Orange on Blue

It’s official!  The Village is coming alive with the yellows, oranges and reds that we’ve come to expect during this time of year.  Whether you’re here to shop, dine, or make good use of our fabulous trail system, you’ll be in for an ocular treat.

Red Beauty

Take pictures…LOTS of pictures!  The brick buildings on campus, nestled in the colorful, seasonal backdrop, are quite stunning. 

Autumn @ LFC

No fall excursion to The Village would be complete without some hot cocoa, coffee, hard cider, or mulled wine from one of our fine purveyors of beverage.

Rainbow Ivy

Before long, however, the vibrant spectacle will give way to bare branches…the very reason we call this season fall.  Don’t fret!  You can still enjoy the crunching leaves underfoot, as you scuffle your way inside to warm yourself up :)

End of Autumn

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.

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)

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!

Snowshoeing on the Village Lawn

Looking for something fun to do with the fam?  Something to rid you of that Cabin Fever?  Something FREE??? 

Come on over to our place!  We have a huge front lawn & a GIANT back yard (480 acres of preserved parkland), perfect for snowshoeing, hiking, skiing, sledding, snow sculpture building, dog walking, and more.  Plus, we’re right in town…closer than you think.

Man-made Mountains for Sledding

Occasionally, while hiking along Kid’s Creek, you can catch a glimpse of rabbits, woodpeckers and other birds, or even deer.  Our wildlife is pretty tame…Lucy the squirrel may even walk up and ask for a Payday.  (She’s a bit spoiled.)

Pileated Woodpeckers

After you’ve had your winter fun, you can warm up with a coffee or cocoa from Cuppa Joe or Higher Grounds, some vino at Left Foot Charley or TASTES of Black Star Farms, or some hot, homemade soup from The Silvertree Deli or Underground Cheesecake Company :)  Happy trails!