The Swamp

We're taking a road trip to Michigan this summer (and hopefully meeting BSF along the way) to see friends that my wife grew up with while staying with a friend of mine from home who lives in Grosse Pointe. My favorite thing to do when I'm in an area I've never been to is drive around and explore, especially if there are colleges around. One of my best friends grew up in Standish, so I want to see his house and visit his mom. So I've decided to make a round trip that goes from Grosse Pointe --> Standish --> Mount Pleasamt --> East Lansing --> Ann Arbor --> Grosse Pointe. If you could stop for one bite to eat and/or drink in each one, what would you pick?

Each one being the three college towns. I already know there ain't shit in Standish except a casino and a nice view of Saginaw Bay.

Ooh, let me think about that one. Mount Pleasant will be a lot of pressure.

If you have an idea when you are going to be in Indy I may be able to make it down for the day.

Our if you really wanted to visit a true MACtastic Michigan city, we could meet up in Kalamazoo. Fuck Central!

duff wrote: ↑Fri May 14, 2021 5:49 pm If you have an idea when you are going to be in Indy I may be able to make it down for the day.

Our if you really wanted to visit a true MACtastic Michigan city, we could meet up in Kalamazoo. Fuck Central!

Let's make it happen on both accounts

BSF (and all y'all) needs to journey to journey to the Front range a little more often.

Mt Pleasant is so much pressure. Do I send you to a collage joint of my youth or to a newer place with good offerings. I suspect I’m going to split the baby and steer you where I did BSF. The burgers are good enough there to justify.

brian wrote: ↑Sat May 15, 2021 1:17 pm Mt Pleasant is so much pressure. Do I send you to a collage joint of my youth or to a newer place with good offerings. I suspect I’m going to split the baby and steer you where I did BSF. The burgers are good enough there to justify.

Sounds like Applebees needs to polish up the fine silver!

Giff wrote: ↑Fri May 14, 2021 5:32 pm We're taking a road trip to Michigan this summer (and hopefully meeting BSF along the way) to see friends that my wife grew up with while staying with a friend of mine from home who lives in Grosse Pointe. My favorite thing to do when I'm in an area I've never been to is drive around and explore, especially if there are colleges around. One of my best friends grew up in Standish, so I want to see his house and visit his mom. So I've decided to make a round trip that goes from Grosse Pointe --> Standish --> Mount Pleasamt --> East Lansing --> Ann Arbor --> Grosse Pointe. If you could stop for one bite to eat and/or drink in each one, what would you pick?

Each one being the three college towns. I already know there ain't shit in Standish except a casino and a nice view of Saginaw Bay.

So, I'll offer suggestions for Ann Arbor and Mount Pleasant. As long as I've been gone I don't know how much help I'd be with East Lansing and Grosse Pointe.

In Ann Arbor, should go to Zingerman's Deli -- probably the best deli in the United States outside of New York City. Prices are fairly astronomical (for Michigan), but worth every penny. Everything is beyond premium quality and prepared perfectly.

In Mount Pleasant (especially if you're planning on having a beer or two), go to The Bird Bar and Grille. It's a bit more cleaned up than when I went to school in MtP, but still has enough of a dive bar feel, so best of both worlds really. Excellent beer menu and don't overthink food and just get the Bird Burger.

If I may offer a suggestion in Mt Pleasant, I'm yet to have bad beer, food, or company at Mountain Town Brewing Co. Try to hit it every time I'm in town.

I can't argue with Mountain Town -- the beer and food are solid for sure. But it doesn't have the cachet of being someplace where one of your fellow Swampers spent hundreds of hours while in college like The Bird.

Not enjoying my decision of looking at food photos of both places before having lunch. Damn.

brian wrote: ↑Wed May 19, 2021 12:21 pm I can't argue with Mountain Town -- the beer and food are solid for sure. But it doesn't have the cachet of being someplace where one of your fellow Swampers spent hundreds of hours while in college like The Bird.

Fair point. Bird was very good too.

I’ve eaten at Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor. It’s good.

If, for some reason, you are in Ann Arbor for breakfast/brunch... hit up Angelo's.

Can't really take a shot at Zingerman's, but just keep in mind, you are buying an incredibly expensive sandwich. I think a lot of ppl get caught up in the (deserved) hype and then get there and are underwhelmed by the experience.

If you are looking for a fancy ass dinner, The Earle is an institution, as is The Gandy Dancer down by the train station.

(Keeping in mind, I haven't been to these joints in 25 years. :D)

Although, I'm looking at the menu at The Earle and recognize a lot of it.

My mom put herself through college working the books at Flood's and then graduate school working for The Earle. I got some incredibly good doggy bags when she'd come home from that joint.

I used to go to Ann Arbor on business regularly. Our favorite dinner spot was a place downtown called The West End Grill. Helps to be on expense account to eat there.

Yeah, college town bars is really what I'm looking for. Brian's is on point!

The deli does look good though. There definitely won't be any fancy-eatin' on this trip.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed May 19, 2021 1:26 pmMy mom put herself through college working the books at Flood's and then graduate school working for The Earle. I got some incredibly good doggy bags when she'd come home from that joint.

Made me think of this:

Giff wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 9:27 am Yeah, college town bars is really what I'm looking for. Brian's is on point!

The deli does look good though. There definitely won't be any fancy-eatin' on this trip.

In that case, go to Ashley's in Ann Arbor. That's going to be your speed. Incredible beer list and the food is above-average to very, very solid. It's also basically right on campus at UM so you can walk off your meal/drinks by checking out some of the campus.

I have a t-shirt from Wolverine State Brewing Co. in Ann Arbor. Nice, unpretentious little brewpub with a big beer menu.

