Press Release – Mayor Hopewell Celebrity Bartender at The Union
From a Millennium Restaurant Group press release….
In honor of Prematurity Awareness Month the March of Dimes & The Union will feature our very own Mayor Bobby Hopewell to be our Celebrity Bartender on November 17th.
The event will act as a fundraiser for the Neonatal Intensive care Unit (NICU) at the Bronson Children’s Hospital.
Mayor Hopewell will mix and pour your favorite drinks, so tip well!
Door prizes, tacos, light hors d’oeuvres and cash bar available. $1 from each specialty drink purchased will be donated. Featuring Cool Jazz from the Sam Weber Trio!
Celebrity Bartender Mayor Bobby Hopewell
at The Union
125 S. Kalamazoo Mall, downtown Kalamazoo, MI 49007Thursday, November 17, 2011
5:00pm-7:30pmCome for Happy Hour, stay for great cause!
(This is before the LeAnn Rimes concert at Cityscape Events in the same building)
Press Release – Locavore of the Year Announced
From a Fair Food Matters press release….
Fair Food Matters will name Julie Stanley, owner of Food Dance, the winner of its “Locavore of the Year” Award as part of the Fair Food Food Fair, taking place Saturday, November 19 from 6-9 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.
The award recognizes the individual or organization whose efforts in the past year best exemplify support for local food in Southwest Michigan.
Stanley has been in the food industry for more than 30 years, and has owned three restaurants during that time, including Food Dance (401 E. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo), which opened in 1994. Although she trained formally with a French chef in Wisconsin, she is primarily self-taught as a chef, and is a member of the Chef’s Collaborative, American Cheese Society and the Slow Food Movement.
Long before the resurgence of the “eat local” movement – even before the term “locavore” had been coined – Food Dance distinguished itself as a pioneer in using whole ingredients from local growers and producers. While Stanley admits that finding and using fresh, local fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, dairy and other products is “a bit of an obsession” with her and the Food Dance staff, customers can taste the difference. Food Dance is one of the community’s most consistently popular restaurants, and recently won numerous awards in the Kalamazoo Gazette Reader’s Choice poll, including “Best American Restaurant,” “Best Vegetarian Fare” and “Best Desserts.”
The 2nd Annual Fair Food Food Fair features 13 local chefs competing against one another for the Golden Ladle Award, as chosen by those who attend. The event also includes Michigan-made beer, wine, coffee and cider, plus live music by Micaela Kingslight and Fly Paper, and the debut performance of the Zoo Kats.
Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door, and are available online (www.fairfoodmatters.org) or by visiting Fair Food Matters (323 N. Burdick St., Kalamazoo) during business hours. Proceeds benefit Fair Food Matters.
This event is sponsored by Bronson Hospital, Discover Kalamazoo, Horizen Hydroponics, Imperial Beverage and the Kalamazoo Nature Center/DeLano Farms.
D & R’s Daily Grind Cafe
8712 Portage RoadAs much as I complained about the reader’s of the Kalamazoo Gazette a few weeks ago when the Readers’ Choice awards there was one place I learned about because of the poll.
D & R’s Daily Grind Cafe is on Portage Road just north of West Lake. It’s a very tiny place. There are less than a dozen tables and a lunch counter in the cozy building. I decided to take a chance on a Sunday morning even though they just won best breakfast which means the place could be packed.
When we pulled in the parking lot, I only saw a couple cars. Then, I noticed the parking lot is actually in the back of the restaurant. You can park out front under neath the sign, but there’s not a lot of room.
We made our way inside to find a couple open tables. There was no host station or sign to wait for seating, so we took one of the empty tables near the wall. A waitress saw us sit down, grabbed a couple menus then came over to take our drink orders. I got a Coke. J got an Iced Tea. Read more…
Press Release – Chipotle Opening Store in Oshtemo
From a Lief Karson Communications press release…
Chipotle Mexican Grill to Open First Location in Kalamazoo
Gourmet burrito restaurant set to open in the Southwest Mich. city Nov. 15
Kalamazoo, Mich. (Nov. 9, 2011) — Chipotle Mexican Grill will open its first location in Kalamazoo, Mich., on Tuesday, Nov. 15. The critically acclaimed burrito shop will serve its gourmet menu of burritos, tacos, salads and bowls at 5363 W. Main St.
Distinguished by fresh, premium-quality food from sustainable sources, an iconic look and speedy service, Chipotle offers a new perspective on food. Today, Chipotle serves more naturally raised meat (meat from animals that are raised in a humane way, never given antibiotics or added hormones, and fed a pure vegetarian diet) than any other restaurant company; more than 75 million pounds last year.
Quality ingredients are the hallmark of Chipotle. In addition to naturally raised meats, Chipotle serves an increasing percentage of organically grown black and pinto beans, and sour cream and cheese made with milk from cows that are not treated with the synthetic hormone rBGH. Chipotle is also the only national restaurant company with significant commitments to purchasing produce from local farms when seasonally available, with plans to double its use of local produce this year.
