Tuesday, April 24, 2012

fall colours

We wish to go see some fall colours within a driving distance of 2/3 hours one-way from Farmington. Which would be the best place for the same this coming weekend Oct 18-19th? Is it a good idea to pick one of the routes suggested on michigan.gov website? Thanks.

fall colours

I don%26#39;t know how the colors are downstate, but unfortunately, up here in the Northern lower peninsula you%26#39;re late for the colors. They%26#39;re not bad, just past peak. All the really vibrant reds, oragnes and purples are pretty muted and things are starting to turn a little brown. You may well have good color still in the lower half of the state as they%26#39;re usually a week or so behind us.

The color was funny this year...around mid-last week I thought we were still a week or so out on peak color, but all of a sudden everything exploded in like two days and we had amazing color last weekend with beautiful sunny 75 degree weather.

Hope you have a fun trip one way or the other!

fall colours

Make your way to M-25 and drive up the Lake Huron coast to Port Austin. I was there last weekend, and it was lovely. Or, you could drive up M-53 or M-24 for a lovely color tour. The town of Caro has amazing color. For a circle, take M-46 across from either M-24 or M-53. Enjoy!! If you take M-24 north and need a good meal, stop at JJ Jamokes just North of M-46. Wonderful food in a wooded atmosphere. Their raspberry dessert is famous in the Thumb of Michigan.

  • vb
  • Camping

    My husband and I are looking for a nice and quiet place to camp in Mackinaw City or near Mackinaw City. We are looking for a private or semi private place on the lake. Our new thing is Tent camping so if anyone has any idea where to stay please let us know. We wont be staying in the Mackinaw City until May 2009 so we have plenty of time to plan.Thanks for your help.



    Camping


    Hello DDewey,



    So your going to do Tent Camping. Good for you. It is fun and relaxing. Before you go the first time, setup your tent in your yard and spend a night in it. This will help you see what you will need to go Camping. The first time you go will be a bit crazy but after that you will become old hands at it.





    There is a new New Michigan web site that has information about Camping.



    michigan.org/Places-to-Go/…Default.aspx





    The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) also has a web site.



    michigandnr.com/ParksandTrails/parkmap.aspx





    and here is another - Go Camping



    www.gocampingamerica.com/Michigan/search.html



    Camping


    typo for ';new New'; words on the first listing of web sites. The web site is not that new, about a year old, I believe.




    Last summer (06) we stayed @ Aloha State Park, and love it! Takes about 1/2 hour or so to get to Mackinaw City. The campground is right on Mullet Lake, with plenty of private beach. We camped in a tent, and I would advice that you choose a site that is NOT right on the beach. When the winds kick up, I wouldn%26#39;t want to be there. Our site was site 90 which backs right up to the woods. You did have the boat basin, and boat parking behind the woods. We never notice it. We like the site, since we didn%26#39;t have anyone behind us, just on each side. The beach is very close, sandy and a soft bottom. There is a long ';sidewalk'; which is part of the boat basin that you can walk out on to. The campground was very quiet at night. There is a small store right there that you can walk to and buy ice, pop and beer ($$), and they made fresh doughnuts everyday. I would recommend any big shopping to go into town. This is one of our favorite campgrounds. The only negitative is the lack of showers. They only have 2 in each loop--total of 6 for female and 6 for males.



    If you have a boat that you can tow, you can actually get a site right next to the boat basin, and have your boat behind you! Also people put their boat out on Mullet Lake, anchored and waded in.



    To buy grocery%26#39;s Cheyboygan isn%26#39;t very far (maybe 15-20 min). There was places to buy firewood along the way, plus there was some guy selling honey.



    You can make reservations online for most Michigan state campgrounds.



    Pity us---we didn%26#39;t get to go camping this summer---we ended up going to Aruba instead ;-). This was to celebrate our 25th anniversary---and we DIDN%26#39;T



    even sleep in a tent!!!!




    Thank you so much for the information. I will be doing my home work for our next vacation to Mackinaw City. We have plenty enough time to plan so if you think of any other information you could give please let me know. My husband and I visit Mackinaw City and the Island every year in May so we know about most of the hotels and just wanted to try something a little different. This will be our 3rd time camping but normally go to local spots. Thank you again.




