The windchill may be dipping below zero, but LAKE country’s still got plenty of sizzle. From the best baked oatmeal to the top caviar, from eco-conscious designers to strolling carolers, here’s the list that can’t be missed this winter.
By Lucinda Hahn, Derek Smith and Megan Waitkoff From the December/January 2008 Issue
Godly Goods We got the dish from Chicago’s Tel-Aviv Kosher Bakery on Hanukkah’s traditional, tasty treats.
Treemendous Perhaps more than any other season, Christmas is beholden to tradition.
Guiding Light Tom and Julie Burke soak up ample open space and unparalleled Lake Michigan views at their all-season Long Beach cottage.
‘Tis the Season Come December, The Village Shoppes in
New Carlisle are transformed into a real-life Department 56 Christmas village.
Lake Magazine covers the hottest information on the Lake Michigan area.
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1 Conscious Caterer
Greg Christian got hooked on organic five years ago: His daughter’s asthma was alleviated after a switch to an organic diet. Since then, Greg Christian Catering and Events has focused on organic, locally-grown fare. It’s this commitment to fresh, sustainable meals that sets the business apart from the rest. The innovative menu includes hors d’oeuvres like shrimp in a guajillo sauce and dishes like tequila lime chicken. Greg Christian Catering and events, 1103 W. Grand Ave., Chicago; 312-666-4466; gregchristian.com/home.html
2 Wild Ride
Nothing celebrates the beauty of nature in winter like an old-fashioned horse-drawn sleigh ride. Thanks to Mick and Judy at Bitter-Sweet Acres in Bloomingdale, Mich., you can bring along your significant other or the whole family for a ride – they have small, medium and large sleighs, not to mention plenty of blankets to keep you warm. Mister Ed, Wilber and the rest of the gorgeous Belgian Geldings dash through the forests of the farm property. Bitter-Sweet Acres, 12960 CR 665, Bloomingdale, Mich.; 269-521-6584; bitter-sweetacres.com
3 Pizza King
Locals up and down Red Arrow Highway know the perfect pie can be had at Capozio’s in Harbert, Mich. The second-generation owners make a special blend of mozzarella and brick cheese, not to mention their own homemade crusts in four different thicknesses. Take one home for supper next to the fire. Capozio’s Restaurant, 13982 Red Arrow Highway, Harbert, Mich.; 269-469-4001
4 Posh Pad
From cork flooring to hypoallergenic bamboo linens, the swank CityFlats Hotel marries style and sustainability effortlessly: Its sleek, mod look is backed up with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and each of the 56 rooms was designed differently. Floor-to-ceiling windows, walk-in tile showers and deep soaking tubs are the standard in each dig. They’re also teched out: You can find iPod docking radios, touch-screen phones, high-speed wireless internet and HDTVs with DIRECTV in every room. cityflats hotel, 61 E. 7th St., Holland, Mich.; 616-796-2100; cityflatshotel.com
5 Luxe Lunching
Caviar? In Muskegon? That’s right, and you can get it at Mia & Grace, the hot new bakery and bistro in downtown Muskegon, Mich. “Farm-to-table” chefs Jeremy and Jamie Paquin opt for a fresh, sustainable approach to lunch and breakfast and make everything – down to the crackers you get with your soup – in house. Try the grass-fed burger on a homemade lavender bun or the fried goat cheese served on mixed greens with a mustard vinaigrette. The cold cucumber soup, muffaletta sandwich and beet ravioli are delightful, while high-end fare like quail, escargot and, yes, caviar, is downright decadent.
