In March, we hosted our very own photo contest and picked the winners which showcase the images of the Keweenaw. We selected a number of winners and sent off the photos to be printed on wood.

We are excited to inform you that our wood prints have been delivered. The photos have been carefully printed on wood by Ross Sergio at Unrefined Art.  It took some time as we had a large order and it was during the busy season for Ross; he does wonderful work, and ensures the quality is top notch.

If you are one of our winners and would like to claim your prize of a night’s stay in the cabin your photo is hanging, reach out to us at 906-289-4403. Grace Schmitz will be getting in contact with all winners as well. 

Wedding Talk with Grace and Mariah is a blog series about KML weddings, with expert insights and advice from Marketing and Events Manager, Grace Schmitz, and Events Coordinator, Mariah Summers.

At the Lodge, we think a wedding should be extremely personal, with every element reflecting the uniqueness of the couple’s lifestyle and tastes. More often than not, this can mean something that isn’t the usual white dress, matching suits, classic flowers, and tiered cake. Of course the classic wedding is always beautiful (that’s why it’s classic!), but in an age wherein everything we do is posted online, there is a lot of creativity on display and some couples find themselves inspired to do something out of the ordinary. 

Below are some ideas and guides for incorporating non-traditional elements into your wedding. Whether you want the whole thing to be outside of the norm or just need help figuring out how to put your own stamp on your ceremony or reception, we have you covered. Once you’re done here, be sure to check out our Pinterest board “The Art of Being Non-Traditional” for visuals we found particularly fun. 

Clothing
Maybe the white dress or classic suit/tux are just what you want. If so, you can skip ahead. Grace always said if she ever got married, she would wear something unexpected, like a dramatic coat, a bespoke suit, or a black dress. Earlier this year, one of our brides looked absolutely stunning in a navy velvet gown. Even if you aren’t prepared to go full Sarah Jessica Parker and wear, say, black taffeta, you can look for something with a pop of color, embroidery, or unusual cut. Same goes for suits. Experiment with different fabrics like linen, or forgo a jacket and tie completely. Maybe wear your grandpa’s favorite paisley shirt from the 1970’s, you do you and wear what makes you happy. 

Decor

Candles, vases of flowers, and strings of lights are always beautiful and easy to set up. But this can easily be modified to make your reception memorable. Following our earlier advice and getting married up here in October? Get some mini pumpkins and instead of flowers, use bouquets of fall leaves. Bunches of greenery, evergreen boughs, or live plants are also lovely. While we provide our own linens as part of our packages, using runners in a print or unexpected fabric would add something different. 

Ceremony

The ceremony is really a place that you can easily throw in a non-traditional element. Writing your own vows is one way to make it very personal, but what if your wedding requires certain rites to be performed? Take a hard look at your wedding party. If you want your four big brothers to be by your side instead of your sorority sisters, then skip bridesmaids. Make your favorite cousin your best woman, or your man of honor. Or don’t have a wedding party at all. Again, depending on religious necessities, you could choose to get married in an unusual location, like one of the preserved ghost towns in the Keweenaw or just the two of you at the top of a lighthouse. Grace performs ceremonies for the Lodge and is comfortable with weddings just about anywhere…except sky diving. Please don’t make her go sky diving.

Parties, Food, and Music

The wedding festivities start not with the reception, but with a bachelor or bachelorette party. If you choose to have one, you will notice that many people head to a party town like Las Vegas, New Orleans, Nashville, or Cancun. Instead maybe plan a coed party, take a sea kayaking lesson together at Keweenaw Adventure Company, then pop some corks while watching the sunset on Brockway. Or get a party bus and hit every brewery from Houghton to Copper Harbor. At the actual reception, play with different floor plans. Don’t have a head table, or just have a sweetheart table for the two of you. Maybe you want to have it bierhaus style, with several long tables. 

If the days are getting shorter and you’d like to maximize daylight, have a brunch or lunch reception instead. When we sat down to plan this blog, we realized that an excellent way of managing your food budget would be to have a “build-your-own-something” buffet. Taco bars, BYO mac and cheese, noodle bowl, baked potato, nachos, etc would a) take care of a bunch of different dietary and personal preferences and b) cost less. Last year, a couple had tacos and pulled pork sliders for their dinner, which fit their fun, laid-back style perfectly.

When if comes to music, do what you love. If you want to have a fast, fun first dance, or use an unusual song, do it up. Mariah recently attended a wedding where the first dance was done to a hauntingly beautiful rendition of “You Are My Sunshine” that was truly moving and really stuck with her. Maybe get a polka band, a bluegrass group, or do nothing but EDM (electronic dance music for the uninitiated), who knows, maybe Grandma will really enjoy Steve Aoki. 

