Showing posts with label Hop Lot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hop Lot. Show all posts

FALL UP NORTH...A LEAF PEEPING TRIP & MORE

Fall and the color changing leaves in northern Michigan is something to behold! For some reason, everything just seems more vibrant in upper Michigan. This has been a good year for leaf peeping! Every year, Mr. Nine and I go up to our home away from home in northern Michigan to see the leaves but the majority of the time it is always super windy, super cold and very rainy. We got completely lucky this time and had beautiful sunshiny weather in the 60s. It was so perfect for everything “FALL” we wanted to do. Here’s a little Fall trip recap. Might be the most photos I've had in a post, lol.



The "Oranges" and Reds were amazing!!

THURSDAY

I love when we take our sweet time getting to destinations and stopping off at fun little places. I really wanted a coffee that wasn’t Starbucks, lol we found the neatest little coffee shop in Holland Michigan and of course had to go in a couple of downtown stores. This town is very charming And we’re going to go up more often. 


We also have never been to a tiny little hole in the wall Tavern about 20 minutes south of our town in all these years. It’s called the Blue Slipper and who wouldn’t want to go to someplace with a title like that. Can I say that we were extremely impressed. The couple that bought it and took over this place rich in history (dating back to the 1880’s) are the sweetest and you can tell this place is the loved by locals and tourists alike. The drink I had was actually called the blue slipper.


Then it was just a simple dinner at the place we always go to our first night in town, strolling around seeing things like the giant pumpkin and then a gorgeous sunset for our first night.





 

FRIDAY

We had such a fun day. It started out at another hole in the wall breakfast spot that was delicious, in fact I devoured it so fast, I forgot to get a picture of my pumpkin pancakes, lol. Mr. Nine and I are working with the fabulous clothing company flag and anthem so we found a great fall spot to make a video and get some pictures. Bless his heart!


The leaf viewing was incredible everyday.

Of course we have to get in lots of hikes when we are up there so we did a fun one that took us right to the shores of Lake Michigan. Now this day it was very windy on the shore but it didn’t even matter with that warmth.

 

Next up, was the outdoor in the woods brewery we found last year in Suttons Bay called Hop Lot! Oh my goodness we had so much fun sitting around the fire. This place is truly phenomenal and I even roasted marshmallow as they sell cute little s’mores kits.



Once again on the way back we decided to fly by the seat of our pants and ended up at a winery called Rove! I had the most delicious warm fall cider and the grounds with the trees and the vineyards was truly amazing up on the hill.

 

Then we decided to go to a little town at a restaurant we have been to before called the Lucky Dog and boy am I glad I did because I got what was called a Reese-Tini that tasted just like a Reese's peanut butter cup.

 

We went back and I went for a quick walk thru town to do a little walk and talk and then we curled up and watched the movie Lou on Netflix with Allison Janney if you have not seen it, it is so good!


Saturday

This was the big adventure day. We planned on having breakfast at our favorite tavern in the town we were going to hike and called Jose friendly Tavern but it didn’t open till 11 so actually we were really glad we got our hike in first. The Empire Bluff Trail is one of our favorite up there because the views are spectacular.



Can I just say I had a cocktail at 11 AM and I’m not mad about it because it was one of the most delicious I’ve ever had! It was called a poison apple and it had a black sugar rim filled with apple cider, fireball and cranberry juice! Oh my was it ever delicious. and I got the Fall special which was butternut squash bisque and sharp white cheddar and honeycrisp apple grilled on oat bread.
 

Then it was kayaking down the Platte river and what a perfect day for him. There was hardly anybody else doing it the weather was spectacular and we marveled at God‘s beauty all the way down the two hour trek.




We stopped off at Frankz and had Michigan’s best french fries!! 


Then got ready for dinner and what we thought was the football game. 

Dinner was at a new restaurant in town called the old town grill and we split one of the best pulled pork sandwiches ever. Really cool aesthetic in there.

 

We had decided we were going to go to the football game in town because the team was so good, we had an acquaintance there whose son played, and it was the perfect football weather. However, maxpreps had stated that the game was on Saturday night which is not unusual for Michigan high school football but when we got there the only person who’s the guy in town who picks up cans, lol! I went back and looked at the website and it had been on Friday night even though we had double checked six times I think they had made a mistake and we were kind of bummed.

But another great sunset in the neighboring town made a smile and we went back and played some rummy and started watching the Dahmer series on Netflix. Gosh that’s disturbing but very interesting to watch.

 

SUNDAY

The next morning, or last day Mr. Nine chilled with some coffee while I went on a brisk fall morning walk again marveling at all the beautiful leaves in town.

