S. Nicole Lane

Third spaces offer a quieter kind of health—built on gathering, listening, learning and lingering together.
In 1989, urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third space” to describe the informal places we gather beyond home and work. First place is home. Second place is the workplace. Third spaces live in between—neutral, accessible, informal environments where people come as they are, without obligation or agenda. Think: neighborhood coffee shops, dog parks, libraries, gyms. These a...

Starting east to west—shop ‘til you drop in this historic downtown.
The Icons
Traverse City’s downtown stretch brims with historic storefronts—many of them among the first to line Front St. Step into Nolan’s Cigar Bar, which began selling pipes and tobacco in 1978 before officially opening its bar in 2015. Settle in for a legal indoor smoke with a drink. Wander the stacked levels of Horizon Books, a downtown and gathering spot since 1961, tucked inside the former J.C. Penny building, where ne...

Cherry growers are turning to American kestrels—tiny raptors with a big appetite for pest birds—to reduce crop damage. These petite predators might just be part of food safety’s new frontier.
Bees move through blossoms; tractor tires press soft tracks into the soil and the scent of sweet fruit rides the breeze. High above the geometry of tart cherry rows, a small raptor hangs in the sky and scans the landscape. Hovering mid-air, it bolts its beady eyes on the ground—hunting, searching for any...

By Cara McDonald and Nicole Lane
These lesser-known hikes each offer a deeper kind of Northwoods experience—the sort where the loudest sound is wind in the trees and your boots on the trail.
Mason Tract Pathway, Grayling area
Just southeast of Grayling, the Mason Tract Pathway traces nearly nine miles through one of Northern Michigan’s most storied conservation landscapes. The 4,493-acre Mason Tract was gifted to the state with strict protections to preserve the wild character of the South Br...

Here are five flavor-packed ways to make the most of Northern Michigan’s favorite wild spring ingredient.
By Matthew Dursum and Nicole Lane
Ramp season feels like a secret handshake—blink, and you’ll miss it. But those in the know are already out foraging and filling market bags. It’s one of the first signs that spring has arrived. And guess what, we made it. They’re pungent, a little unruly and not subtle—but that’s the whole point. Toss them into eggs, fold them into butter, blitz them in s...

From gorpcore to coastal gran, the internet’s favorite aesthetics have been standard issue Up North for generations.
By Nicole Lane and Cara McDonald
We hate to break it to the internet, but Northern Michigan didn’t just dabble in “gorpcore” or flirt with “old money.” We invented the vibe, often with a Thermos in hand. What’s trending now has been hanging in mudrooms, stuffed in beach totes and passed down between generations for decades. Here’s your cheat code.
Gorpcore
We’ve been doing gorp...

Our editors’ best picks for plates worth the trip.
By Matthew Dursum, Nicole Lane and Cara McDonald
Breakfast Sammy, Ames Street Café, Elk Rapids
Fried egg, sharp cheddar, pesto mayo on house-made focaccia that has its own fan following—this is savory set on slabs of bread heaven. In fact, the word is so out on the focaccia here that there’s always a batch in proof, and most orders head out of the kitchen with it riding plate-side on any breakfast option. The quality is par for the course wit...

Vintage retail expert Carla Weaver shares how to shop smarter, style better and give old pieces new life.
If you’ve ever brought home a vintage find only to have it feel off—you’re not alone. What looks effortlessly curated in a shop can read as mismatched in your living room. That’s where Traverse City vintage retail expert Carla Weaver comes in.
During her 20-year tenure as an elementary school teacher, she spent her free time painting furniture and selling it in different stores in town. E...

NoMI marks Earth Day with a week of hands-on events that celebrate community and conservation.
As winter finally thaws, spring rushes in and communities across the tree-lined, water-rich landscape come together to celebrate and honor the land, lakes and wildlife that define life Up North. It’s also a chance for us to pitch in, make a difference or simply breathe in the fresh spring air. Here’s where to start.
Cadillac Earth Day, April 19, 1–3 pm
Cadillac kicks off Earth Week at The Market at ...

We selected seven must-watch features and short films rooted in the outdoors and driven by curiosity at the very first Fresh Coast Film Festival in Traverse City, where indie cinema, nature stories and trailblazing characters come to life.
Fresh Coast Film Festival has always been more than a film festival. It’s a celebration of wild places, big ideas and people who chase both. Launched in 2016 in Marquette, the grassroots gathering carved out a niche in the Midwest by spotlighting independen...

At Traverse City Guitar Company, customers can fully customize handmade instruments that they can linger over, discovering the art behind every strum.
This article first appeared in Traverse Northern Michigan. Find this story and more when you explore our magazine library. Want Traverse delivered to your door or inbox monthly? View our print subscription and digital subscription options.
On an unassuming stretch of Cass Rd. in Traverse City stands something increasingly rare: a storefront whe...

Guide Julie Den Uyl helps people slow down and reconnect with nature—revealing the quiet landscape of Sleeping Bear Dunes and how it can offer healing, memory and meaning. This article first appeared in the March 2026 edition Traverse Northern Michigan as part of our North Stars feature, highlighting local changemakers who heal through the power of nature and the land. It’s one installment in a five-part series—read them all here.

Julie Den Uyl’s relationship with nature began the day she cam...

Native herbalist and healer Nathan Wright transmutes communication with the natural world into medicine, activism and a living legacy of land-based healing.
This article first appeared in the March 2026 edition Traverse Northern Michigan as part of our North Stars feature, highlighting local changemakers who heal through the power of nature and the land. It’s one installment in a five-part series—read them all here.
One of Nathan Wright’s earliest memories begins in a patch of clover, where h...

Renters face soaring prices, fleeting listings and fierce competition in Northern Michigan. Here’s how to still find ways to make it work.
This article first appeared in Traverse Northern Michigan. Find this story and more when you explore our magazine library. Want Traverse delivered to your door or inbox monthly? View our print subscription and digital subscription options.
When I decided to move to Traverse City, I didn’t resort to leaving flowers or baking cupcakes to prove we were ideal ...

Consensual non-consent, or CNC, is a form of sexual roleplay in which partners stimulate scenarios where consent appears absent. Still, in reality, all elements are negotiated and agreed upon in advance. The foundation of CNC is full trust, a mutual understanding of boundaries, and a clear “stop” system that overrides the roleplay at any moment. With CNC sex, consent is always real and ongoing.