Aerial sunset photo taken by Matt Teliczan.
There’s something about an aerial view to put a whole new perspective on life.

Thanks to Matt Teliczan, of TeliDrone, we are adding aerial photos to Michigan Sweet Spot. This photo was taken looking towards Ada from the Bailey Hills area. If you have drone photography needs, Matt can be reached at hawker1@comcast.net.

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Boyne City Bakery
Boyne City Bakery has the most amazing French crêpes I’ve ever had. That’s saying a lot, my sister-in-law is a French native and often treats me to gourmet meals that include crêpes. This authentic French bakery features croissants, brioches, muffins, cookies, buckwheat crêpes, sweet crêpes, sandwiches, soups and quiches. Of course everything is freshly baked every day. They let me take a video while a crêpes was being made, can you tell that I’m seriously addicted to these?

The chef, Gildas Berrou was born and raised in Quimper, France. He was accepted at the prestigious trade group called the Compagnons at age 20, where he trained under the tutelage of some of France’s best bread chefs. Gildas and his wife Tara, a native northern Michigander, decided to move to the Boyne City area in 2012. Together, they’ve combined their love of making authentic Breton crêpes with their passion for growing organic fruits and vegetables. In addition to Boyne City Bakery, you can find them at Boyne City and Charlevoix farmer’s markets selling crêpes and croissants, as well as other farm products.

If you love great food and are anywhere near Boyne City, you owe it to yourself to visit Boyne City Bakery and try their delicious foods. The only downside is it’s going to be hard for a crepe from anywhere else to ever measure up again.

Hours: Tues.- Fri. 7 am – 2 pm; Sat .& Sun. 8 am – 2 pmClosed Monday

Phone: 231-497-6060

Boyne City Bakery Facebook Page

Boyne City Bakery is located at: 110 S. Lake Street, Boyne City MI 49712

Wetmore Landing Beach Marquette MI
Wetmore Landing beach, along the North Country Trail, just off Big Bay Road/County Rd 550.
Wetmore Landing, on the North Country Hiking Trail is a local favorite in the Marquette area. A popular hiking route is from Little Presque Isle Point to Wetmore Landing (approximately 1.6 miles), with parking at both locations. It hugs the shoreline of Lake Superior through trails surrounded by huge pines and sweeping views of Lake Superior in all its glory. It’s also a starting point for a hike to Rum Runner’s Cove, an abandoned dock for bootleggers during Prohibition (you can still see the metal docking loops and cement landing.)

This short path through the woods leads to the beach at Wetmoor Landing.
You’ll need a Michigan Recreation Pass to park in the Wetmore Landing parking lot, which is a very short hike to the beach. Country Road 550 is a gold mine for other local hotspots such as Hidden Beach, Little Presque Isle, Hogback Mountain, Echo Lake and Wetmore Pond. It’s gorgeous if you love lichen or mushrooms, in fact it’s where NMU takes their biology students for their lichen and mushroom labs. The paths have soft pine needles and are easy to walk on. Once you hit the beach there’s lots of rocky structures to hike on and it’s a great place to take your dog.

Tips from Rhianna:

  • During winter, paths can be slippery; wear good winter boots with lots of grip.
  • The wider paths are farther from the beach and make for an easier trek.
  • The paths closer to the beach are narrower and more rugged (but entirely doable).
  • If you don’t have a Michigan recreation pass, you can park along the side of the road on Country Road 550 for free.

Wetmore Landing Map

Our Upper Peninsula correspondant, Rhianna Hudson will be writing more about this area soon.

Post contributor: Rhianna Hudson

A few of the beautiful dahlias from our flower picking spree!
Making the most of your Michigan summer should include going to places that embrace Michigan’s farmland, and the wonderful growing season we have here. Dahlia Acres farm in Hudsonville, MI is a great place to have that experience. You’ll walk away with more than memories because you can also pick and buy your own flowers, with over 50 varieties of dahlias, there’s a lot to choose from!

These are just a few of the varieties of dahlias on the farm at Dahlia Acres in Hudsonville.
In addition to stopping by to pick flowers, Dahlia Acres also has an event called “Bouquets & Bottles” (which I hear is a HUGE hit), here’s some info that I picked up from their website:

Join us in making a beautiful bouquet!

