Back in January I posted an old picture of myself and some friends. I did that at the prompting of one of those friends and I promised more old file photos of yours truly. I have been remiss. The picture above is from this year, this month even. I am setting to cool the first few batches of my now annual holiday mass of peanut blossom cookies.
Seven Reviews for November
Half a bubble off this month with a few not-quite-full-meal stopovers. And not always curbside either. But yummy eats none the less.
Dexter Bakery (8101 Main St. Dexter) We've made several visits to the long-established (1915) bakery in downtown Dexter. They are using some of the original recipes from over 100 years ago. The wood plank floors are still those we remember from our early days and the display cases are the same. The highlights, of course, are the donuts and cinnamon buns. But we always seem to walk-out with a German pretzel or six.
Dexter Cider Mill (3685 Central St. Dexter) The cider mill is an even older Dexter institution (1886). A small store offers cider, apples, Dexter Bakery donuts and a variety of fall jams and jellies. The season is fast closing, so you need to make your trip soon. We recommend Huron River Drive from Ann Arbor for a scenic approach, the Mill is just over the bridge at Mast Road and Huron River Drive into Dexter. [Oops, closed for the season]
Grand Traverse Pie Company (291 North Zeeb, Ann Arbor) We've been making regular trips to Grand Traverse Pie for several months now. The strawberry-rhubarb crumble top might be our favorite with the ABC (apple, blueberry, cherry) coming in a close second. We have yet to try any of the custard or cream pies but those are coming for the holidays in this household. We did try the quiche slices for lunch last week, they were delicious with generous proportions.
Barry's Bagels (2515 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor) Another long-time standby. I realized the other day, we have never eaten anything off the Barry's menu except the bagels. We get a dozen at a time, predominantly Asiago with a few sweet delights for variety.
Chili's (3795 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor) I know, I know, fast food, really? Well, not fast food, but corporate chain, for sure. But we had a thank-you gift card and it was about to expire. That being said, I really enjoyed the carnitas fajitas. All in all, and not with slight praise, the entire meal was more than expected. Pandemic bonus, they have a to-go door at the front of the building, no need to mix with the indoor patrons or staff.
Detroit Street Filling Station (300 Detroit St., Ann Arbor) The only drawback to the Filling Station is that their website does not own up to the vegan nature of the establishment. Given that, the raspberry basil grilled cheese was the most unique item I've had in many a month. We also had a spread of appetizers that easily combined to make two meals. Someone went a bit over the top when she got to the dessert menu, so we had enough to sample and share for several days. Top marks to the sugar side of the menu, even the items without sugar. Curbside pickup was efficient with a staffer prowling the parking lot to deliver our order in less than two minutes.
Zingerman's Deli (422 Detroit St., Ann Arbor) We've mention the Zingerman's @ Home service in previous months and our fishy adventure at Cornman Farms, this is about an actual pickup at the Deli. We needed bread for turkey stuffing and some of the scrumptious English muffins, so why not go for a couple of the great deli sandwiches. I mean as long as your making a run to Zingerman's. I had the Jenny's Fix pastrami option and we also tried the vegetarian Leo's Friendly Lion with avocado, green chiles and muenster. We miss wandering through the balsamic vinegar aisle and peering into the loaded deli cases but right now its online or phone orders only.
Better safe than sorry. I heard that a lot growing up. This year, our household is taking that to heart, that and the advice of every sane medical expert on the planet.
So, we have taken our turkey day plans down from six to five to three. Actually our invited guests are as reasonable and sane as we appear to be. They were ready, willing and able to stand down.
Maybe next year, we all say. Well, be safe and sane this year and hopefully, we will all be inoculated and together next year.
Happy quiet and peaceful turkey day everyone.