    There%26#39;s a couple camp grounds around Mackinaw which are good but I%26#39;m not sure how private they are. You could look into the Mill Creek Campgroun which is just outside of town on the way to Cheboygan or Wilderness State Park campground. I know you said you want to go tent camping, but if what you%26#39;re really looking for is to save some money you might want to check out the rustic cabins at Wilderness State Park. They have 8 cabins that sleep anywhere from 4-24 people. The smaller ones are all pretty isolated, but you can drive there in the summer. They%26#39;re located right on the beach. Just a thought because it can still be on the cold side in May (a I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;re aware) and they all have woodstoves. :) Heres a link.





    michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx…




    another great website for campers (rv or tent) for campgrounds all OVER the USA:



    www.rvparkreviews.com



    this site is just like using tripadvisor, you find the state, and city. There are reviews of the campgrounds. Most sites have a direct website link, to the campground. We have used this website several times to find campgrounds that we may use in other parts of our state or other states. Nice thing is that most state campgrounds are included here too. I like it because you can get a review of the campgrounds. And what may be good for a rv%26#39;er isn%26#39;t good for a tent. I actually have this site bookmark. Hope this helps

    Grand Hotel closing for season

    The Grand Hotel is closing Sunday, which means most businesses which have not already closed for the season will also be closing.





    I was on the Island a week ago and many of the shops were having sales 25-50% off.


  • eye make up
  • Best Chinese, Indian, or Thai Food?

    What%26#39;s the best Chinese, Indian or Thai food in Ann Arbor? Any recommendations? I%26#39;m thinking of ordering takout, so restaurant atmosphere isn%26#39;t a huge consideration. I%26#39;m mostly interested in good quality food. Any suggestions would be appreciated!



    Best Chinese, Indian, or Thai Food?


    Hi



    I still really enjoy Middle Kingdom for Chinese food (332 S. Main St, near William)...just went in October %26amp; it%26#39;s still v. good (I grew up in A2 %26amp; visit regularly). Hope others will chime in w/Indian %26amp; Thai recs.



    Best Chinese, Indian, or Thai Food?


    Sze-Chaun West for Sit down or take out. Also Weng%26#39;s Kitchen was not bad and they deliver.




    I%26#39;m not really qualified to judge ';best'; Indian food, but I really like Madras Masala. We%26#39;ve gotten their thali (sp?) as take-out before. It easily fed two adults, with leftovers.





    I%26#39;ve not gotten Thai for take-out, and again, am not really qualified to judge what is %26#39;best.%26#39; However, there%26#39;s a new place on the fringe of downtown, in the Ashley Mews building. We really enjoyed our dinner there - it was a bit more distinct from the %26#39;standard%26#39; Thai food served in town (but also more expensive). I also like Tuptim Thai - it%26#39;s out Washtenaw, closer to Ypsi, and might be more convenient for take-out (no parking problems). There%26#39;s also a Thai place in the Oak Valley shopping center - again, more convenient than downtown for parking/carry-out issues. I think it%26#39;s owned by the same people as the new one downtown.




    I love Saigon Garden (Vietnamese) on Forest/South U. Try their chicken vermicelli. It%26#39;s to die for! Their curry hot pots and Pho soups are delicious, too.




    I did saigon garden %26amp; shalimar on my recent visit. Both excellent.




    Thank you all!!!!!!!!!! I appreciate your recommendations and am printing this out. As for what%26#39;s ';best';---If you consider it worthy of recommending, then...it%26#39;s best!!! Thanks again for taking the time to recommend these places!





    Now I%26#39;m just hoping there isn%26#39;t a blizzard !!




    China Gate on south U has the best Chinese around, hands down.





    Bella Italian on Eisenhower has the best Italian, it looks like a regular take out pizza place, but it%26#39;s run by authentic Italians. Trust me on this one.




    I would disagree with China Gate, just my opinion though... I know several people that adore it. Could have just been my dish.





    I do agree with Saigon Garden, I love their chicken and string beans from the vietnamese menu. YUM!





    If you want to try Korean, my favorite place is on Plymouth Road (by 23) called BE-WON. There%26#39;s another down on ann arbor-saline road (can%26#39;t remember the name) that is also really good, only been there once though.





    Not a good judge for Indian food, although, many people enjoy Raja Rani.





    Hope this helps!




    I think by far the most fresh tasting and delicious Chinese food I%26#39;ve ever had is Great Lakes Chinese Restaurant. There%26#39;s always a lot of Chinese people in there, which i think is always a good indication of a great ethnic restaurant.





    For Thai food, the one in Oak Valley shopping center is very good, but slightly over priced in my opinion for what you get. There%26#39;s a Thai restaurant on Washtenaw and 23 across the street from Arbor Land Mall. VERY VERY nice inside, and reasonably priced. I was however very disappointed with their Pad Thai dish, BUT the Yellow Curry was amazing. I plan on trying all their curry dishes.