Bring a friend and a bottle of wine, and try your han,d at making a floral arrangement. We will be demonstrating throughout the event, but it is up to you to get creative. We will provide all you need for your arrangement, a vase, all the cut flowers you will need, and scissors.

We will also have light snacks and bottled water…

The cost is $35 a person. Class sizes are 15-20 people.

Reserve your spot by:
call/text Marcy: 616-834-2672
email: dahliaacres15@gmail.com

Payment requested at RSVP- checks can be mailed to
Marcy Krause
4763 Baldwin Street
Hudsonville  Mi, 49426

Questions welcome here, or through Marcy’s contact information as above.

You may also inquire about a private party.

We filled the back of the truck!
 Free Dahlia Care Tips from Dahlia Acres

Dahlia flowers come in a variety of colors and shapes. They are beautiful blooms but do require more care than other flower types. We want to share our dahlia care and handling tips.

  • Dahlias will hydrate better in warm water. Make sure your vase is clean and filled with at least 3”-4” of warm water.
  • Carefully separate the stems and remove any lower foliage that would fall below the water line.
  • Give each stem a clean diagonal cut. Cut at least 1” off each stem and quickly place in water.
  • Recut the stems and change the water daily. This will prevent bacteria from forming and clogging the stems.
  • Keep dahlias in a cool area, away from direct sunlight.

dahliaacresfarm.com. The address is: 4763 Baldwin Street
Hudsonville  Mi, 49426

Canyon Falls is a spectacularly wonderful, magical place to visit. Who goes to a roadside park and sees something like this? If you’re in northern Michigan, or the Upper Peninsula, hopefully you do!

The park is on US-41 near L’Anse and serves as the trailhead for an easy hike (about a mile) to the largest box canyon in the state of Michigan. To find the trail, look for the water pump at the roadside park, the trail is just behind it. A 1/4 mile hike through beautiful woods, on a nice, level trail with boardwalks takes you to the main drop of Canyon Falls. Keep going for another 1/2 mile or so to see the next major drop with another impressive falls.

If you keep going after that, you’ll soon see the upper falls at the end of the canyon. Although the trek to the last two falls is slightly more difficult than the beginning of the trail, it’s totally worth the effort.

Directions: From L’Anse go South on US 41 for 9 miles, approximately 4 miles North of the US 41 & M-28 junction. Here’s a map link.

 

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The customized workouts are about 30 minutes, because you are able to stay at one workout station. Each member has a “fit key” that plugs into the machine with their customized workout program.
There’s still time to get fit before swimsuit time this summer. But wait, are you like me when it comes to physical fitness? If I can’t have these things, I’m probably not going to be consistent with my workout:

  1. Fast: I want a workout that can be done in 30 minutes or less.
  2. Convenient: workout times need to be flexible and I don’t want to have to schedule anything ahead of time.
  3. Easy to follow workout: I hate having to look up my routine on a card and have to figure out how to do it, and I want to make sure I have good form.
  4. Effective: if I’m going to show up, I want to KNOW that I’m taking the best and quickest route to strong and lean.
  5. Safe: getting hurt doesn’t work so good for me.
  6. Affordable
  7. Evidence of results before I can see them: yep, I know that sounds unreasonable, but it’s true, I’m impatient and I lose motivation when I don’t see an immediate drop in my weight on the scale.

This monitor is attached to the workout pod, it makes it easy to follow along, keep good form and does all the thinking for you. It even helps pace your workout and turns it into a game.
KoKo Uses New Technology for Motivation and to Offer Everything Listed Above KoKo Fit literally addresses all of these potential setbacks for me with unique equipment that makes training fast, convenient, custom-tailored, effective, safe and affordable. As a member, each time I check in, I can track my progress with cool technology that provides a complimentary body analysis. In about a minute, it measures my percentage of muscle mass and fat, this is uploaded to my personal profile so I can track my progress. This is a game changer for me because I can see how I’m doing before it shows in my weight or clothes.

