Senior Living 0413 Senior Living : Page 3

Senior Living TC: Tops in Retirement … and Much More TEXT BY HEATHER JOHNSON DUROCHER In the Traverse region, your morn-ings can begin with brilliant sunrises— streaks of orange and pink breaking open a horizon that meets the deep blues of Lake Michigan. And the pos-sibilities grow from there. Walk a gen-tle trail. Bike rolling countryside roads. Enjoy fresh, local fare for lunch or dinner from a nationally renowned food scene. Browse inventive shops and galleries. Meet up with friends for an evening movie at a renovated movie house known for its popular annual film festival. Is it any wonder Northern Michigan continues to rack up the accolades as an outstanding place to play, work—and retire (named top retirement destination by Money Magazine , U.S. News & World Report , USA Weekend )? It’s here, after all, where you’ll find an impressive—and rare—mixture of active, vibrant com-munity and practical, reliable service. It’s here, in this picturesque and peace-ful Up North, where you can spend your hours as actively as you’d like, and know all the while that you have the support of top-of-the-line healthcare just moments away. As Kim Pontius, executive vice president of the Traverse Area Association of Realtors puts it, “You don’t find too many commu-nities that fit this bill … You want to be in your home, you want to age in place, and you want to have services available that’ll help you accomplish this goal up until the end of life. We offer all of that right here. It’s kind of an all-in-one spot.” About those accolades … to name just a few of late: “The Most Beautiful Place in America” (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, by view-ers of Good Morning America ); “Top 10 Best Summer Trips for 2012” ( National Geographic Traveler ); “Top 5 Foodie Town in America” ( Bon Appetit ); “Top 10 Most Charming Small Towns” (TripAdvisor.com); and “Top 10 Coolest Towns in the States” (AOL Travel News). Top honors for the region’s wines and craft beers also keep rolling in, and the number of festivals celebrating all four seasons is growing each year. It’s true, year-round you’ll find it here—whatever it may be that you’re seeking, from quiet and low-key to high-energy and cutting-edge. All ages find their own version of paradise here, too, so expect a diverse range of thoughts, ideas and innovations. It’s a place you’ll come to see as your sanctuary, and your family and friends likely will as well (get ready for house-guests!). Pontius perhaps sums it up perfectly when he describes the typical reaction of newcomers to this region: Awestruck. Such a magical place exists here? How did we not know? To which you can reply, Yes, it surely does. This is a gem, this is my home. Welcome. Senior Living 3 ANGELA BROWN FROM THE PUBLISHER OF TRAVERSE, NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S MAGAZINE

TC: Tops In Retirement ... And Much More

Heather Johnson Durocher

In the Traverse region, your mornings can begin with brilliant sunrisesstreaks of orange and pink breaking open a horizon that meets the deep blues of Lake Michigan. And the possibilities grow from there. Walk a gentle trail. Bike rolling countryside roads. Enjoy fresh, local fare for lunch or dinner from a nationally renowned food scene. Browse inventive shops and galleries. Meet up with friends for an evening movie at a renovated movie house known for its popular annual film festival. Is it any wonder Northern Michigan continues to rack up the accolades as an outstanding place to play, work—and retire (named top retirement destination by Money Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, USA Weekend)? It's here, after all, where you'll find an impressive—and rare—mixture of active, vibrant community and practical, reliable service. It's here, in this picturesque and peaceful Up North, where you can spend your hours as actively as you'd like, and know all the while that you have the support of top-of-the-line healthcare just moments away. As Kim Pontius, executive vice president of the Traverse Area Association of Realtors puts it, "You don't find too many communities that fit this bill ... You want to be in your home, you want to age in place, and you want to have services available that'll help you accomplish this goal up until the end of life. We offer all of that right here. It's kind of an all-in-one spot." About those accolades ... to name just a few of late: 'The Most Beautiful Place in America" (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, by viewers of Good Morning America); "Top 10 Best Summer Trips for 2012" (National Geographic Traveler); "Top 5 Foodie Town in America" (Bon Appetit); 'Top 10 Most Charming Small Towns" (TripAdvisor.com); and "Top 10 Coolest Towns in the States" (AOL Travel News). Top honors for the region's wines and craft beers also keep rolling in, and the number of festivals celebrating all four seasons is growing each year. It's true, year-round you'll find it here—whatever it may be that you're seeking, from quiet and low-key to high-energy and cutting-edge. All ages find their own version of paradise here, too, so expect a diverse range of thoughts, ideas and innovations. It's a place you'll come to see as your sanctuary, and your family and friends likely will as well (get ready for houseguests!). Pontius perhaps sums it up perfectly when he describes the typical reaction of newcomers to this region: Awestruck. Such a magical place exists here? How did we not know? To which you can reply, Yes, it surely does. This is a gem, this is my home. Welcome.

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