Q: Please tell us about yourself.
My name is Jennifer and I am a Polish/ Bohemian proud mother of 2 amazing , talented beautiful souls who changed my life for the better. I am also the proud Grandma of 3 perfect humans that I am lucky to spend almost everyday with. I am a wife ( married since 1990), and a dog mom of Gibson Rhodes. I am obsessed with everything 80’s, the music, clothes, movies and just the way life was. I also love my Polish heritage, and traveling to Poland is on my bucket list. My journey as Aunt Snacks started with a life of always creating and always baking. Our house was constantly filled with enough treats to feed the neighborhood. (Also a Polish trait) my nieces and nephews all called me Aunt snacks because there was always a snack cupboard in our house fast forward years later, my daughter texts me in the middle of the night that she made me a Facebook page. 3 years later Aunt Snacks is going strong! I love the people I have met along the way. Seeing happy brides on their wedding day, kids excited over their cakes. And people just enjoying my treats. I love constantly learning something new, creating something delicious and seeing an idea turn into something cool and amazing. The goal is to still become a brick and mortar bakery, but for now , with the help of my family, I am keeping very busy..above everything my time with my family is always most important. I want to be at every show my son plays, every event my daughter plans, every school function for my grandkids. I never want to miss a moment to make a memory.

Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I was raised with a very strong work ethic. Starting at the age of 11 at our family business Progress Cleaners, then 17 years at the next family business , Scenic Gardens painting lawn ornaments/statues. While the music world wound it’s way through our life , my husband playing in Critical Mass and many other music opportunities, then my son becoming the lead guitarist, song writer and one of the founders of The Smash, we turned towards tribal politics, my husband sitting on tribal council for The Little River Band of Ottawa indians we are advocating for rights and changes for Native Americans in D.C. and at the local level. For me the excitement of being on “The Hill” in D.C. is like no other. That is still a part of our lives currently as I am now Aunt Snacks. I am not the most organized person and am a great procrastinator which makes running this business constantly exciting. I think what I love the most about what I do , is that I am pretty darn proud of what I have accomplished so far and that I figured most of it out on my own. Constantly learning how to do new things and to run a business.

Q: What is your favorite book?
I love autobiographies and biographies. I love reading about the Kennedys, rock stars, and anyone who has had an impact on society.

Q: What are some of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Any place I can get a good burger!! I am the burger critic! Slab town, Bubba’s, NorthPeak, The Jolly Pumpkin and J&S are a few of my favorites.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community? What brought you to Grand Traverse County?
I am a Traverse City native. I started out on Spider Lake, moved to Yuba, then out to Kewadin for awhile.Now back in Grand Traverse County.

Q: What advice would you give to people who want to visit our community?
Schedule out what you would like to do/see. There is so much to offer in this area, the beaches, the pretty drives in the outer areas, Fishtown, downtown TC with the theaters, music.

Q: If you could choose anyone today with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would you all meet?
My Grandpa( but could we bring Betty White?) He was the one person in my life growing up that made me feel like he had my back no matter what decision I made. He made me feel special and he made me feel like I could do or be anything I wanted ( even when I told him I wanted to be a gypsy and live on the beaches of California haha) He always have me the best, level headed advice and I would love to have him in my corner now, helping me with Aunt Snacks. We would have to bring The Bean Pot back for our lunch date, every week we would walk down, I would get a cinnamon roll and hot chocolate and he would get a coffee, it was our time together.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
The beaches. We have the best rock hunting beaches, and the coolest little beaches tucked all over.

Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I have been immersed in the Native American community since I was 11 years old. I learned to sing church hymns in Anishinaabemowin, I learned traditions, culture and respect and I am honored that I am able to teach that to my grandkids and keep them learning their culture and continue learning myself.

Q: Which yearly event in Grand Traverse County do you enjoy best?
Fall farm markets and festivals.

Q: What is your favorite season in Northern Michigan? And what is your favorite activity to do in that season?
Summer!! Just being out in the sun, spending all day at a beach and in the water with my grandkids is my perfect day.

Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Home to me means Northern Michigan. But my own home means family ,comfort and welcomed chaos!