Are you still looking for something to do this weekend??? Heres a few UTR ideas for you.... 1. Downtown Bay City UTR Segment: https://youtube/watch?v=W0uo6hfdnAs Bay City was another big surprise to all of us on the UTR crew. Everywhere we looked there was cool, classic architecture that took you back to a time when buildings actually had personality. Back to when structures were as much artistic form as they were function. Every time we turned around, you could hear someone on the crew say, “Wow, that’s a cool building.” Another really great thing going on in Bay City right now is all the new development. A lot of very cool living spaces are coming into downtown, creating jobs, new energy and a great sense of place. Like in so many other Michigan cities, people are reconnecting with their downtowns to improve their quality of life. Not only did we fall in love with the classic buildings downtown, some of the homes and neighborhoods surrounding Bay City will blow you away. Thanks to the lumber barons of the late 1800s, Center Avenue Historic District has some of the most beautiful, spectacular and enormous homes you’ll see anywhere. Some of them are even bed and breakfasts now, so check that out too. You don’t have to go to Europe to see incredible churches. Besides, it’s far away, it’s expensive and they talk funny over there. Here in Bay City the churches are spectacular. The First Presbyterian Church there dates all the way back to 1883. And everywhere you look around town, you see majestic steeples accenting the skyline. Another incredible structure is the City Hall. It was completed in the late 1800s and has a bell tower that rises 185 feet above the city. This place is totally worth checking out. 2. Lexington https://youtube/watch?v=UAhu1ABB5Vk For a lot of reasons, Lexington is becoming one of Michigan’s favorite staycation destinations. If you’re looking for a great little harbor town to spend a weekend, a week or the rest of your life in, Lexington is the perfect place. It has that classic resort town atmosphere, with everything from traditional businesses to some pretty funky, cool places to check out. And it’s got some beautiful places to enjoy the water. 3. Sweetie-licious Bakery Cafe (517) 669-9300 108 N. Bridge St., DeWitt, MI 48820 (Also located in the Grand Rapids Downtown Market) sweetie-licious UTR Segment: https://youtube/watch?v=6hGJGArsW5E Our adventure started in the little town of DeWitt, just north of Lansing at a place I thought I’d never find. Ever! It’s called Sweetie-licious Bakery Café, and just stepping inside takes you back to a time when simple pleasures were a lot simpler. When you meet Linda Hundt you find out right away that she’s as sweet as the pies she makes. You won’t meet a more sincere or motivated person anywhere, and she’s put her genuine love for people into the incredible pies she makes. Believe me, you can taste it. Linda’s pies have become a national sensation. She’s won over a dozen first place awards and even appeared on The Food Network. Linda’s staff is a blast and they go out of their way to source fruit from local farmers. Linda invited me to make a pie with her, so we each made her famous pie that holds two titles: First Place, Crisco National Pie Championship and Best of Show, Food Network. It’s called Tom’s Cheery Cherry Cherry Berry Pie, and it is named after her late brother-in-law Tom. Mine tasted really good, but Linda’s actually looked like a pie. The reason I said I never thought I’d find a place like this is because a number of years ago, my wife Cathy started baking homemade pies. Her pies were (and are) so good that I completely stopped eating store-bought pies. They just didn’t even compare, until I tried Sweetie-licious. Sorry, Honey! It’s passionate, talented and motivated people like Linda Hundt at Sweetie-licious who are reminding the world why Michigan truly is a great place to be. Lansing’s historic Old Town area is a thriving collection of new, innovative and creative restaurants and businesses. Young people have reclaimed the area and turned it into one of the most fun and interesting places to go in Michigan. One of these people is Chad Jordan. He’s smart, focused and motivated. Now combine all that with a good idea, and you’ve got a recipe for success. 4. Cops & Doughnuts - Clare City Bakery (989) 386-2241 521 N. McEwan St., Clare, MI 48617 copsdoughnuts UTR Segment: https://youtube/watch?v=NAkjEAt02cE#t=800 You’ve heard the expression Cops & Doughnuts. Well, in Clare, it’s not just a lifestyle; it’s an actual doughnut shop and bakery right in downtown Clare that’s owned and operated by nine of Clare’s finest. You read right, the iconic town bakery, built in 1896, was about to go out of business, so all the cops down at the police station decided to get together, pool their money, buy it and save it. The town gets to keep its historic bakery, and the cops still have a place to get their daily doughnut fix. A win-win! These are the nicest bunch of guys you will ever meet, and they have an absolute blast owning and running Cops & Doughnuts. Business is so good now that they’ve hired a new staff and even added a restaurant and gift shop. The restaurant features fun foods like the “Stool Pigeon Sandwich” and the “Misdemeanor Weiner,” and the gift shop offers official Cops & Doughnuts wearables and even a men’s cologne called “Under Suspicion.” People are coming from around the world to experience this fun-filled natural combination. So if you’re one of those people who thinks there’s never a cop around when you need one, you should check this place out, because at Cops & Doughnuts, you have the right to remain full and happy. 5. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (616) 957-1580 1000 E. Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 meijergardens.org https://youtube/watch?v=VTcV0ww0Pdc#t=137 I have a garden at my house, but after I saw this place, I’m not really sure what to call mine anymore. Once you go to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, you’ll wonder the same thing I did. Why the heck have I never been here before? It’s acre after acre of art, science and natural beauty that’ll make you stop, think, wonder and dream. Frederik Meijer of the famous Michigan-based Meijer grocery chain had a love of sculpture, and his wife Lena had a great love of horticulture. So they combined their dreams and created a magical place. In this 132-acre park you’ll find an incredible and fun children’s garden, a five-story high tropical conservatory with plants and birds from around the world and countless arrangements of fascinating foliage. You’ll see vegetation from all around the planet there, from beautiful flowers to desert cactuses. They even have some exotic carnivorous plants. Lucky I’m not a bug. The sculpture park is over thirty acres of beautiful terrain containing the most comprehensive collection of outdoor sculptures in the entire Midwest. Some of these incredible sculptures are mammoth in size. To say this part of the park is impressive would be a huge understatement. What Fredrick and Lena Meijer built together really is something that everyone should see. So carve out a day, get to Grand Rapids and check this place out. The next day we ran into a guy who doesn’t like to admit it, but he’s one of the coolest cats you’ll find in the Grand Rapids area. As a matter of fact, if I was twice as cool as I am now, I’d still only be half as cool as he is. Think about it. 6. Cadillac UTR Segment: https://youtube/watch?v=SO4Fdy6OJl8 When I was a kid, we took tons of family vacations in northwest Lower Michigan. And whenever we traveled up Highway 115, we’d always stop for gas just outside Cadillac by William Mitchell State Park. It’s a beautiful park that sits between Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell. The road passes through a narrow strip of land that gives you a beautiful panoramic view of both lakes. I can remember all five of us saying to my mom, “Why can’t we just stay here? It’s awesome.” But we always headed up to the sand dunes. Well, now, thanks to UTR, we stayed in Cadillac and loved it! 7. Bolles Harbor Cafe(734) 457-2233 13986 Laplaisance Rd., Monroe, MI 48161 bollesharborcafemonroe UTR SEGMENT: https://youtube/watch?v=WI6ECeByDYY The culinary arts are also a rich part of Monroe. If you’re hungry, some really good food is never far away. John turned us on to an unassuming little place down by the marina called The Bolles Harbor Café. As soon as we walked in, we were met by Silverio Conte, a chef with a passion for both people and the food he prepares. In the kitchen, Silverio is part prizefighter, part artist and one hundred percent Italian. As chefs go, he’s what I like to call “a natural.” His foods are simply and passionately prepared. And most importantly, he doesn’t over complicate his dishes. He lets you taste the natural flavors of fresh, local foods. When we were there, Silverio brought out some of his best for us to taste (love my job). We dined on pulled slow-roasted pork, handmade gnocchi, fresh Lake Erie walleye with white wine sauce and hand-tossed pizza. They were all family recipes and all simply delicious. I’ll never look at the Monroe exit sign on I-75 the same again, because now that I know what’s there, I’ll be back again, and again… and probably again! 8. The Maple Grille LLC (989) 233-2895 13105 Gratiot Rd., Hemlock, MI 48626 themaplegrille.netAnn Arbor UTR SEGMENT: https://youtube/watch?v=dOczihXVsjE You know, most restaurants bring food “into” their kitchen to cook for you. Well, here’s a guy who took his kitchen outside to where the food is. It’s called The Maple Grille, and it’s a modern twist on the way things were done way back when. No freezers, no microwaves and no ovens, just fresh, local food cooked over a wood fire, right in front of you. Josh Schaeding is the young chef who’s turning heads and filling stomachs right by the side of the road. This truly is one of the most unique dining experiences we’ve ever had doing the show and one of the best. Josh depends on local farms and ranchers for the flora and fauna he serves up, and he even grows a lot of it himself. Imagine food so fresh that the chef just went right out back and picked it for your meal. Even though the menu changes daily, depending on what’s available, one thing stays constant at the Maple Grille, and that’s family. With their help, Josh built the modern yet earthy structure that makes up both his outdoor kitchen and the dining area. It’s funky, cool and right out in fresh air… perfect! We dined on rib eye with secret sauce, lake trout, rabbit confit, colette steak, tri tip, grilled redskins, spaghetti squash and homemade cornbread. Hard to believe, but I was speechless. So if you’re looking for a unique dining experience with fresh local food and great people, the Maple Grille is only a drive away. Note: Since our first visit, the Maple Grille has also opened an indoor dining area. Great news for those days Mother Nature is having one of her moods. 