Stan Fellows has been an illustrator for thirty five years, painting for magazines, corporate clients, and children's books. Clients from the past two years include: Martha Stewart Living, Harper's Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Audubon, National Geographic, Field & Stream, The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, NYU, Notre Dame, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, (what’s with all the airlines?) Kiplinger's, Arts & Antiques, Simon & Schuster, and for six years he has worked monthly for the Wall Street Journal's Friday wine column. In his native Minneapolis he taught watercolor painting and illustration at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and has also taught watercolor workshops in Iowa City, where he lives with his daughter.

Once again the festival takes place at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons (rain or shine) under the big tent. This year three area arts organizations: ArtCenter Traverse City, The Leelanau Community Cultural Center and Crystal Lake Art Center are showcasing artists and we'll have over 60 standout artists!

Our musical lineup is headlined by legendary Michigan blues musician Larry McCray along with folk favorites May Erlewine and Seth Bernard, blues phenom Greg Nagy and Song of the Lakes Trio with Sue Wood. Add original dance and other performance artists and you have one of the hottest musical tickets of the summer!

Head over to traversecitywinefestival.com for all the details!

Had a lovely evening in Leelanau Wine country last night. The occasion was the Leelanau vintners small plate dinner–a progressive dinner where each small plate was served at a different Leelanau winery and paired with a house wine. At Shady Lane we sat at the vineyard's edge (in the shadow of the vineyard's charming stone buildings) and ate Asian pork buns prepared by chefs from Red Ginger, paired with a 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling. Fun to meet Gill's Pier owners Kris and Ryan Sterkenburg there, taking a break from their work in their own vineyard.

From Shady Lane we moved on to the Sterkenburg's Gill's Pier where a private tasting room was decorated magnificently in glowing red candles and Japanese lanterns to celebrate the Asian spring rolls prepared by local caterer Kristin Karam of K2 Events and Edibles. Delicious and loved having Kristin tell us about them. The spring rolls were paired with Gill's Pier's award-winning 2008 Riesling. Wonderful!

Then the drive home to Glen Arbor: M-22 on a June evening. Need I say more? Okay, I will–passed a fox, a mother deer and her fawn who could barely make it across the road on its skinny, shaky legs, the sun sinking over Lake Leelanau, wild lilies in full bloom, blue flashes of Lake Michigan through the tree, the Wyeth-esque barns of Port Oneida …

Photo: Untitled by [DennisT]

Come enjoy a day near the Leland Harbor and Leland's historic Fishtown tasting wines from local wineries and tasting the specialties from local restaurants and vendors.

Listen to live music in the park all day and enjoy the beautiful views of Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands.

Admission is $12 and includes an etched wine glass and two tickets for wine tasting. Additional wine tasting tickets are available.

Food vendors accept cash only.

Participating Wineries and Food Vendors

Wineries
Bel Lago
Black Star Farms
Chateau Fontaine
Ciccone Vineyards
45 North
Gill's Pier Winery
Good Harbor Vineyards
Raftshol
Silver Leaf
Willow
Bowers Harbor
Chateau Chantal
Chateau Grand Traverse
Peninsula Winery
Circa
Chateau de Leelanau

Local Beer: Shorts Brewing

Food Vendors
Bluebird Restaurant
Leland Lodge
Corky’s (Vineyard Inn)
Plevas
Kejara’s Bridge
Village Inn
Drive Thru BBQ
The Cove
Martha’s Leelanau Table
Leelanau Cheese
Village Cheese Shanty
Stone House Bread

View Photos from the Leland Wine & Food Festival

For more information on Leelanau County's wineries, visit the Leelanau Peninsula Vintner's Association site at LPWines.com

Photo credit: On the Lawn by farlane

Tandem Ciders is one of the most unique stops on the Leelanau wine trail. Tandem Ciders specializes in artisanal hard ciders and some very interesting small plates. Tandem Ciders is trying to establish the European tradition of hard cider in Leelanau County. They use Michigan apples in their ciders and work closely with neighboring growers that produce the fruit.

Read Part One and Part Two of Bill Ging's Who needs Napa when you've got Leelanau?

Dr. Duke Elsner, Agricultural Agent (specializing in viticulture & wine education) from the MSUE-Grand Traverse Office will provide classroom and field-based instruction on the following topics related to table and wine grapes: variety selection; site requirements; basic vine structure and growth; planting and early care; basic trellising; vine training and pruning; and pest management.

