Friday, July 28, 2017

Black Star Farms Harvest Dinner

Experience the extraordinary Harvest Dinners at the exclusive Inn at Black Star Farms. The creative farmstead cuisine for these monthly dinners is inspired by the best locally sourced ingredients, expertly paired with Black Star Farms wines. Seasonal vegetables, fruits and proteins are sourced from northern Michigan’s finest farms including our own farm in Suttons Bay.
The events team at Black Star Farms invites you to an unforgettable culinary event! The evening begins at 6:30 PM with a welcoming reception in the Aquarius Room featuring a specialty-themed craft cocktail. Dinner is served in the Arcturos Room or the outdoor covered patio at a long, elegant communal table where conversations and striking up new friendships are encouraged. During the service our chef will explain the inspiration behind the evening’s menu and a winery representative will describe the chosen wine pairings and share updates on new releases and vintages. Upcoming schedule, ticket links and menus from previous dinners are posted below. Seats are limited, make your reservation soon.

Upcoming Harvest Dinners

Harvest Dinners are $100 all inclusive (tax & gratuity)

Attend the dinner while staying at A Breath of Heaven Bed and Breakfast. Make your reservation TODAY! Call 815-383-9999!

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Friday Night Live

Jazz, art, food and fun will fill East Front. This popular community block party features a full slate of music, entertainment, food, demonstrations and family activities along the 100 and 200 blocks of East Front Street.
Where: Downtown Traverse City
When: August 4, 2017 - August 25, 2017 - Recurring weekly on Friday Nights
How much: Admission: Free
Time: 5:30 PM

The Vineyard to Bay 25k

The Vineyard to Bay 25k is right around the corner! This long-distance race is unique to Traverse City in many ways.

The course alone makes this race very special! The rolling hills, vineyard views and the stretch along the beautiful Leelanau Trail are all notable. It is also the only wine-themed race in Michigan that offers bottles of wine to age group winners. In addition, hand-crafted ceramic tiles from Sporck TileArt are awarded to all 25k and relay finishers. The six vineyards that are part of the 25k course include Brengman Brothers, Shady Lane Cellars, L. Mawby, Ciconne's, Willow and Black Star Farms.

Runners are offered three options of races, all of which are point to point to ensure new scenery the entire way: the full 25k, the 2-person 15k/10k relay, and the 5k run/walk. The 25k course is one of the few point to point 25k courses in the nation.

2017 Wine & Craft Beer Festival Participants

Celebrate the bounty of area vintners and brewers with the Northport Wine and Craft Beer Festival. Our festival is our own special summer party showcasing area wineries and breweries. Join us from 1-6 in Haserot Park. Coming for the dog parade? No problem. We're Michigan's only dog-friendly wine festival.

GENERAL ADMISSION $15 PRE-SALE, $20 AT THE DOOR

Great Wines, Ciders and Beer

Taste the products of these great wine, beer and cider makers:
Aurora Cellars
Black Star Farms
Blustone Vineyards
Chateau de Leelanau
Forty-Five North
G reen Bird Organic Cellars
Leelanau Cellars
T he Mitten Brewing
Suttons Bay Ciders
Verterra Winery

Participating breweries include, Acoustic Draft Mead, Arbor Brewing Co., Arcadia Ales, Ascension Brewing Co., Atwater Brewery, Ballast Point, Beards Brewery, Bell’s Brewery, Big Lake Brewing, Blake’s Hard Cider Co., Bonobo Winery, Brewery Ferment, Brewery Terra Firma, Dark Horse Brewing Co., Deschutes Brewery, Drafting Table Brewing Co., Draught Horse Brewery, Earthen Ales, Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery, Founders Brewing Co., Great Lakes Brewing Co., Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Latitude 42 Brewing Co., Left Foot Charley, Loggers Brewing Co., Mitten Brewing Co., Monkey Fist Brewing Co., Mountain Town Brewing, New Holland Brewing Co., Nickel Brook Brewing Co., Nomad Cidery, North Peak Brewing Co., Odd Side Ales, Perrin Brewing Co., Petoskey Brewing, Roak Brewing Co., Saugatuck Brewing Co., Short’s Brewing Co., Snowbelt Brewing Co., St. Ambrose Cellars, Starcut Ciders, Stormcloud Brewing Co., Superior Lakes Mead, Wine & Cider, Tandem Ciders, Unity Vibration Kombucha.

General Admission tickets include 5 tasting tokens and a commemorative tasting glass, access to a full lineup of national music and talent, merchandise, Rare Brew Tour, and the Homebrewer’s Challenge and more!

Thursday, July 20, 2017

9 New Restaurants and Shops to Check Out

9 New Restaurants and Shops to Check Out in Traverse City

Check out these new Traverse City restaurants and downtown shops!

Harvest | 127 S. Union St.
Has a new (bigger) home. The casual eatery serves up legit Asian and Mexican street-style fare. Quality ingredients and execution.
Alley’s Market | 113 E. State St.
Harvest’s old location is the new neighborhood market. The one-stop shop has staples like milk, eggs and produce, plus beer, wine and a delish Detroit-style pizza.
Olives & Wine | 201 E. Front St.
Mediterranean mezze plates and an expertly curated, 56-bottle Enomatic wine dispensing system. What’s that? Pick a wine, insert credit card, vino served.

