LET'S GO 2014

Happy New Year! Hope you all are enjoying the holiday. I spent the evening at Ronin, my favorite sushi restaurant in Royal Oak, and Great Lakes Coffee on Woodward. We (my parents and I) drove around Campus Martius to see "the D Drop" party (my dad votes to change it to "Raise the D," stay tuned for campaign details). I hope no one froze to death out there! We headed home and played gin rummy until midnight while listening to the top 104 party songs and watched the ball drop on TV with sparkling cider. Some might think that a crazy party with all your friends is way better than my quiet evening, but I really enjoy these simple times with my family (minus Haley- wish you could've joined us, sis). 

In other news, here are my resolutions for 2014!

1. Write down more of my ideas/observations/thoughts/opinions. I'm rather forgetful and these tend to come in handy later on.

2. Come closer to finding a job/career that suits me. I have interests in so many areas but I'm having a hard time settling on one thing.

3. Find a hobby so I don't sound extremely boring when I talk to people.

4. Study the Korean language more seriously (Seoul 2018, anyone?).

That's it! I hope your 2014 resolutions are challenging and productive. :)

image edited by me

A MORNING AT EASTERN MARKET

On Saturday morning my parents and I made our way to one of the US's largest farmers markets and local favorite, Eastern Market. If you've never been: GO. Nice and early. It's such a great experience. The market opens at 5am, but we got there around 8. Local produce, food trucks, and fantastic people watching at the tip of your fingers. I will admit, not all of the produce is local, unfortunately (just look behind the stands to see if the sellers are pulling all their veggies out of cardboard boxes or something commercial looking, it should be pretty obvious). We got coffee from Urban Grounds (they sell Great Lakes Coffee), an assortment of cheeses from the Zingerman's stall for an appetizer for a dinner with relatives that evening, beignets (pronounced BEN-YEY) from the beignets2go truck, and an asparagus lángos (hungarian fried pizza) from The Grindhouse. All in all, it was just a lovely morning to soak in the Detroit urban vibes.

IN & OUT: PART 2

IN

Chocolate-covered Bananas with Almonds

I had a sweet tooth the other night but didn't feel like baking or eating unhealthy food. Logical answer: bananas with dark chocolate and almonds! I used this recipe, even though it doesn't require much precision. Simply melt the chocolate, dip the bananas, sprinkle with almonds, and freeze until the chocolate hardens.

OUT

Sandwiches at Mudgie's Deli

One of Corktown's finest, the little deli packs a powerful punch. They claim to serve "only the freshest, highest-quality food. We use local products whenever possible, and roast our own meats in house. Our soups are always fresh, our coffee is outstanding and WiFi is free." And I believe they really do! For my order I like to switch up from time to time but typically stick to their iced tea of the day and Toney's Caesar Wrap. Also, if you're the dessert type, definitely snag the Fudgie Mudgie at the end of your meal! A brownie waffle topped with Calder Dairy ice cream . . . Three words: TO. DIE. FOR. 

Love this candid of my dad! :)

1. image via na krachyn spodzie (even though I'm Polish, don't ask me what that means.) 2. The Madill sandwich (house roasted turkey, Neuske's nitrate free cherrywood smoked bacon, avocado, tomato, romaine lettuce, Mudgie- made garlic mayo and melted pepper Jack cheese on an 8 “ served warm) and one of their fresh pickles, taken (and eaten) by me. 3. My dad enjoying the tea of the day, ginger lemon. Taken by me.

IN & OUT: PART 1

Thought I'd share a few tasty dishes and snacks that I've enjoyed recently- both at home and at some of my favorite restaurants!

IN

Avocado Toast

Ok, new favorite snack alert! I've had about two a day since I found this on pinterest last week. The how-to is extremely simple: make some toast (I use Ezekiel bread), shmear half an avocado on it, then season with salt, pepper, and turmeric to taste. And I like to jazz it up a bit with a little hot sauce, too! Healthy and tasty? This snack has it all.

OUT

Crepes at Le Petit Zinc

We've tried other crepe restaurants in the area and this is definitely our favorite place. It has a very authentic european feel and a lovely patio! Of course sweet and savory choices are offered, but they also provide classic french dishes along with a selection of salads and sandwiches. My current favorite is the Fromage De Chevre Et Epinards, a savory crepe filled with goat cheese (marinated in olive oil and rosemary), spinach, and pine nuts.

My dad enjoying one of the specials of the day!

I'm officially an unsweetened tea convert!

Come back tomorrow to see some more of my favorites!

1. via sacramento street 2.-5. by me.

PERSONAL NOTE #3

Thursday, man... what a day! I had my last two field trips in high school (T-14 days until graduation!). For the first half of the day we headed to the Detroit Institute of Arts, and after lunch we practiced our courtroom skills at the 24th District Court for Law Day. I love the DIA and was super excited to see the Van Gogh pieces they had on exhibit! Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin (1888) was my favorite, although Bedroom in Arles was extremely cool to see. I've been to the DIA a couple times before with my family, but being able to experience it together with my friends, talking about our favorite pieces, was especially valuable to me. A big thanks to the DIA for putting up with our teen "let's take another weird picture with THIS sculpture" behavior ;) We continued our day out with a stop at Pizza Papalis for lunch and then the courthouse. The proceedings were definitely entertaining, but unfortunately the chips did not fall in our favor. Let's just say law school does not appeal to me in the least! However, it really was blast. Follow the field trips with play practice and homework and call me wiped out! These last days of high school are certainly keeping me busy.  

1. Emily, Laynie, and me in front of the DIA 2. Posing by a piece of modern art 3. Matisse! 4. Emily, Danielle, and I 5. Laynie and I 6. All the girls in my class! 7. The Great Hall

photos 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 by Laynie

photos 3 and 7 by me

BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER

...in Detroit! Thought I'd share some of my favorite places to dine in the D!

BREAKFAST: Brooklyn St. Local

A few words: Total hipster diner with a menu to match. Tons of great local sources and vegan menu options!

Favorite things: Mocha (sourced from Great Lakes Coffee!) & Breakfast Poutine (a canadian dish, fries with gravy and cheese curd, served breakfast style with an egg and bacon or tempeh)

image from instagram

 LUNCH: Mudgie's Deli

 A few words: Another local-friendly spot with a terrific variety of sandwiches.

Favorite things: Toney's Caesar Wrap & Fudgie Mudgie (a brownie waffle topped with Calder's ice cream and Sander's chocolate sauce... so good)

DINNER: El Barzon

A few words: 10 times better than anything I've ever had in Mexican Town. Menu features both Italian and Mexican dishes.

Favorite things: Enchiladas & Guacamole

HAPPY SATURDAY! Hope everyone enjoys their (semi?)chilly weekend and admires the beautiful snow before it melts in a few days!