April 7th, 2010 by Kristen
Confection Perfection
Every once in a while I get a sweet craving…for something other than chocolate. Sometimes I like to have a dessert with a rich, buttery crust. An ooey, gooey, tart filling is a plus. Ooh! Don’t forget a heavy dusting of powdered sugar on top! “What on Earth could satisfy these 2pm snack desires?” you ask. The Underground Cheesecake Company’s Key Lime Bars could…and they did :)
Ahhh. A perfect compliment to coffee, these little babies are about as good as it gets. I wonder how well they go with Margaritas…
Yummy, Little Bites of Heaven
Tags: coffee, dessert, food, key lime, underground cheesecake, village at grand traverse commmons
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March 23rd, 2010 by Kristen
John grills like a pro.
So…I finally tried the Matterhorn Dinner @ TASTES of Black Star Farms in The Mercato. It was awesome! I told my friend, John, that I was giving him the gift of Matterhorn for Christmas (so I could try it, too), and we just recently got around to making a reservation.
Kevin & Caren brought us a huge plate full of ham, sausages, potatoes, bread, fresh veggies, apples, & Leelanau Cheese Company’s famous raclette cheese, along with some pearl onions, pickles & garlic to cleanse our palates. Each of us were also given 3 (very generous) samples of wine. And…we were off!
In no time, we had the grill loaded up with lots of goodies, and flipped them while we sipped our wine. After the food was browned to our liking, we stuffed the raclette into the melting pans, and slid them under the grill. This, my friends, is where the magic happens. Raclette is delicious pretty much anytime, but when it’s melted, it’s heavenly. So, we unloaded the grill onto our plates, and poured the cheese all over everything. A dash of salt; a few turns of the pepper grinder…hold on, I’m still chewing…AMAZING!!! I believe my favorite “taste combo” was bread + apple + cheese + pepper. Mmmm.
Dinner was so much fun :) We grilled, we drank, we ate, & we laughed, never bothering anyone, since we were nestled in a semi-secluded nook inside the tasting room. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who would like more of a hands-on adventure for dinner. It’s reminiscent of a fondue party, but with pouring rather than dunking.
Dinner for 2 is $50, and includes all of the aforementioned items. The tables can seat up to 6. Reservations are recommended, due to limited seating. Stop by TASTES or call 231.944.1349 to reserve your table. It’s so yummy.
Tags: black star farms, food, leelanau cheese, mercato, raclette, wine
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March 11th, 2010 by Kristen
Spring is officially here, in The Village at Grand Traverse Commons. The famous, yellow ”Cottage 20 Crocus” has come up through the cold earth, to let us know that we can start planning for warm weather! It’s always exciting to see this little glimpse of color, when the snow begins to melt away.
I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but it just reminds me of the fun we’ll have this summer…music on the Left Foot Charley patio, outdoor festivals galore, watching the community garden flourish, the Bocce Tournament & Frisbee on the Front Lawn. Ahhhh. I can’t wait!
Tags: bocce, events, festival, front lawn, garden, left foot charley, live music, outdoor, village at grand traverse commmons
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March 3rd, 2010 by Kristen
Lisa’s Luscious Salad from The Silvertree Deli in The Mercato is just that. Luscious. As a (mostly) health conscious person, I am always in the market for a great salad. My #1 concern, is always “stuff.” “Is there a lot of stuff in that salad,” I ask. Well, the answer here is plain to see…yeah, there’s a lot of stuff. With just the right mix of Romaine lettuce, chicken breast, dried cherries, pine nuts, and feta cheese, this salad’s got it goin’ on. Just splash on the balsamic vinaigrette, and the package is complete: Sweet, salty & sour = the perfect taste combo.
I’m thinking, perhaps, that this could be Traverse City’s signature salad. After all, it does utilize the Cherry Capital’s favorite fruit.
Tags: food, health, mercato, salad, silvertree, traverse city
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March 1st, 2010 by Mini
The Village at Grand Traverse Commons & the Great Indoor Farmers Market present “You Art What you Eat” Edible Art Show on Saturday, March 6th during market hours, from 10am to 2pm in The Mercato. View displays of outrageously delicious art, made entirely of edibles, created by local farmers, Village merchants, artists, and chefs. Enter your silent-auction bids to take home select consumable artwork, and purchase tickets at $1 each to cast votes for Best in Category and Best of Show. ALL proceeds benefit local food banks.
From 11:00 to 1:00, Grand Traverse Pie Company presents “Kids Make & Take” Road Show in Suite 25. Children learn about local agriculture, while handcrafting their very own pie! Donations (optional) support our local foster youth. Also bid on a gigantic GTPC Pie, a 7-pie equivalent, and either take it home or we’ll happily bring it to our local Goodwill Inn! Great fun for the entire family!
Tags: art, charity, events, farmers market, food, mercato, village at grand traverse commmons
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February 25th, 2010 by Kristen
Johnny, Jimmy & Greg are making it happen in Building 61.
