Need Suggestions – Breakfast and Karaoke…

7 08 2008

….but not at the same place.  I had to get up early (at least early for us) for a job interview this morning.  Since I was done by a little after 9:00, we decided to go get some breakfast.  Getting up before 11:00 is pretty rare for us since my girlfriend works until almost midnight.  Anyway, we headed downtown to Soup to Nutz Bistro AGAIN since it keeps getting recommended.  Well, they hit strike three.  Stike one was on Saturday.  We waited in line for two hours for Obama tickets, didn’t get them, and needed something to eat.  They’re not open on Saturday.  Today, we get there at about 9:30…they don’t open until 10:00. Strike two.  So, we put more change in the meter and walked around downtown for a half hour to kill time.  We get back about 10:10 and go in…the kitchen.  The sign is above the kitchen/catering entrance, not the dining room entrance and the dining room isn’t even marked.  We go out and into the right door and a server comes out and says they don’t do breakfast during the week.  Then why the hell are you open at 10:00 AM?  Who’s eating lunch that early?  Strike 3.  Their website doesn’t say anything about brunch only being served on Sunday.  Sunday’s a day to relax and sleep in….not get up for breakfast.  We’re most likely done with trying to get here.  I’m not ruling it out totally, but we probably won’t make a special effort anymore.  Sorry, Amy.

So, that brings me to my question.  Where is a good place to go for breakfast in Lansing?  Since it was already 10:15 by the time we found out Soup to Nutz didn’t serve breakfast, we didn’t look for someplace else because neither of us could think of a place off the top of our heads.  Any diners that serve an outstanding omelet? 

My next question is Karaoke bars and if you say Crunchy’s, I will track you down and kick you in the shins.  Everyone keeps saying Crunchy’s.  If they’re the best Karaoke bar in town, I feel sorry for you  all never getting to experience a good one.  Crunchy’s sucks.  The accoustics are bad.  The song selection is terrible.  In our last town, there was a Karaoke theatre outside of town.  If an artist released a single on Tuesday, they had a karaoke version by Thursday.  There were literally thousands of songs and the space was set up with monitor speakers, televisions in the ceiling and a little stage complete with lights.  THAT, was a Karaoke bar.  I realize we probably won’t find anything like that in Lansing, but is there any good places that have a good song selection that includes more than classic rock?

Sorry about the rants this morning….it hasn’t been a good start to the day…..


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Categories : Food News, Lansing

Where to Get Knives Sharpened?

6 08 2008

I saw a post on Good Food Hunting about knife safety and it made me think that I need to get my chef’s knife sharpened.  It’s not really dull, but it has seen about 8 months of constant use. 

Are there any good places in Lansing that sharpens knives?  I have a Le Cordon Bleu Collection Chef’s Knife by Wusthof.

The Le Cordon Bleu Wusthof Chefs Knife
The Le Cordon Bleu Wusthof Chef’s Knife
I try to take pretty good care of it.  I use a home sharpener every couple days and use a honing rod to keep the blade straight.  I also use a Boos Block which I believe is their Cherry R-Board 1-1/2″ Thick – Reversible. 
John Boos Cherry-R Board 1 1/2 Thick - Reversible

John Boos Cherry-R Board 1 1/2" Thick - Reversible

My girlfriend, who is the best girlfriend in the whole world, bought me both last year for Christmas and I love them both. 
I can definately live without a sharpening, but I was just wondering if anyone out there has ever used someone in the Lansing area and if they have any recommendations.

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Categories : Food News

Press Release – Grass Lake Harvest Festival

6 08 2008

From a press release….

Celebrate the Fall Harvest at the 2nd Annual Grass Lake Fall Harvest Festival

September 20, 2008

The quiet community of Grass Lake will celebrate the fall harvest on Saturday, September 20, 2008 in both the village and township. The Grass Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce has planned events throughout the town to make it a fun-filled day for the entire family.

