Thursday, March 10, 2011

In The Works

Hey all! *dusts off blogger* Again, I promise I'm still here. I recently took a trip to Pittsburgh, and then promptly upon my return, got sick. BUT! I'm on the upswing. And I'm working on a project....

aka, I need your help.

I've decided to go ahead and create a blog about living with food allergies, intolerances, and preferences (vegetarian, vegan, religious restrictions) in suburban America. You know the famous saying, "Write about what you know?" Well, it's kind of true. But I want this blog to eventually become a resource for more than just gluten intolerant people living in South Bend.

*ahem* That's where you come in.

On the blog, I will have recipes, restaurant reviews, grocery shopping guides, product reviews, and other online resources to check out. So, if you have any of the aforementioned items (a great allergy friendly recipe? a to-die-for product? a website that has never let you down?) then by all means! Email it to me with any links, pictures, or whatnot that can go with the information. Also, give me your name and your website and your location so that when I add it to the blog, I can give you praise and accolades. Because who doesn't appreciate that?!

Feel free to email me at:

theallergicsuburban [at] gmail [dot] com. I'm not releasing the website yet because I want it to have some basic content first. But if you really want to scope it out, uh, the email address kind of gives the blog title away. ;-)

Thanks guys!

Scout

Friday, February 25, 2011

Sweet Creams Soda Shop

Even though I've lived in the Michana area for many years, I hardly ever got over to Elkhart. It was just this fringe city to me that I never managed to get to. However, I now work right in downtown Elkhart! Even though it's a smaller city, I'm still excited to explore all that there is to be seen here.


Just a few blocks down from my office is the Sweet Creams Soda Shop. Desite the freezing temperatures and snow on the ground, I decided I wanted some ice cream! What an adorable little treat I was in for!





This soda shop is in a 110 year old brick building, and upon walking in, you feel like you've stepped into a 1950's style, small town setting. They have a working vintage soda fountain and there's an old juke box at the end of the rows of booths. An older gentleman was sitting in one of the booths when I walked in. He looked up and said to me, "If you're wanting food, I can go get her. But if you'd just like some ice cream, I can scoop that out for ya!" I smiled and told him I was interested in the ice cream.








Sweet Creams serves Valpo Velvet ice cream, which is a locally made ice cream from Valparaiso, IN. I asked for the coffee chocolate fudge oreo ice cream in a cone. While he was scooping out the ice cream, the gentleman told me about the business. Sweet Creams is owned by a woman who also gives art lessons in a back room attached to the soda fountain. The artwork of her students is hung in another room where the shop frequently hosts live music from local musicians. The musicans are most frequently folk, americana, jazz, and similar genres. There's someone playing almost every evening, the man told me.






The Sweet Creams Soda Shop has more than just ice cream! This seems like a great lunch location for anyone working near downtown Elkhart. They also serve Vienna beef hot dogs in several different styles, in addition to sandwiches and other light eats. It is definitely true to the old style soda shop feel in its atmosphere and menu offerings.






The soda shop doesn't appear to have an official web page, but they do have a facebook group you can check out. They're open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, and they're located at 700 S. Main St in Elkhart. Check them out and go in the evenings to enjoy some live music!




Thursday, February 24, 2011

is there any interest?

Woah! Guys! I've kind of abandoned you for a bit. My new job has left me very busy and the gap in paychecks has caused a bit of a stunt in being able to go out to eat and review different venues. However, I have gone to two places recently and I'll be blogging about it soon!

But I have a question for everyone... specifically people in the Michiana area, but really, anyone who lives in a surburbian demographic.

I've noticed that especially in my area, there's not many food blogs as is, but really, there's even less allergy/food intolerance resources. I feel this is especially true for anyone who lives in suburban mecca dominated by chains. When I lived in Pittsburgh, I had access to Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and lots of local grocers that specialized in food needs. There were also a lot more restaurants, increasing my options to eat according to my food needs. Upon moving into a more suburban area, it's gotten tough.

My question is...

If I were to start a food blog on allergy free living in suburban areas, would there be an interest? Would you or someone you know be interested in reading? Obviously, I would be blogging from the Michiana area, but I would try to tailor my posts to any suburban readers, especially by including recipes in addition to restaurant reviews.