The Coin Slot | 346 E. Front St.
Pinball wizards, this recently expanded vintage arcade has craft brews, outdoor seating and food truck eats from Rockwich, MIddleboys Savory Waffle Cones and Wingz & Thingz (also known as “The Lot” and “The Spot”).
Millie & Pepper | 120 S. Union St.
A modern day general store with home décor, kitchen goods, sustainable fashion and local art.
State Street Marketplace + Monkey Fist Brewing Co. | 329 E. State St.
TC’s newest brewery and an eclectic community marketplace with gourmet meats, Mediterranean dishes, BBQ, vintage clothing, made-in-Michigan gifts—the list goes on.

Red Spire Brunch House | 800 Cottageview Dr.
Brunch all day. Benedicts, French Toast, gourmet mac and cheese. Find between Stella’s and PepeNero at Grand Traverse Commons.
Ballaró Wine Lounge & PepeNero | 700 Cottageview Dr.
PepeNero’s younger brother is serving Italian tapas, Old World wines, fine scotches and whiskeys. Get small plates before dinner at PepeNero.
Earthen Ales | 1371 Gray Dr., Suite 200
Beer lovers, head toward the Grand Traverse Commons water tower. Pints poured below. Bring lunch/dinner from nearby Spanglish or Pleasanton Bakery.

Traverse City Film Festival

Day 1 at the Traverse City Film Festival (Must-See Movies + Restaurants)

The Traverse City Film Festival has an impressive lineup of cinematic creations for viewers of all ages. You won’t want to miss Northern Michigan’s movie event of the year. Here’s a look at day 1 of Traverse City’s highly touted film festival along with a few tips as to where you ought to eat and the films you’ve just got to see.

Day 1: Tuesday, July 25

It’s opening night of the Film Festival, which means it’s time to roll out the red carpet and get ready for a night of dancing and good food under the Traverse City night sky. Grab your favorite guy or gal and head over to Front Street for a night of celebration and great movies.
Start your date night at the glowing State Theatre for a 6 p.m. showing of I, Daniel Blake also playing at the City Opera House at 7:30 p.m. (there’s another show at the State at 10 p.m). After the movie, stick around for the Opening Night Party. at 8:30 p.m. Front Street will shut down and the stars will come out. With your all-access passes, you and your date will share some of the best food, beer and wine Traverse City has to offer during this red carpet evening. Tickets are $50.
If the party isn’t your scene, the classic comedy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, will be screened at the Open-Space Outdoor Cinema for free at 9 p.m. (Find more free films here!)
Other Movies We Want to See:

Long Strange Trip,Dutmers at the Dennos Museum, 9 a.m., music documentary on the history and legacy of the Grateful Dead.
Gilbert, Nauti-cat, 9 p.m. the unknown life of Gilbert Gottfried, stand-up comic and voice of Iago in “Aladdin,” and the Aflack Duck.

Nearby Food Venues:

PoppyCock’s — 128 E. Front St.
Amical — 229 E. Front St.
Mama Lu’s — 149 E. Front St.

2017 Art Leelanau Benefit Exhibit and Sale

Art-y Gras

Friday, July 21, 5:30 PM

Old Art Building
111 S Main Street
Leland, MI 49654

Join the Leelanau Community Cultural Center on July 21, 2017 for the 25th Annual Art Leelanau Benefit Exhibit and Sale in support of the Old Art Building! The opening Friday night gala is from 5:30-9:30 PM with fine art, delicious food, live music, and fun games. The exhibit promotes the artwork of more than 70 Leelanau artists, with 40% of art sales going to benefit the operating fund.

The artwork for this year’s poster will feature “The Harbor" by Rick Koehler, who won the best of show at the “Leland Air” event on Memorial Weekend. There will be 50 limited edition prints of Rick's artwork for the commemorative Art Leelanau 2017.

The benefit is held annually to raise operating funds for programs offered throughout the year at the Old Art Building and also to help support and draw attention to the many artists who live either full or part time in Leelanau County. Artists help to underwrite the event by donating 40% of all art sales. Visual art, jewelry, ceramics and sculpture will be featured in the exhibit.

The exhibit will continue Saturday, July 22 through Wednesday, July 26 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sunday hours are 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

10th Annual Traverse City Summer Microbrew & Music Festival
Friday, August 11, 5:00 PM
Saturday, August 12, 4:00 PM

The Front Lawn at The Village
at Grand Traverse Commons
1200 11th St.
Traverse City, MI 49684

The Traverse City Summer Microbrew & Music Festival will return to the front lawn at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons for the tenth year on August 11 and 12, 2017. This summer’s festival will bring a bevy of hundreds of the best brews in Michigan as well as brews from beyond our high five border.

