South Beach Concession Stand
4 Water Street- South Haven, MI 49090
- (269) Unknown
- No Known Website
- Menu
The unofficial end of summer. As a kid, I always knew what that day was. As an adult. All days kind of run together. Now, with a job that doesn’t take days off, even long weekends mean nothing and this Labor Day weekend, I barely had a weekend at all.
In an unusual twist, J had to work both Saturday and Sunday mornings. I had to work Monday, so the only time off we had together was Sunday afternoon/evening. J had Monday off, so she didn’t have to worry about going to bed at her usual time. She asked if I wanted to take one last beach trip before the weather go too cold.
After late afternoon naps (for all three of us), we took a drive over to South Haven. The beach was a little packed, but with a little patience, we found a parking spot at South Beach and enjoyed the sun setting over Lake Michigan.
We actually got to South Haven at about 6:30. We played in the water for a while with the intent of watch the sunset. After letting L splash in the waves for about an hour and a half, we were starting to get hungry. We didn’t really want to leave and come back, so I suggested we walk up to the concession stand to see what they have.
The concession stand on South Beach sits on the boardwalk right at about the part of Water Street where it turns into a parking lot. The structure is semi permanent. The front section is a fair-type trailer, but it’s hooked up to a building behind it which provides more storage and some permanent services. Read more…
Pronto Pup
313 S. Harbor DriveIf I have to be at work on a holiday weekend, I can’t complain too much about going to the beach.
A co-worker and I got the unenviable task of going to Grand Haven for the afternoon. Once we were all wrapped up at Grand Haven Start Park, we headed downtown for a few minutes. Before leaving town, I asked if it would be ok if I picked up a few Pronto Pups before leaving. Actually, no wait. I didn’t ask. I told him that was happening.
Pronto Pup is a Grand Haven institution. The small stand serving nothing but Pronto Pups has been on the harbor in downtown Grand Haven since 1947. It’s a seasonal business only open during the summer months and on peak beach-going days, the line can end up pretty far down the sidewalk.
Pronto Pups themselves are not unique to Grand Haven. They were actually invented in 1941 in Portland, Oregon. The name “Pronto Pup” actually refers to a specific brand and not a generic item.
At first glance, you’d say that the Pronto Pup is nothing more than a corn dog. Close, but not quite. The Pronto Pup is made with a wheat flour pancake batter instead of a traditional cornmeal batter. It is actually possible to buy Pronto Pup batter mix…however, I have no idea if that’s what Pronto Pup in Grand Haven does or if they make their own. Read more…
Grillin Wings & More
4022 Alpine Avenue NWWings. Seriously. One of the absolute most perfect foods. It’s one of the foods that I’m always craving. It doesn’t matter what’s going on that day, if someone offers me wings, I’m going to eat them.
I was sent to Muskegon County the other day via Alpine Avenue. On the way out, I noticed a wing place tucked in to a strip mall in Comstock Park. I made a mental note and hoped I would be coming back that way when it was time to return to Grand Rapids.
My plan worked out and I ended up coming back down Alpine Avenue a little after 6:00. I pulled in to the parking lot at Alpine and Alpenhorn Drive to find Grillin Wings & More.
I was expecting a carry-out place when I walked in, so I was a little surprised to find a full service restaurant. There was a hostess counter/cash register station right inside the door. I asked the lady if I could put in a carry-out order. She said of course, so I grabbed a paper menu off the counter to find my wing selection.
I didn’t even look at anything else on the menu at the time. It wouldn’t have changed my decision, but they also have Coney Dogs, salads, wraps, subs, and burgers….but if a place as “Wings” in the name, I’m gonna get the wings. Read more…
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
230 N. Rose Street- Kalamazoo, MI 49003
- (269) 373-7990
- Website
Finding things for to do with L has opened up a whole new side of West Michigan for us. Before L was born, we stuck to mainly adult type stuff. Since L’s birth, we’re checking out more places we probably would have never gone if it was just the two of us.
A few months ago, J took L to meet a friend of hers at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. They came home that night and J told me they had a blast and that we needed to go back soon.
Soon turned into several weeks, but when we needed something to do on a warm day, J suggested heading downtown.