Big things are happening in the Former TC State Hospital Upholstery Shop (Building 61)! The middle floor is being modified for Centennial Wealth Advisory, LLC and founder/principal, Michael Reese, who will be moving in this spring. Walls are now being erected to create office spaces for Mike and his crew. We love getting new neighbors!
Building 61 is one of my personal faves…it’s the big, square building with all the cool ivy growing up the side. Plus, it’s right next door to The Underground Cheesecake Company :) Yum!
Don't worry...we're getting new windows.
The Garden Level & Top Level are still available in this awesome building. The floor plan is very open (by original design), and would make a beautiful dance studio, antiques store…or pretty much anything you can imagine. We build to suit, so the sky’s the limit. Don’t forget: we’re in a Renaissance Zone…tons of tax incentives! Click here for more info.
Heave ho!
Tags: floor plan, michael reese, office space, rehabilitation, renaissance zone, renovation, state hopital, underground cheesecake, village people
Posted in Moving Forward, Tax Incentives, Village Campus | No Comments »
February 18th, 2010 by Kristen
Fresh & Hot from the Oven!
Calling all Foodies & Pizza Lovers! Being the pizza connoisseur that I am, I can tell you that this is some good stuff. Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery is now offering delicious Italian-style, hearth baked pizzas, crafted from all organic flours and the finest toppings. Not only are these pies baked with wholesome ingredients, they are also made with love :)
Currently, you can purchase Pleasanton’s yummy, artisan pizzas on Saturdays, from Noon to 6pm. $8 will get you a 10″ pie to split with someone you really like, or hog down all by yourself. BEWARE: If you attempt to eat one of these babies straight out of the oven, you will most certainly burn your tongue, rendering your tastebuds useless for the remainder of the experience. So, try to wait a couple minutes…it’s not gonna be easy.
Tags: artisan, food, Foodies, italian, pizza, pleasanton, traverse city
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February 12th, 2010 by Kristen
All together, now.
You (all of you) are invited to The 2nd Annual Great Indoor Folk Festival…and best of all, IT’S FREE!
Last year’s fest was a ball…we had folks of all ages roaming The Mercato halls, listening, singing along, and dancing to the merry tunes. It was quite a spectacle. We are expecting tomorrow’s event to be even better; an additional stage has been added at Left Foot Charley, so more great musicians will be able to play. 60 musicians, to be exact. The rest of the stages (Soloist, Duo, Band, Kids, & Open Mike) will be scattered all along The Mercato in Building 50. Food & beverages will be available for purchase from Cuppa Joe, The Silvertree Deli, TASTES of Black Star Farms, Trattoria Stella, Sweet Asylum, Pleasanton Bakery, The Underground Cheesecake Co, Left Foot Charley, and Higher Grounds. We will also be hosting “Hotdogs for Haiti,” which will benefit the people of Haiti (of course.)
So, for all of you with Cabin Fever, or just a hankering for some good, organic music, come on over to The Village this Saturday, 12-5:30pm. It will be fun, free, and family friendly :)
Facebook Event Page - Musician Schedule (See page 37)
Tags: b50, black star farms, cuppa joe, dancing, events, folk festival, food, free, higher grounds, hotdogs for haiti, indoor festival, left foot charley, live music, mercato, pleasanton, silvertree, sweet asylum, trattoria stella, underground cheesecake, village at grand traverse commmons
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February 5th, 2010 by Kristen
Indoor Farmers Market (10am-2pm)
As always, local farmers bring a wide selection of deliciously wholesome produce and farm products to The Mercato. Take home the freshest apples, salad greens, and earthy crops. Savor the taste of delicious jams and jellies, artisan cheese, farm-fresh milk, cream and eggs, free-range meats, and the best croissants in town! Plus: Silvertree Deli will have 10% off wine and Pleasanton starts baking pizzas @ noon!
Pac Choi, Bok Choy, & Pak Choi are all different spellings for the same vegetable. Whichever name you use, it's the ultimate green veggie for stir-fries.
Cooking Demos @ TASTES (11am & Noon)
Stop by TASTES of Black Star Farms, during the Farmers Market for free, farm-fresh cooking demonstrations! Their visiting chef will be preparing a delectable dish using local ingredients, with a recipe to go. Taste test the dish with a wine sample for $3. 231.944.1349
Come visit Kevin @ TASTES...he's always good for a story, and he can tell you exactly how they get those pears in the bottles.
Essential Oil & Aromatherapy Class (3-4pm)
Anna Sangemino from Creation Farm is offering a free class, to educate you in the use of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. Normally these free classes are held on Friday, but due to popular demand, Anna had decided to offer an encore presentation! The topic: Coping with the dryness of Winter heating, and comforting all your body’s systems during the dry, indoor winter season. Class will be held in Suite 25 in The Mercato, by The Silvertree Deli. 231.352.9600
Lavender is one of the many essential oils for health & well being, that Creation Farm offers.
See you in The Mercato!
Tags: black star farms, class, creation farm, demo, events, farmers market, food, free, mercato, pizza, pleasanton, silvertree, village at grand traverse commmons, wine
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