Out Sick

Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. I could barely believe that I skated through the entire winter and spring while my "healthy" friends were beleaguered with colds, flu bugs, and nasty viruses, and I was perfectly healthy.

Sure enough. I woke up Saturday morning, nose plugged, scratchy throat, lymph nodes swollen, and my head weighing more than the Acme anvil that always seems to end up on poor Wylie E. Coyote's head. I'm sick.

Miso soup, sushi with extra wasabi, and hot tea are now my good friends, along with Mensch71 who's fussed over me like a good Mother Hen should. This weekend has made me appreciate the little bonuses that come with living in the 21st Century like - heating pads, electric kettles, delivery service from the local sushi place, and Lazy-Boy furniture.

Of course, life wouldn't be life without a clogged kitchen pipe, but many thanks to my friendly local neighborhood handyman who saved me from the toxic sludge that was backing up in my kitchen sink.

As I'm on the mend, here's to you and yours, staying healthy!

Ad Eternum & Some Brief Bits

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Just a couple bits of info to mention -

1) Mensch71 is hosting her annual East Lansing Art Festival Scavenger Hunt again this year, and rest assured, everyone's going to have a blast. No, you don't have to buy anything, but you need to bring your digital camera, as it's a photo scavenger hunt. Some of the things you get points for -

• Kid on a leash. Bonus points for one parent/guardian with two or more kids on leashes.
• Metal sculpture of something that can be riden (i.e. bicycle, Harley, large dog).
• Wind chimes made out of silverware.
• Best picture of a female based on the theme, "You should COVER that"
• Best picture of a male based on the theme, "You should COVER that"
• Person wearing either a tuxedo t-shirt or a tiara. Bonus points if two people so adorned are together; extra bonus if one person is wearing both.

Oh yeah, it's definitely going to be a good one. If you're in the area and looking for a good time, head over to People Are Strange for the full scoop.

2) Drinking Liberally is having our monthly meeting Thursday at 7pm at Reno's East. Hope you'll drop by for a fun time, good spirits, and great people! Visit the Lansing Drinking Liberally Blog for more info.

3) I was sad to hear about one of my more-recent discoveries of favorite local eateries went up in smoke today. Lazeez was a fantastic Middle Eastern-Indian restaurant right over on Grand River just west of Frandor. I had just picked up dinner from there on Monday night. Their Chicken Tikka Masala was awesome, I've still got the leftovers in the fridge to prove it.

4) Bob Barker's stepping down. :-( Okay, yes, the man couldn't have possibly gone on another 35 years on The Price is Right, but gosh, who among us didn't grow up on that show at some point? Both my grandmothers loved that show, and I always thought I could play Plinko and really win a car. Here's to Bob, and always making sure your pets are spayed and neutered.

(Photo - ad eternum Originally uploaded by postpurchase)

34

The mere mention of Roe v. Wade often strikes a certain amount of discomfort for many. For others it invokes a sense of justice, and then there are those who are overcome with rage. Clearly it's one of the most publicly tumultuous decisions ever handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

With yesterday marking the 34th Anniversary of this landmark case, I was looking for a way to discuss it that felt right. Because it is still such a controversial issue for so many, I feel that dialogue about the subject must also be carefully tempered.

I am grateful for the right to be left in charge of my own body by my own government. I believe it's an issue that each woman has the right to decide on her own, period.

Many times when I struggle to find the right words to express my feelings, I turn to others. This time is no different. This was written today by LLP contributor, Mensch71. It is republished in it's entirety with her permission.

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Growing up in the Casa de Mensch, I regularly embarrassed (and now grateful) for the frankness with which MommyMensch discussed sex, drugs and alcohol. By the time I'd reached puberty, not only did I know the proper names for most everything, I knew how things worked. Mom was absolutely determined that HER daughter would not find out about reproduction from a book or a health class. She dispelled every sex myth ("you can't get pregnant if you do it in a swimming pool!") and made sure that I knew the consequences of drinking while doing anything, including breathing.

As I got older, I became the Sex Guru among my friends, simply because my Mom made sure that I was informed. It's not that I had much personal experience, but I was prepared. When I leapt into the fray, I was smart and safe.

At some point during high school (or maybe a little earlier), Mom told me about a college acquaintance of hers who found herself in the family way. Now, this was the 1960s when unmarried and pregnant were Just. Not. Done. Her options were to drop out of college and to drop out of college. I don't remember all of the details here, but what I do recall is that this desperate woman had a "coat hanger abortion".

She died.

She died because she had no choices. Yesterday was the 34th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. On January 21, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling that upheld a woman's right to make choices about her own reproductive health.

Contrary to some opinions, Roe v. Wade doesn't encourage abortions, it simply provides woman with the right to have one. For nearly my entire life, this right (along with the right to vote, drive and serve in the military) has been part of my world. I can't imagine a time where it wasn't ok for me to be the master of my own ship, the captain of my own destiny.