Want to learn more about our vision? Head over to Pinterest and click our blog board “The Art of Being Non-Traditional” to get an idea of where our heads are.

Stay tuned for Edition 3 of Wedding Talk “Hair and Makeup Probablys and Probably Shouldn’ts “

Love, Grace and Mariah

The Lodge strives to offer excellent service, it’s always been our goal and always will be. We want people who venture up the hill to our facility to be excited to visit and to truly enjoy a meal with us. Throughout this season, we have had some wonderful feedback from our guests, both positive and negative. The overwhelming majority have loved their experience, and those who had a less than awesome time have been very helpful in their explanations of their expectations and how we fell short.

We take our customers’ input very seriously. As a result of this, we assessed our current kitchen operating hours and made some changes. Instead of offering a full breakfast and lunch service, we will have choices available at our brand new Little Cabin Cafe, located in the back by the conference room. From 7 am to 5 pm, we will have drip coffee, espresso, gourmet coffee drinks, pop, water, and more, plus cold sandwiches, pastries, and snacks. People stopping in can still get a delicious, fresh meal, either on the go or on our cozy couches in the library. Our bar will still be open starting at 11 am, where we will have appetizers, burgers, soup, and salad.

For dinner, from 4 pm to 9 pm, we will offer a full menu with a focus on slow dining, where people can relax, enjoy their drinks, and expect a really spectacular meal. The atmosphere we want to provide should not encourage a quick bite to eat, but rather a leisurely, enjoyable experience over the course of an hour or more. We want our guests to order in courses, savor drinks, and to enjoy each moment of their meal. Our goal is not to get food out as quickly as possible, but to allow customers to relax and appreciate the dining experience in the wilderness of the Keweenaw, with all of its has character and history.

We will offer our regular Staples menu on most nights, with a specialty menu that changes. These specialty menus have been designed to showcase different food cultures from around the world. Our website, blog, and social media will be updated with explanations and full menus for each of these exciting new offerings. Also throughout the season, be on the lookout for more food and dining events, like our Guest Chef program, pairing dinners, and tap takeovers.

We will test this setup to see how it will work, gathering data, and doing further adjustments as needed until we dial in the food and beverage operations in order to create a memorable, pleasant experience on our beautiful property in the wilderness of the Keweenaw. Now, if only it were so easy to fix the black fly problem….

Widad Mueller, a guest chef at the Lodge from June 26-30th, 2019, will hold a culinary arts workshop on Friday, June 28th from 10am – 12pm.

She will teach guests how to make the following Lebanese dishes:

• Tabbouleh – a vegetarian salad made primarily of finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, lemon juice onions, bulgur, and salt and pepper mixed in, while seasoned with olive oil
• Kibbeh – A traditional Lebanese dish which is composed of burghul and ground meat along with the perfect combination of herbs and spices, baked with a meat filling.

Registration required. Call 906-289-4403 or email us at info@keweenawresort.com to reserve a spot. Call today!

Fee: $50 

Wedding Talk with Grace and Mariah is a blog series about KML weddings, with expert insights and advice from Marketing and Events Manager, Grace Schmitz, and Events Coordinator, Mariah Summers.

It is now high summer in Copper Harbor, with warm days and the sun setting late, allowing visitors and denizens alike to enjoy long days of adventure in the forests and on the lakes. Summer also means weddings. Some dream of breezy outdoor ceremonies, photos set against Brockway Mountain, and blooming lilacs and roses. But soon, these long days will shorten and the leaves will change. Around here, late August and September mean blazing colors in the forests and the smell of wood smoke throughout the Lodge grounds. In 2018, our first snow was on a Saturday morning in late September; the bride and groom that day joked they had worried about rain, but didn’t plan for snow.

By October 1st, things slow down, both for our staff and couples planning weddings, but the worst of winter is still far off. Some snow may be falling, but October is still early enough that a massive blizzard is not as likely. We love this time of year, with the cold, clear air and Lake Superior turning dark blue-grey and stormy.

This morning, during one of our many brief, impromptu meetings, we were discussing the ebb and flow of weddings throughout the season. Each year, it’s the same; summer and early fall are popular, but October is quiet. Of course, the Lodge closes mid month, but that leaves us with at least two good weekends that no one seems to want. We might have one wedding in October of any given year, but most inquiries are for June through September. For a moment, we both got a little glassy-eyed, envisioning what a good October wedding could be. What we came up with is cozy, warm, and full of soft light.