The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is on Rose Street between Michigan and Kalamazoo. The three story museum is part of Kalamazoo Valley Community College and admission is free. Yeah…read that again…admission is free.
Since J had been there before, she knew exactly where she wanted to go. We headed up the stairs to the Burton Henry Upjohn Children’s Landscape. This hands on exhibit for the preschool set is full of blocks to stack, puzzles to build, and books to read. L found a lot of things to play with and we spent the majority of our time in this part of the museum.
We spent time building with legos at a table near the door while we danced to music from a jukebox that children can operate with the press of a button. We danced with streamers, we drove a bus, and we ran around with one of those old corn popper push toys.
There was a little bit of a meltdown when it came time to leave, but J and I wanted to check out the rest of the museum. After a few minutes in the Science in Motion section, L forgot all about the toys and just wanted to play with the cars daddy was building. This display was too old for L, but in a few years, she will love this. Read more…
La Guatemalteca Tacos
1204 Bank Street (at the Farmers’ Market)I’ve been eating out of food trucks a lot lately, but by far, there is one kind of food truck I really love. Taco trucks.
J and I were at the Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market this past Saturday just walking around. I really wanted to use the opportunity to pick up lunch. The market has a number of prepared food vendors now, but there’s one I’ve walked by several times and really wanted to try. Since J got something from Smoothie Operator, I didn’t have to worry about her finding something to eat, so I went and got in line for tacos.
La Guatemalteca Tacos has been at the farmers’ market for quite some time. Their food truck is more of a trailer that needs to be pulled than what we have now come to know as food trucks.
The simple menu of authentic Mexican food is posted on two large boards on either side of the order window. Since it’s not a food truck, the window is a little higher than usual, so there’s a wooden step to get you up to a height closer to the order taker.
There was quite a line on this particular Saturday morning and there were only two ladies working inside. One was prepping food while the other was taking orders and putting plates together, so the line moved a little slowly.
When it got to be my turn, I stepped up to the window and ordered four Asada (Steak) tacos with just cilantro. The tacos typical come topped with cilantro, onion, tomato, and lettuce, but all I wanted to taste was the juicy steak and the fresh herbs. Read more…
Smoothie Operator
On The Move (Food Truck)I’m not really sure why, but J wanted to get out of the house Saturday morning and go down to the Farmers’ Market. It has been a while since we’ve been there on a Saturday morning and I was looking for apricot’s for my grandma to make jam anyway, so why not see if they had them at the Market.
Lucky for me, we did actually find a stand with apricot’s, so I took care of that task, but our next task was probably the most important. Lunch.
The last couple weeks at Lunch Time Live, J has been disappointed that the smoothie truck wasn’t there. As we were walking along the inside of the market, J spotted the truck she’s been looking for.
Smoothie Operator is a new truck having been around only since the spring. The only thing on the menu, as the name implies is smoothies. The owners have a family farm in Berrien Springs that specializes in exotic berries, so the next logical step? Smoothies.
The menu changes constantly and consists of five different smoothies each time the truck is out. J was starting to walk by the truck instead preferring to find something to eat, but she stopped in her tracks once she read the chalkboard in front of the truck. Read more…
The Organic Gypsy
2103 S. Burdick Street (Food Truck)- Kalamazoo, MI 49001
- (269) 208-4805
- Website
- Menu
Mayor Hopewell started a really cool thing this summer at Bronson Park in Kalamazoo. For the past several weeks, the park has been home to “Lunch Time Live.” Kalamazoo’s food trucks pull up to the curb on South Street and a few vendors set up in the park. Some weeks, there’s even some live entertainment and they always set up a cornhole game and a badminton net.
Friday’s have been bad for us recently, but last week, we were able to go down for lunch. We were a little disappointed because the one food truck we had yet to try wasn’t there. We still got a great lunch in a great setting from Pig Out Take Out.
We didn’t really have any plans to go this week, but I saw a tweet last night that the elusive truck was going to be there. J and I were both pretty tired when she got home from work due to a baby that wasn’t interested in sleeping, but we decided to head downtown anyway. Good choice.
