Blue Angels Air Show: Traverse City

Yes, this is the photo that says it all. It was a beautiful day and I was in the perfect spot to enjoy the Blue Angels air show. You need to know that this photo is unedited. I aimed my iPhone to the sky and this is the photo I captured - I was thrilled when I saw that you could read U.S. Navy on each plane. Wahoo! 

I have been watching the Blue angels perform at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan since the late 1990's. My paternal grandmother loved the Blue Angels and I have great memories of driving into the town with my parents and Nama, excited to watch the air show from a parking lot. Back then, we watched from the intersection of M-72 and M-22 (W Grandview Parkway). We didn't take many pictures because it was the era of film and the pictures rarely worked out. 

The Blue Angels tend to perform to Traverse City every other year. When I'm in Michigan, my friends and I meet for lunch and viewing (just north of our old spot) at Harrington's By The Bay. The food is delicious and the location is ideal to watch the show.

I found this great YouTube video of the Blue Angels flying at the National Cherry Festival this year posted by TRYPlaneSpotting. It is nothing short of spectacular.

#blueangels #airshow #blueangelsairshow #momentsofdelight #traversecitymi #puremichigan #summer2018 

Glimpse of a Great Blue Heron

I was quick on the draw and was able to capture a Great Blue Heron fly past our deck on Lake Michigan. Isn't it wonderful?

My mom saw him first and pointed in his direction. This handsome fellow chose the wrong section of wetlands and tried to "come home" along our section of beach. From where she was sitting, my mom saw this great blue heron fly in toward our shore and then do a quick about face when he realized that he had the wrong section of beach.

He must have his nest in the natural wetlands farther down the shore. As we both enjoy this beautiful summer weather, I will keep my eye out for this magnificent bird.

Lake Life: The Shores of Lake Michigan

When I say I'm from Michigan, is this what you picture? 

Since moving out to the Pacific Northwest, I've been astounded at how rarely people associate water with Michigan. We have the Great Lakes...we ARE the great lakes. 

Granted, my lake life was only in the summertime, but scenes like this make an impact on a girl. This is my Michigan, where Lake Michigan is so grand that it looks like the ocean.

I have been shopping in Leland and Traverse City and feel drawn to the souvenir items celebrating Michigan. I've seen tiles, stationary, mittens and more. I want them all and though I have resisted so far, I have been pointing out that my birthday is August 20th (wink).

#puremichigan #souvenirs #momentsofdelight #lakegirl

Traverse City: Mama Lu's Tacos

I love to get restaurant recommendations, however this was the first time I've gotten one from my 24 year old nephew. When did he get so old? I was looking for a fun place to have a date night dinner. William and his girlfriend raved about Mama Lu's Taco Shop in Traverse City and insisted we try the Street Corn appetizer. 

Everything that came out of the kitchen was fresh and picture-worthy. So much so that I turned our tablescape into a watercolor image (above) with one my Waterlogue phone app. Doesn't it look cool? 

The street corn was delicious! Roasted cob pieces are slathered with lime mayo and rolled in chile cotija cheese and I will certainly order it again. However, eating it was a mess! I wanted to be cute and lovely on our date and instead I was thankful that I was already married. Street Corn is not first date food.

***Update: Mama Lu's saw my post and let me know that they offer their delicious Street Corn cut off the cob! Just let your server know...

The tacos were small but mighty. I had one steak and one pork and they were really flavorful and satisfying.  Dan had 1 steak and 2 chicken and he was very happy.

Mama Lu's is a cute place that specializes in bright fresh flavors and the overall vibe was happy. The restaurant was full and everyone seemed very happy with their south-of-the-border selection. Try it!

Thunderbirds over Traverse City, Michigan

It was the perfect summer day for a Thunderbird air show: comfortable temperatures and a city full of spectators in town for the National Cherry Festival. The area swells by 500,000 the week of the festival and happy families lined the streets across from the bay.

I loved watching the F-16 scream across the blue sky. Traverse City is a terrific venue because Grand Traverse Bay gives you the space to enjoy the approach and fly by of the jets.

What a sight!

A beautiful formation.

 #thunderbirds #airshow #landofthefree #homeofthebrave #traversecity

Sunset on Lake Michigan

The sky was so interesting for this sunset! It had every shade from purple and denim blue to apricot, lemon yellow and black.  

