Press Release – National Coney Station Opening in E.L.

8 09 2009

From a City of East Lansing press release…

RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR NATIONAL CONEY STATION

(EAST LANSING)—The City of East Lansing Downtown Management Board is pleased to announce the Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for National Coney Station, a new concept from National Coney Island, Inc., scheduled to be held on Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. The Honorable Mayor Victor Loomis will provide opening remarks.

 
National Coney Station, located at 565 E. Grand River Avenue, will offer a menu of ‘National’ favorites like the trademark Hani Special and their famous Coney Island Hot Dogs as well as new additions like Station Burgers and more!

The restaurant is scheduled to be open seven days a week, with the following business hours: Sun.-Wed .:11 a.m.- midnight; Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m.- 3 a.m..

Director of Business Development for NCI, Inc., Bradford Egan, a former MSU student, said that he is “excited to be opening up our new concept across from the Michigan State University. We are thankful to be able to have such a great business and loyal following.”

Currently, there are 25 National Coney Island restaurants located throughout South-East Michigan. The first National Coney Island opened in 1965 in the Macomb Mall.

On the web: Facebook Fan Page


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Categories : East Lansing, Michigan, Press Releases

Press Release – Old Town Pesto Contest

3 09 2009

From an Old Town Commercial Association press release…

OLD TOWN, LANSING, Mich. – Celebrate the summer with this delicious & entertaining fundraiser. On September 13th from 2p.m to 6 p.m., Perspective2 is working with the Old Town Commercial Association (OTCA) to host this unique event that will name Lansing’s premier pesto while raising money for the continued revitalization of the Old Town neighborhood.

Perspective2 will host more than 12 select food vendors while they showcase their special Pesto dishes. Guests will have the opportunity to sample dishes while sipping wine and specialty beers to the sounds of light jazz by Mike Bass.

Participants have a unique opportunity to compete and showcase their business and delicious food to a wide audience, and to support the great festivals and community outreach programs directed by the OTCA. Selected vendors will be competing for the best pesto dish as well as the top three prizes of $100, $75, and $50 along with a 2009 Old Town Pesto Contesto plaque. There are a variety of vendors attending: Mama Bear’s, The Chrome Cat, Hattie’s Kitchen, and Grand Café will be joined in Old Town by Beggar’s Banquet, Gumbo & Jazz, Jazzy’s & Mrs. B’s Catering Co., and Dusty’s Cellar for the pesto cook-off. Judging will be done by the event’s guests and the winner will be chosen based on food tickets collected. The winner will be announced at 5:30 p.m. with awards being given to the top three people’s choice dishes.

Pesto Contesto tickets are $15 each and include tickets for three pesto samples and one drink. This event is a fundraiser for the OTCA as they continue their mission of economic development and historic preservation through community participation. This event is made possible by our generous sponsors, including, Allegra Printing, Capital Imaging, Ciesa Designs, MIentertainment.biz, and Fairchild, Lebel & Rice, PC,.

 For ticket information or participate as one of the competing restaurants, contact Perspective2 at 517.853.5880 or the OTCA office at 517.485.4283.


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Categories : Lansing, Michigan, Old Town, Press Releases

Press Release – New City Market Taking Shape

2 09 2009

From a City of Lansing press release…

New Lansing City Market Riseson Downtown Riverfront
First Steel Beams to be Erected for New $1.6 Million Facility

(LANSING) – Mayor Virg Bernero and Interim LEPFA President/CEO Scott Keith will be on hand tomorrow for the raising of the first steel beams in the construction of the new Lansing City Market on the Grand River in downtown Lansing.

The new market is expected to be completed in late November and market vendors are anticipated to move into the new structure shortly thereafter. The $1.6 million project is a key centerpiece of the “extreme makeover” currently underway along both sides of the river from Michigan Avenue to Shiawassee Street.

WHO: Mayor Virg Bernero, LEPFA Interim President/CEO Scott Keith, LEPFA Board Chair James Butler III, representatives of Studio Intrigue (Project Architects), Kares Construction (Project Contractor) and other local officials.

WHAT: Beam Raising for the New Lansing City Market

WHERE: Cedar Street just south of Shiawassee (parking available in current City Market lot or at Lansing Center)

WHEN: Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 11:30 a.m.


