Because this is local

We had a Coney Island restaurant back in Maryland where I grew up. I only ate there once, though it figured large in family lore. Here in South-East Michigan, Coney's are an important cultural tradition like Cheese Steaks in Philadelphia. We wanted to eat and get to a movie one midday out together, so we looked at the restaurants that were very close to the theater. It was a bit of a question, but Uptown Coney won in the end. 

I'm so glad it did. I chose to order their patty melt. It's close enough to standard diner food to be fair, but enough of a frump on the back page that it demonstrates range. It also just sounded good. It was great. Both slices of bread were perfectly toasted and crisp. The patty was meaty and the gravy and onions made you lick your palette twice in case you missed something. I have since ordered the Rueben and found it equally excellent. 

The best judge of how we like a restaurant is when we can't wait to take the kids, and Kurt and I were both looking for an excuse to introduce our brood to this fine diner food at Uptown Coney. Every plate was clean and both the crispy battered french fries and the perfect onion rings were hailed as extraordinary.

If you are in Ann Arbor, and you like fine diner food, this is a must eat restaurant.

Paradise is my present address

Sometimes the past clouds the present. We've grown accustomed to a buffet style Asian food experience to the point where I'd forgotten about ordering one thing and eating just that. I was a little homesick for my plate of everything, so when Kurt asked where I wanted to go I said Chinese. Kurt is a cautious man, so he did research and took me to Paradise Asian Cuisine. It is a small restaurant, only fifteen tables, but they fill up quickly. The owners waited on us, which was so personable and charming. Choosing my one plate took me some time, but I decided on the Rainbow Chicken. I love stir-fried vegetables, and rainbows are always appealing. Lucky for me the chicken was good too. If I had been more observant and less nostalgic about Chinese food, I would have paid attention to the Vietnamese menu and tried something new. I guess there is always next time.

Melting

I needed a copy of The Divine Comedy, and Kurt needed to get out of the house. I was also hoping to scout editions of Aquinas, but Barnes and Noble only had one edition. My shopping trip took way less time than I'd thought, so Kurt suggested we try a new restaurant. Sundays in Ann Arbor seemed very dead today. We decided to try The Melting Pot, again. It was our third try. Previously, we'd been left to rue that our lives don't often leave time for making reservations, but this afternoon there were plenty of tables, and we were seated in a very private booth in the back. 

We weren't sure what to order. Kurt went with his standard "see what they recommend" approach and I was feeling adventuresome. There is something about fondue forks that inspires confidence. We landed on an Old Bay Cheese Sauce, the Melting Pot House Salad, and Honey Orange Duck Breast for me, Filet Mignon for Kurt. The Old Bay Cheese Sauce was indiscreetly bitter, a fact the broccoli bits underscored unpleasantly, but the apples relieved nicely. The bread cubes were leaning toward some version of rye. I wouldn't want to eat them plain, and they didn't help the Old Bay Cheese Sauce. It was a disappointing beginning. The house dressing on the house salad was lovely, and restored our confidence. The salad was put together with care and flair, and I'm still kicking myself for not buying a bottle of the dressing. 

About the duck, I am working on a novel and I wrote a section about my main character preparing Duck a l'Orange. I've been up to my elbows in recipes and such. Honey Orange Duck Breast will never find me such an open target again.

We chose the Coq au Vin broth which came with potatoes and mushrooms and broccoli to round out our entree. Kurt's Filet Mignon was delicious. The potatoes soaked up the excellent broth and made it more fully heard. We skipped the broccoli, but enjoyed the mushrooms. We also skipped dessert, so I 

can offer no advice on that subject.

I am pretty sure we'll try this restaurant again. The staff was courteous and either well-trained or in the process of being trained. The atmosphere is equal parts romance and fun. It's a small thing, but the iced tea is good. Everything was clean and well managed. The third time certainly charmed.