This is a late July sky on the 45th parallel overlooking Lake Michigan. We are the Great Lakes state and we aren't kidding. This is just about the same view during the daytime. Magnifique!

Yes, the state of Washington is beautiful, but Michigan is pretty darn gorgeous too. I am lucky that I can spend time in both.

Art With A View: Suttons Bay Art Festival

What a day! I spent the first Saturday in August meandering the annual Suttons Bay Art Festival in northern Michigan. The artists' tents back up to the beach and marina - what a view! It is interesting that you can see the vistas that inspired so many of the artists. 

I bought this darling bracelet of blown glass beads by Suellen J Parker of Case Island Glass. The image is a little blurry, as I was taking the photo of my own wrist, but you can get the idea. It has layers of vibrant colors in smooth oval discs. I love it. This is a terrific art show in a fabulous setting. Come visit!

Fishtown: The Perfect Place to Visit on your drive Around the Peninsula

I caved and took a selfie on the bridge over the waterfall in historic Fishtown. Dan was in Seattle and I wanted him to see the gorgeous day I was experiencing a million miles away in Leland, Michigan. It came out so well, I've decided to share it. The photo above was taken from the footbridge over the dam.

The Carp River flows from Lake Leelanau over the dam and out to Lake Michigan. The public can walk the docks of fishtown, peek inside the working area of Carlson's Fish and smell the fresh catch being smoked in the smokehouse next door. I always buy a container of whitefish pate (to be served with wine and white crackers) from the storefront. The Fishtown Preservation Society strives to protect and preserve the historic fishing shanties, fishing nets and tugs (low body fishing vessels - seen above with a green base). I've walked these docks every summer for the last 40 years, the first 13 with my maternal grandmother, so the preservation of fishtown is real to me too.  

This image shows a sailboat tied up at The Cove, a local restaurant that is famous for it's large outdoor deck. A lovely place for drinks and dinner, as trumpeted by chef Mario Batali. I took the photo from the docks looking back at the dam. The footbridge is just above the water, connecting the buildings.

The perfect place for a summer vacation, no?

Mattress: King, Queen or Daylily Bed?

There is a romance to this photo that I want to share. This is the bed of day lilies at the cottage and for yet another summer, a family of deer have been sleeping in it every night. 

It starts sometime in July. After a season of growth, one day the plants are healthy and lush, the next morning there are distinct circles where each mother, father and baby deer has slept. The day lilies don't fluff up much during the day and the circles are even more distinct each morning. This lasts the entire summer. I have never seen the deer, but they certainly leave their mark.

Isn't it wonderful to think of them quietly walking into the yard, choosing their place and sinking into the cool leaves. Do leaves have a Sleep Number? Do the individual deer choose the same spot each night?

You may not have realized it, but this really is a BED of day lilies. Sleep tight!

Floral Storytelling: Let Reinhardt Blooms Craft An Unforgettable Floral Story

Pinch me. Katie Wachowiak of Reinhardt Blooms, gave me a private tour of her family's flower farm. Can you think of anything more wonderful? Rows and rows of my heart's delight.

(zinnias)

I tried to be respectful of the time, talent and toll that farming can take on a person during the summer months.  I can't imagine the hours required to tend 30 acres of Michigan farmland, knowing that Katie and her parents grow over 100 different varieties that they provide to florists and farmers markets, as well as creating custom arrangements through their floral design service. I envy the beauty they have at their fingertips each day.

(My version of Where Women Create - this is an inspiring wall inside

 Katie's Floral Design Studio.)

(snapdragons)

It was my new friend, Karen, that led me to Reinhardt Blooms. Remember when I was driving up north and got caught in a tornado? It was in the basement of Karen's house that she showed me photos of her friend's floral bouquets. Katie's formal floral arrangements were worthy of being painted by the Dutch masters and I asked Karen to tell her I said so.

Fast forward to another trip past Kawkawlin on my way home from the cottage a few weeks ago, when Karen had arranged for me to meet Katie and see Reinhardt Blooms. The photos and arrangements are Katie's, so I insist you click over to her webpage and see some of her work. This is Floral Storytelling at its best.

(cosmos)

I know that Reinhardt Blooms designs for clients all over Southeastern Michigan, so please don't hesitate to contact Katie for a consultation. I've seen many photos of her arrangements and love everything that she does.