This year’s festivities include: Read the rest of this entry »


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Election Day BBQ – Final Update

5 08 2008

I hope everyone did their civic duty today and voted in all the non-races in the Lansing area.  I haven’t yet, but I do plan on it before the polls close.  It’s a little wierd.  I haven’t voted on Election Day in a few years.  Illinois has early voting or what the Reform Michigan Government Now (which I strongly oppose) calls No Excuse Absentee Voting.  Our polls were also automated, so I figured I’ll use today as a practice vote for November since I hear Michigan still use paper ballets or optical scan maybe?

Anyway, since it is Election Day, it’s a good day for a BBQ, huh?  I know that’s bad logic, but everyday is a good day for a BBQ.  My girlfriend actually isn’t going to be able to leave work for dinner, so we’re being nice and smoking some pork butts for the whole office.  I’ve never blogged about my cooking, but I thought I’d share the journey since I know some people at her office read this, it’ll just get them hungrier and then, as a negative side effect, hype up my pulled pork and give me expecatations I can’t possibly achieve.

Anyway, we got two Levandowski pork butts from L & L last night.  We went with two smaller ones instead of one big one hoping to cut the cooking time down some.  I put my rub on last night and threw them in the fridge.  I used a Bobby Flay rub and this is one of the few I don’t stray from.  It is so freakin good.  I used to use my own brown sugar based rub, but this one is so much better.  Just a little bit of heat.  I cut down the measurements so I only make what I was going to use today.

4 teaspoons Ancho Chile Powder
2 teaspoons Spanish Paprika
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground corriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Chile de Arbol powder

45

This is what my two pork butts looked like when I threw them on the grill at about 1:45

I used this on a pork tenderloin one time and thought I had died and gone to heaven.  I pulled the meat out of the fridge and fired the grill up about 1:30.  I use natural hardwood lump charcoal instead of briquettes so the fire got going pretty quickly.  I added some hickory chunks and chips to the coals and threw the butts on the grill.  I’m trying to keep the temperature down around 250, but it’s not always easy with a Weber Kettle grill. 

Keep checking back between now and 6:00 or so.  I’ll update with pictures as we go along.  It’s so sad that Lansing doesn’t have a real BBQ joint.  This stuff is so easy to do with a little patience and the result is incredible!

Make sure to click on the READ MORE link every hour or so for updates Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan, Politics

Jimmy’s Pub

5 08 2008
  • 16804 Chandler Rd
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 324-7100
  • Website
  • Menu
Jimmys Pub on Chandler Road in East Lansing.

Jimmy's Pub on Chandler Road in East Lansing.

After another day of shopping at Meridian Mall, we decided to head out to Chandler Crossing to get some lunch.  I know it doesn’t make sense, but this blog has been getting a ton of hits for Small Planet.  I noticed on their new website the kitchen is (is going to be?) open at 11:00 am.  Since that’s what a lot of people are coming here for right now, I thought we’d check out the menu and see if it’s worth going during the day.  We found Small Planet and there were people inside, but the doors didn’t open when we got up to them, so we assumed they were closed.

Since we struck out at Small Planet, we needed a new place for lunch.  We’ve seen the commercials for Jimmy’s several times on TV, but didn’t know where it was.  We passed the pub on Chandler Road and the parking lot is actually connected to Chandler Crossing.  It looked like our best bet for a meal, so we headed over to their side of the parking lot.

Jimmy’s has a pretty cool atmosphere.  It’s kind of got a old world street feel going.  When you walk in, you run into the big horseshoe bar.  If you look down, there’s a faux cobblestone street.  Above you is a fake night sky with little twinkling lights that look like stars.  The theme is continued with street lamps used for lighting and street signs hanging in the corners. 

There wasn’t a whole lot of people in the bar, but there were a few there obviously on a business lunch.  We found a pub table in the “pool room” and took a seat.  The menus were already on the table, so we started browsing before our server came over to take drink orders.  When she came back with our Pepsi’s, we were ready to order.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, East Lansing, Pub, Reviews, Sandwiches

Bell’s Beer Back in Chicago

4 08 2008

The Kalamazoo Gazette is reporting that Michgan brewer Bell’s Beer has shipped 750 kegs to the Windy City for the first time in two years.