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Categories : Lansing, Michigan, Press Releases

Maggie Moos Offering Spartan Special

2 09 2009

Here’s a cool idea.  Go State!  From Eastwood Towne Center’s Facebook page.

When the MSU football team wins, you receive a % discount on your total purchase at Maggie Moo’s on gameday!

The discount is equal to how many points MSU scored.

Ex: If MSU wins 27 – 7 You will get a 27% discount!

If there are any night games, discount will be honored on that Sunday.

Go Green! Go White! Go State!


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Categories : Food News

Andy’s Has Reopened!

2 09 2009

I had heard the rumors, but found out first hand that Andy’s Mexican & American Deli in Holt has reopened!  J sent me on a food run this afternoon after hearing from a couple people that the deli was back in business. 

True to form, Andy recognized me when I walked in.  He says he’s been open for about a month after taking some time off to attend to a family emergency.  He’s working on getting the word out to his regular customers and hoping that through word of mouth people will start coming back.

I’ve already done a review of Andy’s, but I do have to share a few things about today’s visit.  Obviously, there was the fact that he remembered me when I walked in.  It’s been several months since I had been in there.  He knew my fiancee’s name and asked how she was doing.  You don’t get that at many places.

The food.  J has been craving Andy’s quacamole for many months.  We keep going to Mexican places and she keeps getting quac.  She always complains about it not being nearly as good as Andy’s.  Apparently avacado’s are expensive right now and Andy had to raise his prices.  Most places would have just charged me and not said anything, but Andy told me before he made it that the price went up and if I still wanted it.  J would pay a lot more for it, so I said yes.  He remembered that J likes her quac with light onions. 

I also ordered five tacos for us to split.  He asked if I wanted flour or corn.  I asked if he had any hard shells.  He said that wouldn’t be a problem and he actually fried up some tortillas so I could have hard shell tacos.  Most places would have just said no. 

We’re both so happy Andy is back open.  We’ll be making the short drive to Holt a little more regularly now. 


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Categories : Michigan

Learn To Can Your Own Salsa

31 08 2009

I’ve tried making my own salsa a few times and it’s never come out very good.  Not sure what I’m doing wrong, but this workshop being put on by The Garden Project sounds like a good idea.  From a Greater Lansing Food Bank press release…

Learn How to Can Your Own Salsa 

August 31, 2009—The Garden Project, a program of the Greater Lansing Food Bank, welcomes you to learn how to make and can your own homemade salsa at our hands-on SalsaFest workshop. Topics covered include proper preparation and an overview of the canning process. Space is limited—call The Garden Project at (517) 887-4660 to sign up. SalsaFest 2009 is this Thursday, September 3rd at 6:00 p.m. at the Garden Project Resource Center. Call for more info.

 


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Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan

Michigan’s Blueberry Crop May Be In Danger

31 08 2009

This sucks.  Michigan produces more blueberries than any other state by quite a large margin.  Story via Mlive.com

The bloom could be off Michigan’s $124 million per year blueberry industry after two destructive viruses infected bushes in three locations.

[snip]

So far, there’s no sign of the diseases spread beyond those three spots, but the Michigan Department of Agriculture says the risk to the state’s 19,000 acres of blueberries remains.

Michigan is the nation’s No. 1 producer of blueberries, with 110 million pounds harvested last year. New Jersey was second at 42 million pounds. Nationwide, production totaled 407 million pounds.

Hopefully it didn’t spread.

 


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Categories : Food News, Michigan

Qdoba Mexican Grill – Delta Township

30 08 2009
  • 5415 W. Saginaw Highway
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 977-0063
  • Website
  • Menu
Qdoba Mexican Grill on Saginaw Highway in Delta Township

Qdoba Mexican Grill on Saginaw Highway in Delta Township

I don’t think I need to tell you about our shopping patterns again….do I?  Of course, we were out in Delta Township and it was lunch time.  We weren’t in the mood to hunt out a sit down place and McDonald’s didn’t sound good either. 

I remember seeing a few months ago that Qdoba was moving into the space that used to be a Ya-Ya’s Chicken.  That was a while ago, so I assumed it was open. 