In other happy news, during the summer months, Reinhardt Blooms sells at the Port Austin, Rochester, Royal Oak, and Birmingham farmers markets on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. I can't wait to visit Katie at the Birmingham farmers market on Sundays and buy armloads of flowers from her.

Meet me there?

Afternoon Tea at The Townsend Hotel

This is exactly how one should celebrate a birthday...Afternoon Tea at The Townsend Hotel.  My tea-loving friend Kathleen is a kindred spirit and I knew that this would be the perfect spot to celebrate.  We would have hot tea, delicious food and plenty of time to talk.  

The Townsend is a luxury hotel in Birmingham, Michigan and the lobby is beautifully decorated and arranged into small sitting areas, perfect for intimate tea parties.  When I arrived, I noticed a group of women hosting a bridal shower near the fireplace. "Tea, sweets, ribbon and friends, do a happy bride make."

Kathleen and I sat together on a loveseat and our tea service was set out in front of us on our own coffee table.  I chose Earl Gray tea and Kathleen decided on a decaffeinated Raspberry Tea.  We began our little party with Orange Cranberry scones served with mascarpone cheese and housemade lemon curd. The Townsend's lemon curd is some of the best I've tried and I ate every last drop. Yum yum yum.

The tea sandwiches were little works of art, each prettier than the last.  We were served (clockwise from bottom left) Shrimp Canape, Asparagus with Boursin Mousse topped with a hard-boiled Quail Egg, Smoked Salmon, Pesto Bruschetta with Marinated Tomatoes and Mascarpone, Smoked Chicken Salad and Cucumber and Watercress. 

I

I carried one of my cigar box purses to our tea and it was fun to hear so many people compliment it.  I love when someone says "I just have to ask you about your purse." I gave out many cards that day and explained that my purses were available in my Etsy store (an online marketplace for artists). This picture (above) looks like a magazine spread, don't you think? I love it! 

The staff was so very kind and since it was a quiet afternoon, we had fun chatting now and then with them about how much we were enjoying ourselves, how Kathleen and I became friends and how we were feeling a revival in interest surrounding Afternoon Tea. After this beautiful afternoon, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather take my mom than to Tea at The Townsend.

Our dessert plates each arrived with a lit candle, in honor of our birthdays. We enjoyed a tiny Key Lime Tart, a Raspberry Cheesecake Pyramid, Chocolate Mousse in a Chocolate Teacup and a Passion Fruit Mousse Dome. It was perfect.

It was such a fun afternoon, perfect for two old freinds. Kathleen...what else can we celebrate?

Puzzled: When Food Could Be Art

I can't be the only one that thinks this would make a beautiful puzzle, yes? It would be hard, but what a lovely image to stare at on a rainy afternoon.

I took this photo last week at Cedar Sol Hydro Farm in Cedar, Michigan. I came for the tacos, but I was captivated by the tomatoes. The farm is king this time of year and I am a happy subject.  

American Spoon: A Shop and Cafe in Petoskey

I was able to visit the original American Spoon retail store, located in the gaslight district of Petoskey, Michigan. Are you familiar with the brand? It is a jam and jelly company that has a cult-like following. Their products are of the highest quality, their packaging is gift-worthy and, as per their website, "we still prepare fruits by hand and cook them in small copper kettle batches under the watchful eyes of our skilled cooks." Nice! 

They have slowly expanded their offering to include salsas, fruit butter and condiments. What I think is really interesting, is that they have an American Spoon Food Cafe next door. My mom, aunts and I went there for lunch and it was perfect.  Most of the menu items feature an American Spoon Food sauce or jam (genius!) and I was very impressed.

I love my whitefish tacos which featured their roasted tomatillo salsa. The salsa was bright and tangy and delicious.

The super cute cafe serves 24 flavors of house-made gelato. Order a cone, grab a stool and watch the vacationing world walk by. 

Bluff Gardens called my Bluff: I loved it

I admit, I was a little disagreeable when I heard my mom and aunt decide that we were leaving the downtown Harbor Springs shopping-area to go get "vegetables." I pictured us roaming the surrounding farmland looking for a particular roadside stand that had good corn or something.  Don't get me wrong, that is fun too, on the right day, but we were supposed to be shopping and I hadn't been to this area in years.  

Then, a whopping 5-minute drive later, we arrived at Bluff Gardens, a freestanding storefront next to a large cutting garden. We went inside and I saw a beautifully arranged gift shop (see above) featuring a display of fresh miniature vegetables front and center. Then a tiny water mister came on, spraying the tiny vegetables with moisture.  Where am I? What is this place?