    For Indian food I always feel like you%26#39;re better off just going for the lunch buffet. It seems like more often than not the dinner serving staff is always lacking even though the food might be good. If you%26#39;re in Ypsi goto Temptations. If you%26#39;re in Ann Arbor, the Madras Masala . . . is GREAT! Its right by the parking structure and the bike store . . . Easy to miss if it wasn%26#39;t for the smell of Curry filling the streets. I also intend to try Raja Rani . . . heard very good things!

    We need cheap hotel for Mom & Dtr outside Detroit

    My dtr and I are looking for a non-chain, clean



    and SAFE AREA outside Detroit ( as far as 40 miles)



    to stay during the NCAA final four; April 2009.



    Problem is always finding a handicapped room with



    a walk-in shower; it would be good to have frig and



    micro. Anyone know the best area around Detroit



    to look online........or know of an Inn or hotel



    that folks might know locally?



    Thanks soooooo much.



    We need cheap hotel for Mom %26amp; Dtr outside Detroit


    Everything really depends upon what you mean by ';cheap';. Finding a cheap hotel that also has a handicapped room, refrigerator and microwave may be a challenge.





    My first thought is Embassy Suites in Livonia, but even with AAA or other discounts, it might not fit your budget idea. One advantage of Embassy Suites is that they offer rooms that have a separate living room and bedroom and most also have micros and refrigerators., I presume that they have handicapped rooms with walk-in showers available. Plus, they offer a free, full breakfast and free evening drinks included in the room rate. The Embassy Suites in Livonia is just off I-275 and there are numerous restaurants in the immediate area.





    That said, here are a few safe areas to try: Romulus, MI (which is where the airport is located); Dearborn, MI; Livonia, MI; Farmington, MI; Canton, MI and Novi, MI.





    All of these are in the western suburbs. Other TA members may have additional suggestions in the eastern and northern suburbs as well.



    We need cheap hotel for Mom %26amp; Dtr outside Detroit


    As the previous poster said, I%26#39;m not sure what you consider cheap. There is a Residence Inn located in Warren by the GM Tech Center. They have seperate living quarters with a kitchen. They also have complimentry breakfast. In this area there are also many restaurants and a few grocery store. You can make it to Ford Field in about 20 - 25 minutes from this location.





    marriott.com/hotels/…




    It%26#39;s the chain places that are likely to have the fridge/micro/handicapped access. Specialty hotels or Inns are not as ADA friendly ....





    And yes, we would need a price range.





    Why the aversion to chains, BTW? You want something with flavor? Flavor costs. Better to get the ';flavor'; outside the room.




    You%26#39;all are absolutely right about my being unclear



    about a price:



    The well-known hotel chains and downtown hotels are



    locked for this time period by the NCAA or Chamber



    for the sports teams and school fans.......and the



    regular well-known chains up their prices for this



    particular week.



    We could certainly afford up to $125 per night for



    6 nights. I%26#39;m not against chain hotels - I just



    didnt know how far out from Detroit to look and



    which neighborhoods/suburbs would be better than



    other and safer.........thanks for those tips!!!



    What do you think about a place across the border



    in Ontario............is it a big problem to cross



    over into Detroit everyday?




    Crossing the border is OK, if you have patience and your schedule isn%26#39;t too rigid. I do it fairly often and a couple of thousand residents of Windsor and surrounding areas work in Michigan every day. To be honest, I don%26#39;t think that I would stay in Ontario for the NCAA unless I were willing to cross the border hours before the games.





    The problem with the border is that crossing times have become so unpredictable. Going into Canada, the wait times at customs/immigration rarely are more than 5 to 15 minutes and, in non-peak times, can be 1 or 2 minutes. For entering the US, transit time can vary from 5 minutes to 45 minutes typically and even longer sometimes.





    [Commuters typically buy passes that give them priority for clearing the border, which makes their transit times much less, though they still have to sit with everyone else in the tunnel or on the bridge until they get to the customs/immigration lines.] You won%26#39;t have a pass.





    Also, the tunnel connects downtown Detroit to downtown Windsor and has only one lane in each direction. The bridge bypasses the two downtowns, but there is a major road construction project underway on the US side and, while better than now, it will still be 6 months away from completion in April.





    Unfortunately, other than to travel at non-peak period, there is no way to predict how long it will take on the US side.