The Organic Gypsy has been on the streets for about a year and a half. The food, as the name implies, is organic farm to truck fare. It’s a little pricier than you would expect from a food truck, but the food is made with fresh, high quality, organic ingredients.
There was a little bit of a line at all of the trucks when we got to Bronson Park a little afternoon. We headed straight for The Organic Gypsy to find a chalkboard on the sidewalk with today’s menu. Read more…
Beulah’s Restaurant
7400 Division DriveToday was a perfect day for a trip to the zoo. The same friends we went blueberry picking with a few weeks ago asked if we’d be interested in going to Binder Park Zoo for the day. They’ve never taken their daughter there and they’ve seen all the great pictures we’ve taken of L which made them want to check the place out.
We met at the entrance to the zoo at 1:00 then headed straight for someplace to eat. Luckily for us, there are two restaurants inside the zoo. We chose the one closest to the entrance.
Beulah’s Restaurant is a cafeteria style eatery located in the center of the original part of the zoo near the Kangaroos. The space is divided in to three parts. You enter in to an order area where they have samples of all of their food on display. There’s a menu board hanging above the area where an employee asks what you’d like to eat.
Once deciding, the first employee yells back to the kitchen area where pre-cooked meals are put together in paper boats then passed up to the original employee.
The quick service menu doesn’t have any surprises. There are sandwich options, pizza slices (or whole pizzas if you want to feed the family) and chicken strips. Read more…
The Cupcake Zoo – Revisited
110 N. Farmer StreetNow that J and I have been in Kalamazoo almost four years, it wouldn’t be surprising if you start to see some repeats blog posts from places we visited after we first moved here. This one is kind of an exception to that as the last time I blogged about The Cupcake Zoo was only a little over a year ago after we picked up cupcakes at the Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market.
At that time, they were a special occasion bakery. They had a physical address is Otsego but no storefront where you could walk in and get cupcakes.
A few months ago, a couple of co-workers of mine were in Otsego on a Friday and they saw a lady walking down the street with cupcakes. They asked her where she got them from and she pointed to The Cupcake Zoo which now had Walk-In Friday’s. Fast forward a few months and now they have walk-in sales everyday!
This past Thursday, J noticed some delicious looking cupcake creations on The Cupcake Zoo’s Facebook page which would be available for Friday Walk-In. She asked if I would go. I didn’t really give her a solid answer, but once L and I got up, we headed to Otsego to surprise Mommy with cupcakes when she got home from work.
The Cupcake Zoo is on Farmer Street just to the north of M-89 in downtown Otsego. There is parking available on the street and I found a spot right in front of the building.
The walk in window is down a little hallway once you walk in to the building. They have all of the cupcakes and pastries available that day on display on the counter and they menu written on a chalkboard off to the side. Read more…
Four Brothers Party Store
1975 Madison Avenue SE- Grand Rapids, MI 49507
- (616) 245-3386
- No Known Website
- Menu
So…sitting around the office tonight joking about wanting chicken. That joking turns in to, “Damn, I really want chicken.” By this point, I had everyone else in the office in the mood for chicken, so I offer to go pick up chicken. I start getting the inevitable questions…”Where ya’ going?” Of course, I can’t tell where I’m going because then I start getting questions about menus and sides, etc…..so I just leave and show back up with a pan of chicken.
I decided to take my chances on a party store I pass often across from Garfield Park right on the corner of Madison Avenue and Burton Street on the southeast side of Grand Rapids. Whenever I roll by with the windows down, I can smell the sweet byproduct of chicken frying, but it’s a place I can never find any information about online.
Four Brothers Party Store isn’t really much of a party store. It’s more of a carry out restaurant that specializes in chicken and fish. They have a small grocery section mostly of pop and chips. It’s one of those places where the “store” part of it is just to satisfy the requirements for accepting Bridge cards although it is bigger than most of the similar types of “You Buy, We Fry” restaurants in the Grand Rapids area.
There was a little bit of a line when I got in so I had a few minutes to look over the menu. I needed to buy enough to satisfy my colleagues. I didn’t need to feed them, but I needed to make sure everyone who wanted would get a couple wings, so I ordered 30 Whole Wings which also came with a side of fries. Read more…
SW Michigan Dining 
