, so our creative juices are always flowing. Even better than that, I get paid to scare people! LOL!

Q: What makes Pontiac or Michigan in general the right place for Erebus?

A: Halloween needs a place with four season,s and Michigan is beautiful in the fall! Pontiac is right for Erebus because it’s in the heart of Oakland County, and every major street leads to Pontiac… just look for the search lights!

Q: Where can people go to learn more?

A: Please visit HauntedPontiac.com to learn more about Erebus.

Ed Terebus and his brother Jim have 66 years combined experience in scaring people for a living as owner/operators of haunted attractions in Michigan.

For other haunted attractions in Michigan, visit michigan.org. Have you been to Erebus – The World’s Largest Haunted House, or do you plan to make a visit this year? Share with us below!

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Trick-or-Treat Around Pure Michigan

October 25, 2012

in Events,Posts by Region

Halloween is just around the corner, and there are tons of fun events around the state that are sure to put you in the spooky spirit! From haunted houses to family-friendly parades, below is your guide to celebrating Halloween in Pure Michigan.

Visit michigan.org full a full listing of Halloween events happening around the state!

Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village
Step back in time at Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village at the Henry Ford. Follow an endless path of hand-carved jack-o-lanterns and meet colorful characters along the way. Feel the whoosh as the headless horseman rides by, banter with a clever witch, and make stops at several treat stations spread throughout Greenfield Village.

When: October 26-28, every half hour from 6:30pm-9pm Fridays & Saturdays, Sundays 6:30pm – 8pm
Where: Dearborn

Spooktacular Weekend in Pentwater
It’s a Spooktacular Weekend in Pentwater October 26-28. The trick-or-treating takes place on Saturday, but the whole weekend is full of “spooky” events for the whole family including a parade, pub crawl, Rocky Horror Picture Show performance, a teen costume party and much more.

When: October 26-28
Where: Pentwater

Downtown Halloween Walk in Traverse City
Trick-or-treat your way around downtown Traverse City at participating stores during the Downtown Halloween Walk. Then, make a weekend out of it and bring your four-legged friend to The Dog Party! to celebrate the grand opening of Traverse City’s newest dog park with a costume contest and treats for both dogs and their owners!

When: Halloween Walk – October 26, 3:30-5 pm, Dog Party – October 27, 12-4 pm
Where: Traverse City

Halloween Trick-or-Treat and Halloween Spectacle in Marquette
Bring your little goblins and ghosts to downtown Marquette for the Halloween Trick-or-Treat and Halloween Spectacle. Fill your trick-or-treat bags with goodies from local businesses and stick around to see the zombie folk dancers, stilt walking spirits, a life-size dragon and skeleton marching band perform.

When: October 27, Trick-or-Treat 4-7 pm, Halloween Spectacle 7-8 pm
Where: Marquette

St. Ignace’s Trunk or Treat & Haunted Woods Walk
Make your way to St. Ignace’s Trunk or Treat & Haunted Woods Walk! In addition to the walk and hayride there is also a candy bar walk, apple bobbing, face painting, bean bag toss and football throw.

When: October 27, 7-8 pm
Where: St. Ignace

The Treat Parade in Downtown Ann Arbor
Black and orange balloons mean treats in downtown Ann Arbor this Halloween. The Treat Parade kicks off with story time at the public library followed by 65 participating businesses that will have balloons outside to signify that you can stop in for a treat.

When: October 31, story time-9:30 and 10:30 am, Treat Parade-11 am
Where: Ann Arbor

For more Halloween-related events happening in your community, visit michigan.org. How will you be getting into the Halloween spirit this year? Share with us below!

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