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

Big Ten Weekend Update

3 09 2008

I’m heading back to Illinois AGAIN this weekend, but this time, it’s for work.  I’ll be in Champaign for the University of Illinois football game against Eastern Illinois.  The Big Ten Tour will start up again as I will find at least one if not two or three places for a meal in Champaign-Urbana and I’ll let you know what the new Memorial Stadium looks like since MSU won’t be making the trip to Champaign or even playing U of I this year.

On Sunday, I scored free tickets to the Indy Car race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL.  I’ve been to Chicagoland once before the year it opened, but I’ll probaby post about my experience for the open-wheel racers. 

The whole weekend should lead to a handful of reviews of places I stop along the way.  Posting will be light for a while…just wanted to let you know why.


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Categories : Food News

Press Release – Michigan Summer Vacation Stories

2 09 2008

From a press release sent by House Speaker Pro Tempe Michael Sak.

“MADE in MICHIGAN MAKE it MICHIGAN” contest deadline is September 8

LANSING – House Speaker Pro Tempore Michael G. Sak (D-Grand Rapids) is urging residents who vacationed in Michigan this summer to submit their contest entries in order to be eligible to win a free “Destination Pure Michigan Adventure” vacation this fall. Announced in late June, Sak’s “MADE in MICHIGAN MAKE it MICHIGAN” (MiMMiM) campaign encouraged residents to travel the Great Lakes State during the summer months to experience all that Michigan has to offer.

“I have heard from countless residents in all corners of the Great Lakes state who spent their summer vacation experiencing the grandness of Michigan,” Sak said. “But I’m sure there are many more wonderful stories I haven’t heard. With Labor Day behind us, which marks the unofficial end of summer, I want to remind our residents to send me a summary of their wonderful summer experiences before our contest deadline passes. All you need to do is send me your story.” Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Michigan, Politics

Michigan Pit Master Wins Best in West..

2 09 2008

I keep giving Michigan a hard time for having sub-par BBQ joints, but a shop in Midland proved me wrong over the weekend by winning the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off in Sparks, Nev.

Bone Daddy’s BBQ of Midland, Mich., won the top prize Monday as the 20th annual Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off wrapped up in Sparks, Nev.

Bone Daddy’s was among 25 cookers from around the country that competed in the event sponsored by John Ascuaga’s Nugget.

The title came with a trophy and check for $7,500.

Midland’s not all that far.  Wish I would have known that this past weekend when we were in Frankenmuth…..


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Categories : Cook offs, Food News, Local Flavor, Michigan, Midland

Another Grocery Store Coming to Jackson

2 09 2008

You’d think two Meijer’s would be enough in a town like Jackson, but Save-A-Lot is opening it’s second store at 3525 O’Neill Drive.

The new store is going in a building formerly occupied by Staples, which closed in 2001. Rabban said he liked the building’s location off I-94 and the building itself, which is 20,000 square feet and in relatively good condition.

“It’s easy for you to get to, very visible,” Rabban said. “The building was ideal. It almost looks like it was designed for a Save-A-Lot.”

Renovations are ongoing. The Save-A-Lot sign is now up, the checkout counters are in, and the aisles are going in.

“It’s really coming along. Wow! Beautiful,” Rabban said during a recent walk-through.

The first Jackson-area Save-A-Lot opened in 1994 in a former Polly’s building at 3152 E. Michigan Ave. It was called SAL Food Store to distinguish it from Sav-A-Lot Drugs, which closed in 2000.

Save-A-Lot isn’t my favorite store, but discount options are a good thing in this economy.


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Categories : Chains, Food News, Grocery, Jackson, Michigan

Pizza House

1 09 2008
  • 4790 S. Hagadorn Rd. #116
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 336-0033
  • Website
  • Menu
The Pizza House in East Lansing. A little slice of Chicago in Mid-Michigan

The Pizza House in East Lansing. A little slice of Chicago in Mid-Michigan

The quest for the perfect pizza took me to East Lansing after getting several recommendations for the Pizza House in Hannah Plaza.  My family was in town and we spent the day in Frankenmuth.  As we were leaving, we debated on whether or not to go in to Detroit for dinner and gambling.  That was eventually shot down and my dad said he just wanted pizza.  Since the Pizza House has been so highly recommended, I thought that was a safe bet.  If you remember my review of Pisanello’s Pizza (review HERE) in Mt. Pleasant, you’ll recall that everyone in my family likes a different type of pie, so pizzaria’s can be a challenge.

I had a little bit of trouble finding Pizza House at first.  We put the address in the GPS and it brought us the right area, but as the GPS was saying “Arriving at Pizza House on right” I couldn’t see any signs for it.  We were at Hannah Plaza, so I assumed it was in there.  I turned into the parking lot and J saw the sign for it.  The building is nothing special.  Just your typical strip mall pizza joint….or is it? Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : East Lansing, Local Flavor, Michigan, Pizza, Restaurant, Reviews

Frankenmuth Cheese Haus

1 09 2008
  • 561 S. Main St.
  • Frankenmuth, MI 48734
  • (989) 652-6727
  • Website
The Frankenmuth Cheese Haus in downtown Frankenmuth

The Frankenmuth Cheese Haus in downtown Frankenmuth

I just can’t pass up cheese.  J and I were walking down Main Street with my parents and an aunt who were in town for Labor Day.  There were so many shops, but the Cheese Haus was one we couldn’t pass up.  We weren’t the only ones.  The store was packed.

The Frankenmuth Cheese Haus sits on the corner of a courtyard and has an interesting shape.  We went inside and there’s a one-way path around large freezers which eventually leads to the check out and the exit.  They had every kind of cheese imaginable and the cheeses they didn’t make on site, they shipped in from Wisconsin.  There’s no trying to hide that fact either as everything is clearly labeled as Frankenmuth cheese or Michigan cheese.  Along the way, there are lots of samples. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Downtown, Frankenmuth, Local Flavor, Michigan, Reviews, Specialty Shop

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