5 Reviews for October
Dimo's Deli & Donuts (2030 W. Stadium Blvd.) Like so many eateries, Dimo's has limited hours (breakfast and lunch) due to Covid. Currently they are open 6 am to 4 pm, which can lead to some items running out mid-afternoon. A main reason I patronize Dimo's is the hot pastrami and I was not disappointed. What was missing in our lunch order was the grape leaves, which were substituted for with really good falafels but alas not grape leaves. All was forgiven when we reheated the apple fritters the next morning. Yes Deli and Donuts.
Zingerman's@Home (422 Detroit St.) Our third try with the Zingerman's at Home menu but a repeat dish as we couldn't stop raving about the Ginger Glazed Salmon in August and this week that dish was back. Four orders this time around, we had socially-distanced guests. Sides were Wild Rice with Mushrooms and Cranberries plus Sweet Garlic Squash. Both sides and salmon were more than generous portions. On a side note, no matter how, where or when you interact with employees at any of Zingerman's establishments, they are uniformly friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
No Thai (Kerrytown) Yes, four months is a row. I guess I can no longer suggest this isn't an endorsement of No Thai. There was a minor screw-up on the timing of delivery on our order but I assume that was karma because the blog title is "curbside" and I ordered delivery. The drunken noodles were perfect as always and the spring rolls remain divine.
Hotel Hickman Chuckwagon BBQ (8050 Main St. in Dexter) Look there are a lot of good BBQ places. Each to his or her own favorite. In our case we may have a couple of favs. However, one of us has a long remembered affinity for Dexter back when it was a village. Hotel Hickman occupies a space that has been the village library, the police station, the village council chambers and rumor has it a speak-easy. On the other hand, the BBQ is chuckwagon old west style, we have a strong prejudice for that style of Q. They also have truly memorable apple, cherry and bourbon peach cobbler and they serve breakfast. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 6 AM 'til 7 PM.
Bell's Diner (2167 W. Stadium Blvd.) Yes, another repeat but this time we actually only got one order of Bi-Bim-Bop (bibimbap or bibimbob). As I've said before, Bell's is a real diner. So I indulged in a patty melt with onion rings, comfort food for these scary times. It was Halloween after all.
In 2016 the final tally for president topped out at 136 million, which means as of today October 27th more than 50% of the total votes cast last time have already been voted in 2020.
We don't know what the final totals will be, but all non-partisan metrics tell us that even with the increase in Covid-driven early voting the final totals will be well about any previous election. 150+ million votes is not out of the question.
Of course, before making any predictions or popping any corks, we must also consider the effects of: the electoral college, and election day weather, and faulty polling, and a late October surprise, and dead voters in Chicago, and a halloween zombie invasion. Oh and that asteroid!
September Reviews - five establishments
Matty J's (972 E. Michigan Ave., Saline) A bakery and more, definitely more. Curbside only right now and they close at 2 PM. But you have to order early, really early to get the Brioche Rolls (which are now only available on Friday and Saturday). We found the sandwiches (Vegan Veggie and Chipolte Turkey Avocado) to be outstanding. The Sunflower Rye is just one of the half dozen breads available. By the way, Matty J's supplies bread to several locations in and around Saline. Next time, we're going for the Deep Dish Quiche.
Seva (2541 Jackson Ave.) Carry out, curbside and limited seating. The to-go menu is more limited than the dine-in but we had no issues satisfying our gastronomic needs. Greek Quinoa Salad, Asparagus Ravioli, Black Bean & Sweet Potato Quesadilla and Cilantro-Peanut Stir Fry satisfied another socially-distanced gathering of four.
Bell's Diner (2167 W. Stadium Blvd.) Look there are a lot of good diner dishes at Bell's Diner. Our problem is that they serve a great Bi-Bim-Bop, which means we never get to any of the other good stuff. There is a comprehensive Korean menu at Bell's along with great diner breakfast offerings (or so we've been told). A full grill menu of burgers, hot dogs and fresh sandwiches are also available. But they make a great Bi-Bim-Bop.