On Friday, celebrate 50 years of Led Zeppelin with Zoso - The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience. Zoso embodies Page, Plant, Bonham, and Jones in their spirit, tightly-wound talent and authenticity. Along with Zoso will be other special guests. We are excited to welcome Moon Taxi, headlining Saturday. A festival favorite, the band has performed at Bonnaroo, Coachella, Governor's Ball, Hangout Festival, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Outside Lands and more. We're really excited to also welcome Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, The Accidentals Duo Throwback, May Erlewine & The Motivations, That 1 Guy (he'll play his infamous Silent Disco set as well!), Heatbox, DJ Abilities, a comedy stage featuring Brad Wenzell and other comedians with a special Silent Disco "Roast" (watch out!), Lucas Paul Band, brotha James, G-Snacks, Andrew Sturtz Music, Biomassive, Deep Blue Water Samba School, marching bands, DJ DomiNate, DJs, 1,500 wireless headsets with three Silent Disco stages, a local's stage, and much more to be announced!

Participating breweries include, Acoustic Draft Mead, Arbor Brewing Co., Arcadia Ales, Ascension Brewing Co., Atwater Brewery, Ballast Point, Beards Brewery, Bell’s Brewery, Big Lake Brewing, Blake’s Hard Cider Co., Bonobo Winery, Brewery Ferment, Brewery Terra Firma, Dark Horse Brewing Co., Deschutes Brewery, Drafting Table Brewing Co., Draught Horse Brewery, Earthen Ales, Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery, Founders Brewing Co., Great Lakes Brewing Co., Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Latitude 42 Brewing Co., Left Foot Charley, Loggers Brewing Co., Mitten Brewing Co., Monkey Fist Brewing Co., Mountain Town Brewing, New Holland Brewing Co., Nickel Brook Brewing Co., Nomad Cidery, North Peak Brewing Co., Odd Side Ales, Perrin Brewing Co., Petoskey Brewing, Roak Brewing Co., Saugatuck Brewing Co., Short’s Brewing Co., Snowbelt Brewing Co., St. Ambrose Cellars, Starcut Ciders, Stormcloud Brewing Co., Superior Lakes Mead, Wine & Cider, Tandem Ciders, Unity Vibration Kombucha.

General Admission tickets include 5 tasting tokens and a commemorative tasting glass, access to a full lineup of national music and talent, merchandise, Rare Brew Tour, and the Homebrewer’s Challenge and more!

City of Riesling
Sunday, July 23rd - Monday, July 24th $30 - $240 per person

Join fellow winemakers, sommeliers, authors, and enthusiasts from all over the world for a multi-faceted exploration of this diverse and exciting grape! This memorable experience features intriguing panel discussions, salon sessions, tastings, luncheons and the not-to-be-missed Night of 100 Rieslings dinner in downtown Traverse City, with a live solo performance by Michigan guitarist/vocalist and The Voice star Laith Al-Saadi, delicious food from S2S Sugar 2 Salt, and 100 of the world’s best dry Rieslings. A portion of proceeds from this fantastic event benefits FLOW (For Love of Water), dedicated to protecting the Great Lakes forever. For more info visit cityofriesling.com.

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Harvest Stompede

Harvest Stompede

September 9th (11-6) & 10th (12-5)
$40 per person
GET TICKETS

This annual weekend features a spectacular race through Leelanau’s vineyards followed by a self-guided wine tour along the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. The Harvest Stompede Wine Tour starts on Saturday immediately following the race. The tour takes place from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday and 12:00 to 5:00 pm on Sunday. Tickets are $40 and include a souvenir wine glass and a special wine pour and food pairing at each of 24 participating wineries along the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail.

Book your reservation at A Breath of Heaven Bed & Breakfast today while suites are still available!

Small Plates Wine Event

Small Plates
August 17th from 6 to 9pm
$15 per person, per seating
Enjoy this great event wile staying at A Breath of Heaven Bed and Breakfast

SEE MENU & GET TICKETS

Enjoy a glass of wine paired with a gourmet tapas dish in the tasting rooms during this progressive dinner. Many wineries partner with local chefs to prepare and serve each delicious pairing. Culinary aficionados will enjoy this upscale, gourmet food event! Tickets are $15 per seating, and you may get tickets for one, two or three seatings, each at the winery of your choice. Seating times are roughly 6, 7 and 8pm. Tickets must be ordered in advance for this event and always sell out quickly, so be sure to get yours today.

Classic Chocolates!

Join the Grocer's Daughter Chocolate for a fun introduction to the world of chocolate and a guided tasting of our chocolates! In this class you will explore where and how our chocolate is grown,learn about the wild world of processing cacao into chocolate, enjoy a tasting of cacao nibs/beans, 100% chocolate, 90% dark chocolate, 70% dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate and several of our signature items, and receive a gift certificate good for 10% off your next purchase!

Cost is $10/person. Tastings last approximately 1 hr. Space is limited to 8 people.

Tastings are regularly scheduled for Friday afternoons throughout the high season. If you can't make it or prefer another date we simply need a week advance notice and a minimum of 4 people. Please call to book another date and time at (231) 326-3030.

Grocer's Daughter Chocolate
12020 S. Leelanau Hwy.
Empire, MI 49630