Oh, yeah, Ashley's is solid. Went there on a trip back not too long ago.

There's a HopCat right by Ashley's in Ann Arbor, but you should probably make sure to visit a HopCat at some point while in Michigan, so consider going to the one in East Lansing then. It's right off of Grand River right by the MSU campus. I've never been to that particular location, but HopCat is awesome and East Lansing's restaurants and bars are nowhere near as good as Ann Arbor's, so seems like a good idea to hit the one in EL then.

I'm friends with a guy who played at MSU with Drew Stanton, so I'll see if he has a rec too.

Thanks again guys. Really looking forward to seeing that part of the country.

brian wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 2:42 pm There's a HopCat right by Ashley's in Ann Arbor, but you should probably make sure to visit a HopCat at some point while in Michigan, so consider going to the one in East Lansing then. It's right off of Grand River right by the MSU campus. I've never been to that particular location, but HopCat is awesome and East Lansing's restaurants and bars are nowhere near as good as Ann Arbor's, so seems like a good idea to hit the one in EL then.

I didn't know they were a chain. The one in Grand Rapids was my fallback bar when work-travelling there and not wanting to try something new on a given night.



(To be clear, that's not a derisive use of "chain". Local chains are different.)

Pretty sure the GR location is the "original". I know there's locations now in Detroit, Ann Arbor, East Lansing and Indianapolis, but not sure if there's any others. I'd be surprised if there was more than about 10.

brian wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 3:09 pm Pretty sure the GR location is the "original". I know there's locations now in Detroit, Ann Arbor, East Lansing and Indianapolis, but not sure if there's any others. I'd be surprised if there was more than about 10.

Lexington has one.

Edit: Oops, looks like it didn't survive covid.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 11:23 am I have a t-shirt from Wolverine State Brewing Co. in Ann Arbor. Nice, unpretentious little brewpub with a big beer menu.

Went there a few years ago. Nice joint.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed May 19, 2021 1:26 pm Although, I'm looking at the menu at The Earle and recognize a lot of it.

My mom put herself through college working the books at Flood's and then graduate school working for The Earle. I got some incredibly good doggy bags when she'd come home from that joint.

Eating at Grizzly Peak Brewery across from The Earle right now. One thing I wasn’t prepared for is they’ve closed most of downtown to traffic for outdoor dining.

My parents both grew up in michigan - the thumb for my mom, and detroit area for my dad. As a consequence, I happily got to do vacations growing up in the late 70s and early 80s in michigan - either visiting grandparents (got to see games at Tigers stadium during the 80s and the Trammell/Whitaker years). My grandfather on my dad's side had a cabin for 40+ years on bois blanc island in the straits that I went to several years as well. When Jen and I were first married, about two years into the marriage and before kids, we tented one happy week in June on the dunes in the UP and listened on a transistor as OJ Simpson fled from the police in a ford bronco - that was surreal.

In any event, after two decades of not being able to get back up there, going in a few weeks for a legit vacation to Beaver Island - which we reach by ferry out of Charlevoix. Going w/ Jen's dad and we get to bring the pup too. All of which is to say, I was last in Charlevoix around 1982 when we did a week tent camping - and have not seen it since. Anyone been up there recently? I know it has apparently gotten super touristy - and we will have Ellie with us so can't go into restaurants necessarily, but, I assume the town is dog friendly for walking around etc. At least I hope so. Anyone know for sure?

I am so excited to get back up that way.

I haven’t been for a couple decades myself but I’d be surprised if it wasn’t dog-friendly especially in summer. Most places should have a generous selection of craft beers.

tennbengal wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 2:11 pmMy grandfather on my dad's side had a cabin for 40+ years on bois blanc island in the straits that I went to several years as well.

Did you ever run into the Blome family when you were out there? I don't know how crowded the place was back then, but they were friends of mine who had a cabin on the island.

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:20 am

tennbengal wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 2:11 pmMy grandfather on my dad's side had a cabin for 40+ years on bois blanc island in the straits that I went to several years as well.

Did you ever run into the Blome family when you were out there? I don't know how crowded the place was back then, but they were friends of mine who had a cabin on the island.

I don't think so - if I did - don't recall. Last time I went to that cabin was around 1980 or 1981. I have no idea if the island has been built up in the interim but back then it was just cabins, each pretty isolated, and you carried all the food you needed for the week with you onto the ferry. My grandfather kept a beater truck on the island to get around. It was the best.

tennbengal wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 12:10 pm

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:20 am

tennbengal wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 2:11 pmMy grandfather on my dad's side had a cabin for 40+ years on bois blanc island in the straits that I went to several years as well.

Did you ever run into the Blome family when you were out there? I don't know how crowded the place was back then, but they were friends of mine who had a cabin on the island.

I don't think so - if I did - don't recall. Last time I went to that cabin was around 1980 or 1981. I have no idea if the island has been built up in the interim but back then it was just cabins, each pretty isolated, and you carried all the food you needed for the week with you onto the ferry. My grandfather kept a beater truck on the island to get around. It was the best.

Damn. I was hoping you knew them.

tennbengal wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 12:10 pm

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:20 am

tennbengal wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 2:11 pmMy grandfather on my dad's side had a cabin for 40+ years on bois blanc island in the straits that I went to several years as well.

Did you ever run into the Blome family when you were out there? I don't know how crowded the place was back then, but they were friends of mine who had a cabin on the island.

I don't think so - if I did - don't recall. Last time I went to that cabin was around 1980 or 1981. I have no idea if the island has been built up in the interim but back then it was just cabins, each pretty isolated, and you carried all the food you needed for the week with you onto the ferry. My grandfather kept a beater truck on the island to get around. It was the best.

Yeah, I was only there once, in 1984, but it was the same story.