“I love Chicago, and there’s no big city I spend more time in,” Larry Bell. “I’m thrilled that our beer will be available again in this market.

“The wholesalers we’ve been able to partner with haven’t been involved in craft beer very long, but all of them have hearts of gold. … I couldn’t be happier to find such good people to work with.”

Bell said Thursday afternoon in a telephone interview that he sent seven trucks carrying about 750 kegs to Chicago. Bell’s Oberon, Amber, Porter and Stout will be sold now, but Bell said he’s unsure when he’ll get other brands, such as Two-Hearted Ale, into Chicago.

Some Bell’s-loving taverns in Chicago, such as Sheffield’s and Hopleaf, are planning special events for the beers’ return, Bell said. He expects to spend much of next week in Chicago supporting the move and helping to get the numbers back to previous distribution levels.

“We can’t turn the tap on just like that. It’s going to be a process. It will take a little bit of time,” he said.

Now, all of you taking the Amtrak to Chicago can find a little piece of home.  One of my girlfriend’s co-workers always orders an Oberon when we go out for drinks.  I had never heard of that before moving here.


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Categories : Chicago, Food News, Kalamazoo

Press Release – Greater Lansing Food Bank

4 08 2008

From a press release.

For Immediate Release
August 4, 2008

Summertime and the living is easy…….but not for everyone.
Hunger has NOT taken a summer break.

A food drive to benefit the Greater Lansing Food Bank
Saturday August 9, 2008

9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

L & L Food Center on W. Saginaw at Waverly

Sponsored by:
Trinity AME Church
WQHH 96.5 FM
L&L Food Centers

All food collected will be distributed to the Greater Lansing Food Bank pantries that feed the hungry. As the number of those in need of food continues to rise, this is a timely opportunity for the community to assist in keeping the local pantry shelves well stocked.


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Press Release – Mason Aviation Day

3 08 2008

From a press release.

Mason Aviation Day

Sunday, August 17, 2008
at Mason Jewell Airport (TEW)

Eden & Kipp Road, Mason, MI
(across from Fairgrounds)

Fly In or Drive In

Pancacke Breakfast ~ 7 AM to 11:30 AM

Grilled Steak Dinner  ~ Noon to 4:00 PM
    (Pork BBQ, Hot Dogs, Brats also available)

Antique Aircraft ~ Classic Aircraft ~ Vintage Aircraft ~ Homebuilt Aircraft ~ Military Aircraft

FREE ADMISSION to Mason Jewett Airport

Hosted by Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 55

Contact Bill Bezdek 517-351-0448 or Bill Purosky 517-655-1432
for additional information or visit http://www.eaa55.org

EAA Chapter 55….member of the Mason Area Chamber of Commerce


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Categories : Food News, Mason, Michigan

What to do with Used Cooking Oil?

3 08 2008

Well, the obvious thing is don’t pour it down the sink.  I noticed a blurb in the Holt Community News today about a recycling program in Eaton County.

Used cooking oil recovery is available at the following locations throughout Eaton County: The Charlotte Area Recycling Authority, the Delta Township Recycling Center, the Grand Ledge Recycling Center, the Mulliken Recycling Center and the Sunfield REcycling Center.  To dispose of used cooking oil, save it in a clean container with a tight-fitting lid,  then carefuly pour the oil into the tank located at each site.  Take your container home, clean it, and reuse it for the same purpose.  Contact the Department of Resource Recovery for more information, (517) 5434-3686.


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Categories : Food News, Michigan

Press Release – New City Market Rally

3 08 2008

From a press release.

MEDIA ALERT

City Market Rally Proponents of the new City Market Project gather at Stadium District

What: Rally of supporters for the new City Market Project

Who: Supporters of the New City Market Proposal

When: Monday, August 4 at 5 p.m.

Where: Stadium District in the undeveloped retail area of the first floor

Why: To gather together all supporters of the proposed new City Market and answer questions of those who are interested in additional information on the project

Details: The public is invited to come and support the new City Market Project and get additional information before heading to the Lansing City Council meeting that evening to voice support


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Categories : Food News, Lansing

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