My holiday visit to Sweet Pea Baby Boutique in Traverse City, Michigan, was filled with fun items including baby clothes, Melissa & Doug toys, Piggy Paint, and MY board books! As many of you know, I have four board books that make great gifts for little ones! See why this sweet store is Merry & Bright this Christmas… Sweet Pea is located at 205 E. Front St, Traverse City, MI 49684
A winter visit to his studio filled with gorgeous hand created pottery…
The talented northern Michigan artist, Ben Maier of Benjamin Maier Ceramics, is celebrating 18 years of gorgeous pottery in 2020! His studio, located in Traverse City at 10201 S. Center Hwy (not his Leland Gallery), hosted a Winter Open House this weekend to highlight his pottery as well as show off his chic northern Michigan work space. The kiln, stacks of clay, and coziness were a treat to all who stopped by! If you missed this weekend’s events, the studio schedules one-on-one appointments throughout the year. During the summer season, discover his hand-created pottery in the heart of charming Leland, Michigan. They are usually open from Memorial Day to the end of October each year. In the shoulder season (early summer and Fall) it is open from 10:30am-4pm. In the height of the summer season, the studio is open from 10:30am-5pm with occasional evening hours. Follow on Benjamin Maier Ceramics Instagram @maierceramics and visit his website: www.maierceramics.com
Benjamin Maier Ceramics Gallery Location: 104 N. Main Street | Leland, MI 49654
Benjamin Maier Ceramics Studio Location: 10201 S. Center Highway | Traverse City, MI 49684
We are going on a tree hunt! Last weekend my family and I went in search of the best Christmas tree in Northern Michigan. Our adventure lead us to find some adorable animals (see pictures below.) we ended up finding our dream tree at the Robinson Family Christmas Tree Farm in Traverse City. my family all agreed, we found the best family Christmas tree in all of Michigan! You can pick from pre-chopped trees or cut down your own. They will help you strap it to your car roof, and hand your kids a cookie. So, if you are looking to find a festive tree farm look no further than the Robinson Family Christmas Tree Farm: 6777 Herkner Rd, Traverse City, MI 49685
Pre-cut or chop your own tree!
Beautiful Christmas Trees and Wreaths…
and a pony
Chickens and Goats!
Robinson Family Christmas Tree Farm: 6777 Herkner Rd, Traverse City, MI 49685
Last week I stopped by the new Adore Boutique in Traverse City and found cozy sweaters, leggings, and some gorgeous beauty products! The remodeled and rebranded shop is filled with women’s brands that we all love including my personal favorite yoga brand: Beyond Yoga! I was SO excited to see this brand carried locally at a Traverse City boutique! Their super-soft fabric and amazing fit makes them my go-to legging year round. A couple other great brands Adore carries are Cosabella and Lollia. In addition to seasonal items the store is stocked with high-end fashion basics, think stretchy tank tops and leggings that you wear practically everyday. Check out my pictures below to see some of the items they have in stock November 2020- Just in time for holiday shopping! Remember to support local as much as possible this time of year (and always), the money you spend goes directly back into our community!
It’s Wine Time on the Old Mission Peninsula! Northern Michigan is home to numerous wineries and wine regions to visit, one of my favorites areas is Old Mission, which is home to the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail- this region has 13 wineries to visit. Located on the Old Mission Peninsula, which is the peninsula of land that jets out between Traverse City’s two bays, East Bay & West Bay. All of these wineries are minutes from downtown Traverse City, obviously, the further you drive out on the peninsula, the further they are. Don’t fret, the drive down Center Road is fast and has spectacular views! You will fall in love with the scenery, the wine, and the people.
On a side note, there are multiple roadside farm stands filled with apples, pumpkins, honey, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Selection changes with the season and is always fresh! There are many wine tours and shuttle busses to hire to make the wine tasting experience enjoyable and safe.Here is a link to the Traverse City Tourism list of wine tours/busses. Read below for a few of my favorite wine stops on Old Mission Peninsula:
Mari Vineyards: The very first winery you will hit driving down Center Road on Old Mission is Mari Vineyards and I am a big fan! The winery itself is gorgeous with breathtaking views, great service, and makes a pretty good red wine for Michigan. After a tasting, grab a glass and sit outside!
