Mike's Birthday on Mackinac Island

We  celebrated Mike's birthday, Sept 24, on Mackinac Island at the Grand Hotel.  The hotel is celebrating 125 years of hospitality and looked better than ever.
We had a bit of a rough ride over in big seas, so big the boats did not go over from Mackinaw City so we had to cross the windy bridge and leave from St. Ignace.  The bridge crossing was adventure as the bridge can sway 40 ft in high winds and was limited to one lane traffic and 20 miles an hr.
The island was lovely and still blooming.  We walked the small town, checked in and got ready for dinner in the Salle a Manger. Hotel has been updated by Carlton Varney who loves his colors!
A 5 course dinner was served and we enjoyed J sparking wine and Merry Edwards Pinot Noir. A 4 piece band played lovely music at dinner.  We then moved to the ballroom for dancing to another live band.  They play Elvis to Andy Williams to more modern tunes and we danced away the night. If that was not enough we enjoyed a card game with our friends the Dahl's who accompanied us to the island, in the Trophy Room off the lobby.  Thehotel served a lovely breakfast in the Salle and we headed off to see more of the town and head back to the dock.

We visited the icebreaker Mackinaw at port and headed to Hack-Ma-Tack Inn for a lovely prime rib dinner and more wine of course! The restaurant was a hunting lodge built in 1894.  Charming and on the Cheboyan River. Whew!

Harvest Stompede

We spent 2 days and visited about 15 wineries in Leelanau County, MI.  Each winery had a featured wine and paired it with a small plate of food. They were serving rieslings with brats and saurkraut, pino grigio with caprese salad, gazpacho with pino grigio, blanc de noir with corn arepas and venison sausage.  Lots of fun, good wine, ( while mostly white) and great day for touring.  It was sunny both days and high 60's.  We joined Dave Smith and his GM gang along with Suzanne Dahl on Sat and Jackie Jason joined on Sunday.  Photos are of 45 North,  and Willow .

Post Labor Day blues

Well, it still feels like summer but many boats are out and docks too.  No traffic around the lake and some leaves are turning color. The berries are gone and apples are ready to pick.  Corn is gone all too soon also.

This weekend is the Stompede on Leelanau peninsula and we will taste foods and wines from 16 wineries.  It is time for the grapes to be harvested and wine to be drunk!

We will stay longer this year but there is still a bit of sadness to fall as winter is not far behind.