 

We stopped off at to farm market stands for apples and squash and then on the way back decided to stop in Holland again and eat at the new Holland brewing company and it was absolutely delicious!


It was kind of funny, when we returned home, we stated that the leaves in our area just seem to be more muted in color. I guess that’s one of the things that makes our trips up north more special, I was so in awe of the leaves and their changing beauty, Fall just makes me giddy! Bu then look athlete color we got back home the next morning.


Happy to get home and see our girl Miss Stella who had had a wonderful time with grandma. Already thinking about next Fall and hoping we get lucky with the weather again.


LINKING-UP with What's Up Wednesday // Style on the Daily // Metamorphosis Monday // Thursday Fashion Files // Love your Creativity  //Fancy Friday 

xoxo 



 

 

 

 

FRIDAY FAVORITES..VACAY PART 2...WITHOUT KIDS

Happy Friday friends! So today, I’m sharing our vacation recap after the kids left when it was just my sweet Mr. Nine and I! On Wednesday, I shared some more of my vacation outfits. I took some dressier things but truly it is just so laid-back. We were sad they left, but we definitely enjoyed our time together without any place to be footloose and fancy free, lol!

 

1. Carefree Day & Fireworks

On the day the kids left, we were Out and About.

We went for a walk to our traditional conundrum Café for a crème Brulé frappe for me and beer for Mr. Nine. We had the best french fries in the state of Michigan at Frankz hot dog place, had a ball talking to the owner Joe, Got silly in the Grocery Store, met Mike who is a big Instagram star and works for the Harbor Lights Resort up there while he was helping wrangle a snake that was in the water that wasn’t even a water snake, lol. ( I won't show you the photo of the snake)


My View when getting ready...


Like I mentioned last week, the fireworks got rained out on the 4th so Mr. Nine and I watched them from the deck of our place of the lake the following evening and I have to say, they were spectacular!


2. Sutton's Bay
Every year when we go on a vacation, we take a day trip somewhere! Up north Michigan is literally a plethora for fabulous little lake towns and Sutton’s Bay did not disappoint! It was so darling! We did a little shopping, had a little lunch, and found with us now our favorite brewery that’s far in our years of brewery hopping, lol….


3. Hop Lot

OK, whoever created this place north of Traverse City is absolutely genius! I just wanted to stay there and camp out, LOL! You can get Smore‘s kits for all the open fire pits, they have the most wonderful food that we didn’t know about so we just after for drinks but we will definitely be headed back up there sometime. It is just cooler that I can even note. I think all of you whether you like breweries or not would love this place there were a lot of kids there and they had cute little areas like this one that I got for the web for kids to play.

In fact, before we got the photo, a little boy told me that this was “his” restaurant, lol




4. Kayaking 

We literally have the most beautiful day for kayaking the two-hour truck down the Platte River! It was the perfect temperature, and we went early enough that it had not gotten too busy yet! Talk about true serenity!




Then we sat and had some snacks and found a neat little beach area that we had not known about. Our plan was to go back the next morning but unfortunately it rained. Next we were headed to...


5. Sleeping Bear Dunes Climb

We have not climbed the sand dune in years and in fact, it has been even longer for me because one year when the boys wanted to do it, I refused because it was 95° and the sand was scorching. Needless to say, they didn’t go very far but this time Mr. Nine and I made it up to the peak and what a view! Sleeping bear dunes has been noted as one of the most beautiful places in the United States. It is truly a sight to behold.


 
Side-note, the kayaking, and dune climb were done in the same day and by the time we were done at the dunes I truly looked my absolute worst but Mr. Nine decided it would be nice to have an early bird dinner so we could chill in the condo the rest of the night. I had no make-up with me, but we went to our favorite hole in the wall called Joe’s Friendly Tavern and I didn’t even care, now that is relaxed and vacationing, lol!
 
Wrapping it up..
There wasn’t much to report on our last day, like I said we got rained out for our original plans in the morning, so we just had a nice little lunch at the storm cloud, sat on the beach for a couple hours, ate our traditional Friday Fish from the Port house in the park, ate ice cream and got to enjoy a Friday evening concert in the park as well! Then it was a beautiful sunset night and a running game of rummy on the porch.

Like Diamonds by Day...Fire at night!

....And on the Way home..last walk & view of our Lighthouse, then clouds part with Beauty in the Bay and a Stop at the Farmer's Market for flowers.



Truly our favorite place on Earth!
Happy Weekend!

Linking up with  Friday Favorites  // Metamorphosis Monday
xoxo


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