Daycation

A last hurrah before school starts in earnest.  I decided to take a little daycation road trip an hour up north and do a little recreational shopping.  First stop was Great Lakes Crossing.  I had a $5 coupon from Eddie Bauer and I always enjoy the challenge of seeing what I can get for really cheap.  Found these two blouses on the $4.99 rack - originally $59 dollars (although we all know those prices at outlets can be pretty inflated).  I discovered that Eddie Bauer gives a 10% discount with teacher ID - never knew that, weeping at all the $$ I could have saved over the years!  With my discount and coupon, these 2 items cost under five dollars.  SCORE!

Then headed up to Clarkston.  I have always wanted to try out the Clarkston Union restaurant that I have heard so much about.  An old church repurposed into a cool restaurant.

I just grabbed a quick sandwich while sitting at the bar.  Got a pecan cherry sausage smothered with mushrooms and onions.  That sausage slid right off the bun after one bite - had to resort to cutting it up in pieces to eat!  The grilled onions underneath were pretty good, too.  Next time, though, going for their famous mac and cheese!

I stopped at the gift shop next store and grabbed a couple cupcakes for to take home for dessert.  I seriously think these are the best cupcakes ever!  I am a frosting freak and these had a mound of buttery frosting.  I tried the raspberry one that had a great raspberry filling and a blueberry one with an almond cream frosting.  I would make the trip again just to get these cupcakes! 

Then on to downtown Holly.  I don't think I have been there in many years and had forgotten how cute it is.  There are several really interesting gift shops on the main street.  My favorite was called Pigeon in the Parlour - just loved how all the items were displayed!

I did some antiquing - there are several great stores to explore. 

I always love Battle Alley Arcade Antiques - it is divided into cute little rooms that are fun to wander through.   

I bought a few vintage hankies and 2 wire locker baskets that I plan to use for storage.  I'd been looking for wire baskets for a while - really liked the number tags and the diamond pattern that the wires make.

Bucharest Grill

On Friday, I headed to downtown Detroit to go to the Tigers game.  We went down a bit early and grabbed a bite at the Bucharest Grill which is located just a couple blocks from Comerica Park.

I'd heard about this place from others, so I was excited to give it a try.  You order at the counter and they bring your order to your table.  (They also do a lot of take out traffic.)  The inside is open and industrial.  We had a great table by a window where we could people watch everyone heading to the game.

The menu has a variety of middle eastern foods and their speciality is the schawarma sandwiches.  Here is my chicken schawarma - it was huge, a good 3+ inches wide, filled with really tasty chicken, tomato, lettuce, and tangy garlic sauce. (I left off the pickle.)  We had a big order of curly fries that we shared and were very full when done.

Bucharest Grill is located at 2040 Park Ave and a great place to stop on the way to a game or the Fox Theater.

Pizzaria Biga - Royal Oak

After having had really good pizza during my trip to Italy, I have been a bit spoiled. I was so glad to discover Pizzaria Biga in Royal Oak because I think their pizza captures that authentic wood oven rustic crusty flavor that I loved in Italy.

Pizzaria Biga is located on Main Street in Royal Oak,  just a bit south of the main drag of restaurants.  It sits above the Cloverleaf Wine Shop - be advised that there is a flight of stairs to climb to enter the restaurant.  The inside has lots of metal and has a very sleek urban feel.  There is a great view of the open kitchen and wood oven where they bake the pizza.  (Note that they have a second location in Southfield which I haven't visited.)

Lunch is a great time to visit - they have a deal during the week where you get a free salad or soup and a drink with purchase of a pizza or main course.  What a deal!  The salads are very fresh and have interesting combinations. Above is the Garden Salad.

During another visit,  three of us shared a large salad of butter lettuce with dried cherries, gorgonzola, walnuts, and raspberry vinaigrette which was plenty for all and very delicious!  I've also tried the chopped salad which I didn't think I'd like, but it was great!

The pizzas are sized for enough for one person with a few slices let to take home. (Or 2 people could share a small salad and a pizza).  The crust is amazing and has a unique flavor and chewy crust that comes from their special use of yeast.  This white Funghi pizza (above) with goat cheese, mushrooms, and thyme is to die for!

You'd never believe how wonderful the fingerling potato pizza is!  Very unusual, but great flavor.

The red sauce pizzas are equally good.  Above is a Margherita pizza - such wonderful fresh ingredients!

The desserts are very tempting.  I tried some coconut gelato - it was ok, it seemed a bit crusty on the edges like it had been sitting in the freezer a bit too long.  I loved the dramatic way it was served with a crispy cookie on top.

This is the dessert to get! I forgot the Italian name, but it is fried dough rolled in sugar with raspberry and chocolate dipping sauce.  Yum!  I've had this twice!

I also wanted to mention that their pizza is great for take out and the prices are even a bit cheaper! They have a great selection of fresh and house made toppings that will let you create the pizza of your dreams.  A big recommendation!

Granite City Food and Brewery - Troy

Granite City is a very popular restaurant in Troy these days!  I've eaten here twice and have enjoyed both meals.  The menu is very upscale bar food - a variety of tempting appetizers, pizza, sandwiches, pastas, and main entrees.