The local KoKo website explains a lot of this better than I can, or better in, stop in or call one of their locations to see for yourself how they are different. The people there are nice, with absolutely no pressure at all.

If you live in the Northeast Grand Rapids area, the Beltine location is close to you: Beltline KoKo Fitclub 2830 East Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, MI  Phone: 616-432-3171

In case you are wondering, no, I’m not getting paid or receiving any other benefit whatsoever to share this info about KoKo Fitclub. I simply like the place that much and want to share it with you. Members tend to stick around. When I first joined, one of the members was lamenting that he had to move to Ohio and there wasn’t a KoKo Fitclub in the area. He was seriously looking into buying a franchise to put near his new home so he could continue with this program that had been so good to him. That’s how much people love this place, and frankly, it’s been a bit of a secret. So, for those of you who check this out, you’re welcome!

I love this photo taken by guest photographer, Rhianna Hudson. It’s taken at the Grand Haven State Park on the Lake Michigan shoreline.
You might think that the beach is only for summer, but in Michigan, I love seeing the ever changing snowy, icy sculpture of a seascape found at one of my favorite places, Grand Haven, MI. The catwalk is under construction and is closed, but that’s ok, it’s still well worth visiting. Rhianna Hudson and I recently captured these photos. If you decide to make the trip, you might want to visit one of these great places while you’re there:

Buffalo Bobs: From the outside, this looks like a small general store that might have clothes, but wow is that decieving! This gem of a store never fails to have something cute that I just have to buy, they carry major brands such as Free People, BB Dakota, Woolrich, Kut, Maui Jim, Oakley Native, Bula, Havana, See-thru Soul Denim and much more. Basically, they have the latest trends for guys and gals, plus lots of things to support your active life for camping, fishing, skating, etc. Located at 136 Washington, Grand Haven, MI and locally owned and operated.

The Toasted Pickle: A local favorite, that has an eclectic and delicious menu of sandwiches, salad and soups. I always go there, and I’ve never been disappointed. Located at 112 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI and locally owned and operated.

Aldea Coffee: This place is another local favorite and features some of the best coffee I’ve had in my life. Plus, the folks who work here are super nice. The are located in the Armory Buiding at 17 S 2nd Street, Grand Haven, MI and locally owned and operated.

The Creative Fringe: Guys, this place is AWESOME! They have an amazing amount of beads, jewelry supplies, jewelry lessons and more. If you have a creative bone in your body, you owe it to yourself to visit this place. They are located at 210 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417 and locally owned and operated.

There’s lots more to enjoy, so stay tuned. I’ll be writing more about Grand Haven again soon!

The frozen beach with embedded frozen ice balls looks a bit like a lunar landscape.

I discovered this unique barn driving on the backroads in Arcadia, MI.
It would be easy to pass by the Onekama / Arcadia, MI area – but that would be missing out big time. Online searches reveal very little about the place, perhaps that’s because being there feels like you are going back to a time when electronic devices took a back seat to nature and being a human at peace with the world. I took these photos driving around the back roads near Lake Michigan.

The landscape is dotted with historic barns, vineyards, and rolling hills. You’ll also discover golf courses and a beautiful. Here places to stay: Here are some place to check out when you visit.

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course: This course is open to the public and resembles a seaside links course with rolling terrain and a windswept landscape with breathtaking views of Lake Michigan. Lodging and cottages are also available.

Artesian Wells: Some of the purest water in the country is located at these public wells, where folks have been known to travel for miles to bottle it up and take some home. Here are links Old Facefull (GPS 44.427615, -86.247132) Portage Point Well (GPS: 44.376511, -86.227881).

Portage Point Inn: I’ve never had a chance to stay here but have always wanted to. This historic inn was established in 1903, yet features a boutique gift shop, pub, fitness center, lake access, movie nights on the lawn, kayak and paddle board rentals, boating, fishing and much more.

Inspiration Point Scenic Overlook: This is one of the best overlooks I’ve been to in my entire life. It’s just off the Scenic Highway and you can see for miles and miles. Trust me, and be sure to lug your camera along with you for this one, all 120 steps to the top of the overlook!