I’ve only eaten at Qdoba once in my life.  I used to work with a woman that loved it.  She would have lived inside Qdoba if they would have let her.  The closest one to us was forty minutes away, but if we were ever anywhere near it, I would have to take her for a burrito.  Only once did I actually eat lunch with her.  I wasn’t impressed, but I wasn’t turned off either. 

The newest Qdoba in the Lansing area is on Saginaw Highway across from the Lansing Mall.  Parking around the building isn’t great.  The entrance is actually on the side of the building and there are a few angled parking spots there.  If there’s a lot of traffic in the area of that strip mall, finding a close spot could be a challenge. 

The restaurant is set up sort of like a Subway.  There’s a counter where you order and it’s put together right in front of you.  I don’t like rice and it seems like all fast food Mexican likes to use rice filler.  Qdoba is no different.  That limits the options for me.  There were some things that sounded good, but I had a feeling it would be 90 percent rice and 10 percent meat.  Instead, I ordered three tacos.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chains, Fast Food, Lansing, Mexican, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

Screams Ice Cream From Hell

30 08 2009
  • 4045 Patterson Lake Road
  • Pinckney, MI 48169
  • (734) 878-2233
  • Website (not working)
  • No Online Menu
Screams Ice Cream From Hell on Patterson Lake Road in Hell, Michigan.

Screams Ice Cream From Hell on Patterson Lake Road in Hell, Michigan.

Our trip to Hell had to include some sort of souvenir….and if we could get some ice cream while we were at it, why not?  The original plan when we left Lansing was to stop at the Hell Country Store because I knew they had some sort of collectible that we could add to our shelf as a memento of our visit to Hell, but when we got there, we found the store closed.  As we were eating lunch, we overheard a waitress telling another couple that the ice cream store had souvenirs.

Screams Ice Cream From Hell is one of three businesses along Patterson Lake Road in an unicorporated part of Livingston County known as Hell.  The building has multiple uses.  It’s an ice cream shop.  It’s a souvenir stand and it’s a putt-putt golf course. 

There are signs on the side of the building that work pretty well for picture taking.  The big “Welcome to Hell” sign on the side was a pretty popular stop for the bikers who were in the area.  Of course, J and I did the same.  There’s also some of those wooden pictures with a hole cut out for the head where you can stick yours through.  All of them say “I’m a L’il Devil From Hell.”  Yup, we did that too.  The putt-putt course is behind the building.  It’s nothing super special, but something else to do if you just don’t want to leave.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Hell, Ice Cream, Michigan, Pinckney, Restaurant, Reviews

Dam Site Inn

29 08 2009
  • 4095 Patterson Lake Road
  • Pinckney, MI 48169
  • (734) 878-9300
  • Website (not working)
  • No Online Menu
The Dam Site Inn in Hell, MI

The Dam Site Inn in Hell, MI

I made a lot of people happy today.  I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve been told, “Go to hell.”  Today, I did.  Sure, it was just Hell, MI, but I can still tell all those people who have given me that order over the years that I’ve been to Hell and back…and it was fun. 

J and I were stuck on Travel Channel’s “Extreme” shows last weekend.  During the “Extreme Roadside Attractions” I was reintroduced to Hell, MI.  I say reintroduced not because I’ve ever been there, but it was something I had heard about while I was growing up in Illinois. 

For many years, my brother and I delivered papers.  We lived in a small community and the daily newspaper in the area wasn’t huge.  One really hot day, the paper lead with the headline “It’s Hotter Than Hell (Michigan, That Is).”  We got a ton of phone calls from angry customers that thought it was inappropriate and yelled at us like we had something to do with content.  That’s the only newspaper headline I think I’ll ever remember word-for-word. 

So, J and I finally got to sleep in and we took advantage of it.  It was a little after noon before I stumbled into the living room already really hungry.  We figured out that Hell wasn’t all that far away and it would be fun just to say we’ve been there.  Since they had a bar/restaurant, we could make that a reason to go. 

The Dam Site Inn is on Patterson Lake Road in what is technically considered Pinckney.  Hell is actually an unincorporated part of Livingston County.  For USPS purposes, they have a Pinckney address and zip code.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Bar, Burgers, Dive Bar, Hell, Local Flavor, Michigan, Pinckney, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

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