9. Flint Cultural Center Corporat (810) 234-1695 1120 E. Kearsley St., Flint, MI 48503 FlintArts.org UTR SEGMENT: https://youtube/watch?v=CED8IayWO3M Just east of downtown we discovered the Flint Cultural Center - - It’s ten different institutions on one thirty-three-acre campus, and it has everything you need to enrich your life and expand your horizons. From the Sloan Museum, which chronicles Flint’s automotive history, to the beautiful Whiting Auditorium where they have incredible shows, to the world class Flint Institute of Arts, the Flint Institute of Music, the Flint Youth Theatre and Michigan’s second largest planetarium, this place has something for everyone. Take my word for it. Take some time, do some research and take the whole family there. The Flint Cultural Center is a beautiful, fun and amazing place for your mind. We had a blast! 10. Detroit Food Tour Here are three great foodie destinations that you should eat your way through this weekend: Green Dot Stables (313) 962-5588 2200 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48216 greendotstables UTR SEGMENT: https://youtube/watch?v=d700kqqA1w4#t=974 I was told that if you want a really good gourmet slider hamburger at a great price, you need to go to Green Dot Stables in Detroit. Now if something seems very wrong with that statement, believe me, once you go there, it will all seem very right. That’s because there are no horses or jockeys at Green Dot Stables. There are just hip Detroit foodies enjoying an array of little gourmet burgers filled with incredibly fresh and tasty ingredients. From the Cuban and Korean burgers to the gyro and even the mystery meat burger, this place rocks. They’re little and inexpensive, so try a handful with your favorite Michigan brew. Jacques Driscoll is the owner and the man with the plan to make gourmet food not only affordable but easy to hold. He saw a need, found this funky, old, iconic Detroit eatery, kept the strange name and retro ambiance and started serving sliders. It’s cooky, clean, comfortable and casual, and it totally works. Chef Les Molnar is Jacques culinary coconspirator, and he’s a big part of the reason these little gourmet sliders take your taste buds to infinity and beyond. Everything is fresh and prepared with great care. Word of mouth on Green Dot Stables has been extraordinary in this area, and now we know where all the mouths are coming from. The day we were there, the place was packed with all kinds of people enjoying all kinds of sliders. I also love the atmosphere at Green Dot. It’s almost like you’re in your buddy’s rec-room having a beer and burger with all your best friends. Honey Bee Market (313) 237-0295 2443 Bagley, Detroit, MI 48216 honeybeemkt UTR SEGMENT: https://youtube/watch?v=11h0quYCx5w#t=944 Honeybee Market is by far the cleanest, most organized and well stocked specialty grocery store I have ever been in. It’s lovingly owned and operated by Tammy and Ken Koehler, and they have about as much pride in this place as they do great foods. The first thing I noticed when I walked in the front door was, that’s right, free homemade guacamole and chips. I love guacamole. To me, it’s its own food group, so I unapologetically partook. Well, about ten minutes and four light green stains on my shirt later, I waddled into the store and instantly noticed how incredibly clean and well organized it was. A place for everything, and everything in its place. And if something is removed for purchase, it’s immediately replaced before you can even say, “Holy guacamole.” The selection there is also truly international. From the normal every day to the exotic hard-to-find items and fresh produce, it’s all there. Tammy and Ken are genuine and real people who love where they live and love connecting with this community through food. With passion, pride and plenty of elbow grease, they’ve turned this market into a food destination for people who love quality and variety. They treat you and feed you like family, and that kind of care is priceless. It you want a full and filling reason to come to Southwest Detroit, come to Honey Bee Market. If you can get past the guacamole at the front door, you’ll do fine. 1917 American Bistro(313) 863-1917 19416 Livernois Ave., Detroit, MI 48076 1917americanbistro UTR SEGMENT: https://youtube/watch?v=kMnq11B88zA#t=954 Next time you’re in Detroit and you’re in the mood for an American bistro with European flair and a soul-food foundation, have we got a place for you. The 1917 American Bistro is a Detroit eatery that’s sophisticated, casual, funky and a lotta fun to go to. And it’s all wrapped up in an artful atmosphere that totally says… oh yeah! If you like good food, you’ll love owners Don and Katrina Studvent. They’re an extraordinary couple who followed their dream and opened their arms to a community that’s loving everything they do. And what they do is serve some of the best soulful selections this side of the sun. Chef Don’s philosophy is simple: keep the food fresh, real and uncomplicated. The restaurant is filled with incredible aromas, local art, thoughtful Detroiters and a staff that truly cares about your experience. And if you’re a jazz lover, beware… jam sessions featuring some of Detroit’s finest musicians have been known to spontaneously break out on weekend nights… so be sure to bring your ears. If you’re looking for a cool night out with a great hot meal and a warm, friendly environment… 1917 Bistro is... well, oh yeah! Now get out there and enjoy summer before we get slammed with an Autumn that wants to be Winter! (but you know us - - we’ll have a list of things to help you enjoy that too!) All the above text has been taken from the new UTR Book covering our first 50 episodes and is available for pre-sale now before you can buy it in book stores: scribe-publishing-company.myshopify/products/utr
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 20:35:33 +0000
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