Michie Takes Mt. Pleasant!

I woke up on this bright, sunny, August day with the smell of Comfort Inn and Suites Hotel and Conference Center’s continental breakfast wafting in my room.  I came to stay here last night because I heard it has one of the best conference facilities around, so I had to check it out for myself. The Comfort Inn and Suites Hotel and Conference Center did not let me down.  This facility has 138 guest rooms and 8 meeting rooms with a capacity of 600 so it can host any sort of event I want to put on.  There is also a Bennigan’s on site for me and my friends to swim to for some delicious food and drinks, not mention the fitness center, pool, high speed internet and free local calls available to me.  After enjoying breakfast, I am heading to the Ziibiwing Center to learn about this area’s Indian history.

Mmmm… I’m full.  That breakfast was delicious.  Next, I am off to the Ziibiwing Cultural Center on the Isabella Indian Reservation of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.  Mount Pleasant is rich in American Indian culture because of the 130,000 acres of reservation land sprawling through Isabella County.  The word “Ziibiwing” means place by the river in the tribe’s original language, Anishinabemowin, which makes the Ziibiwing Center the perfect place for me since I live in the water!  This language is used throughout the center, as well as in printed materials.  At the Ziibiwing Center, there is so much to see!  There are permanent exhibits and temporary exhibits that change throughout the year. 

            The Ziibiwing Center’s permanent exhibit is called “Diba Jimooyung” which means “telling our story”.  This 15 area exhibit teaches guests about the struggles to hold on to the land, language and life ways of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.  I feel like I know all about the American Indian culture of this area now! 

            The Ziibiwing Center also has meeting and conference facilities for holding events.  Located right by the Soaring Eagle Casino, this location will make any event unique.

            On my way out, I think I will stop in the gift shop to get some souvenirs to take home for my friends!  Maybe I will get some dream catchers or American Indian art work.I can’t decide what to buy; there are too many options!  

            After learning all about the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe at the Ziibiwing Center, I am going to head down the road to try my luck at the Soaring Eagle Casino.  The casino offers table games, poker, bingo, keno, and slots as well as a variety of dining options.  I think I am going to check out the nickel slots.  I have a lot more places to visit in Mount Pleasant so I don’t want to spend all of my money in one spot!  Wish me luck; I am hoping for a big win!  Keep your fins crossed!

Well, now I am downtown where all the shops are.  I’m so lucky to be here at this time because the Street Festival is happening right now!  There are booths everywhere from local vendors, a ton of food, and some great entertainment!  There will be dance exhibitions later; I hope I am here long enough to see them.  Right now, I am heading over to check out this sand castle that is being constructed in Town Center.  The city brought in professional sand sculptors that are taking the whole week to build this.  Mt. Pleasant must have known Michie was on her way; they wanted to make me feel right at home among all the sand!

Good thing I didn’t spend all my money at the casino so I can do some shopping and eating in downtown Mount Pleasant.  Let’s head down Broadway street, right past the Mount Pleasant Area CVB office at 200 E. Broadway!  The building where the CVB office stands now was one of the earliest bank buildings to be constructed in Mount Pleasant.  Starting as The First National Bank of Mount Pleasant, it changed its name to Isabella County State Bank in the 1890s.  After it was a bank building for over a century, it became what is now the CVB, Chamber of Commerce, and Middle Michigan Development Company offices.

            The word around here is that there are some great local restaurants I should check out for lunch.  Gambling at the casino and visiting the Ziibiwing Center has made me work up an appetite!  I am deciding whether to eat at The Brass Café or Max and Emily’s Eatery, both being locally owned restaurants. Residents have told me The Brass Café has an excellent selection of seasonal ingredients on their menu and is a great place to grab lunch or dinner for any occasion: cocktails, a night on the town, or a business meeting, for instance.  Max and Emily’s is also locally owned and has an extensive menu offering baked goods, soups, salads, and sandwiches.  At Max and Emily’s, you can order in or take it to go.  Although I have heard wonderful things about both places, I think I’m going to get something from Max and Emily’s.  That way, I can take my lunch with me.  After all, I have a lot more to do here and my stay is limited!