So, picture this…

An October wedding in the Keweenaw means the benefits of a winter wedding with fewer of the drawbacks. Summer is definitely over, the skies will probably be grey and the winds higher. There might be snow on the ground, in fact, it’s more likely than not. It’s cold and both of our fireplaces have roaring fires, with plenty of cozy seating in the bar and Library, with its spectacular view of Brockway. Wedding guests are given favors of warm blankets embroidered with the couple’s initials, or perhaps handmade candles and jars of thimbleberry jam from the summer harvest.

Tables are decorated with gourds or pine cones, soft strings of lights, candles, and flowers in rich jewel tones. Dinner is hearty, warming, and comforting. The bar serves a Porter and an Oktoberfest, Argentinean Malbec and buttery California Chardonnay, and hot toddies and spiked cider. Instead of the traditional cake, the couple cuts a pumpkin pie and guests help themselves to a hot cocoa bar. Later, as you admire your wedding photos set against the whitecaps of Lake Superior, you find a new appreciation for frigid weather and the warmth that comes with time spent with those you love.

If any of that appeals to you, contact us at events@keweenawresort.com. We still have the first two weekends of October 2019 and 2020 available. To learn more about Grace and Mariah’s vision for an October wedding at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, check us out on Pinterest!

Stay tuned for Edition 2 of Wedding Talk “Incorporating the Non-Traditional”!

Love, Grace and Mariah

The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge has finished developing our staples menu for our restaurant, which will be offered every day at the restaurant during the 2019 summer season. While we ran our limited menu during the first month of operations to test the palates of guests, we have created a menu which we are sure will entertain your tastebuds. Our new menu includes vegetarian and vegan options, too!

In addition to finishing our main menu, the Lodge will soon be hosting guest chefs that will help direct the influence of our specials menu for that week. These chefs will be introducing new flavors into the specials menu and are hoping to create a spark with their specialized global cuisine. We will still be running our staples menu during the week our guest chefs visit, however, we encourage those visiting the Lodge to be adventurous and try these unique dishes.

Our first guest chef is Widad Mueller; culinary artist and wife of Keweenaw Mountain Lodge owner, John Mueller. Widad was born and raised in Lebanon, which is the home of Mediterranean cuisine. Lebanon is located in the Middle East, directly between Asia and Europe, and is home to a friendly, open culture, which has allowed for Widad to explore her affinity for a variety of cuisines and imported products that have circulated on trade routes between the two continents for centuries.

Widad first began exploring traditional Lebanese cuisine at home with her mother. Every Sunday, after attending church service, she would be in the kitchen preparing the family lunch alongside her mom. From the age of 12, Widad felt the impact of war and calamity for 17 years. During those times, she was taught by her mother to have respect for food; to create no waste when preparing meals and to make the best out of the little that you might have. The lessons her mother taught her are still ingrained into her mind today.

At a later stage of her life, and with all the support and encouragement from her husband John, Widad finished 3 years of education with a dual degree in Culinary Arts and Pastry at Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky. The program teaches classic French technique, along with an advanced level of various other cuisines. Widad has a creative mind when it comes to developing flavors, and she  began to blossom with Rollin’ Gelato, Inc., a successful artisan and handcrafted gelato and sorbet company in Kalamazoo, and soon-to-be in the Upper Peninsula, thanks again to the support of her family. With the gelato she creates from scratch, Widad is known for developing flavors that are bold and vibrant, yet balanced.

Starting June 26th, Widad will be taking a break from her gelato business and is pleased to offer you a taste of her roots, the Lebanese food she grew up with, all traditionally prepared from scratch. Join us for this special week, June 26th-30th, and you will have a peek at her creative mind, flavorful food, and a part of her soul. She likes to say to all our guests at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, Tafadalou Charfouna, or “we welcome you”,  please honor us with your presence.

Guest Chef Schedule: Widad Mueller

• Wednesday, June 26th, Dinner (5-9pm)
• Thursday, June 27th, Lunch and Dinner (11am -9pm)
• Friday, June 28th, Lunch, and Dinner (11am – 9pm); Workshop (10am – 12pm, $50 registration required)
• Saturday, June 29th, Lunch and Dinner (11am – 9pm)
• Sunday, June 30th, Lunch and Dinner (11am – 7pm)

Guest Chef Menu: Widad Mueller, Lebanese Food

The menu that Widad has developed for the Guest Chef Week comprises items such as hummus, dolma, and monk’s eggplant, several Lebanese salads, and entrees that have beef, lamb, and fish. [ See Widad’s Lebanese-based Menu ]

As we enter the start of summer, we are looking forward to seeing our guests enjoy our new menu and guest chef specials. If you are interested in a certain menu flavor or influence, you can send us an email at info@keweenawresort.com! We are open to suggestions and love hearing from our guests.

