Ann about Town

The Spartan Hall of Fame Café is off the beaten path for many East Lansing residents, but it more than makes up for the distance by being the most intensely Spartan place outside MSU’s own borders.

There is nothing particularly exotic or spiritual about the Lake Lansing Meijer. And yet.

“It’s like eating sushi in a forest,” I remarked to Captain Carnivore as I looked out at a large conifer.

Ann gets an Uber driver to tell her what it's like to drive East Lansing late at night.

Where has Ann been?

If you make Indian food with any regularity, you will find here every exotic ingredient you’ve ever needed for a recipe.

Whiting, cod, frogs' legs, crawfish, livers, and "crack chicken." Ann and Captain Carnivore go for it.

The second-floor smoking deck at Mac’s Bar was packed with black-clad, tattooed, pierced, and spiked humanity. Not Ann's natural habitat, but...

From the safety of our front porch we have observed 14 years’ worth of drinking games at the house across the street. Beer bongs are so common as to be passé, but we still talk about the Olympic drinking event that involved a kiddie pool, a blindfold and a baseball bat.

Ann and her cat go for a mindful walk.

Sweet Lorraine’s Mac n’ Cheez is suitable for everyone from grandparents to toddlers, and seems especially well-suited for a quick meal that isn’t junk food.

"The truth, I realized as we drove onto campus yesterday, curving around Sparty, is that a trip to the Recycling Center is the reward for a job well done, frequently an unexpected social occasion, and a chance to smash the occasional wine bottle."

Our publisher makes a guest appearance in "Ann about Town" to talk about why East Lansing life is different.

"It’s the kind of place where a person, a couple or a family could eat fairly often without running out of menu, and where it would never be necessary to dress up (although it might be fun if you did)."

"I realized that I would have to soon find a series of people willing to go with me and order different pizzas so I could try a slice of each."