    I agree with tylerarb. I wouldn%26#39;t do it - stay in Canada. It would be a huge hassle and it costs money to go back and forth.





    Others here have given you good communities to check. Also note that you will have to have a car. So factor that in to your cost and plans.




    Look at Troy along the I-75 corridor north of Detroit. From 14 mile (Exit 65) north to Crooks (Exit 72) you will start finding all the chains from budget (red roof) to high end (Marriot, Hilton) and everything in between. This will put you about 20 minutes from downtown straight down I-75. The extended stay places are nice for getting the fridge and microwave (often a full kitchen) but you give up daily housekeeping.





    If you must have a walk in shower make sure you call the hotel directly to verify it is what you need. Most of the accessible rooms I have seen have a standard tub/shower combo but with extra grab bars, seats, etc.




    Thank you ALL soooooo much. I am glad to hear



    about the complications with going through the



    border. Also - I will check out Troy and a little



    north of that even for better rates.





    Appreciate you help.




    Also look west, Beleville, Ann Arbor.










    I called the hotels below who said that they have walk in showers in the handicap rooms. Both hotels are in good locations and have easy access to the freeways.







    Baymont Inn and Suites Detroit/Novi-Wixom



    48953 Alpha Tech Drive



    Wixom, MI 48393 US



    248-735-2781





    Rates for first weekend in April 2009 start at $89. Has fridge and micro in room. About 30 min drive to downtown Detroit. Newer hotel.









    DETROIT - FARMINGTON HILLS



    Holiday Inn Express Hotel %26amp; Suites



    21100 HAGGERTY ROAD



    NORTHVILLE, MI 48167





    Hotel Reservations: 1 877 863 4780



    Hotel Front Desk: 1-248-6751020





    Rates for first weekend in April 2009 start are $98/nt. She said all rooms have fridge. Most have micros, but some do not. If you don%26#39;t have one and they have one available, they can put one in the room. This hotel is new and opened within the past year.







    Hope this helps.

    Places to Rent in Saginaw,Mi!

    Hi, I needed your help in finding an area that I could live in for about 3 months. I will be doing some work with the Saginaw hospital system (St. Mary%26#39;s %26amp; Covenant) and would like to live close to them, if possible.

    Where would be the best places to look? Should I get a car for the time I am there? If driving, which neighborhoods to avoid? Any nice communities in the area that rent short term?

    Sorry for all the questions, but I am aware of the crime rate and would like to be a bit careful.

    Thanks

    Places to Rent in Saginaw,Mi!

    I thought you might be kidding, but I guess not. That is not a nice thing to say about my hometown.

    I have no idea about renting anything for that time period. Yes, you will definitely need a car. Yes, we have a bus system, but you will most definitely want that car. No, you do not want to live around either of the hospitals. I am sure the hospitals could help with your situation. Actually, some of the neighborhoods around the hospitals are not the best, though I would not hesitate to drive thru them. But I wouldn%26#39;t linger in them, either. Hard to give specific info on what areas to avoid.

    If you can rent something in Saginaw Township, I feel that would be your best bet. About a 15 minute drive to either hospital.

    Places to Rent in Saginaw,Mi!

    Hi, thanks for your reply. I didn%26#39;t realize I said something derogatory in my post. I do apologize if you were offended in any way.

    If you can recommend some communities or properties in the Township area, that would be great. Also, I saw a Fox Glen Apartments community, is that in the township or proper Saginaw. Do you have any idea or how this area is?

    Is the crime and the area really bad? I stumbled on some other forums (city-data), and i am not reading any nice things about it. Should I reconsider my intentions?

    Sorry, if I sound ignorant to the issue, I am totally unaware of the area and would like to be fully prepared.

    Thanks,


    HI luv2explore:

    No, I am so sorry. You did not in any way say anything derogatory and do not need to apologize. I guess I did not state myself correctly in my first reply to you. When I said I thought you were kidding, it was my joke about my hometown. The crime rate is real, and the hospital areas are not the best, though far from the worst in town. During daylight hours you should not have problems around them, and at night, the parking lots should be fine, just do not linger....obviously.

    Fox Glen is in Saginaw Township and is a pretty nice apartment community as far as I can recall. You might just want to give them a call. The area is just fine. Again, about a 15 minute drive to the hospitals. I have no idea if they have apartments that are furnished, or will rent for 3 months, however.

    No, I wouldn%26#39;t reconsider your intentions. If you want or need to be here professionally, then you should do so. There are also a lot of nice things about Saginaw and I can help you with those, if you do end up here.

