The Northern Nerd

You won’t find any skyscrapers when you drive through small town America. The largest structure in town is the water tower and that probably still has some spray paint on it from the class of ‘93. The businesses that line the town are little mom and pop shops with gifts unique to the area. One doesn’t have to look too hard to find the shop owner of the place. They can be found behind the counter doing crossword puzzles from the newspaper or tapping into the local rumor mill t

Traveling the world is at the top of many people’s bucket lists as they grow older. College graduates are now taking a year off to travel to far away places as they seek new adventures while filling up their passports with stamps. They want to capture photos, try different foods and meet people from different walks of life. Traveling can be great, but many people don’t have the luxury to travel that often and find themselves living vicariously through friend’s Instagram stori

Sitting across from me at the Hayward Family Restaurant was an empty chair with a menu in front of it. I kept looking over my shoulder to see if he had snuck in through the back. The people around me were starting to grow suspicious of my constant scanning of the diner. “Would you like me to take your order, dear?” the waitress asked. “He should be here any minute. Check back in another five minutes, please.” I gave her a halfhearted smile. We had talked on the phone last nig

Being a local, it’s easy to get into a rhythm of favorite places to frequent, especially when it comes to dining out. You hardly need to look at a menu, as you can order, and the waitress or waiter already has your “usual” penned in. Rarely are your taste buds taken on an adventure of new and exciting flavors.Therefore, my husband and I were thrilled when we heard that the Rusty Hook Saloon and Smokehouse opened on County Rd B, just past Robin’s Nest. Smoked meat!? Sign us up

Through winding back country roads that John Denver would blush at, you’ll find the sweet serenade that will lead you to Johnny B’s Lakeshore Grill & Pizza. If the smells radiating from Johnny B’s kitchen don’t bring you back for more, the laughter and conversation with the owner sure will. While he is a fairly busy man, Johnny loves his customers. “I love people. I love people coming in my door and telling me my food is great,” Johnny said. “When people come in here they fee