While in Mount Pleasant, I can’t forget to check out the campus of Central Michigan University!  Approximately 25,000 students attend CMU on a yearly basis.  The school sure has grown from when it was Mount Pleasant Normal and Business Institute in the 1890s.  My friends at the CVB, Chris Rowley and Matt Young, are CMU graduates themselves!  Fire up Chips!

            While on campus, I have to check out Kelly Shorts Stadium where the CMU Chippewas play football.  I might have to come back and watch the team play when the season kicks off.

            I have also heard about the new CMU Event Center that was completed in 2011, McGuirk Arena.  The event center seats 5,300 people and was designed to provide an engaging environment for commencement, athletic events, concerts, trade shows and more.  In 2011, CMU held its first graduation ceremony there, as well as hosted pop artist, Kesha!  I’m bummed I missed that!

The campus of CMU was amazing.  Next, I’m going to go check out the Chippewa River and hopefully soak up the sun on this gorgeous day.  The river serves as popular recreation activities for Mount Pleasant residents, college students, and visitors.  On the Chippewa River, you can canoe, kayak, fish and tube.  Right now, am I relaxing in front of the water fall at Nelson Park.  The Chippewa River runs right through Nelson Park; maybe I will pass it on my excursion later! Being a fish, I think I will just relax and let the river carry me away instead of fishing.  That doesn’t sound too exciting to me!

I feel so relaxed and tanned after that little trip down the Chippewa.  I’m off to meet up with my friend Matt Young, who works at the CVB.  He is going to tell me all about Michigan’s Central Swing.  It is a golf program run through the Mount Pleasant Area CVB.  You choose where to stay and where to play and Matt does the rest!  Sounds like a stress free way to plan a get away to me!  I’m making my way down Pickard Street, one of the main roads that runs through Mount Pleasant and where a lot of businesses are located!  I just passed Doozie’s Ice Cream; I will definitely be heading there later.

            After a short tour down Pickard Street, I made it here to Bucks Run, one of the courses that participates in the Michigan’s Central Swing program.  The program features 12 courses of high caliber, picturesque golf, all within convenient driving distance in Central Michigan. Guests can chose from one of the outstanding accommodations here in Mount Pleasant and create the perfect little golf getaway.  Bucks Run is one of the four premier courses that the program offers and has a 4.5 star rating.  Maybe if I am nice to Matt he will take me to see some of the other golf courses, such as Tullymore, St. Ive’s or Pohl Cat, next time I am in Mount Pleasant!

Time to wind down from the long and exciting day with dinner and a drink or two.  Ever since I got here people won’t stop raving about this restaurant called Mountain Town, so I can’t leave Mount Pleasant without stopping there.  This brewery and steakhouse now sits on the location where the historic Mount Pleasant Railroad Depot used to be.  The restaurant is a far cry from the original look of the railroad depot, but still has its original feel.  I’m going to have to try a rack of their award winning ribs just to see if there as good as everyone says they are.  Ribs will be a nice treat and a stray from the normal fishy diet of sea weed!  I’ll take one of their hand crafted beers to go along with it – the Chip River Weizen sounds delicious!

Mountain Town definitely lived up to their reputation.  I am stuffed!  Well, not quite.  Doozie’s ice cream will top me off.  Doozie’s is a local hot spot.  It is a  little outdoor ice cream parlor right off one of the main roads, Pickard.  They have an extensive menu ranging from a long list of Arctic Swirl flavors, to sundaes and shakes.  They even offer lighter versions that are just as delicious – Dole Whip or Skinny Dip for the more calorie conscious people.  Peanut Butter Cup Arctic Swirl with chocolate ice cream for me – yum! The lines may be long, but trust me, it’s worth the wait!

