1. ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Catlin Whitington, previously a planner for South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, could not turn down the opportunity to helm ArtPrize, an international art competitors and occasion held every year in Grand Rapids. “It integrates my enthusiasms for art, triggering a city environment in an inclusive and accessible way, and building community capacity and cultural tourist,” Whitington says.
2. Indigenous Food Labor Market, Minneapolis
It can be hard to get an appointment at Owamni, chef Sean Sherman’s in-demand restaurant, however his latest endeavor doesn’t need advance planning. The Indigenous Food Lab Market is open Monday through Saturday and includes a hot-meal bar and a tea counter staffed by an organic professional. Located within Midtown Global Market, the meal counter serves grain bowls and tacos with bison, whitefish, squash and more. The marketplace likewise offers Native art and pantry items as part of its objective, in association with NĀTIFS (North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems), to promote Indigenous food sovereignty and commerce opportunities.
3. Loco Boys Brewing Company, Traverse City, Michigan
After almost two decades on the West Coast and a stint in Mexico chasing his grandma’s roots, Mike Mohrhardt returned to Traverse City knowing 2 things: He enjoyed craft beer and he loved Mexican food. “We don’t fit into any one box,” Mohrhardt states about his organization, Loco Boys Brewing Company. Overlooking it all is an epic painting of Mohrhardt’s granny, relaxing in a hammock– with a beer in hand.
4. Fioretta, Chicago
Tucked into a cubicle at Fioretta, with geometric lighting fixtures overhead and heavy drapes setting an intimate state of mind, you nearly anticipate Don Draper to roam through the door. This brand-new Italian American steakhouse in Chicago’s Fulton Market District hearkens to the age of three-martini power lunches. The dining establishment leans into the classics, like from-scratch pasta, Caesar salad tossed tableside or a 48-ounce dry-aged steak cooked on a customized hearth. Subtle it is not, so proceed and include a side of king crab or lobster tail. Simply save space for the cannoli box and a Sinatra-themed dessert mixed drink.
5. Sway Brewing and Blending, Baileys Harbor
Tacos, pastries, beer and Door County? Say no more. Sway Brewing and Blending opened an indoor taproom previously this year and invited Taqueria La Brisita (from the couple behind Lost Tuk in Ephraim) to run the kitchen. Fresh pastries are “on tap” thanks to Sway each morning prior to the taproom opens. “Our name is a reminder to take pleasure in the little things, to not take life too seriously and to reside in the minute,” says creator Matt Sampson. We’ll gladly state cheers to that.
6. MIAD Gallery at The Ave, Milwaukee
One part gift store, one part art museum– and a bounty of local skill. Freshly opened in the heart of the city, the MIAD Gallery at The Ave showcases art work by trainees, faculty, alumni and personnel of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (the state’s only private four-year arts college, located throughout the Milwaukee River). An ever-changing display of pieces– paintings, jewelry, sculpture, photos, prints and more– and rate points for all spending plans ($ 1–$ 5,000) keep visitors coming back.
7. The Stutz, Indianapolis
Bring a choose-your-own-adventure mindset to The Stutz, a massive brand-new factory redevelopment in downtown Indy. Perhaps start at the totally free car museum, a shrine to the Stutz race automobiles made here from 1911 to 1919. Peruse the open artist studios to see creatives at work, then drop in the plant store or sign up for a yoga or shop physical fitness class. Nobody needs to venture through the seven-building complex hungry. Strengthen yourself with pastries from Amelia’s and coffee from Nashville transplant Barista Parlor before popping into Cafe Patachou for organic sandwiches and soups.
8. New Philadelphia National Historic Site, Illinois
There’s not much to see of a once-thriving community in between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers– up until you look underground. At New Philadelphia National Historic Site, archaeological artifacts reveal glimpses of life in the first-known town lawfully prepared and signed up by an African American man before the Civil War. Frank McWorter, who was oppressed in Kentucky, established New Philadelphia in 1836 after buying his freedom. Roughly 75 miles from Springfield, Illinois, the website achieved national forest status last year. Visitors can download an app to follow a brief self-guided walking trip.
9. Arlo Chicago, Chicago
I see smiles in your future, friend. States one of the fortune-cookie messages placed in the visitor rooms of Arlo Chicago, part of a hip hotel chain with outposts in Miami and New York City. And you’ll definitely be smiling if you snag among the Millenium King spaces on the top five floorings, with floor-to-ceiling window views of The Bean. But whichever method you face, the location is the real mood-booster here. Arlo puts you within a simple walk of the Magnificent Mile, Chicago Riverwalk, Lake Michigan, art museums and restaurants.
10. Queen’s View Bed and Breakfast, Bayfield, Wisconsin
It’s simple to slip into getaway mode at Queen’s View Bed and Breakfast, where the most challenging choice is whether to enjoy continental breakfast in the sunny yellow dining room or the wraparound porch. Understood as the Queen of Bayfield, Rice was a philanthropist and company owner recognized for her “incredible celebrations, entrepreneurial wizardry and extraordinary art,” says her child, Katherine Hayes, who co-owns the B&B.