“We are changing the way the world thinks about and eats fast food,” said Steve Ells, Chipotle founder, chairman and CEO. “There was a time when only the most demanding chefs in the best restaurants were using the same quality of food we are using, but we âre committed to making better food affordable and accessible so everyone can eat better.”
All of the fresh food is prepared in open kitchens in plain view of customers. Customers can choose from a variety of delicious ingredients to customize their order – cilantro-lime rice, whole black or pinto beans, grilled marinated meats or braised and shredded meats, freshly sautéed fajita vegetables, house-made guacamole, aged shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and a choice of fresh salsas.
The design of each Chipotle also mirrors Ells’ food philosophy – simple ingredients used in creative ways can elevate the ordinary to extraordinary. While all Chipotle restaurants use similar materials to achieve a sparse, clean, urban look, no two are alike.
Hours at the restaurant are from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. The phone number for the new Kalamazoo location is (269) 382-7011.
Guess This Means….
Real Deal is no more…..
Press Release – A Night with LeAnn Rimes at Cityscape Events
From a Millennium Restaurant Group press release…
Join LeAnn Rimes for a special night in Kalamazoo on November 17th. LeAnn is hosting a special benefit concert for “StandUp for Kids,” a charity hoping to end the cycle of youth homelessness.
Join B-93 and Cityscape Events for this one night only, intimate, acoustic concert.
Tickets are limited and only $15.93.
LeAnn Rimes at Cityscape Events
125 S. Kalamazoo Mall, downtown Kalamazoo, MI 49007Thursday, November 17, 2011
Doors at 6:30, show at 7:30Tickets are open seating, so come early!
To purchase your tickets, click HERE
LeAnn Rimes at Cityscape Events
125 S. Kalamazoo Mall, downtown Kalamazoo, MI 49007Thursday, November 17, 2011
Doors at 6:30, show at 7:30Tickets are open seating, so come early!To purchase your tickets, click HERE
Press Release – Michigan Flywheelers Museum Fundraiser
From a Michigan Flywheelers Museum press release…
SOUTH HAVEN – Supporters and friends of the Michigan Flywheelers Museum are invited to a Pasta Buffet fundraiser at Big Boy Restaurant on Sunday, Nov. 13.
Held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the buffet will feature a wide array of pasta dishes as well as soups and salads. Cost is $9.95 per person. Fifty percent of the proceeds will be earmarked for the museum’s Challenge Grant.
The museum has been working towards raising $50,000 by the end of the year for a matching grant from the Samaratan Foundation in Benton Harbor. The foundation has offered to double the money raised for an addition to the 130 year old Stephenson Barn that was moved to the museum in 2006. Since then, museum members have been renovating the structure turning it into a place for educational classes and workshops as well as a meeting place.
The next step in the renovation is the addition of bathrooms and a warming kitchen.
The Michigan Flywheelers Museum is a 501 c3 organization dedicated to the preservation of antique farm equipment. It is located on 80 acres 2.3 miles east of South Haven. It hosts one of the largest antique engine and tractors shows in the state every September.
To participate in the fundraiser, customers must purchase the Pasta Buffet.
Big Boy Restaurant is located east of South Haven next to I-196. For more information, call the museum at 269-639-2010 or Facebook.
Press Release – Fair Farm Bill Rally Thursday
From a Food and Water Watch press release….
West Michigan Rallies to Demand Stabenow’s Support for Michigan’s Small Farmers
Grand Rapids, MI—Citizens from Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids will be gathering in Grand Rapids on Thursday November 3rd to ask Senator Debbie Stabenow to support the Fair Farm Rules and Michigan’s small farmers. The rules would significantly level the playing field for small and midsized livestock farmers, yet Senator Stabenow, the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has yet to take a stand on the issue. In the past two months, community members in Grand Rapids & Kalamazoo have gathered over 2,500 postcards urging Senator Stabenow to support the Fair Farm Rules.
Nationally, nearly 27,000 midsize independent family farms have been driven out of business over the past five years, and those remaining are squeezed by a market that favors big agribusinesses. The 2008 Farm Bill included new reforms to protect small and midsize livestock farmers, but those reforms are being blocked by a handful of large companies that dominate the meat and poultry industries. Local leaders are publicly calling Senator Stabenow to lead on this issue and stand up for Michigan’s small farmers.
Where: Calder Plaza, Grand Rapids, MI
When: 4:10 PM on Thursday November 3rd
Who: Sheri Rop, Owner, Nourish Organic Market
Cynthia Price, Chair, Greater Grand Rapids Food Systems Council
Andrea Villarreal, Kalamazoo educator
Jane Wiedenbeck and Charlotte Bartter, Field Organizers, Food and Water Watch
VISUALS: Great visuals including a 6 ft. tall plywood rooster, volunteers in cow suits, an oversized (3’x4’) representative petition as well as a large group of citizens holding large, colorful posters and a petition chicken.
Background: The Fair Farm Rules, or GIPSA rules, prevent meatpackers from giving “undue preference” to large producers, like factory farms, which put small independent producers at an economic disadvantage. The new rules would:
- Stop price premiums and secret preferential contracts granted to cattle and hog factory farms.