That said, there are many who would like to see a world where reproductive health choices are the purview of the church and there are others who believe that women shouldn't have the vote or be allowed to own property or be the CEO of a company. As absurd as that sounds today, remember that only decades ago... this was the case. So be grateful for the rights that we have today and work to protect those that others would take from us.

Local Lansing Flavor - Tavern on the Square (Review)

(I had the pleasure of joining Mensch on one of her two trips here, and I think she's done a dandy job with her review.
Have you eaten there? What do you think? We'd love to hear from you! ~LL)

Tavern on the Square
206 S. Washington Square
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: (517) 374-5555
Web: www.tavernonthesq.com
Review By LLP's Very Own Resident Food Critic - Mensch71

Downtown Lansing has a large number of locally owned restaurants but sadly, few are open for dinner. That trend is changing and the latest entry is Tavern on the Square, a tapas restaurant with a roaring fireplace and a hip loft meets Americana decor. *Make sure you check out the impressive wrought iron chandelier from the second floor.

Tapas traditionally describes Spanish appetizers served as a complimentary offering with drinks. It has evolved into a distinct cuisine where diners order multiple dishes and share with one another. Despite the casual nature of tapas, Tavern on the Square is a bit more upscale and caters to the "suit and tie" crowd.

Tapas generally focuses on Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine but this menu touches on Caribbean, Polish, Asian, Italian, Greek and American classics. A narrower menu focus along with more vigilant sourcing of materials will raise Tavern on the Square from a "it's new, try it" to a "sheesh, you haven't been there yet?!?!".

The menu is cleverly divided into sections, "To Eat While Drinking", "Finely Chopped Tapas Salads & Soups" and "Food for Sharing". Sadly, there are no soups in the soup section, just salads.
The Apricot Wings ($4.50) were sticky, sweet and overly smoked, but the hot dipping sauce cut much of the cloying apricot glaze.
The Square Meat & Cheese Plate ($7) is a composed plate with various meets and cheeses. The Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar was neither Tillamook or cheddar and the prosciutto slices were thick and tough. The drunken goat cheese and the salami were the surprising all-stars of this dish.
Quality is absolutely imperative when offering cheese courses and the Baked Brie with Apples ($7) features a pasteurized version of the great French cheese. It's very mild but a nice accompaniment to the crisp, Michigan apples.
The Square Chicken Salad ($5) and the Spanish Chicken Salad ($5.50) both contain long lists of ingredients with strong flavors including gorgonzola, olive tapenade, fried leeks and drunken goat cheese. The salads come chopped into very small bits and are dressed very lightly. Both salads needed supplemental salt and pepper to bring out the flavor.
A West Coast phenomena, the Fish Tacos ($5) were outstanding. The crispy fish contrasted nicely with the crunchy coleslaw and the creamy guacamole. A quick squeeze of lime and a dash of hot sauce made this the perfect entree.
Pierogies ($6) were filled with mashed potatoes and served with a paprika sour cream. The pierogies had some nice carmelization from pan searing but it wasn't able to disguise the mass produced, artificial taste.
The best part of the meal was the warm cinnamon donuts ($2). Warm and flavorful, these donuts were cakey and moist.

As with any new restaurant, much of the first year is spent working out the kinks in the menu and service. Our service was slow but reasonably attentive. Make sure to order one of the many Coke products offered by Tavern on the Square - the bottles are completely charming.

A return visit in a few months is in order and there will be an updated review at that time.

Rating: 1 STAR (out of 5)

Mensch's Rating Scale

1 STAR - An OK dining experience. OK quality service, food and decor. OK wine list. (Includes new restaurants open less than a year.)

2 STAR - A good dining experience. Good quality service, food and decor. Adequate wine list.

3 STAR - A very good dining experience. Very good quality service, food and decor. Staff with good wine/spirits knowledge. Good wine list.

4 STAR - An excellent dining experience. Excellent quality service, food and decor. Staff with strong wine/spirits knowledge. Excellent wine list.

5 STAR - A superb dining experience. Highest quality service, food and decor. Sommelier or staff with extensive wine/spirits knowledge. Superlative wine list.

Meet Mensch71 - Our Newest Contributor!

Liberal, Loud and Proud is not just about me. It's about what makes Michigan great, and that includes all of its people. I've loved the feedback that all of you have given me on LLP, and I'm glad that so many of you find it worthy of a couple minutes of your day.

In the constant strive to make Michigan and LLP great, I've asked several writers from various parts of the state to contribute. I'm pleased to announce that we will be featuring a semi-regular installment from the first of these contributors, Mensch71.

Who is Mensch71?

Mensch71 is a Lansing-area native who's traveled around the country and part of the world on her stomach. When she's not saving the world, one non-profit at a time, you can find her in the kitchen, planning dinner parties for friends, dishing the dirt over on Chowhound (www.chowhound.com) or blogging about politics and life. Keep up with Mensch71 on travels in countries and kitchens alike at People Are Strange.

Welcome Mensch71!!!