Well I’m working at MSU Museum this week and next. I’m consulting on a new project with the states Archaeologist and I’m not sure what to doduring off time? I’ll be working long days even over the holiday weekend. I’m looking for things to do like where are the good pubs and restaurants. Any good fishing in and around Lansing area or even say 10 miles out? I always bring my flyrod where ever I go. Even overseas. So tips on fishing will be much appreciated:)
Well, damn, we Michigander Dopers look for any excuse to get together. If there are enough of us around over the holiday weekend, would you like to take up one of your evenings with dinner? What say you, Michigan Dopers? If he’s game, shall we throw something together?
I can’t help you with fishing, although with its lakes and rivers Michigan is a big fishing state… I hope you can find something promising near Lansing.
Ann Arbor is an hour’s drive from you, but a nice community. The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is ongoing–every night, for three weeks, they have 2-3 local bands playing on the top of a cleared-off parking structure. There’s a beer garden, some food tents, and a lot of seating. After dark, they’ll show a movie on the big elevator shaft that extends above the structure. So on any evening, that might be a nice thing to come down for.
Sure, I’m up for it. Youse guys drive to da UP and I’ll meet ya at da bridge.
Ann Arbor sounds really fun. I think my wife may be flying out Wednesday to spend the holiday with me, so it won’t just be me. The only setback I can forsee is that Friday I have to work till late in the afternoon. So Saturday and Sunday would be best. I’m sitting in front of Beaumont Tower right now and the weather is much less humid than back in Mass. So nice!
Where would dinner be? Restaurant, Pub, outside BBQ?
Um, dinner would depend on what people are up for, who can be there, and what people’s tolerance for driving is.
We tend to go ethnic–we’ve had a lot of Dopefests at an Ethiopian place here in Ann Arbor, and we’ve been trying to get people together for Middle Eastern in the Detroit suburbs.
But we like brewpubs, too. We’re an easy lot. Let me go scare up some MichiDopers and get their butts in here.
And ha ha, Athena, one of these days we’ll lure you down here.
What weekend are we talking about? I’m up for it. I even have a BA in anthropology/archaeology so I’m, like, qualified. This sunday they’re showing Spider-man at Summer festival plus I know the band that’s playing at 8pm, its kind of folk-rock.
We have a couple of brewpubs (one has better food, okay beer, the other has better beer, okay food, +darts) if that’s what you’re up for, otherwise there’s a good variety – off the top of my head I’d suggest: Italian, the new Greek place, Thai, Chinese…
Well, I haven’t been in Ann Arbor for a LONG time, but I was born there… you might consider a pilgrimage to the hospital where I was born to leave an offering or something. 
[sup]Please note: leaving offerings in no way guarantees that Astroboy will grant your wishes, give you a monkey butler, or even think kindly of you.[/sup]
Have fun and pour some beer on my grave, or something.
:: sniffles :: I’m gonna miss y’all so much.
As far as I know, I don’t have anything planned this weekend other than I have to work Sunday evening. I could be talked into lunch or dinner with my fellow MichiDopers.
While in EL, try El Azteco on Abbott. Outdoor rooftop deck, great people watching, margaritas (by the pitcher on the rocks), and big, big burritos (very spicy). Check out Ricks for live music after dinner. It’s just around the corner.
This is so very mundane, but if you like bookstores, try Curious Books on Michigan Avenue, right across from the MSU campus.
I used to live in Ann Arbor and it is still one of my favorite places in the world.
My suggestions:
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Record stores - AA’s got a lot of 'em. The best are Wazoo on State (between Liberty and William) and Encore (all used, tons of vinyl and such) on Liberty, between State and Division).
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Food - there are so many great places to eat. Raja Rani has a great, fairly cheap Indian buffett. Jerusalem Garden has cheap middle eastern food. Not a huge menu but cheap and easy to get to. Pancheros for late night greasy burritos. Tons of pizza places - all are college town pizza at its finest but some hold special fondness for Bells at State & Packard or Pizza House on Church(?) near South U. Zingerman’s in Kerrytown is a great, crazy deli and there are some other interesting places in Kerrytown as well.
And for the greasiest of greasy spoons, you must go to the infamous Fleetwood Diner. It’s the kind of place that you can go at 2 in the morning and see a 60 year old pot legalization activist arguing with three sorority girls while an intoxicated gutter punk and a kid wearing Insane Clown Posse makeup look on in disgust, all while eating pancakes.
- Bars - Ashley’s on State near William and Arbor Brewing Company on Washington near Main are both great places. ABC is a brewpub with a lot of cool beers, and Ashleys is just a fun bar. The Del Rio on the other side of Main is also a cool place to hang out.
Just walk around downtown - there are three main areas, the South U strip, the State Street/Liberty area, and the Main Street area. Just walk around, people watch, eat at random places, etc. It’s a great place.
Everyone should get their asses to East Lansing so I don’t have to drive to Ann Arbor again! I’ll be back on Sunday night, Antiquarian, if you’d like to chill wit’ me, yo.
- tsarina, recent MSU graduate who’s still puttering around EL.
Where are you other Michigan Dopers? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
Maybe I’d better start a thread title that will grab people who tend to go to Michigan Doper Foodfests.
Just a quick note…if you’re looking for something to do Friday evening, Meridian Township is putting on a fireworks display for the Fourth. They’ve been doing these for a few years now, and it’s consistantly been, IMO, one of the best displays in the area. There’s some more information here.
Antiquarian, the Red Cedar river flows through the MSU campus. You can’t fish on campus, I’m told, but you could go upstream or downstream a bit. Try this - go west from campus on Michigan Ave. until you find a Sears Roebuck on the right, and a golf course on the left. Turn left just past the golf course, go south about 1/2 mile, and park on the south side of the road by the river trail trailhead. Walk down the trail to the river, and see if you can find somewhere to fish. This spot is maybe 2 miles max. driving from the MSU museum, and anywhere from 0 to 1/2 mile of walking.
Out north of town there’s another river, the Looking Glass. It’s a slow, shallow stream, so don’t expect any major brook trout, but I hear that some people have a lot of fun fishing it any way. (BTW - the Red Cedar is also a slow flowing river)
I work practically across the street from the museum. If you want to get together and say hello, I’ll try to find some other spots where you can wet a line. My e-mail should be in my profile.
The mention of the Red Cedar also reminds me that they might still rent canoes, if that’s something you’re interested in. I know they used to, but I’m not certain (I work in the Chemistry Building, so I’m never really over in that section of campus) that they still do, nor where.
Just another random suggestion.
Qir nha, I work in BPS! We should get together sometime. (You too, RalfCoder.) 
It’ll be an MSU EmployeeFest!
Tsarina, Qir nha, why don’t we get together and take Antiquarian out to lunch sometime this week or next? I’m here only on Monday and Tuesday next week, though. E-mail me if you’re interested.
Did you Lansingites see that I’m proposing maybe the Williamston RoadHouse for dinner this weekend. Or maybe Sunday lunch would make more sense. Either way, not too much of a drive for you.
Short of handing out money, what’s it gonna take to get you guys to come to a Dopefest?