How Did a Buffalo Grow Wings?: The Origins of Some of America's Favorite Foods

Many places across America have a certain food item that is emblematic to their city or region, and luckily we have found ourselves at the source of several.

Share a meal or two (okay many, many meals!) with us and learn about the origins of some of the USA's most icon foods... CONTINUE READING >>

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Fear Conquering & Roller Derby

“Mom. You are going to get owned.”

 My, how the tables have turned. I'm not going to lie, I was getting a bit of pleasure out of worrying The Spawn.

 The reason for their concern was not without merit -- I was about to attend Roller Derby Camp. Or as the Killamazoo Derby Darlins call it, a "Fresh Meat Event".

 In our never-ending quest to find quirky things to do... CONTINUE READING >>

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12 Must-See Festivals in the US

We LOVE a festival! Tag the word "fest" on the end of anything and we're there!

Here are 12 of the wildest, wackiest, over-the-top or just plain fabulous celebrations that we've seen!...
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A Bloodcurdling Buffet - 12 Frightful Foods of the World

How about a terrifying tour of the globe just in time for Halloween?

We've consumed these dozen frightening foods from around the world... so you don't have to... CONTINUE READING >> 

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Two Sainte Maries

The phrase border town will not usually conjure up an image of anything remotely resembling the two Sault Sainte Maries (the Sault portion is pronounced Soo) that lie across from each other where Michigan's Upper Peninsula meets Ontario. There is a distinct lack of cacti, dust and adobe, but that's not to say there isn't plenty to provide for a different type of... CONTINUE READING >>

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Do You Believe in Magic?

As usual, we never know what we will find or how we might stumble upon it. Overhearing her hair stylist planning her weekend, Veronica learned about the big Magic Week Festival in Colon, Michigan.

Seemed strange to us that this little burg of 1,200 people would host a world renowned magic festival, but as we pulled into town a welcoming sign informed us that Colon is "The Magic Capitol of The World." Oh. Still we couldn't help but wonder why.

Well, there are reasons.

Back in 1926, the famous magician... CONTINUE READING >>

The Unhealthiest Menu on the Planet

In our never ending search for intriguing foods, a jackpot was hit with what has to be the mother of all unhealthy menus.

Heart stopping, artery clogging foods are favorites all over the world and the American Midwest is certainly no exception. In Michigan, it's Pasties in the U.P., cherry pies in Traverse City and the great Coney Island dogs in Flint. But for real gut busting nothing beats... read more

U.P. and Over Big Mac

Michigan's Upper Peninsula is the red headed stepchild of the Great Lakes region. Like kids left alone who've formed a tree house club, the people of the Upper Peninsula have developed a domain unto themselves, even a secret language all their own. A conversation about a moose walking through town would sound something like this:
“Just seen a snow cow at da stop and go light.”
“Yah, Hey... read more

Of Tulips & Fat Balls

Eight decades of tulips and fatballs. EIGHTY years. This is no amateur operation. This is serious stuff. It’s Tulip Time in Holland (Michigan), and when it comes to festivals, these people don’t mess around.


It would seem that the six million tulips alone would be more than enough for any small Midwestern town, but not so for Holland. They take it to the limit -- right up to the edge of crazy-- creating a veritable Tulipalooza. That’s why Tulip Time was named Best... read more

Kalamazoo Appy Crawl

From GypsyNester.com

As the tee shirts say, “Yes, There Really IS a Kalamazoo!” It’s the kind of name that makes you want to stop and see what’s going on. Kalamazoo is an Algonquian Indian word meaning “boiling pot” and the city has gained fame through celery, taxi cab production, Gibson guitars, the Upjohn “friable pill” and the Kalamazoo stove. With all of this going for it, we had to drop by and try an appy crawl in this tidy little Michigan college town, proving that appy crawls can be done in anyone’s hometown.

All roads led downtown, which boasts the first pedestrian mall in the United States. Since 1959 it has hosted fun little...read more

The Second Annual Combine Demolition Derby

 “Oh, we have got to see this!” It was an ad for the Hillsdale, Michigan County Fair. The entertainment for the opening night was the Second Annual Combine Demolition Derby. We could hardly stand it.

Long a fantasy of mine to demolish a ’73 Chrysler in a derby, the next best thing had to be seeing giant farm implements annihilating each other in the mud and dust of a county fair track. Veronica, who grew up outside the farming belt was a bit confused, “Aren’t combines those machines that do something or other with crops?” Oh yeah, they harvest crops, are extremely huge and this is gonna be great! Immediate Googling was needed for more information on Hillsdale and this wacky... read more