            After a long, fulfilling day in Mount Pleasant, I think I have seen it all for this trip.  Mount Pleasant Wow is right; there is so much to do here in Central Michigan. When I go back to my school of fish friends, I will have a lot to tell them about this exciting destination to convince them to come back with me and see more! I am going to go pass out in my soft, plush bed at Comfort Inn and Suites Hotel and Conference Center!  See you at my next stop! 

Michie Explores Ann Arbor!

Michie attended a reception for our Japanese micro site dignitaries at the METAL. Eclectic art pieces, blacksmithing and state-of-the art metal cutting took his breath away.

Be aware that the Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor may or may not be there at any given time.  They have been appearing in Ann Arbor since 2005.  Michie found this one at the Selo-Shevel Gallery. It’s a mystery. Some are exterior, some are interior, some are BOTH!!!

Another Urban Fairy Door.  Michie searched high and low at Sweetwaters Café, Peaceable Kingdom, The Ark and finally found one at Jefferson Market and Cakery.  When he went back the next day it was gone.

While Michie was searching for Fairy Doors he headed over to the Kerrytown District,  home of the Ann Arbor Farmers Market.   Crafts, furniture, baked goods, pottery, fresh flowers…he could not believe his luck.

Michie nestled into the fresh eggplants, green peppers and tomatoes at the Farmers Market.  How can he get those sunflowers home???

He better be careful or he will get sold with the basket of green beans.  So much to see and do at the Farmers Market but he better move on.

Michie headed right into the Kerrytown Market and Shops.  Fine shopping, dining, unique antiques, exotic spices and low and behold, exquisite papers at Hollanders.   He made himself at home in the bookbinding workshop.

Historic Kerrytown’s Hollanders specializes in unique decorative papers and hand bookbinding supplies.  The colors and designs at Hollanders were as bright and beautiful as his. 

Michie loved this year’s Ann Arbor Art Fair.   Four award-winning juried art fairs transformed Ann Arbor into an outdoor art gallery.  Michie jumped on board this piece of art. Wait, is this guy real or not?????

Michie saw the best in fine art and fine crafts during his adventures.   He is going to try to blend in here and get some rest.  

Michie Visits Zehnder's of Frankenmuth!

I started the trip off by checking into Zehnder's Splash Village Hotel and Waterpark, the largest indoor waterpark in Frankenmuth, right next to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in downtown Frankenmuth.

Once I got all settled in, I kicked back and relaxed while watching some TV in the beautiful Family Suite. My room came complete with a fireplace, a sitting room, two queen beds and 6 complimentary waterpark passes. Time to check out the waterpark!

Here I am floating on the Lazy River with the lifeguard. I also enjoyed the Splash Landing Play area, Dumping Bucket, Giggling Gorge and 4-story tube slides. It was so much fun and I felt so at home!

It's right around dinner time, so I called the Front Desk and made a reservation at one of my favorite restaurants, Zehnder's Restaurant just down the street.

This is me enjoying dinner and drinks with my friends at Zehnder's Restaurant. Say cheese!!!

I saved money on my dinner because I get a FREE birthday dinner during the month of my birthday being a Rewards Member! Yum! You can sign up too: http://www.zehndersrewards.com and choose 'Apply'.

After a delicious chicken dinner, I decided to stroll downstairs to Zehnder's Bakery and Foodstore to check out all of the goodies. There were so many delicious treats and unique gifts to choose from and the staff was swimmingly helpful!

I perused a recipe out of Chef John Zehnder's Cookbook, From Grandma With Love and just had to purchase it so I can eat Zehnder's at home. You can also take Zehnder's home with you by visiting Zehnder's online store at Zehnder's online store.

After a fun day of shopping and dining, I caught up with Drumstick and my friend, Mini Drumstick outside the restaurant and we got a picture in front of Zehnder's famous neon sign which celebrates its 75th birthday this year!

Just one more stop to fully enjoy the Zehnder's experience: golfing at The Fortress! So I stopped by to brush up on my putting skills with Fortress golf member, Justin.

I had so much fun at Zehnder's between splashing around at Zehnder's Splash Village, enjoying my famous family style chicken dinner at Zehnder's Restaurant, shopping at Zehnder's Marketplace and golfing at The Fortress! There is so much to see and do here, you just can't miss out! Click here to plan your trip to Zehnder's...