Arcadia Marsh: This 273-acre marsh nature preserve has a short trail and is especially popular for birding.

Area Preserves and Trails: While I was researching this project, I found a link to this map with a bunch of preserves and trails that I didn’t even know existed in this region.

This is a great time to start planning your Michigan summer vacation. These are just a few of the great places to discover in the area.

 

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Ada, Michigan has been near and dear to my heart for a very long time. I love Ada for it’s small town feel with some really great places to visit and do business with.

It amazes me that a small village can have so many fabulous places to go out to eat at, with the majority of businesses being local and family owned. Some of my favorite locally owned restaurants in Ada include:

  • Nonna’s Cafe: featuring European cuisine in an intimate, homey atmosphere. My favorites include the quiche, which is the best I’ve ever had, and their latte’s, which are responsible for me staying up half the night way too often. Located at 591 Ada Drive SE, Ada MI
  • Zeytin Turkish Restaurant: featuring a cozy, semi-casual atmosphere and Turkish cuisine. My favorite experience at Zeytin is to score one of their cozy booths with Turkish pillows and chow down on the grilled chicken kabobs. Located at 400 Ada Drive, SE, Ada MI.
  • Schnitz Ada Grill: a deli by day and grill at night, this has been a long time favorite of many. I love to hang out on the outside upper deck in the summer and people watch. Located at 597 Ada Drive, Ada MI
  • Vitale’s Ada: a great sports bar, with best Italian lunch buffet that I’ve ever had.

Downtown Ada is located just a few minutes away from Grand Rapids and well worth the short drive.

This little cove is at Presque Isle Park in Marquette.
This little cove is at Presque Isle Park in Marquette.
Every time I take a trip to Michigan’s upper peninsula, I’m mesmerized by its beauty and unique atmosphere. I know, “unique atmosphere” is an odd descriptor of one of my favorite places on earth, but it’s true. It’s a place of extremes. Extreme snow, extreme sky, extreme weather changes, extreme water, extreme terrain variations, and, it’s a place where time stands still. Here are some of the things that make the Marquette area a formidable vacation choice that’s hard to beat:

  • Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world.
  • Long summer days, just 5 hours of total darkness near the summer solstice.
  • A good chance of seeing the Northern Lights if you stay up there long enough.
  • The Milky Way, on a clear night, it’s visible and unforgettable… if you’re willing to stay up late for it.
  • The old mines in the Keeweenaw peninsula.
  • The Pictured Rocks.
  • Waterfalls, abundant waterfalls.
  • Constantly changing weather, if it’s rainy when you wake up, who cares, it will probably be sunny later in the day.
  • Limitless sights to see, places to go and things to do that are unique and unusual.
  • Wonderful places to camp and hike.
  • Crossing the mighty Mackinac bridge to get to the Upper Peninsula.
  • Walking along the paths along the shoreline.
  • The iron ore shipping docks.
  • Presque Isle park.

The sky is constantly changing in Michigan's upper peninsula, I saw this on the way to Marquette.
The sky is constantly changing in Michigan’s upper peninsula, I saw this on the way to Marquette.
I just got back from a wonderful vacation in Marquette, so of course, I took photos to share with you all. Here are some of my favorites and I’ll be adding to them this summer. My vacation, was courtesy of the kind and wonderful owners, Pat and Wendy Dudley, of the Funky Beach House, which is literally on Lake Superior with a fantastic, private beach. They let me stay there for a few days while I was doing my blogging vacation thing. If you’re looking for a place to stay near Marquette, I highly recommend the Funky Beach House, it’s available for rent most of the year and a delightful gem in the woods. If you’re the artsy type, like me, you will especially love it. Here’s a link to the Funky Beach House reservations if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to get some time up there. This is the Funk Beach house “backyard.”

This is the awesome Lake Superior beach at the Funky Beach House, the sunset lasts forever.
This is the awesome Lake Superior beach at the Funky Beach House, the sunset lasts forever.
I’ll be adding more posts about the Marquette, MI area over the summer with some of my favorite places and finds so you’ll have an easier time discovering local favorites. Here’s more information about Marquette from my visit in the fall.