Peace out 2011: NYE 2012!

I'm normally not a pessimistic person but New Year's Eve tends to be the most anti-climactic holiday of the year. Whether you'll be in Times Square, your parents' living room, or with 2 dozen mostly B-list celebrities (i.e. the cast from the new, undoubtedly Oscar-worthy movie: New Year's Eve), there is one thing worth keeping in mind before the big night:

Here are some options to maximize your NYE 2011:

If you'll be in Detroit:
The Resolution Ball at the Fillmore Theater ($30) includes high-wire acrobats, roving illusionists, a midnight buffet, and a champagne toast. Your standard NYE party fare.

The Amnesia NYE Party at Motorcity Casino ($30) will have a champagne toast, party favors, giveaways, and a continental breakfast. Party until 4 am and then come back on New Year's Day for the NYE Rewind Party and experience it all over again. That sounds dangerous.

Bookie's ($50) will have DJs spinning on all 3 floors, a 4 hour premium bar, late night Coney dog buffet, champagne toast, balloon drop, and door prize raffle entry.

If you'll be in Ann Arbor:
If you're a beer snob Arbor Brewing Company (Free!) will be the place for you because they will release a different keg of beer every hour from 8:30 until 11:30. The evening also features dinner specials and live music.

If you'll be in Royal Oak:
Fifth Ave gives you two options. For $75 you get to party on the second floor where there will be food, appetizers, and music but probably still no dancing since they lack a dancing permit. Oh, did I mention this was a black tie event? The first floor is appropriately named the no tie event and admission is free.

Luna ($8) will have complimentary food, champagne, and party favors. Party until 4 am!

Rock on 3rd ($15 or $10/person for groups of 6+) will have an appetizer buffet, party favors, and a champagne toast.

The intersection at Washington/6th will have a free outdoor concert featuring the Gin Blossoms (talk about a blast from the past) and the Romantics with a ball drop to countdown to midnight. Visit rockintheeve.com for more info.


Planning ahead doesn't always guarantee a great night. You've been there. You spent weeks picking out the perfect outfit, coordinating who you'd be spending the big night with, perhaps even paying for a ticket that promised to be the best party in town. Little did you know that the weeks leading up to the big night would be the best part. The worst part: probably around 11:59. With your party hat on and a glass of Andre in hand, it dawned on you that your NYE was a decent night at best. If you find yourself in that predicament my best advice would be to drink more.

Just kidding. Well, kind of.
Just remember that there's always the option of skipping the expensive bar party to host your own NYE get together. Make a play list of all of the hit songs from 2011, enjoy your friends, and get your pots and pans ready to bang on when the new year arrives.

No matter how you decide to spend NYE 2011, here's to having a safe and fun night!
--lc.

Detroit Foodie: From Pizza to Coneys to Crepes

After a 6-month hiatus from blogging I had two options for topics: human anatomy or the few restaurants I've been to in Detroit. Although I am probably better-equipped to discuss the former, I went with the latter for obvious reasons.

Detroit is known for many things: great sports teams, Motown, lawlessness, and I would argue that great restaurants is quickly climbing up the list thanks to restaurants like Slow's and Atlas. Rather than sing the praises of restaurants that you've probably already heard of, I want to dedicate this post to the obscure places. Places where you may at first be hesitant to park your car, but once you try the food that thought becomes irrelevant.

Pizza Supino

I will preface this post by saying that I never considered myself to be a fan of thin crust pizza until I tried theirs. Located in Eastern Market, Pizza Supino barely has the capacity to fit more than 20 dine-in customers and on most days it's standing room only. The best part? The unique toppings you can choose--from an egg to prosciutto. Prices range from $7-$17 depending on how fancy your pizza is. I recommend the Supino: black olives, roasted garlic, ricotta, chili oil, and mozzarella. It's mind-blowing.


Detroit One

You'll find a Coney Island just about on every corner in Detroit and every one makes the same claim: "Best Coney in Detroit". Thanks to the Class of 2015's never-ending appetite for coneys, I was able to try out more than I'd ever like to admit during orientation week. Detroit One sticks out in my mind more than the others and although my memory of their food may or may not be a bit skewed due to the festivities that preceded the meal, they had the best chili cheese fries I've ever had. They were so delicious that all conversation at our table ceased until after we were done eating. The fries were golden and crispy. Not to mention they were topped with just the right coney to cheese ratio. Just don't order the 50 wings even if it seems like a good idea at the time.


The Bronx

If you're in the mood to knock back a few and enjoy the non-stop hilarity provided by an elderly, but unbelievably sassy bartender, then the Bronx is for you. Be prepared to take your empties to the bar or you run the risk of being publicly called a lush. If you're looking to grab something to eat while you're there I recommend the Stoopid Sandwich or the egg sandwich with corned beef. Their portions are big enough to split--trust me. If you're like me and you have friends with attention issues, the Bronx has you covered: Donkey Kong and a Juke Box. I'm convinced the Juke Box is rigged to only play music the aforementioned bartender approves of because I've lost more than a few dollars trying to play anything and everything off of TLC's CrazySexyCool album. Did I mention you can get a hair cut here?

Good Girls Go to Paris Crepes

Get overwhelmed by options? You might want to check out their menu online before you go because they give you a plethora of options. Narrowing down from savory to sweet is just the beginning. I've always been biased towards savory breakfast foods and I was not disappointed by The "O". Filled with feta, kalamata olives, spinach, and Greek dressing, it spans the entire plate and is sure to leave you satisfied. My friends were equally impressed with their choices, most of them going with a sweet crepe. All of the crepes are $5-$9 and worth every penny.

Here's to being a foodie--
lc.