Bonobo Winery: Restoration Hardware meets breathtaking views at this not to be missed winery. They offer tasting, tours, small plates, outdoor seating, a relaxing atmosphere, and views for days. Take a picture next to their enormous wall mural of a Bonobo for an Instagram worthy pic.
2 Lads Winery: Bold, modern, delicious. A bit of a drive, but worth it! If you can squeeze in a stop here, you will not be sorry.
Bowers Harbor Vineyards: On the top of my must-visit list is Bowers Harbor Vineyards, the entire location is gorgeous and inviting! You can make a reservation to sit outside in the summer or attend one of their many outdoor events and dinners throughout the year.
Brys Estate Vineyards: This winery has a great deck for outdoor tasting and cozy inside space for winter tastings. Upon entering the driveway, turn left for the winery, turn right for Brys “Secret Garden”, with blueberry picking, u-pick flowers, and lavender themed gift shop.
Chateau Chantal: This is a classic Old Mission Peninsula winery, simply driving up to the building will bring excitement! Beyond its beauty, there is so much to love about Chateau Chantal, it has a huge patio, extensive tasting menu, wine dinners, a B & B, and fun events throughout the year.
If possible, try to fit in a few more stops at these wineries on Old Mission Peninsula: Chateau Grand Traverse, Black Star Farms, Hawthorne Vineyards, Peninsula Cellars, Tabone Vineyards. Here is a link to a map of Old Mission Wine Trail and exact locations of where to find each stop. Open year-round, these gorgeous wineries are fun to visit any time of the year. Plan ahead and keep in mind that some locations charge a tasting fee and/or need reservations. Due to Covid many of these wineries have different restrictions and procedures than previous, so check out their websites for the latest info!
For those looking to add a food stop to their wine trail experience, pop into one of my favorite restaurants for a pint of beer at Jolly Pumpkin. For the beer enthusiast, I always order the award-winning ORO de Calabaza, try it out, and tell me what you think! If the Jolly Pumpkin is too busy (Saturday afternoons are crazy sometimes) a few other good spots are Old Mission Tavern,Mission Table,Bad Dog Deli,and Old Mission General Store. Looking for something a little fancier? Make a reservation at The Boathouse, which overlooks West Grand Traverse Bay and serves up oysters, steak, and the most delicious asparagus in town!
Inventor. Entrepreneur. Architect. Owner of ComenityMED, LLC.
Brittany Luea, inventor of medical women’s foot supports, produced by ComenityMED LLC. Photography by Scarlett Piedmonte Photography.
Meet Brittany Luea: Inventor, entrepreneur, architect, and owner of ComenityMED, LLC
Brittany Luea is looking out for females across the country with her latest invention, silicone foot supports. Sounds glamorous, right! Well, she invented these foot pads to make your yearly woman’s visit a little bit more comfortable. Find out more about the details of her story and process in the interview below. In addition to her impressive professional endeavors, she is a wife, a mom, and a dog mom of two. She always makes time for yoga, loves to read, and is an avid volunteer in the community.
Brittany Luea’s Foot Supports, produced by ComenityMED LLC. Photography by Scarlett Piedmonte Photography.
Brittany, what is your 30 second elevator story of who you are and what you do: I’m always fascinated by the question, “What do you do?” By trade, I’m an architect, but recently shifted gears to focus on co-founding comenityMED®, an innovative medical accessories company aimed at Pursuing Patient Comfort. comenityMED® manufactures patent pending Resilient® Professional Foot Supports for exam table stirrups that provide patient comfort and are easily sterilized between patients.
What makes you passionate about your product? I’m passionate about our product because it solves a simple but broad reaching problem in healthcare. Often times, medicine is not associated with comfort. Our products offer an alternative to traditional medical design that focus more on ergonomics. I love to make things and solve problems and by teaming up with a physician, we’re able to utilize our skills in medicine and design to provide innovative medical solutions.
How did you develop your idea? It’s kind of a funny story, but it all started with a simple dinner conversation. My friend, Autumn Bridger DO, shared an idea she had for exam table stirrup covers and we spent the evening brainstorming about materials and how it could work. I was excited that she wanted to team up with me to make it happen! Although it took a few years to bring it from concept to product, we knew that evening what we wanted it to be. We utilized 3d modeling and printing for a few of our prototypes, then eventually made a steel mold that we now use for our finished silicone products.