At the Lodge, we have been making the move to more sustainable business practices. When taking into account our back-country roots behind the shadow of Brockway Mountain, we want to focus on our environmental footprint. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is working for a more progressive and environmentally viable operation.

While visiting the Lodge, you may have already noticed some changes going on in regards to our supplies and appliances. In our restaurant, we have switched from using styrofoam to-go containers to paper-based ones. These containers are biodegradable, which serve to decrease our environmental impact and are quiet enough to sneak a midnight snack without your significant other knowing.

Our cabins and hotel now feature energy-star fridges. These vintage-inspired mini-fridges not only remind guests of the historical longevity of our Lodge, but also promotes our mission of being a sustainable business.  Our cabins have sustainable cups that can be used for both warm and cold beverages. We have decided against having plastic cups inside our cabins in order to prevent extra waste and reduce our environmental impact. Throughout the main Lodge and in various cabins, we have installed smart thermostats that allow efficient scheduling and modifications of the cabin temperature based upon guest activity.

We are going forward with more eco-friendly operations as the summer continues on. In the future, you may see less of straws and more of eco-friendly supplies. We are working toward moving away from unsustainable plastics and toward either paper or compostable materials. Our efforts toward sustainable initiative is help reduce our total environmental impact in the Keweenaw.

Come see how else we are respecting our beautiful surroundings by booking a stay or enjoying a meal, and be sure to check out our healthy, environmentally friendly plant-based choices. We can’t wait to see you up here!

Updates: We forgot to mention that we used eco-friendly adhesive and carpet tiles for the carpet in the Lodge [ Hat-tip: Valerie ]. As well, we are now using dressing containers that are reusable (stainless steel) rather than plastic throw-away containers. Plus, you will find recycling bins showing up around the Lodge for guests to help out with recycling.

One of our favorite things to hear from our visitors are their fond memories of Lodge weddings and events. So many people pass through the building each year and share stories of parties, receptions, and banquets, and we love sharing in their joy. Events up at the Lodge are wonderful occasions and all of that fun is made possible by a team of professionals, passionate about making sure our guests have the time of their lives. At the helm, there is the all important Events Coordinator.

This year, that job falls to Mariah Summers, who is taking over the position after Grace Schmitz agreed to manage the Marketing and Events Department. She is a 2002 graduate from Calumet High School, who has recently returned to the area after 10 years traveling, due to her husband’s military career. In that time, Mariah and her family lived in Washington, Alaska, and Tennessee. Their goal throughout the last 10 years was always for her family to return to this area, and this year it was finally possible.

Mariah, a huge outdoors person, loves a new adventure, which is why she loves the Keweenaw. Some outdoors activities she enjoys include camping, hiking, kayaking, and her absolute favorite, trail running.

Mariah’s background includes over 20 years in the service industry. She has experience in many different positions, from dishwasher to manager. Although this is her first time working directly with events, she has a lot of experience in the field through management and other roles. One thing that makes the job enjoyable for her is that everyday involves a different aspect of  the job and she isn’t doing the same thing everyday. As an Event Coordinator, Mariah oversees every event, from start to finish. She is the primary point of contact for the potential client and manages private tours, consultations, and contracts. Mariah also works with clients on fine details, like the timeline of the event, set-up and layout of the room, food and beverage service, and much more. During the event, Mariah is there to help with anything that the client could possibly need to make the event successful and memorable.

Mariah works with many different clients on a daily basis ranging from wedding couples to corporate clients.  At the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, we have a 6,000 square foot conference center that can be rented for many different occasions. For weddings in particular, whether your day is going to be a huge extravaganza, or just something small for those closest to you, we can make it happen. With an outstanding staff committed to making your wedding day memorable and fun, the Lodge takes the stress out of planning for the first day of the rest of your life. For more details about holding an event at the lodge, email Mariah@keweenawresort.com or call (906) 289-4403.

Our wonderful, hard-working kitchen staff has been extra hard-working and wonderful this week as they planned, prepared, and tested our new full length staples menu, with the rest of the staff acting as guinea pigs. Honestly, that’s how hard our lives are, we have to eat experimental cheesecakes and tacos at work.