The cost of the workshop is $5 per person. Informational bulletins related to growing grapes will be available for an additional fee. Advanced registration is recommended. To register, call 256-8323, or download a registration form from www.msue.msu.edu/leelanau. ‘

The event is part of the 2010 "Green Garden" program, a series of spring programs focusing on environmentally sustainable gardening practices. For more information about other programs offered in the Green Garden series, visit the above website, or contact Pam Schmidt, Leelanau County Home Horticulturalist at 231/256-8323.

Photo credit: Vineyard Grapes by troyryans/2155928176/

As a reminder, the Spring Sip & Savor is a super-fun celebration of spring in Leelanau. Part of the fun is the pajama or fancy hat contest. Check out the prizes that the wineries are offering!

There is also a grand prize determined by popular vote of Sip & Savor ticket holders. It includes two nights lodging at The Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor during any season of the year (subject to availability), dinner for two with appetizers and desert at La Becasse in Maple City, Sunday brunch for two at the Bluebird in Leland, a wood fire pizza from Hearth & Vine Cafe at Black Star Farms, perfect for lunch or light meal out on the trail.

We'll also draw one vote at random from all those who voted for the Grand Prize winner and that lucky person will receive a pair of tickets to either the Traverse City Wine & Art Festival (Aug 21, 2010) or the Harvest Stompede Wine Trail Event (Sep 18 & 19, 2010)!

Photo: Spring Sip & Savor by KARUNAPHOTO – check out her 2009 Spring Sip & Savor slideshow.

From 5:30-7:30pm the public is invited to a wine tasting for $7/person at the Traverse City Opera House. Cheeses, breads, crackers, and fruits will accompany the featured wines of the Leelanau & Old Mission Peninsulas. An abbreviated “State of the State” will be offered at 6:30pm.

A fun atmosphere will feature games, trivia, door prizes, and small silent auction to benefit the Michigan Wine Foundation. Many local restaurants will offer special discounts on Monday evening to patrons with a NoMiWi ticket!

Get all the details at

Come "wine" with us the exclusive launch party for the Mary in the Morning Wine Club, this Thursday April 22) at the Mercato at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons. The party runs from 5:00-8:00 pm and you'll enjoy:

• Free hors d'oevures from silvertree deli
• Wine samples from LPVA wineries
• Specials from the Mercado merchants
• Big gift giveaways
• Live music
• Odawa Casino prize wheel
• Last night to join the "Mary in the Morning Wine Club" for only $15.00!

5 wine club memberships will be given away, along with special gifts from the mercado merchants. register early for an extra chance to win online at www.1067you-fm.com. When you join the wine club, you'll get a VIP membership card that you take to local tasting rooms to redeem for free high-end gifts, VIP tastings, treats, and purchase discounts. The card is valid at participating LPVA wineries until 12/31/10. Members will also receive a special wine bottle stopper/pourer and wine bottle marker. Members will enjoy the following:

Mary in the Morning Wine Club Exclusive Offers!

Bel Lago Vineyard & Winery – complimentary, private, personalized cellar tour and a free "Wine Skin".

Black Star Farms – Receive a $5 coupon for any wine or gift merchandise purchase over $50, redeemable on wine and gift merchandise. Offer cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions and it excludes Leelanau Cheese and Black Star Farms spirits. Coupons are valid for one month after the original purchase date.

Chateau Fontaine – 10% off six bottles or more; 15% off a case.

Cherry Republic Winery – 20% off a half-case of "mix and match" wine.

Ciccone Vineyard & Winery – complimentary wine tasting for you and three friends, plus 15% off any same-day purchase.

Forty-Five North Vineyard & Winery – Choose one free gift with your $25.00 purchase: A complimentary 45 North 12 oz Titanium Crystal Wine Glass; a 45 North Silk Screened T-shirt; or a 45 North 6-Wine Bottle Carry Case.

Gill's Pier Vineyard & Winery – "Star Treatment Package" with five free wine samples, "Wine Trail Snack Mix"; and a signature etched wine goblet. Plus, free future tastings upon presentation of wine goblet and membership card.

Good Harbor Vineyards – 15% off six bottles.

Good Neighbor Organic Vineyard & Winery – Purchase two bottles of wine and receive free organic lavendar; 20% off any half-case purchase.

L. Mawby – Purchase any six bottles of wine and receive a free flute.
Leelanau Wine Cellars – Receive two free special glasses with any wine purchase.

Longview Vineyard & Winery – A complimentary sample of ice wine and cherry port, plus a truffle.

Shady Lane Cellars – A free Shady Lane Cellars tasting glass and a Charles Layton Dark Chocolate Truffle.

Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery – 20% off any case; receive a free "Wine Skin" with purchase of six bottles.

Tandem Ciders – 10% off ALL purchases.

