Traverse City, MI – It didn’t matter that I failed to bring a chair to “test night” at last week’s Traverse City Film Fest. Even for an introvert like me, it was near impossible not to get up and dance through a big-screen showing of “Stop Making Sense,” a joy-factory of a rock movie released…
Deli, Birdwatching and a Great Coffee Shop: One Perfect Day in Ann Arbor, MI
ANN ARBOR — I came to Ann Arbor to volunteer for the spring breeding bird count, which, for you non-birders, is a delightful way to spend a morning — or a full day, in the case of the more hardcore birdwatching addicts. Take for example, whoever they talked into pulling an all-nighter on owl patrol….
Mobile Office 1: Central Lake, MI Public Library
Itinerant food and travel bloggers are grateful for the socialism of public libraries, which provide tax-payer supported: WiFi, desks situated next to outlets and in air-conditioning, restroom facilities, and last but not least: librarians. Smart, often funny and usually women, they are welcoming, knowledgeable and efficient. A salve for all the yahoos we cannot always avoid.
Postcard: Shirley’s Cafe, Mancelona, MI
Have you ever eaten a meal that was too good to leave but too big to finish. My agony at Shirleys Cafe in Mancelona, MI.
Michigan Spring on a Plate:
Pan-seared walleye, ramps, morels and radishes combine for a spring plate pulsing with color and flavor.
Foraging for Morels and Ramps at Grass River Natural Area in Bellaire, MI
From wild foods in the forest, to 7 miles of magnificent trails spanning rare habitats, the Grass River Natural Area in Bellaire, MI is well worth a stop.
Postcard: NOLA, Five Southern Foods and a Sazerac Cocktail Recipe at Rosedale
On my Southern Food Road Tour, I asked everyone who would talk to me to name five foods and beverages that are most expressive of “southern food,” and the answers varied a lot more than I thought they would. Louisiana in particular was out there on its own, and some of the answers I had…
Charlotte the CouchSurfing French Chef Cooks Vegetarian Shakshuka Eggs
Charlotte the veg chef makes spicy shakshuka eggs.
Running From a Blizzard and Getting Caught
I was going a grandma 40 in a 65, trying not to stare too directly into the Warp Drive stripes of light just beyond my windshield that burrowed into my retinas like too many tiny shooting comets.
Reverse Migration and Van Life Cookery: Grilled Canadian Vegetable Stacks
Grilled stacks of eggplant, sweet onions and tomatoes are perfect topped with balsamic vinaigrette and fresh herbs.
Traveling Between Meals 