Le Dog (306 S. Main St.) Yes, Le Dog is back. They reopened Mid-September and yes, the Lobster Bisque is on the menu Thursday and Friday. But all the rest of the soups are also available and highly recommended. Expect future reviews of the wide variety of soupy options and the occasional wiener. But leave it said: the lobster bisque is rich, perfectly seasoned, plenty of lobster bits. You will need to pick-up a loaf of crusty bread to sop it all up.
No Thai (Kerrytown) Yes, for the third consecutive month No Thai makes our list. Another socially-distanced lunch with friends at our home. We have managed to find one tiny complaint, when ordering the mild heat on a dish many times there are little pockets of medium or even higher spice. For some this is a short sinus-clearing moment, for others its a lunchtime shock.
Four new reviews in August and one repeat.
No Thai (Kerrytown) Yes, our first but not the last repeat. No Thai remains a solid Top Ten on our go-to list. This time we had friends over, socially-distanced of course. The mix of dishes was interesting but in the time of Covid we did not share, which is a real loss because I definitely wanted to try the Green Curry. Highly recommended are the spring rolls and my favorite the Drunken Noodles.
Zingerman's@Home If you're not from around here (Southeast Michigan) you might not know about Zingerman's, feel free to follow the link. For our purposes here we took advantage of a Covid response by the catering kitchen at Zingerman's called Zingerman's@Home. A limited but scrumptious menu is offered for pick-up or delivery. We tried the @home option twice in August. The Hungarian Paprikash and the Fungi Pot Pie were good the first week but the Atlantic Salmon on our second try was outstanding. Locals know all the facets of the Zingerman's family of restaurants and stores. We will be heading back to the @Home option again when the salmon appears.
Cornman Farms (Island Lake Road, Dexter) Another Zingerman's business is Cornman Farms. Generally, an event center (mostly weddings) they also offer seasonal culinary adventures. This summer it was Fish & Chips. You had to order online and then pick-up on the picnic table outside the farmhouse kitchen. Eating on the extensive grounds was a treat in late August. The fish was tender, not greasy and a large portion. We are watching carefully for the next food adventure from Cornman Farms.
Core Life Eatery (205 N. Maple) Green bowls. Grain bowls. Broth bowls. Power Plates. Warm Rice Bowls and, of course, Create Your Own Bowl. Everything at Core Life is just so damn healthy. The surprise for many is that the dishes are also tasty, filling and come with a wide variety of sauces and veggie options.
No Thai (4 locations: S. University, S. Main, Plymouth, Kerrytown) We order from the Kerrytown store. Personally, you can't go wrong with any dish from No Thai, at least we haven't found a hole in the menu yet. As you will see in coming months, this has become a go-to for us. We do use home delivery at times, in violation of our "curbside" theme. This is definitely a nominee for our Top Ten Restaurants in Ann Arbor.
Pita King (2412 E. Stadium) Pitas, pitas and more pitas. Plus lots of other Middle Eastern delights: humus, grape leaves, falafel, mujaddara, tabouli, fattoush, shawarma, gyro and at least half a dozen variations on pitas. If you're in the mood for pita, well Duh! Pita King.
Chela's (three locations: Dexter, S. Maple, downtown [currently closed]) We are fans of both the small main store on S. Maple at Liberty and the much larger sit-down venue in Dexter. In either case, Chela's is out absolute favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. Hands down tasty food. Our only objection might be that the Dexter store has a limited menu. But both have easy pick-up, we recommend curbside in Dexter and walk-in for the S. Maple locations. Another Top Ten nominee.
Olga's (3500 Washtenaw Ave.) Olga's is a long-time favorite of a dear friend. We often swing by for a pick-up order before we visit with her. The staple dish would be a gyro, except that Olga's uses a house bread that is not a pita but so much better. We'd mention the other dishes but we seldom get passed the wide variety of Olga "sandwiches."