Mia & Grace, 1133 Third St., Muskegon, Mich.; 231-725-8500; miaandgrace.com
6 Center Stage
The Indiana Ballet Theatre NW showcases the most captivating talent of the region – and for this year’s production of The Nutcracker, the company’s pulling out all the stops. In collaboration with countless studios throughout northwest Indiana, the show will feature more than 150 performers, both adults and children, all doing pirouettes and port de bras to lead Clara and her prince through the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
The Nutcracker, produced by the Indiana Ballet Theatre NW Inc., held at Star Plaza Theatre, 8001 Delaware Place, Merrillville, Ind. Wed., Dec. 3; Thurs., Dec. 4. 7 p.m. 219-791-1234; starplazatheatre.com
7 Romantic Retreat
Snuggle up under a down comforter next to a roaring fire, or enjoy a hot bath with rose petals, Aveda bath salts and a glass of sparkling wine. They’re both options at the Inn at Black Star Farms; so are in-room massages and access to the sauna and Jacuzzi room. Avoid cabin fever and grab your skis or snowshoes – the inn sits on 160 acres traversed with trails. Then recuperate with a visit to Black Star Farms’ on-site winery for a one-on-one tasting, or visit its creamery where you can watch cheese-makers in their natural habitat. Horse-lovers can board their steeds at the stables and enjoy a brisk ride through northern Michigan’s winter wonderland. Inn at black star farms, 10844 E. Revold Rd., Suttons Bay, Mich.; 231-944-1250; blackstarfarms.com
8 Sweet Dreams
From eye-catching chocolate sculptures to itty bitty bonbons, the gourmet creations at Vanille Pâtisserie in Chicago will send you soaring on a sweet sugar high. Owner Dimitri Fayard was part of Team USA's gold medal win at the 2008 World Pastry Championships in September. He and his wife, Keli, also a master pastry chef, have combined Old World ways – making everything by hand – with a new-millennium website, so many of their creations can be ordered online. Vanille PÂtisserie, 2229 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago; 773-868-4574; vanillepatisserie.com
9 Photo Opp
Richard Avedon began his career taking photos of street performers in 1940s Italy; now, four years after his death, he’s regarded as one of the greatest camera portraitists of the 20th century. From portraits of celebrities like Gerald Ford, The Beatles and Louis Armstrong, to shots of Napalm victims in Vietnam, to high-fashion work in Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, Avedon’s art is a visual story of American history. Check out 80 of the artist’s photographs in “Richard Avedon: Larger than Life” at the Grand Rapids Art Museum through Jan. 4. grand rapids art museum, 101 Monroe Center, Grand Rapids; 616-831-1000; gramonline.org
10 Designer Dude
Kyle Baker knows about running fast and designing green: A former Olympic hopeful and Michigan Runner of the Year, he’s the new interior designer for hip, eco-conscious Integrated Architecture in Grand Rapids. And he’s making waves – he nabbed top honors at the 2008 Emerging Green Builders Design Competition for his design “Left Coast” for the LEED renovation of Brookside Elementary in Grand Rapids. With a clean, modern and inviting style, Baker’s ahead of the pack, even off the track. Kyle baker, Integrated Architecture, 4090 Lake Dr., Grand Rapids; 800-698-9493, 616-574-0220; intarch.com
11 Stunning Slopes
Downhill skiing is a rush in itself, but skiing parallel to the Lake Michigan coast is an out-of-body experience. On 8 – count ‘em, 8 – trails at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore – adjacent to the luxe Homestead Resort – you can almost reach out and touch it. The 15 downhill runs that tackle the resort’s Bay Mountain terrain aren’t half bad either. The Homestead Resort, Wood Ridge Road, Glen Arbor, Mich. 231-334-5100; http://thehomesteadresort.com
12 Village Rising
O little town of Sawyer, Mich., how quaint and cute you are. We’re in love with its one-street downtown, lined with new places like clubby restaurant Fitzgerald’s, the Sawyer Market (with its shelves of organic food), and Elizabeth Coyne's contemporary art gallery, featuring her rich, multilayered paintings. Combined with long-time standouts like dressmaker Catherine Doll’s firehouse-turned-shop-and-
studio, Sawyer’s an old town that’s new again. At Red Arrow and Sawyer roads, turn right and drive about a mile. Or exit 12 off I-94.
13 Art Attack
Set up camp from the winter snow at the quirky Coffee Gallery. Previously a flower shop, the space graciously displays sculptures, glasswork and pottery, among other media, from local, national and international artists. (The gallery regularly features the works of Jane Seymour.) Feel free to sip a mocha while pondering the paintings. Coffee Gallery, 17750 N. Fruitport Rd., Spring Lake, Mich.; 616-850-9500; coffeegallery.net
14 Baked Oatmeal
It’s not your mother’s oatmeal: This dainty dish of creamy goodness served up at Luisa’s, the uber-popular café in Harbert, Mich., has heaven baked right in. Owner Vivian May prepares thick, organic rolled-oat oatmeal with milk, cream, brown sugar and honey, then bakes it in its individual dish. Served piping hot with dried cherries on the side, the concoction tastes like a delectable dessert. You’d never know it’s good for you – and in our book, that’s a good thing. Luisa’s Café, 13698 Red Arrow Highway, Harbert, Mich.; 269-469-9037
15 Holiday Happenin’s
Kick-start your holiday spirit at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, where 300,000 lights, strolling carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides, Santa visits, and more than 40 international trees capture the season’s joy. New this year is the display of 50 santons – literally, “little saints” – that are part of typical nativity scenes in France. The fun runs through January 4. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E. Beltline ave. NE, Grand Rapids; 616-957-1580; meijergardens.org
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