Glimpse of the Sky

When I was a child we spent our summers at the lake. I alternated between reading on my beach towel, playing in the water, and building things in the sand. My favorite thing to do was to float on my back looking up at the clouds and enjoying the muffled sounds that meant I was free to ignore everyone. It was a feeling of deep peace, of only hearing what is important. Having children has profoundly disturbed that inner peace, the knowledge of what to listen for. They are quite literally my heart running around outside my chest, and I have forgotten how to be at peace if they are not.

Until tonight, at swim class, we are learning the back strokes, and suddenly there I was ears muffled looking up. I could have done that all night. It was better than any sort of therapy. I think I'm going to have to join the Saline Recreational Center. The place is unpretentious, smartly practical, and my swim instructor is an angel. There's lots of great amenities, and everything is busy and well-used. I fit in there.

It is a great find--a place to remember myself.

Sometimes You Need a Guide

Five minutes after meeting Tracey Roy, I knew she'd be a pleasant companion on the journey to our new home.  She was both professional and good at carrying her end of the conversation. As we started looking at houses, she displayed a gift for quickly knowing what we liked and what we didn't. She saw houses the way we were, looking for classroom space for our young ones and a little separation for our college student.

When we thought we'd found the perfect place, she did all she could to get us in to see it. When it all failed, she helped us see perfection might not be worth the drama. With our eyes open again, we quickly found a home that truly is perfect for us and comes with a pool!

At this point everything seemed to be ready for a gentle coast to the end, but details, details, details, about wore everyone out. Right up to the last minute, Tracey was our warrior, making the way forward with great advice and helpful connections. Without her persistence and advocacy--even under difficult personal circumstances--I doubt we'd be settled in our magic home, children in school, and the daily routine once again becoming dull.

If you are looking for a realtor, look no more. Tracey Roy is the complete package.

Washtenaw County's Colorless, Odorless, Killer

We are in the process of buying a house that failed its Radon test in a manner my inexperience deems spectacular. Evidently it's a common problem for the area, and mitigating Radon isn't that hard. All I knew about Radon I learned from Nathan TerMolen's poem. His poetry can be terrifying taking the commonest items and making them murderous. It has been at least six years since I heard him read it, and the image of the silent invader destroying a woman's lungs cannot be forgotten. Especially now that it's my lungs and my husband's lungs and my kid's lungs. 

God bless Wikipedia. The whole thing becomes a science lesson. Many different government sites explain reassuring practices for abatement and why and how they work. I look at pictures of our current system with my newly educated eyes and scoff that such a system would ever be considered sufficient in the first place. I imagine the amazingly complex structure and rigorous testing schedule we will follow, and I scoff at at Radon. I mock and I laugh. 

Until I remember Nathan's poem, then I cover my mouth with both hands.

222Rn

A snake made of absolute

shadow, held together by 

glass scales that spar, nod

and wink in light. It chose to

adorn itself with thick mist,

an aura the color of blood 

fresh to air. So heavy. Clung

to the ground like a beaten

dog, it slips in sideways

through foundation cracks.

Cobra as vapor — a donned

hood, black tongue tasting air. 

A grazing bite starts down-road 

through parted lips, starts a mute 

riot in lungs, leaves widowers — crumpled 

wet paper behind

                                     a quiet

ever-sneaking

               tail.

                                                            

Anniversary Upgrade

I've been making regular visits to Ann Arbor, and whatever was cheapest on Expedia was good enough to put a roof over our heads. This last visit we decided to invest in an upgrade since it was our anniversary. There are a number of great hotels in Ann Arbor if you believe the web hype. I am partial to jacuzzi tubs, so The Regent Hotel of Ann Arbor earned our business.

The room was nicely decorated, very clean, and came with a fridge and microwave standard. The jacuzzi tub was one of the nicest ones we've been in. All the finishings were granite and quality wood. The carpet in the hallway was plush, and few sounds of people coming and going were audible. We didn't make it to the breakfast, but it sounded good. We also missed using the hot tub, pool, pool table, and a lovely outdoor sitting area. There's also great eats nearby.

It was a happy place to celebrate 20 years of marriage, and I imagine it would be wonderful for lots of other occasions as well.