    Saginaw Township Hall-the local governmental center:

    Phone: 989-791-9800. They might be able to give you some info on short term lease apartment communities and what they have to offer. When you need more info, let me know, and let me know what you find out from them. Good luck. Tyme


    Hey tyme,

    Thank you for your help. I do appreciate it. I will keep you posted as I get closer to the move (Sept). Thanks again


    Luv-

    Time is right, you don%26#39;t want to linger in the areas around the hospital... but you don%26#39;t have to worry about feeling unsafe while you are driving too and from work! I use to work right downtown, and I never felt unsafe (it is a little isolated though).

    For your own information, the area around Covenant is safer than the area around St. Mary%26#39;s... but both are complexs that are really well lit up... and the city does a lot to keep them safe.

    The safest places to stay are definitely in Saginaw Township... or out by Saginaw Valley State. I would also contact the University and see if they have a list of places who do short-term leases (3 months is just short of a semester). Anywhere by the University, in Saginaw Township, Freeland, Sheildds Township or Midland (Dow does have a set of apartments for short-term leases) would be between 15-20 minutes from the Hospital (and around here, that%26#39;s not a long drive).

    Also, you might want to check in Bay City (it would be about 25-30 minutes as well) if you can%26#39;t find anything in Saginaw. Bay City has the EPA and the Coast Guard station, so there is also a demand for short term leases there as well.

    Let us know if you need any more help!


    Good idea about the university areas.


    Did you find a place to live? I have a house for rent in a good area.

  • row cell
  • City of Lansing/ MSU home games

    What is LANSING like during a State home game? Is there a lot of spill-over from the football crowd or do they mostly stay in the East Lansing area?





    We were planning to go up to Lansing on November 8. It%26#39;s State v. Purdue that Saturday.





    Thanks!



    City of Lansing/ MSU home games


    Where in Lansing do you intend to visit, Addie? East Lansing changes during football games from a relatively quiet walking community (I mean downtown and on campus) to a traffic headache. Most of Lansing is immune from this. The traffic tends to stay to the east side of Lansing and in the East Lansing/Okemos areas. I will however point out that I-96 from Detroit and Grand Rapids will be busy during the pre-game period. As you are coming from Detroit, count on Exit 110 (Okemos exit) to be crowded until about a half hour before game time. If you are heading to the west side of Lansing, you should be fine after you clear exit 110. (I realize I don%26#39;t live in EL anymore but I spent my entire life in EL until I was 22 years old...I also speak to my family who live in EL still today and they always curse the traffic on game days ...in the words of my mom ';It%26#39;s the perfect day to stay home!';...)





    The one thing to remember is that the games in November tend to be a bit less attended than the games when the weather is more temperate, in September and October. That, of course, changes if the Spartans are winning! Moms





    GO STATE!



    City of Lansing/ MSU home games


    Thanks, Moms. We were just thinking about staying in downtown Lansing one night-- just to get away... and check out the State museum, etc.





    We may take the back roads up to Lansing, just because we are not in a hurry and it%26#39;s more picturesque.




    Addie: I love the State Historical Museum and the Capitol building. The following is the inside page I did from a few years ago. I hope it helps! Have a great time! Moms





    tripadvisor.com/Travel-g28943-c5887/Michigan…




    Thanks! Unfortunately, the Capitol is not open on the weekends.




    I agree with momstravel. If you are in downtown Lansing, you won%26#39;t even be able to tell there is a football game going on. The only difference will be is that hotels will charge a higher rate than on non game weekends.





    Since Purdue is pretty bad this year, they don%26#39;t have a large fan base that travels to games, and the weather will probably not be good, there will probably be less traffic than on other game days.





    After the football games, the restaurants on the east side of town get pretty busy. If you are looking for places to eat that are not on the east side of town, there are a few restaurants downtown and there are the normal chain restaurants on the west side of town (along Saginaw Hwy). Two of my favorite non chain restaurants on the west side of town are Cancun (Mexican restaurant located in downtown Grand Ledge)and Red Cedar Grill (located in the Lansing Mall off Saginaw Hwy).




    Thanks, jpete. We were thinking Clara%26#39;s, b/c of the train history, something my BF likes a lot.





    We were also thinking about staying at the Cozy Koi B%26amp;B downtown... know anything about it? There are rooms available.




    Addie: My kids love Clara%26#39;s! Good choice. I haven%26#39;t eaten there lately but plan on doing so over the Christmas holidays. Please post about your experience. Thanks, Moms




    Sorry don%26#39;t know anything about that B%26amp;B