The H Hotel Welcomes Michie!

Ahoy, friends!  I’ve just arrived at the H Hotel on Main Street in downtown Midland … check me out at their Main Entrance!  Looks like a beautiful day to me!

Here I am with some friendly folks at the Midland Farmer’s Market – which happens every Wednesday and Saturday from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm … it’s also home to some of the freshest, delicious, and home-grown goods around!  Did I mention it’s within sight (and walking distance) from the H Hotel?  There sure is a lot happening in Downtown Midland this summer!

Look at me, look at me!  I’m just about to get on the “Tridge” – the world’s only 3-legged pedestrian walking bridge!  This bridge, also located within sight of and within steps of the H Hotel, connects the shores of 3 rivers – Saginaw, Chippewassee, and Tittabawassee.

Here I am again – at the ‘center’ of the Tridge and over-looking the Chippewassee River!  By goly, it’s gorgeous up here!

I met this fine fellow, “Geoff Miles Stone” (he’s pretty handsome, huh?), who stands (and welcomes guests) at the H Hotel’s Main Street/Courtyard entrance … he’s part of downtown Midland’s 2011 Summer Sculpture Series! There are 18 different troll sculptures (by local artists) situated around downtown and are so unique, you can’t miss ‘em!

Ah … a cocktail party at it’s finest!  Lucky for me, I was visiting when the H Hotel served as host of the Regional Chamber of Commerce’s (Midland, Bay City, Saginaw, and Mt. Pleasant) hosted a ‘Business After Hours’ networking event!  Over 1,200 business folks were at this event … did you know the H is deemed the Great Lakes Bay Region’s premier venue for special events, meetings, and even weddings?

Here I am on the Café Zinc Main Street patio – outdoor dining at it’s finest!  Café Zinc is a French-bistro type restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner – they also feature fresh made pastries and specialty coffees and is quickly coming Midland’s ‘hot spot’ for dining out-The Great Lakes Bay Regional Lifestyle Magazine voted Café Zinc the best place to dine outdoors, best place for a business lunch, and best croissant!

Ready to plan your next visit to the H Hotel in Midland?

Click here! The H Hotel

Michie Dives into Greater Lansing!

No trip to Greater Lansing is complete without a stop at the State Capitol Building, so that’s where I decided to launch my big visit! The artistic beauty and historical significance of this building was just awesome.

After my tour of the Capitol Building, I took a stroll through Washington Square and downtown Lansing. Wow! So many restaurants, shops and night spots from which to choose! I really got a cool and lively vibe downtown and knew for sure I’d be back for some fun later tonight.

I’m a fish, and heights are SO not my thing… but when I heard about the event in downtown Lansing called “Over the Edge”; I just HAD to get involved. Rappelling down the side of the 23-story Boji Tower for charity? Absolutely! This nice young lady let me ride down with her and we raised $500 for Team Lansing Foundation. I may not look nervous, but I was pretty much freaking out.

I had heard a lot about all the automotive history in Greater Lansing, so I had to check out the R.E. Olds Museum. Just so cool! I mean it – this is American innovation at its best. Although General Motors doesn’t make Oldsmobile anymore, the Lansing Delta Township GM Plant is absolutely state-of-the-art and provides the world with Cadillacs. I entered a drawing to win this 70’s era Olds Cutlass. Wish me luck!

Whew! I’m always looking for places to take a dip when I get into a new town. I mean, I like to get around and do things, but at the end of the day, I’m just a fish out of water. I had a great time chatting with these kayakers going down the Grand River. Feeling cool, refreshed and ready for some serious cardio, I swam upstream all the way from downtown Lansing to the Red Cedar River in East Lansing and the campus of Michigan State – Gorgeous!

After my swim, I had to check out Michigan State University. What a happening and beautiful place it is, too! I did some shopping, got a little ice cream and took in the scenic campus. I’ve literally never seen anything like it. You wouldn’t believe how surprised I was when I ran into MSU’s mascot, Sparty and a nice student from the School of Hospitality Business. This picture is a total keeper!