Thoughts? Opinions? Feedback? Let me know!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Kevin Joiner at the Main Street Coffee House

So last Saturday, Vince, Anna, and I went to Main Street Coffee House to listen to Kevin Joiner perform. If you've never heard Kevin Joiner or if you've never been to MSCH, then you need to snap to it! Both are fantastic.

Truth be told, I've known Kevin since he had his band Kevin Joiner and the Expedition and he performed a lot at Fiddler's Hearth. But these days, he's been doing a lot of his own thing as Kevin Scott Joiner and floating around between Chicago and the South Bend area. Kevin's music falls in line with some of my favorite styles as an acoustic guitar driven, modern folk/Americana, with some blues-ish roots as well.



Look at this man in his go-to-hell pants and jacket. So stylish! And such a great musician. I love him. He's also been working on a web based series called "A Conversation While." They're video shorts that center around a crime comedy that get to some of the deep philosophical questions in life. The videos are released on YouTube with the intent of having an interactive discussion based on the video topics over at the series' Facebook page.




Main Street Coffee House, the venue that hosted Kevin, is a fairly new addition to South Bend. As per its name, it is right in the heart of DTSB on Main St. across from Chase Bank. I've been here a few times, and I'm really glad that they've opened up! Other coffee shops have had this location and failed, but I think the setup and atmosphere of MSCH will be successful. It's always great to see local endeavors in the city, and I tend to have a bias towards supporting them.




Main St. makes some delicious mochas, let me tell you that! They serve all of your typical coffee shop drink varieties, along with sandwiches, soups, and a decent array of desserts. I feel like MSCH is a great example of a local business making good use of social media because if you follow their Twitter account or their Facebook page, you'll have a great idea of what their specials or food rotations are. It's awesome!



I've always seen a decent handful of people every time I've gone into MSCH, and it is normally either college students or business professionals that frequent the venue. I know I've become a big fan of their leather couch seating area. It's a great place to take your laptop and your work, grab a mocha, and get lost in your studies or proposals. Plus, I feel like the seating arrangements and decor of the location are more inviting and warm than your run-of-the-mill Starbucks.



Kevin did a great job performing, and I think the music he selected suited the venue well. It was definitely a joy to hear some of his new material while catching up with friends and enjoying cheesecake and coffee. MSCH has live music fairly often. You can check out what's on their schedule here. And if you're interested in seeing Kevin Scott Joiner, his Facebook fan page is probably the way to go for seeing his performance dates.

Some more pictures from the evening:


My girl, Anna, excited to check out the cafe for the first time!


Vince and Kevin chatting about music between sets. I think this would be a great "create a caption" photo. So how about it. Write a caption to go with this photo for me!


Kevin performing some of his more recent music.



Vince, becoming in tune with his four-shots-of-espresso mocha. Oh, and see that checkers table cloth? If you visit the cafe with a study buddy, be sure to try and snag that table, because it can be a lot of fun to play a game of giant checkers when you're starting to go cross eyed from studying your exam questions over and over again. Just sayin'.



Me and Anna -- complete opposites! Blonde hair and black hair with just as vastly different personalities too. :-) But we've been friends since we were about 10 years old! Love her!



Also, I can't forget to tell you that if you're a student of one of our fantastic area colleges, be sure to bring your ID card to get 10% off your food and drink at Main Street Coffee House! That's definitely a nice perk. Oh! And want to know another cool fact about this cafe? All of their coffee is roasted in-house. Yeah. Pretty sweet, huh?

So go check them out and support one of our local businesses. And don't forget to scope out Kevin Scott Joiner as well. These are two fantastic elements to South Bend, and you definitely want to be in the know.

Scout!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Snow Days

For those who are unaware (but I highly doubt this), the Midwest has just experienced a blizzard and is under a state of emergency. Almost every business closed their doors, and all government offices even shut down for the day. St. Joseph and Elkhart county warned that only emergency vehicles should be on the road. Snow throwers and the scraping of shovels could be heard in all neighborhoods. I got text messages from friends who were going stir crazy with cabin fever over just one day of being snowed in.

While humankind went into a state of panic and confusion over what to do with 2+ feet of snow, do you know who was completely unaffected by all of this?

The birds and other animals, that's who.




My mother is the bird whisperer, and I am not kidding about this. She has spent years cultivating our back yard and turning it into a kingdom for all winged animals. There must be 5-10 bird feeders outside and 2 bird baths. She creates this peanut butter concoction that she puts in holes inside this wooden feeder, and the birds go bad for it.