Chef Patrick is showcasing his skills as a vegan chef with a selection of delicious, plant-based items, but fear not, carnivores, we have plenty of awesome choices for you guys, too. This menu will be offered every day, alongside the specials we have been offering this season.

Whether you have your heart set on a fresh Burrito Bowl, a tender Veal Shank dinner, or want to treat yourself to the Cheesecake of the Week, we have something for everyone.

Don’t forget, this Father’s Day (June 16th), we are hosting a golf tournament and featuring four specialty burgers to celebrate dad. We will also be welcoming Widad Mueller, our first guest chef, at the end of June, when she will bring flavors of her native Lebanon to the top of the Keweenaw.

We can’t wait for you to visit, and while you’re here, be sure to tag all of your Instagram photos with the hashtag #atthekml for a chance to be featured on our account!

Spring usually makes a late appearance in our neck of the woods and this year was no exception, but now that things are turning green, things are the Lodge are picking up! We were thrilled with the turnout and the feedback we received after our Mother’s Day Brunch event on May 12th; we are incredibly grateful to all of our guests, Protea Floral Design, and Keweenaw Coffee Works for making the event a vibrant, successful occasion. If you weren’t able to join us for the brunch, fear not, we have heaps of fun, joy, and adventure planned for this year. Here’s what you have to look forward to for the rest of May and the month of June.

Fun.

Now that the snow seems to be behind us (knock on wood), our greens crew is working to prepare our golf course for the season. Though carts will not be allowed right away, the golf course is slated to open on May 22nd, with a Memorial Day golf event scheduled for this weekend. In June, we will be hosting The Zik Memorial Tournament on the last weekend of the month; stay tuned for more details on that. The KML Golf League is planning to start up in June, with May 30th being the last day to sign up.  please contact the Lodge for more information on our 2019 golf season! 

Memorial Day weekend will see Copper Harbor play host to Experience the Keweenaw, a yearly weekend event that celebrates the end of the long (like, REALLY long) winter and encourages folks to get outside. The Lodge will be open all weekend, but the lion’s share of Copper Harbor based events are happening on Sunday, May 26th. After you’ve had your fill of hiking, biking, and yoga in the park, come on up for a hard-earned drink and a meal!

Joy.

We have some exciting specials for lodging in May and June. Our May specials include an Eat, Stay, Play package, as well as a Memorial Day Getaway geared toward families and groups of adventure-seekers looking to maximize their long weekend. On June 1st, we will announce an 85th Anniversary Package, which will feature incredible rates and a taste of everything the Lodge has to offer. Make sure you follow us on Facebook and are signed up for our mailing list so you get the latest on all our packages!

If you are planning a trip for this summer, be sure to book BEFORE our early bird room rates expire on June 1st; after this date, all rooms from July through Labor Day will be booked at our higher summer rates. Visit our booking page or call us at 906-289-4403 to lock in the lowest rates.

For those of you interested in joining us for a meal, we haven’t forgotten you. We advertise our daily and weekly specials on our social media, but you can always learn about what we are serving by popping in to say hi! We have slowly been adding more and more to our limited menu, which will be updated on our website and shared to social media.

Due to very popular demand, we are now serving breakfast! To start, we will offer breakfast service on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 7 am to 11 am. Keep an eye on our menu page to see what’s being served and to keep track of what’s been added.

Adventure.

In an earlier blog post, we talked about the new mountain biking trails on our property. We are pleased to announce that we anticipate those trails opening for the season on Memorial Day weekend! These trails are a little friendlier for those of us just starting out with mountain biking. Check in with us, or our friends down at Keweenaw Adventure Company and Copper Harbor Trails Club, for all the latest updates on the state of trails in the area.

A little bird told us that Brockway Mountain Drive is now open on BOTH sides, allowing traffic to pass through starting at either the west or east ends. With iconic views and some seriously excellent opportunities for spotting local flora and fauna, Brockway Mountain Drive is a favorite stop for visitors and locals alike. That said, be sure to dress in layers and pack a jacket, things tend to get a bit breezy this time of year.

May and June are excellent months to visit our local waterfalls. The meltwater and rain of our Yooper spring results in impressive flows throughout the Peninsula, so while you are driving up to see what’s new at the Lodge, make sure to follow the waterfall map for some unforgettable photo opps!

Thanks for stopping by! And when you share your photos to Instagram, be sure to include the hashtag #atthekml for a chance for your photographic prowess to be featured on our account. We can’t wait to see you!