Manolos Pizza & Empanadas – Urbana, IL

4 09 2008
  • 1115 W. Oregon St.
  • Urbana, IL 61803
  • (217) 365-0110
  • Website
  • Menu
Manolos Pizza & Empanadas near the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana

Manolo's Pizza & Empanada's near the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana

Traveling has really wore me out….and made me hungry.  I’m sitting in my hotel room at the Hilton Garden Inn in Champaign and even though I’ve had two meals, I’m hungry.  I get on my laptop and do a search for pizza joints that sell pizza by the slice.  That’s what I really love about college towns.  You can usually find a pizza place open late.  My hotel is pretty close to campus, so I figured there would be one close and of course, there was more than one. 

I chose the one that wasn’t quite as close to Memorial Stadium…I think.  I went to the area I wasn’t familiar with tonight so I could stop by the other one after I get done with work tomorrow evening which I believe is closer.  I’m probably wrong, but oh well.  The one I chose is called Manolos Pizza & Empanadas and it sits right next to popular the night spot The Cannopy Club.

There’s not much to Manolos.  Just a glass case with already made pizza, a cash register and a bar along the back wall should you want to stay an eat.  There’s no seating, but their website says you can dine in at the Canopy Club.  I would assume that means you’ve already got tickets to a show and they just serve pizza in there.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Categories : Big Ten Tour, Champaign, Champaign/Urbana, Illinois, Local Flavor, Pizza, Restaurant, Reviews, Urbana

Press Release – Garden Project’s 25th Anniversary

4 09 2008

From a press release….

The Garden Project’s 25th Anniversary “Harvest Dinner” Potluck

The Garden Project welcomes you to join us at our annual Harvest Dinner potluck! This year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary of helping folks in the greater Lansing area to grow their own healthy food and cultivate connections with their neighbors. Many of our gardeners will be cooking up delicious dishes with food right from their own gardens. Anyone is welcome to come with a dish to pass; ingredients from gardens are encouraged. The Harvest Dinner will be held on Wednesday, September 10th at the Peregrine Pavilion in Hawk Island Park. Come share a fun outdoor meal and get to know some new friends!

ABOUT THE GARDEN PROJECT-As a program of the Greater Lansing Food Bank, The Garden Project is dedicated to growing healthy food and cultivating connections. The Garden Project supports over 30 community gardens throughout the Greater Lansing area, including many operated by schools, churches, service agencies, housing groups and others working together to strengthen community and community food systems. Other services include home garden assistance and gleaning/distribution of seasonal farm crops.

On the web – Lansing Food Bank


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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan

McDonald’s – Paw Paw

4 09 2008
  • 829 S. Kalamazoo St.
  • Paw Paw, MI 49079
  • (269) 657-2835
  • Website
  • Menu
McDonalds in Paw Paw located just off I-94

McDonald's in Paw Paw located just off I-94

When I left Lansing this afternoon, I had no intention of eating fast food.  I knew when I left for Champaign, IL at about 1:30, I would have to stop somewhere for lunch before I got to my parents house.  Just to their house, it’s about a four hour drive and Champaign is another hour after that.  I got just passed Kalamazoo and got really, really hungry.  I pulled off in Paw Paw.  Being a county seat, I assumed there would have to be sandwich places near the courthouse.  There were a lot of restaurants, bars, and pubs, but not a whole lot of quick sandwich shops.  The one I did find in the main business district was already closed for the day as it was almost 3:00.

After striking out downtown, I drove back out towards the Interstate where chains dominate the landscape.  There used to be a place called the Chicken Coop (review HERE) close to I-94, but since the last time I was in town (May), it has been torn down and a Walgreens is being built.  So, my choices were all chains.  I contemplated Taco Bell, but realized that would be hard to eat in the car.  I ended up choosing McDonald’s mostly because it was next to a stop light and it’d be easy to cross traffic to get back to the Interstate.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Chains, Michigan, Paw Paw, Restaurant, Reviews

Subway – Ashkum, IL

4 09 2008
  • 410 N. Front St.
  • Ashkum, IL 60911
  • (815) 698-2108
  • Website
  • Menu
The Subway store located inside BP Fast N Fresh in Ashkum, IL on the way to Champaign

The Subway store located inside BP Fast 'N Fresh in Ashkum, IL on the way to Champaign

You haven’t lived in a small town until you’ve lived in a place that gets excited a Subway is moving in to the gas station.  How small is this town?  It’s the only national chain other than Dairy Queen that has ever set up shop.  Yes, that’s the town I grew up in.  This review is actually a holdover from a couple of weeks ago when J and I were home for the Ashkum Homecoming.  I didn’t snap a picture and really just forgot about it until I stopped at my parents house on my way to Champaign tonight.

Like I already mentioned, this particular Subway is located inside the only gas station in town about half a miles from Interstate 57 in Ashkum, IL which is about halfway between Chicago and Champaign.  Before Subway moved in a year ago, the only food option this town had was pizza from the local grocery store or pizza from the operation that occupied this space.  The townspeople were ecstatic when it was finally annouced Subway would set up shop.  My mom actually eats there at leaset three times a week. 

J and I got up after a long night of drinking and catching up with some of my old friends.  The only options for lunch at the park where the homecoming was being held were greasy foods like hamburgers, pizzas, and brats.  She wanted something a little healthier and I didn’t want grease so we walked down to the BP for lunch. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Ashkum, Big Ten Tour, Chains, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches