Darts in Michigan Bars

23 10 2008

This is just a curiosity thing on my part I’m hoping someone can help me with.  We’ve noticed at every bar we’ve been to in Michigan that they all have real dart boards with metal tip darts and chalkboards to keep score.  I’ve never seen that before.  In Illinois, all the bars have those big machines where you put a couple bucks in and the machine keeps track of your score for you….and you use the bars’ plastic darts.

So here are my questions….

  1. Is there a reason that I never see those soft tipped dart machines in Michigan?
  2. Do you have to bring your own darts to the bar?

Really, I like the metal darts better…it’s just not something I’ve seen before.


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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan

Rookies

23 10 2008
  • 16460 S. US Highway 27
  • Lansing, MI 48906
  • (517) 487-8686
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Rookies on US 27 in North Lansing

Rookies on US 27 in North Lansing

If you remember from a few months ago, I mentioned how much J liked karaoke.  When she lived in Idaho Falls, she found a karaoke bar.  When we lived in Peoria, we found a karaoke bar.  When we moved to Lansing, we never found a karaoke bar.  When we were in Chicago last weekend, she wanted to go find a bar, but we got watching Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live and never made it out.  That itch never went away, so she got on Google and again started looking for karaoke in Lansing.  She found Rookies and after a phone call to see what time it started, she had her mind set on singing, so we pushed dinner back to 8:30 then went looking for Rookies.

We looked for a long time to try and figure out where exactly Rookies was at.  For most of you that have lived here all your lives, it’s not hard.  For us newbies who rely on Google Maps and a GPS to get around, it was a pain in the ass.  Google Maps puts the bar out near Flint for some reason.  Even though the listing says Lansing, it puts a mark on the map far east of the city.  After striking out on Google, we pulled out the GPS.  Daniel (that’s what we call our Garmin due to the voice file we use being called Daniel) couldn’t find the street in Lansing.  This is a really common problem with both J’s and my GPS.  I have a Nextar and she has a Garmin.  A co-worker of hers has a Garmin also and runs into the same problem.  It’s a problem we never have anywhere outside of Michigan.  Michigan’s prominent use of Townships as addresses screw the computers up.  Finally, we found the correct address in Dewitt Township, but it was incredibly frustrating just trying to find a bar. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches, St. Johns

Hometown Diner

22 10 2008
  • 1040 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
  • Lansing, MI 48912
  • (517) 372-5535
  • No Known Website
  • No Online Menu
Hometown Diner on Pennsylvania near I-474 in Lansing

Hometown Diner on Pennsylvania near I-496 in Lansing

J took one more day off after we got back in Michigan just so we could relax after a long weekend of traveling.  We were woke up fairly early for us by a phone call and neither of us could fall back asleep.  After going to the Potter Park Zoo during the “Be A Tourist In Your Own Hometown Event” we kept saying we needed to walk the River Trail.  We noticed it from the zoo, but we never made an effort to actually go for a walk.  Since we had such a bad weekend eating (I had four pizzas), I suggested we go for a walk.  Since it was about lunch time, J said we should eat first.

I had been reading reviews about a diner on Pennsylvania near the Zoo so that’s where I decided to to go for lunch.

The Hometown Diner sits on Pennsylvania across from the BWL in an old Sparty’s Coney Island.  It shares a building and parking lot with a Mexican grocery store.  We parked near the back of the lot and walked in to find a small diner with seating for just over a hundred.  We showed ourselves to a table in the middle of the room.  The layout is pretty common for small diners.  Booths line the walls with tables in the middle.  There’s a lunch counter near the front of the space and the kitchen is open so you can see the cook preparing your meal.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Diner, Lansing, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

TGIFriday’s Abruptly Closes – UPDATED

16 10 2008

Got an e-mail in my inbox this morning saying TGIFriday’s on Saginaw closed abruptly last night.  Seems it was not their fault, but the Holiday Inn didn’t pay their taxes to the city, so the city shut them down.  I don’t know what it means for the hotel.  We were out there this morning and there were still quite a few cars in the parking lot, but the TGIFriday’s awnings and signs were gone.  Here’s a statement I got from TGIFriday’s corporate office.

 According to Amy Freshwater, vice president of communication and public relations for Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, parent of T.G.I. Friday’s, “Due to the non-payment of outstanding property taxes owed to the city by the Holiday Inn hotel property owner, the city advised us that they will involuntarily close and lock us out of the restaurant this week. Therefore, regretfully, at this time, we have been forced to close the restaurant located within the Holiday Inn at 7433 West Saginaw Highway in Lansing. This is an isolated closing, unrelated to the economy, and a unique situation where the restaurant was operated under a management contract with the owner. We will offer severance to our valued team members, who were impacted by the unfortunate actions of the hotel property owner. Lansing is a very important market for us, and we hope to bring Friday’s back to the community, at another location, in the future.

UPDATE – WILX went after the story and found out that the statement from TGIFriday’s may not be entirely true.  According to the Delta Township Finance Director (not the City of Lansing as the statement indicates), TGIFriday’s was not going to be forced out.  Anonymous employees also claim the business has been bouncing checks.  Check out the full story on WILX.com and kudos to Channel 10 for doing some digging and not accepting the corporate spin.


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Categories : Chains, Food News, Lansing, Reviews

Press Release – New Biggby Store

15 10 2008

From a press release….

BIGGBY COFFEE TO OPEN 24th GREATER LANSING LOCATION
Growing Hometown Brand Thriving Despite Economic Downturn

LANSING, Mich., October 15, 2008 – East-Lansing based BIGGBY COFFEE will open a new location in its hometown of Lansing on Tuesday, Oct 21st, across from Eastwood Town Center. The new store, located at 2250 Lake Lansing Road, marks the 24th greater Lansing location for the increasingly popular coffee retailer.

Long-time franchisee, Jane O’Connor, is the catalyst behind the new store, which is her fourth BIGGBY COFFEE location. O’Connor owns successful franchises in Okemos, Marshall and East Lansing.

“I’ve been with the Big ‘B’ a long time now, so I’m an oldie but a goodie,” said O’Connor, in reference to her first store opening in Okemos more than seven years ago, when just a few stores existed in the region. “The truth is, the brand has become a local legend before my very eyes, and that’s extremely fulfilling on a professional level. Of course, I’m a huge fan myself so I can’t wait to bring the experience to the residents of Groesbeck and the shoppers across the street at Eastwood.”

The store is open 6 a.m. – 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Sundays. Soft seating and free wireless access will be paired with a fun, inviting atmosphere—all standard options at BIGGBY COFFEE.

The new location marks the 104th for the rapidly expanding coffee retailer. BIGGBY COFFEE currently operates in eight states, and has another 66 locations under contract to open over the next 24 months.

The new Lansing store will bring nearly 20 new full-and part-time jobs to the area.


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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan, Press Releases

Press Release – Claddagh Irish Pub Dedication Ceremony

9 10 2008

From a press release….

MEDIA ALERT

Claddagh Irish Pub Dedication Ceremony Friday
Owner from Ireland visits Lansing and shares heritage

What: Claddagh Irish Pub rededication ceremony and VIP party

Who: Local dignitaries including Lansing Township
Supervisor John Daher and Pat McDonagh, owner of Claddagh Irish Pubs

When: 3 -9 p.m. on Friday, October 10, 2008; Ceremony will take place at 3:30 p.m.

Where: Claddagh Irish Pub at Eastwood Towne Center

Why: To honor the grand reopening of Claddagh Irish Pub and to celebrate six “glorious” years in the Lansing location

Details: Claddagh Irish Pub is thanking its patrons by offering free tastos and live music from 7 p.m. to close: from 7-9 p.m. enjoy traditional Irish folk music; from 9 p.m.-2 a.m., local rock band The Jabs will take the stage. This event is part of Claddagh’s week-long “A Taste of Ireland” celebration.


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YaYa’s Flame Broiled Chicken – Saginaw Hwy.

30 09 2008
  • 5415 W. Saginaw Hwy
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 886-0995
  • Website
  • Menu
YaYas Flame Broiled Chicken on Saginaw Highway near the Lansing Mall.

YaYa's Flame Broiled Chicken on Saginaw Highway near the Lansing Mall.

What a great idea for a chicken restaurant.  Just the other night, I was craving chicken and considered going to Popeye’s.  Knowing I was kind of bad on my diet over the weekend, I didn’t want to splurge on fried chicken.  This afternoon, J asked me to run out to Horrocks to get some more of them delicious honey crisp apples.  She went to work a little early, so I just waited to eat lunch until after she was gone.  I made my stops at Wal-Mart and Horrocks then got thinking about lunch.  When I was working this weekend, one of the guys I worked with had said something about YaYa’s near Frandor.  For some reason, I remembered there was one near the Lansing Mall, so that’s where I went for lunch.

YaYa’s is a chain of 17 restaurants with locations in Michigan and Florida.  The first restaurant was opened in Seminole, FL in 1985, but the first franchise location was opened in Flint, MI in 1988.  There are two locations here in Lansing and both are on Saginaw Highway.  There’s this one by the mall and the other is farther down Saginaw near US 127.  This particular YaYa’s is located in a shopping plaza in a very commercialized area of Saginaw Highway. 

It was a little after two when I went looking for lunch.  There were no cars parked in front and the inside was empty.  The store is not very big.  It’s longer than it is wide and there are a handful of tables in the space to sit and eat.  The counter is located at the far end of the space.  The menu board is behind the counter above the grills where the whole chickens are butterflied and grilled.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chains, Chicken, Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

Press Release – $1 Butterburgers!!

30 09 2008

Just got this press release.  I’m pretty sure I know where I’ll be next Tuesday….

Prairie du Sac, WI (Grassroots Newswire) — Yes, the rumors are true, the juicy, mouth-watering Butterburger™, made famous by Culver’s® Restaurants, is available on Tuesday, Oct. 7, for just $1.

The $1 ButterBurger celebration will take place at more than 380 participating Culver’s restaurants in 18 states. Every order can include up to five single ButterBurgers, with the guest’s choice of condiments, for the special one-day only price.

As part of Culver’s 2008 Custard Election (Sept. 29 – Oct. 19), an in-store and online voting campaign to select your favorite Democrat or Republican sundae candidate, Culver’s Restaurants are attempting to “buy votes” by driving voter traffic in-store with the second annual $1 ButterBurger guest appreciation day.

Culver’s signature sandwich, the ButterBurger, is made from fresh, never frozen 100 percent U.S. beef raised predominantly in the heartland of America, seared on a hot grill and served on a buttered, lightly toasted bun.

Please join us Oct. 7 at participating Culver’s Restaurants. Interviews with local franchise partners are available.

WHO: Culver’s Restaurant

WHAT: $1 ButterBurger Customer Appreciation Day

WHEN: Tuesday, October 7, 2008

WHERE: Participating Culver’s locations


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Categories : Chains, Food News, Michigan, Press Releases, Restaurant

Press Release – Harvest Celebration

30 09 2008

From a press release…..

Old-Fashioned Fall Fun for the Family at Michigan Historical Museum’s Harvest Celebration, Oct. 4

LANSING – Step back in time and enjoy games, crafts and activities from a bygone era as the Michigan Historical Museum celebrates Michigan harvest traditions on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free for the Michigan Harvest Celebration, which will feature a variety of old-fashioned fall fun, including:

-Noon to 3 p.m. – Sample a variety of Michigan heritage apples provided by Roger Miller Orchards

-1:30 to 3 p.m. – Harvest tales with Steveanna Roose, The Pioneer Storyteller

-Traditional music and dancing

-Apple cider and donuts

-Hands-on harvest activities like a hay bale toss, a corn-shelling bee, butter making, the opportunity to make apple-head and corn-husk dolls or a scarecrow, an up-close look at tools of the trade, old-time toys and games

-Traditional crafts such as woodworking, wheat weaving, spinning, basket weaving, tin punching and more

-Characters from Michigan history throughout the museum’s galleries

The Michigan Harvest Celebration is sponsored by the Michigan Historical Museum, the Michigan Historical Museum Docent Guild, the Michigan Historical Center Foundation and the Friends of Michigan History.

The Michigan Historical Museum is located inside the Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo St., two blocks west of the State Capitol in downtown Lansing. The main entrance and visitor parking are located north of Kalamazoo Street, just east of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission and weekend parking are free. For more information, visit http://www.michigan.gov/museum.

The Michigan Historical Museum System is a division of the Michigan Historical Center, an agency of the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL). Dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan’s heritage and fostering cultural creativity, HAL also includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, the Michigan Film Office and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. For more information, visit http://www.michigan.gov/hal.

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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan, Press Releases

Press Release – Empty Bowls

30 09 2008

From a press release….

Mark your calendars for  Empty Bowls 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 – Lunch 11:30Am – 1:30 PM Dinner 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

More than 800 bowls are handmade by the Potters Guild, Clayworks and many Lansing area potters. In addition, local businesses donate soup, bread and beverages each year.

“We are fortunate to work with such talented artists in efforts to reach out to our community”, Kathe Smithe, Operations Supervisor and MMFB, said. “Empty Bowls is a wonderful event for families as well as businesses to enjoy. It brings the whole community together for a great cause.”

For a donation of $20, attendees receive a handcrafted bowl, as well as their choice of soup and drink. All proceeds will go towards feeding the hungry through the Mid-Michigan Food Bank.
This great event is held at The Center for the Arts 425 S. Grand Avenue – Lansing. This event is celebrating 18 years of feeding the hungry.

Become a Sponsor
– For $250 you can sponsor a table of eight  For $500 you can sponsor a table of ten
– For $750 you can sponsor a table of ten and receive and Empty Bowls Poster
  signed by the artist.

Learn how you can become a sponsor! Go to www.midmichiganfoodbank for more information.
Buy Tickets To purchase tickets for the 2008 event, please contact Kathe Smith at 517-702-3358.

Thank you to our contributors:
Breadsmith of Okemos – Coral Gables – Dusty’s Cellar – Empire Szechuan
Flap Jack Restaurant – Great Harvest Bread Co. – Mijo’s Diner
New Apple Jade Chinese Restaurant – Red Cedar Grill – Robinhill Catering
Sahara’s – Spartan Water and Coffee – Spuds – Sultan Express – Ted-Dee’s – The Cappuccino Café – The Spotted Dog Café – Travelers Club
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