- Prevent one buyer from representing multiple meatpackers at an auction. This practice effectively eliminates competitive bidding on livestock, which hurts small-scale producers.
- Prohibit retaliation against poultry growers who speak out about abuses.
- Protects poultry growers who make expensive upgrades and investments and prevents companies from requiring growers to make expensive upgrades to their facilities if they are in working order
Consumers lose out as small and midsize farmers are pushed out of business. They are left with fewer healthy sustainable choices and more antibiotic and artificial hormone-ridden meat and poultry. Senator Stabenow not taken a side on the issue at hand, and has not publicly advocated for their implementation or asked President Obama to expedite their approval.
Press Release – Wine Widow Wednesday at the Wine Loft
From a Millennium Restaurant Group press release…
The Wine Loft Introduces Wine Widow Wednesdays This November
Kalamazoo, MI- Free from your husband or boyfriend this hunting season? Every Wednesday starting at 6:30pm this November, join downtown-Kalamazoo’s The Wine Loft as they host an event series for the ladies whose husbands and boyfriends have abandoned them for the hunting season. While you don’t have to be affected by the hunting season to attend, this is a great excuse for women to come out and have great company, wine, and shopping.
For just $5 each week, Wine Widow Wednesday will include a wine tasting, a weekly meet and greet with different downtown Kalamazoo shop owners, and a special ‘after-hours’ shopping experience starting at 8:15pm, led by the shop owners themselves.
Each week a different downtown retail or boutique shop will be featured, and at 8:15pm the shop owners will take our Wine Widows over to their stores for a special, after-hours exclusive shopping night. Featured shops include:
- Sydney, November 2 – Sydney is an upscale clothing store for men and women featuring apparel from BCBG, Cole Haan, Alex Cannon, and more. Located in the Radisson.
- Cakes Boutique, November 9– Cakes Boutique provides affordable, fashionable clothing and jewelry to women of all shapes and sizes. Every item at Cakes Boutique is under $100! Located on the downtown Kalamazoo Mall.
- Lana’s Couture, November 16– Lana’s Couture is geared towards professional women. Carrying contemporary and missy lines such as True Religion, Citizens of Humanity, and more. Located in Mall Plaza.
- Sticks & Stones, November 23– Sticks & Stones features things you love at a reasonable price for your home, or hard to find gifts. They specialize in unique affordable design accessories. Located on the downtown Kalamazoo Mall.
Each after-hours shopping trip is exclusive to the event, guests must be present at The Wine Loft beforehand to attend.
Wine Widow Wednesday at The Wine Loft starts this Wednesday, November 2, at 6:30pm. For just $5 a person, enjoy wine tastings, meet and greets, and exclusive after-hours shopping. For more information on the Wine Widow Wednesday event be sure to visit www.facebook.com/WineLoftwmich or call 269-343-9227.
Press Release – Can Do Kitchen Product Hits Detroit Stores
From a Fair Food Matters press release…
Mike’s Famous Michigan Bean Dip now on store shelves in Detroit area
Kalamazoo-based product wins statewide product placement competitionKALAMAZOO, MI – Clara’s Kitchen, LLC, maker of Mike’s Famous Michigan Bean Dip, won the Product Placement Competition at the fourth annual “Making it in Michigan” trade show, held recently in Lansing.
The bean dip is produced in the Fair Food Matters’ Can-Do Kitchen, the region’s only commercial kitchen/food business incubator.
Mike’s Famous Michigan Bean Dip was one of three winners chosen from more than 100 food producers participating in the annual food trade show, hosted by the Michigan State University Product Center. Westborn Market, which operates three specialty retail stores in suburban Detroit, chose the winners, each of whom receives year’s worth of free shelf space at the stores.
Judges used the following criteria to select winners:
• A “good quality product” with a distinctive flavor and taste
• Attractive packaging and convenience for consumer use
• Well-defined competitive advantage
• “Retail readiness,” along with a sound business plan.Mike Kruk owns and operates Clara’s Kitchen. He began making the bean dip nearly 30 years ago for friends, family and co-workers. Kruk has manufactured it in the Can-Do Kitchen since 2009, at the same time he began selling it commercially.
The “secret ingredient” in Mike’s Famous Michigan Bean Dip – peanut butter – was never much of a secret, and has always been shown on the label’s ingredient list and allergen notice. The peanut butter adds texture and helps mellow the heat of the dip, which is available in Mild, Kinda Hot & Spicy, and Spicy.
In West Michigan, Mike’s Famous Michigan Bean Dip is available at D&W (Parkview Ave.), Irving’s Market, Natural Health Center, People’s Food Co-op, Sawall Health Foods, Tiffany’s Wine and Spirit Shoppe and Country Way Natural Foods (Otsego). It is also served at Bronson Hospital Café, Legends Sports Bar in Paw Paw and The Old Hat Brew Pub in Lawton.
SW Michigan Dining 