Wings/Pens

Boy do I hope Datsyuk is back in the lineup today. He may not be scoring a lot of goals this post-season but he feeds the guys who do and his defense is tremendous. We need him to neutralize Malkin. This series should be very exciting. Go Wings!

Woo hoo Wings!

On to Pittsburgh! Datsyuk vs. Crosby round 2. Little do they know the best player in hockey is Johan Franzen. Go Wings Go!

Memorial Day Weekend 2009

We had Friday off and my perennial dining companion and I spent the morning buying perennials at the Northville Flower Sale (the Friday and Saturday of Memorial Day weekend every year - next year we bring a wagon) and then on to breakfast at Gest Omelettes in Redford on Plymouth Road. What a great way to start a long weekend! Gest Omelettes is a true gem - great food at a reasonable price, good service, and a pot of coffee left on your table to boot. We've been going to Gest a few times a year for over 15 years now and never get tired of it.

On Saturday, we ventured to Eastern Market in Detroit. All I have to say is for those of you thinking Detroit is a ghost town is We Are Not Dead Yet! Wow. Thousands of people and cars and vendors and flowers. Produce left and right. Amazing. We went to Eastern Market to avoid Flower Day in Ann Arbor. And as overwhelming with choices as Eastern Market was, I will happily and gratefully be back in Ann Arbor sometime between 8 and 9 next Saturday morning with my canvas bags picking out salad greens and asparagus spears from local farmers. Farmers whose produce I don't have to question "Where is this from" and even if I did, the person behind the table wouldn't have to check a box label before he or she could answer. I'm glad I went but I'm not sure I'll be back. But somehow with the thousands of folks in attendance, I don't think I'll be missed. This was a tremendous market and it was great to see so many people in our city shopping and eating and enjoying a beautiful day.

http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com/

After the Market, we made an unplanned trip to Slow's BBQ in Corktown - my first visit. Despite my perennial dining companion having previously visited, we had to be helped in finding the door (it's past the sign to your right) to enter. I was so glad we went. The food and service were outstanding and Oberon was on tap! The other patrons were friendly, the decor modern but with a neighborhood pub feel, and retro Prince was playing for most of our visit! You couldn't beat it. After a pint of Oberon and the pulled pork (with sides of mac and cheese and green beans) I needed a nap but it was worth the time out in the weekend. We will be back and you should go. Try the apple barbecue sauce - it's out of this world.

http://www.slowsbarbq.com/

We stayed at home Saturday night and watched a dvd from Netflix of my new favorite show "Dexter". It's a Showtime production and we've been watching the first season on Netflix for a few weeks now. It's not for the faint of heart or the queasy, but it's got a great plot and terrific acting. Check it out at:

http://www.sho.com/site/dexter/home.do

Sunday morning I was saved from a sports-free Sunday by drop in hockey at Suburban Ice. We had a great turn out and a great skate! Sunday we visited friends for BBQ ribs and shrimp and a bonfire. My perennial dining companion had his first s'more (they don't know what they are missing out on down river) at age 42. Yum! Great way to celebrate the holiday weekend.

Perfect Asparagus Salad

Feeds 2:

Red Leaf Lettuce
10 spears asparagus
1 large green onion, sliced thin


Rinse and spin dry the lettuce leaves and divide lettuce between two bowls
Boil the asparagus until it is firm but tender and divide between the two bowls, placing on top of lettuce and then garnish each bowl with 1/2 the onion
Dressing to taste

Dressing
1 part good tasting extra virgin olive oil
1 part honey
2-3 parts dijon mustard

Shake well.

First Asparagus

A farmer at the Canton Farmers Market had asparagus today. We will evaluate tomorrow at dinner, but how exciting! First asparagus of the year!

Easter Weekend

Having a long weekend is always nice, but was especially so as we started Friday night having beers at The Old Town Tavern in Ann Arbor (Two Hearted Ale on tap - nice!) before the Ryan Montbleau concert at the Ark. I was intrigued by the food passing me by - next time we will eat as well as drink. Visit Old Town:

http://www.oldtownaa.com/

Then on to The Ark to see The Ryan Montbleau Band - they were tremendous! Great show. The warm up act was Zach Deputy and all I can say is WOW! Great stuff! We bought his cd and two from Ryan Montbleau. The Ryan Montbleau Band is tight and their songs are funky and folky all at the same time. Zach Deputy is more reggae but oh so good! Check both acts out:

http://www.ryanmontbleauband.com/

http://www.zachdeputy.com/

On another positive note, the coney dog heaven of Bill's on Michigan Avenue in Ypsi has opened for the season. YUM YUM YUM! Don't forget the root beer!

We took advantage of the long weekend to have breakfast at Angelo's in A2. As always, the raisin bread french toast is amazing, the bacon perfect and my perennial dining companion's lox eggs benedict exceptional (the hollandaise is very good). Visit Angelo's:

http://www.angelosa2.com/home.htm

The other highlight of the weekend (besides seeing the family at our house for Easter dinner) was Drop In hockey Saturday night at Suburban Ice. Awesome workout and great hockey fun!

First Weekend in April

What a great weekend! It really started on Thursday, because we bought tickets a little bit last minute to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra playing at Hill in A2. It was a great show and the conductor, David Robertson, connected well with the audience and was highly energized. I had never heard anything by the composer John Adams performed live before and the orchestra executed it tremendously.

http://www.ums.org/S_current_season/artist.asp?pageid=499

But the best part about seeing a show in Ann Arbor might be eating out before hand. At least in part to simplify parking, we visited Ashley's on campus for the first time. A plus, Bell's Two Hearted Ale on tap! My perennial dining companion had a sampler (of which I really liked the Old Speckled Hen). I ordered the Thai Chicken Quesadilla (yum, peanut sauce) which was really good and and my PDC had an excellent burger and we split some Stilton-enhanced fries. Wow. Way too much food but it was all so good! Next time we just split the fries. Ironically, we were some of the oldest folks in the establishment, but the tunes were all our high school years - Michael Jackson, Huey Lewis and the News, etc. We will be back:

http://www.ashleys.com/index.html

Friday night was my 41st birthday and we celebrated by playing racquetball at Lifetime and then grilling out bleu cheese burgers at home (topped with sauted onions and mushrooms). Good stuff! Who says you can't grill out in Michigan in early April!

Saturday we were back in Ann Arbor twice. First, to visit the Farmer's Market (greens, radishes, eggs, Empire Apples and some beets). Then, later, back to Hill Auditorium to listen to the amazing Chick Corea and John McLaughlin and crew (the awesome in their own right Christian McBride on bass, Brian Blades on drums, and Kenny Garret on saxophone) rocked the house. We didn't eat out though. I made chickpea cauliflower curry over jasmine rice (the recipe suggested basmati but I like jasmine better for something like this)....

http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/fasteasyfresh/2009/05/curried_cauliflower_and_chickpea_stew