I loved it immediately because I could see that the purveyors of this fine shop had a vision and were doing things according to plan.  Aside from the technicality of a private line of fresh dips, jams and spreads, they only seem to sell miniature fresh vegetables and Quimper Fiaence pottery.  A super specific offering, no?

I applaud them. It felt like an alternate universe.  In a fast and quick world, it was lovely to see a shop that treats tiny beets and adorable zucchini with reverence.

If you are having a party, only these crudite will do.  Can you imagine veggies being any prettier?

Mind you there is no website that I could find. Just a Pure Michigan business link that says "Bluff Gardens: Purveyor of fresh miniature vegetables, fruits, dressings, sauces and spreads since 1934." 

While I was wrapping my mind around the fact that people would never stumble upon this shop (721 West Lake Rd., Harbor Springs, MI); that customers would have to know that miniature vegetables were on a rack inside this gift shop, I walked into the adjoining room. 

Quimper Faience heaven. I have never ever seen so much of this French pottery in one place. Soup bowls and platter and teapots, oh my.

I have a soft spot for Quimper Faience.  I don't own any of the pottery (yet), but I fell for some of their cookie tins filled with French butter biscuits.  Of course I did, you say. And I've kept the empty tins thinking that I could make one into a super cute purse by lining it with fabric and adding a handle. Sounds like me, right?

Word of mouth is a wonderful thing, but I want to help out Bluff Gardens. Here is an online shout out for Bluff Gardens - buy their darling miniature vegetables and fill your cottage with Quimper Faience!

A Port in a Storm: New Found Friends and a Kindred Spirit

I haven't blogged in a few days because I have been thinking about how to explain something that happened to me last week.  There are some scenarios you think will never happen. 

Last Sunday afternoon, I found myself driving alone on I-75 North when severe weather hit. The dark sky and hail were ominous enough, but when the national weather service commandeered my phone and started barking: “Tornado Warning in your area. Take cover!” over and over I got scared.

I drove a mile in limited visibility before I made it to an exit. There were 2 churches at the intersection, but their parking lots were deserted. I saw a house with a light on in the family room and I pulled into the driveway. I moved carefully across the driveway through hail and rain and started ringing the doorbell when I reached the porch. No answer. I tried the door, opened it and walked into this stranger’s house calling out, “I’m taking cover! Yoo hoo, I’m taking cover!”

When a man came around the corner, I said, “I was on I-75 when my phone went berserk about a tornado and taking cover!” He responded, “Mine too! Come on, we’re all in the basement.”

I spent the next 2 hours (while several storm cells passed overhead) taking cover with a darling family. A pastor, his wife and their 3 children (a baby, 2 yrs and 11 yrs) gave me snacks, told me stories and watched the radar with me. As we distracted each other, we found that the mother and I have a lot in common - would you believe she quilts?

I still can’t believe the circumstances that led me to their door and gave me the courage to walk inside. I’ve been texting with her and she said that she’s glad the wind blew me their way. I am forever indebted to this family in Kawkawlin, Michigan and I've promised to come back and visit this summer (on purpose!) on one of my trips to the cottage.  

We joked that we'll start sending Christmas cards to each other this year and that 15 years from now, someone would pick up my card on their mantel and say, "Wait...who is this?" 

Threatening weather brought me to their door and neither of us knew that I would made new friends and find a kindred spirit.   

Blue Angels Air Show: Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July, indeed! My all time favorite July 4th activity is watching The Blue Angels air show in Traverse City.  The Blue Angels come to the Traverse City National Cherry Festival every other year (although they didn't come in 2012 due to federal budget cuts) and they never cease to amaze.

They center their show over Grand Traverse Bay (above).

They fly in a 6-plane formation against the bright blue summer sky.

How is this formation possible?  The formations and proximity to each other blow my mind.  I love it. Love it. Love it. Love it.

Look at this awesome drive by (above) where you can see the pilots!

Look how close the 4 planes are to each other. I don't even want them to fly that close. 

When I went onto the Blue Angel website to give you a link, I noticed that they now have videos that you can watch to see 3 views of each special maneuver: inside the cockpit, from the ground and the pilot saying the verbal cues.

You really must go to one of their air shows if you can.  And wear ear plugs, it will be louder than you think.  But you'll love it. Love it. Love it. Love it.