Willow Vineyard – Buy two 750ML bottles, receive a free Willow glass.

1. Traverse City, MI

Known as the Cherry Capital of the World, the Lake Michigan resort town of Traverse City does a pretty good job with other foods, too. With plenty of award-winning restaurants, wineries, farmers markets and dairies, Traverse City has been called “a new foodie haven” by The Huffington Post, and Midwest Living magazine recently named it second on its list of the region's “best food towns.” At the heart of the accolades is an emphasis on the farm-to-table philosophy. At Trattoria Stella, where chef Myles Anton was nominated for a 2010 James Beard Foundation award, the menu of Italian fare takes care to note ingredients from local farms and dairies. For wine lovers, the city's Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula wine regions lie along the 45th parallel— the same latitude that gives the Bordeaux region of France its famous reputation. Get started with a self-guided foodie tour.

We offer congratulations to Myles but feel compelled to point out the two more Beard Award nominees from the Leelanau Peninsula: Randy Chamberlain at Blu in Glen Arbor and Guillaume Hazaël-Massieux of La Bécasse near Maple City!!

Had enough wine?? by pipefiddle

Next Tuesday (April 13, 2010) at 8 PM EST you can join Michigan by the Bottle for their Tweet & Taste with Shady Lane winemaker Adam Satchwell, a master sommelier and several Michigan wine bloggers. It's a chance to explore a select group of wines from Shady Lane Cellars and share tasting notes and impressions on Twitter. To participate, all you need to do is pick up the three wines (Shady Lane Cellars 2008 Dry Riesling, 2008 Blue Franc, 2007 Pinot Noir) at your local wine shop or online at Shady Lane Cellars (1 cent shipping through April 13) and then log on to Twitter Tuesday night and share your impressions using the #ttmi hash tag.

If you're in the Leelanau area, you can also head over to the LPVA office at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons beginning at 7 PM on Tuesday for a "tweet-in" with winemaker Adam Satchwell! We're located right next to Salon de Capelli in Building 50 (we promise Google will have us mapped soon) and you can call us at 231-421-1172 if you get lost!

Monday, April 26 1-4:30 pm TC Opera House

1-2pm “State of the State” of Michigan Wine we will host some wine and industry experts to give an overview of the Michigan wine growth and the positive impact we have on the state and our region. From agricultural impact, to quality of life, and economic impact our industry is growing! We will tell our story and take time to answer questions about the industry. Any one is welcome but the presentation will especially interest restaurant owners & managers, store owners & managers, media, significant tourism & community leaders, wineries and other VIPs.

2-4:30pm Wine Trade Show (General Admittance Ticket needed, free to our neighbors in the service industry: hospitality, front desk, restaurant owners, managers, waitstaff, store owners, managers, clerks, media, tourism, community leaders, etc. Call for more information or tickets 231-223-4110 x11 Liz) Door prizes, fun, games, trivia….

WHAT TO DO: Invite your staff & co-workers to the afternoon trade session! We have included just 4 tickets, but if you need more we will have more available at the door or via email. The event is free to anyone in the local service or tourism industry.

5:30-7:30pm Public Wine Tasting the public will be invited to a wine tasting for $7/person. Cheeses, breads, crackers, and fruits will accompany the featured wines. An abbreviated “State of the State” will be offered at 6:30pm. A fun atmosphere will feature games, trivia, door prizes, and small silent auction to benefit the Michigan Wine Foundation. Many local restaurants will offer special discounts on Monday evening to patrons with a NoMiWi ticket

WHAT TO DO: If you are associated with have a restaurant or store we can feature you on our “Friends of Michigan Wine” list. This list we be given to everyone purchasing a ticket for the evening wine tasting. Offer a coupon or special to be redeemed on the day of the summit. Let us know if you would like to be featured and what you would like to offer!

Many small, boutique wineries are family-run. When visiting a wine tasting room consider yourself a guest. The owners and staff are proud of their facility and want everyone to enjoy their visit. Expectations in wine tasting rooms are different than at wine festivals or in busy bars. After visiting 450 wineries in the last three years and talking with numerous wine hosts and visitors, we have created a selection of ideas to keep in mind when visiting a winery tasting room. Simple rules of etiquette can help to make the experience enjoyable for all.

The atmosphere in a winery tasting room is one of a subtle sophistication. While shorts and athletic shoes are acceptable so are semi-dress clothes. Do not wear perfume or cologne the day you are visiting winery tasting rooms. The smell will interfere with a wine's aroma, not only for you, but also for those near you.