Naked Burrito (2871 Carpenter Rd.) Do not be fooled by the name, this is much more than a burrito place. The menu starts with some tasty bowls, try the Vegan Portabello Passion. Do not try the Flamin Hot Elote unless you are a hot and spicy connoisseur and we mean hot! There are lots of tacos and burritos and quesadilla, we do wish the online menu had a more complete rundown on the various components to build our own platter. [UPDATE 10/9/2020: Naked Burrito has permanently closed. The owners will soon be opening JJ's Crab House at the same Carpenter Road location.]
Everest Sherpa (2803 Oak Valley Dr.) Tucked away in a shopping center, Everest Sherpa is a hidden wonder. Just a brilliant menu full of succulent taste treats. Don't be misled by the Oak Valley address, just head to the corner of Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. and W. Waters. We would give you a few recommendations but we've tried so many dishes and still have many more to go. Never a disappointment.
The West Wing originally aired from 1999 to 2006. It was the best and brightest example of liberal mollification media since M*A*S*H went off the air in 1983. Smart writing and believable Executive Branch scenarios kept the show on for seven seasons.
I recently binged the whole series and was shocked to fine it more than mildly upsetting. The first time around we got the politics week to week or VCR'd over a month or so. But binging back-to-back-back puts a viewer right smack in the midst of the incredible dysfunction that is the two-party system.
Evil bastards on both sides of the aisle cheat, weasel and steal with zero regard for their constituents. I mean, of course, in the show not actual events in Washington. The good guy president Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) is only the good guy if you're a liberal. John Goodman does a great conservative president for several episodes in season four. Take your pick.
What is unsettling is watching the fictional partisan dog-fighting of the show in this time of trump. Yet, it is also eerily calming to realize back twenty years ago, the inane political fractures in our government were already in place. About the only difference between fiction then and reality now is there are far fewer politicians who are truly moderate today.
Holding the political middle is difficult when there is no one there to represent moderation or compromise.
Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land came out in 1961. I first read it in the early 70s during my personal science fiction immersion year. It was one of many brilliant sci-fi novels given to me by a old friend. I remember my reaction was purely science fiction. By that I mean along with a dozen or so other sci-fi classics I consumed in a year or so, this was just one of many mind-opening adventures in the genre. Pure Sci-Fi.
Since that time I have had two highly different encounters with Michael Smith, the Stranger in a Strange Land.
The novel "tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human who comes to Earth in early adulthood after being born on the planet Mars and raised by Martians, and explores his interaction with and eventual transformation of Terran culture." Wikipedia
Sometime in the late 80s in L.A., I got briefly involved with a Heinlein groupie group. On one occasion, there was proposed to be a discussion between half a dozen or so of Heinlein's main characters. Mind you by this time Heinlein had written 32 novels and over 50 short stories. A week before the event, no one had taken Michael Smith and I was asked by the pseudo-leader to consider the slot. I read Stranger again paying particular attention to how the main character thought, spoke and acted.
While the Heinlein character discussion event was basically a bust, I gain a new perspective on character analysis and a distaste for Heinlein groupies.
My third round with Michael Smith & company came early this summer on my drive North. I listened to the novel on audio while traversing Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and a bit of Michigan.
This third read (listen) all I could think of from the first chapter was - cult. Perhaps a kind, loving, if not peaceful cult but a cult none the less.
I ponder, was on not aware in my 20s or 40s of the cultish aspects of Stranger? Or perhaps is it the times we live in that make this aspect of the story so forceful today?
What I do know is that the Martian greeting - "Thou Art God" has several interpretations, not all of which are pleasant. However, and this is a strong however, a sci-fi aficionado must have Stranger in a Strange Land on any must read list.
I've been pondering an eye-opening response I received to a group email sent out a few weeks ago. That email was about the virus. Part of what I said was:"History never repeats itself, but if often rhymes."
Posts
All Comments