What is it like to run a small business out of Northern Michigan? I love it! I absolutely love living in Northern Michigan. Our products are available online and our distribution center is here in town. The best of both worlds!
Tell us about what you are looking forward to in the future. I’m looking forward to life after the pandemic. It’s been a great time to reflect and consider what direction we want to take going forward as a business. Based on the success of our first product, we know that our idea of providing serializable medical equipment that focuses on Pursuing Patient Comfort is here to stay!
How do you balance family and running a small business? It’s definitely a balancing act. My primary focus is always my family, but I’ve set up my work life in a way that allows me to enjoy the benefits of both.
How have you handled the current pandemic and Michigan Stay-at-Home orders? During the pandemic, my partner, Autumn, and I raised money to help provide over 700 masks for our community. Juliette at Posh in Traverse City helped to sew the majority of these (she deserves tons of credit here!) along with my business partner, Autumn. I gathered materials locally and along with Autumn, worked on fundraising. A team effort with great results!
Brittany Luea is a licensed Architect in the State of Michigan. She received her Master of Architecture with Distinction as well as her Bachelor of Science in Architecture from The University of Michigan. Brittany loves all things creative and innovative. Find more information about her Traverse City based company, ComenityMED, LLC on their website: www.comenitymed.com Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @comenitymed
This gorgeous Northern Migration Field Guide is a guided journal for travelers exploring Traverse city and Leelanau County. This beautifully written and compiled book doesn’t just list places to go… It only features the best of the best and even leaves spots for you to take notes during your journey. looking for a rainy day Museum fix? Number 74 features the Dennos Museum Center… “The children’s wing, although small, is a perfect for a couple hours of running around fine arts for adults and children alike.” Wondering where the best view in town is? Look no further than suggestion number 92 featuring a one of my favorite hikes named Pyramid Point- venture towards this trail and you will not be disappointed. I also fell in love with the way this field guide feels in my hands. It’s made of beautiful textured paper and illustrations inside, created by artist EM RANDALL, are uniquely beautiful and Scattered throughout the book. It should be mentioned that the contents of this book were curated and written by the stylish and talented Marissa Wege of Northern Migration. She’s not just an author but entrepreneur and owner of several air B and B’s in Leelanau County. Following her Instagram account at Northern migration and you will see her unique interior design style that seems to pop in every picture that is taken of her homes.
Save the Planet with a Silicone Straw from this traverse city company!!!
Discover: Stacey Feeley’s Silicone Straws
Stacey Feeley is a Traverse City entrepreneur and the owner/inventor of GoSili Products– Sold throughout the world! Here is one of here hottest new products- A reusable silicone straw that is dishwasher safe, sustainable, and folds into this useful tin, so you can take it anywhere! Send it with your kids to school or throw it in your purse for your next business lunch- Help make the world a little cleaner, one straw at a time! You can find these locally at Target, Meijer, Luckys and a lot of other stores- or shop online on Amazon.com or Gosili.com Here is a little more info on this innovative and useful product:
Perfect for on the go. This reusable eco-friendly silicone straw comes with a travel case and is the perfect solution when on the go. Never be without your straw again! The portable travel case fits right in your pocket, backpack, purse or bag. Smaller than a pack of gum, cheaper than a tin of mints, lasts longer than both and better for the environment! Easy to use and clean, both the straw and carry case are dishwasher safe.
As we prepare for autumn weather we are starting to think more about sweaters, knits, and soft pants… Well, Up North ladies, I think I have found your new favorite store! With fall coming in strong, Northern Michigan style gals have found their newest calling at Haven Boutique- a clothing market found in the Village at Grand Traverse Commonswhich is located in the Old State Hospital buildings in Traverse City, Michigan. Filled with casual clothing, perfect for Up North living. You can also find affordable necklaces, bags, earrings, and other adorable accessories that make perfect gifts. Owners Erin and Aaron Simon have created a space that is inviting and makes me want to purchase one of everything! She is the adorable lady standing behind the counter in the opening picture. Check out the images from my last trip and see for yourself…
to enjoy the benefits of both. 