Seeing Sparty got me thinking about sports. I know that when it comes to summer in Greater Lansing, everyone is going nuts – for the Lansing Lugnuts that is! I hustled back downtown and met up with some friends from the Greater Lansing CVB. We had an awesome view of the game from suite level of the Lugnuts stadium, now called Cooley Law School Stadium. What a great game and a great time. I caught a foul ball, ate about 7 hot dogs and watched the Lugnuts pull off a fantastic win!

While at the game, I met a man who told me he was a CTA. I wasn’t familiar, so he told me all about the Greater Lansing Certified Tourism Ambassadors. He was just one of hundreds of local residents that have taken a course offered by the Greater Lansing CVB, which educates area residents about all there is to see and do in Michigan’s Capital City area! What a great idea, and as a newbie to the region, I really appreciated his insight. He even took the time to walk me through the steps to download the Greater Lansing Mobile App to my smartphone. Suddenly, I had maps and all kinds of information right there in my fin. Thanks to the Greater Lansing Tourism Ambassador, I’m now all about Lansing and the Greater Lansing Mobile App!

Armed with the Greater Lansing Mobile App on my iPhone, I took to the streets after the Lugnuts game and found all kinds of walkable dining and nightlife. It was so nice out, I decided some outdoor dining and drinks would be just the thing. After seeing there wasn’t too much fish on the menu, I chose a hip place downtown called Tavern on the Square known for tapas dining. What that means is you get little plates of food to sample and share with friends. Even though I showed up alone, I soon met a bunch of friendly people and we ended up sharing some great food and drink.

Turns out the people I met at Tavern on the Square had plans after dinner, and wouldn’t you know it… they were so nice, they invited me to come along. At first, I said I was too tired. I mean, just today I had already toured the Capitol, strolled through downtown, rappelled down a skyscraper, checked out some cool classic cars, swam in the State’s longest river, met Sparty, tore it up at a Lugnuts game, and now just had more great food and drink at this cool place, Tavern on the Square! I was beat, you know?! Well, they were persuasive… and when they wagged a free ticket to the Common Ground Music Festival in front of me, I rose to the occasion. I was going to totally maximize my visit in Greater Lansing and not wimp out! So I pounded an energy drink and ten minutes later, I was crowd surfing with thousands of my new best friends at the Stone Temple Pilots show!

Thanks Greater Lansing! You sure know how to show a fish an amazing time - I’ll never forget it!

Michie Discovers Kalamazoo!

My stay in Kalamazoo started off on the fast track! At the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, I did laps on the race track and blew away my competition! I then headed off to the other fantastic exhibits this hands-on museum had to offer!

I tried my hand-or should I say fin- at the banjo. Turns out I’m rather good! Maybe I’ll take this act on the road…

I then made my way over to the Mummy’s tomb! She wasn’t very talkative but I did find out a lot about her past!

After the museum I decided to make my way over to Nature Connection of Kalamazoo, a local novelty shop. I found out a lot of neat things about our wonderful state and even got a chance to take a dip in their pond!

At Wild Bull Saloon and Steak Pit, I held on for dear life as I took my chances on the mechanical bull!

A piano man I am not, but that didn’t stop me from dropping by Monaco Bay for their dueling piano shows!

At Tempo Vino Winery I enjoyed a class of their signature wine, ‘I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo’-wish the Missus was here to enjoy it with me! The wines here are hand crafted in small batches from grapes grown all over the world!

I really worked up an appetite after all this sight seeing so I decided to head on over to Zazios for some yummy Italian cuisine. I felt like I was part of a live cooking TV show at the Chef’s Table! I got a 5 course meal cooked up right in front of me!

After a long day, I decided to kick back with a bottle of Oberon at Bell’s Brewery. This classic summer beer goes great with a slice of orange! Pick up your own case of Oberon or try one of the other fantastic beers brewed right here in Kalamazoo!