In the sophistication of a winery tasting room, loud outside voices are not appropriate. Conversational tones are perfect and fit in well with talking about the wines you taste and meeting other wine enthusiasts who have common interests. Do take the time to talk to other visitors. It is interesting to meet others with a passion for wine. Some visitors are new to wine. Never belittle someone for what they think about a wine. Don't act or sound like a wine snob. There are always those who know less and more about wine than you.

If you appear drunk, the tasting room attendant is not permitted, by law, to serve you even if it is a tasting. Drunken behavior has no place in the atmosphere of the tasting room. Wineries deal with this behavior in different ways, most often you will be asked to leave.

asting rooms can be crowded on weekends. Weekdays are generally slower and wine hosts have more time to talk about the wines you taste. In either case, if the tasting room is busy, do not elbow your way to the tasting bar. If the tasting room is busy, consider stepping back to discuss your wine and enjoy the tasting with other like-minded people. This gives others room to step up for a tasting. On busy days, some wineries will set up tasting tables or bars outside the tasting room. Give yourself plenty of time at a winery. Relax and enjoy the wine tasting and the ambiance of the tasting room. Many wineries have gift selections to browse while tasting wines. Take your time tasting and browse the shelves…

Read the rest and if you have any suggestions (or questions) regarding tasting room etiquette, please post them below!

Photo: Willow Vineyard Tasting Room by KARUNAPHOTO

Myles Anton of Trattoria Stella in Traverse City
Randy Chamberlain at Blu in Glen Arbor
Guillaume Hazaël-Massieux of La Bécasse near Maple City

What an amazing showing by our area for the nation's most prestigious culinary honor! We hope you can check out these restaurants and the many other great restaurants our area offers.

Photo courtesy blu

About the Northport Winter Carnival

The Northport-Omena Chamber of Commerce hosts the 6th Annual Winter Carnival. Come join the fun at Braman Hill Park on Saturday, February 27 when Northport throws off winter's cabin fever and celebrates the season at Braman Hill Park. It all begins at 11 a.m.

11-11:30 a.m. – Register for the Snowmobile Poker Run – $10.00 entry fee
11:30 a.m. – Nagonaba Foot Path dedication Remarks by committee member Andy Thomas followed by a Native American Blessing, ribbon cutting and unveiling of a trail sign.
11:45 – noon – Enter the Chili Contest with 6 quarts for tasting
Categories: traditional, combustible, wild game, vegetarian and white chili. $10.00 entry fee, $50 prize for the winner in each category.
12 – 2 p.m. – Chili Tasting – vote for your favorite
11:30 a.m. – Milk Jug Curling competition begins
12 noon – Broomball competition begins
12 – 4 p.m. – Free hot dogs and hot chocolate
12:30 p.m. – Race The Face Snowshoe Race
$5.00 entry fee. All racers will receive a T-Shirt and all profits from the race will be donated to the Northport Promise.
1 – 4 pm. – Brotherz Groove perform
2:00 p.m. – Cardboard Sled Race competition Northport Public School classes compete against each other.
3:00 p.m. – Northport Promise Winter Warm-Up Raffle Drawing
3:15 p.m. – Outhouse Race – $15.00 entry fee

Registration required for Poker Run, Chili Contest, Curling, Broomball, Race The Face and the Outhouse Race. Registration forms available at Scott’s Filling Station, Northport Fitness and Huntington Bank.

RSVP at the Northport Winter Carnival Facebook event page.

All times are approximate and subject to change!

3:00 PM – New Third Coast
3:20 PM – Claudia Schmidt joins N3C
3:50 PM – Barbara Faith Jordan joins N3C
4:10 PM – N3C takes it home
4:30 PM – Festival spokesperson, Beach Bards
4:50 PM – Jay Webber, Glenn Wolff, Janice Keegan, Elizabeth Rivers
6:00 PM – Beach Bards, part 2
6:20 PM – Ingemar/Lisa Johansson and FREJYA
7:00 PM – Fireworks – KABOOM!

This prize will be given to the wearer of the best pair of winter boots as judged by an expert panel that will include Mary Rogers, host of the popular Mary in the Morning radio show and Traverse City Wine & Art Festival Chairperson and Fashion Maven Extraordinaire Jaclyn Eikey.

The winner will receive three bottles of wine AND a pair of tickets to the 2010 Traverse City Wine & Art Festival. Boots will be judged for style and warmth, so check your closet or your friendly neighborhood shoe store or vintage clothing shop!

Photo: Vintage Snow Princess Boots

You can still purchase very limited tickets at Gills Pier and other wineries (please call ahead). Check this page for contact info in case you want to call ahead!

Here's Saturday's #tpassion from Twitter with updates from the trail and add your own!