The first time I ate there was on a Friday night.  Good thing we had called ahead for seating, because the wait at 6 pm was well over an hour.  We ended up at a high table in the bar.  It was VERY noisy and crowded, so this is not the best place to go for conversation.

The second time I came for lunch and we sat in the front room.  As you can see, it wasn't as busy and it was much easier to talk and enjoy the meal.  (The room is a bit drafty on a cold winter day.)

Be sure to request the bread!  It is crusty and served warm from the oven!

The pastas here are wonderful and come in large servings, so you are certain to have some to take home.  Above is chicken with sun dried tomatoes, asparagus, and pine nuts.

I had the Adult Mac and Cheese on my first visit and it was amazing!  Three cheeses, chicken, bacon, and crunchy bread crumb crust!

On my second visit, I had this special of barramundi with rice and grilled asparagus.   Much healthy, but not quite as yummy as the Mac and Cheese!

You must save room for dessert!  This large toffee cookie is served warm in a skillet with ice cream and caramel sauce on top.  Very soft and chewy.  We had it for both visits - it was that good!!

If you go to the Troy location, be warned that you have to turn on the street before the restaurant and enter the parking lot via the side street.  First visit I ended by going by the restaurant straight onto the highway as I looked for the entrance to the restaurant!!!  Consider yourself warned!

Breakfast in Paris - Notre Dame

After our nasty Thello night train trip, we arrived in Paris and stashed our luggage.  We had a full day to spend and our plan was to visit the Pompidou Center Museum which opened at 11 am.  We walked along the Seine and just spent time outside Notre Dame enjoying the blue sky and the puffy clouds.

So much fun to walk around and look at the gargoyles.

I love looking at the rose windows from the exterior - they are beautiful even without the colors of the light through the stained glass.

As we walked around the street next to Notre Dame I could smell the crepes from the little stands.  That rubbery croissant on the train just wasn't good enough for breakfast in Paris.   So I lined up, ordered, and.....

....and then dined on this yummy Nutella Crepe in the shadows of Notre Dame.

Perfect Breakfast in Paris!

Gelato in Italy

Were you sad because I didn't post any gelato pictures in my Italy posts?  Well, I decided that gelato in Italy is worthy of its own post! I believe we had gelato every day in Italy (except in Milan, somehow we missed it there).  It became a quest to find the best gelato place near our hotel that we could "adopt" for our stay.  I know we missed several other good ones - we had to save some for next trip!  On our typical day we would eat a large breakfast at the hotel, skip lunch, and then have gelato mid-afternoon to cool off and refresh. Some days merited a second gelato at night!

In Rome I was looking for the San Crispino gelato place, but we found Grom and since we were hot and ready for a snack we went there for our first taste of Italian goodness.  I'd read about Grom on several foodie blogs so I knew it had a good reputation.  We sat by the Plaza Navona and tried to eat quickly before it melted all over our hands. Note the cobblestone streets in the background.

We found Flor right on the Campo di Fiori, just around the corner from our hotel.  Lots of bright refreshing fruity flavors!

I would get my double scoop cup and sit at the tables in the little sitting area right in front of our hotel.  Above, yummy mango and coconut!

In Florence, we tried a couple other spots that were just ok before we discovered Venchi a few blocks from our hotel.  It is both a chocolate and a gelato shop.  Mmmmmmm - dreamy chocolate flavors!

An evening treat enjoyed on the Palazzo Vecchio - our second gelato of that day!  Notice my new boyfriend David in the background!

Gelateria San Stae was steps down the street from our hotel in Venice. A tiny little local place with lots of interesting flavors.  (Can you say Prosecco gelato?)

 

We also came across Mille Voglie in one of the Venice neighborhoods we were exploring.  It was very good and had some unique flavor choices.  I think the flavor above is kiwi.

I went into a serious gelato withdrawal depression when I arrived home and their wasn't a gelato shop around the corner (or anywhere) that I could visit each day.  Most American ice cream just does come close to the yummy creamy flavors that you can get in Italy.  I'd return, just for the chance to eat some more gelato!

Il Refolo - Venice

You may have noticed how much I enjoy having a "meal with a view." So dining in Venice was a treat! This is the location of Il Refolo where we dined during our second night in Venice.  We had another perfect table right along this beautiful canal.  Again, we were quite early, but most tables were reserved and filled up quickly.

Another perfect view as the gondolas glided by - great entertainment as you wait for your meal.

We opted for pizza.  I had a spicy pepperoni pizza that I loved! Perfect crunchy crust, so good!  My favorite pizza in Italy, although Dar Poeta in Rome was great, too.

Prosciutto and tomato pizza.

Pizzas and gondolas.  Too perfect!

This location was a lot of fun.  It seemed like a real neighborhood where people hung out.  Kids were playing and a cute dog roamed around the canal.  People poked their heads out the windows.  Church bells rang.  It was a lovely evening!

Al Ponte del Megio - Venice

On our first night in Venice we ate at Al Ponte del Megio.  It was in a picture perfect location right on a small canal near a bridge.  Nothing like eating your meal as you watch the gondolas float by.

We sat under the awning. Beyond perfect.

The food was nothing fancy, just basic good Italian trattoria food.  We started with a huge plate of cold meats. 

Lasagna (the portion was small)

Spaghetti Bolognese

Veal Marsala

Amazing how simple food becomes so special when you eat it in the such a perfect location!