She could tell you better than I all the variations of birds that she's seen in our yard. There is a "Birds of Michigan" book that she keeps by the window where she marks each bird she's seen come to her feeders. I've seen cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, sparrows, and several different types of woodpeckers. (Those are my favorites -- I like their red heads.) Sometimes I think that our back yard could rival the National Aviary.



While all of us humans were running in circles over unplowed streets, stuck vehicles, closed retailers, and snow days from school and work, nature just kept going. The rhythm and life just kept on its course. Squirrels chased, birds flighted, deer hid in the bushes, and their lives went on living as blissful and naturally as any other day.



I think I should like to construct the philosophy of my life around the simplicity of a bird.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Hunter Ice Festival

I realize that I'm a bit late, but here are some pictures that I took during the Hunter Ice Festival. While I did wander into businesses and take pictures at different venues, I'm going to separate those into their own posts. The following shots pertain mostly to the festival itself.



A horse with wings ice sculpture



A view of downtown Niles



The Paris soda fountain shop. A place I definitely want to try for a review!




Capturing the ice sculptor's creation



I love this sculptor's hat....



The working ice merry-go-round that the Food Network came to film!




Raaaar!




A little girl admiring the merry-go-round



Butterfly sculpture




An underwater mural off of Main St.



More ice carving at work.


I hope everyone had a fantastic time at the Hunter Ice Festival and used it as an opportunity to explore the great businesses that downtown Niles has to offer. I firmly believe we are a budding city that holds great potential! Thanks to the festival, I discovered Squeeze Juice Bar and the soon-to-open vintage vinyl cafe called Rumor Has It. Hopefully I'll be able to bring you some coverage of Rumor Has It once they host their grand opening on Feb 12th. Be sure to check them out that day! I caught of preview of their space, and it looks like it's going to be a pretty swanky setup.

Blog Overhaul

Since I began blogging at the age of 14, my sites have always been a mix of everything that interested me. Whether it be discussing music, posting my photography, a recipe, a business review, or a personal rant, everything has always been jumbled into one personal blog.

This has caused my blogs to lose a lot of direction, and I believe it has inhibited the success I could have had, had I included more focus in my writing. While I've attempted a food blog, photography blogs, and the like, I never kept them isolated. I think this time around, I need to be more determined to streamline my content.

"Hey there, Scout!" is going to turn into my "exploration" blog of sorts. I intend on exploring local restaurants, cafes, boutiques, and other businesses and featuring them here on my blog. I would also like to cover special events and festivals and use these two avenues as a way to strengthen my photography skills.

I've kept a few back posts on here because they either cover an event/venue or capture some of my photography. Many others, I have deleted because they disturb the flow of the postings. But from here on out, I fully expect to redesign this blog into one of neighborhood exploration and discovery. Join me as I find everything fantastic that the Michiana area (and beyond!) has to offer!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Squeeze Me!

On January 14th, a new business adventure opened its doors to the public. While Niles may not seem to be a town to receive businesses of a progressive culture very well, I believe this business may be a building block for revitalizing our small town.

Squeeze is a vegan, raw juice bar located in the Four Flags Hotel on Main St. in Niles, MI. Susan, the owner, has had this vision of a juice bar for years. She told me that she would go into the cafes in bigger cities and admire the quaint decor and the draw of the clientele. Finally, she decided she would take her admirations and her vision and come up with her own space. Hence, Squeeze was born.



Upon walking into Squeeze, you will see a very cozy and inviting atmosphere. On one side is a long bar where you can sit and chat with your barista and watch drinks being made. Everything is laid out all in front of the customer -- no surprises! To the opposite side, there are sections of seating and a few corners that small groups can nestle into for longer conversations. The wall is tastefully decorated with pictures of fruits, veggies, and inspiring color.





On the menu, you will find several smoothie selections and juice concoctions. If you request a specific ingredient be left out of the smoothie, that can be done for you. (As someone with various fruit allergies, that can be appreciated!) Each are priced at 3.50. You can also add in extras such as chia seeds, seaweed, and bee pollen. Teas and herbal coffees are also available.



A delicious treat found at Squeeze that you may have never considered before would be Susan's kale chips. I've heard of this new trend, but never had the opportunity to taste them. There was a bowl of samples out, so I took that as my opportunity! They were delicious, and I was instantly addicted to the crunchy beginning, but the melt-in-your-mouth finish of these dehydrated leafy chips. They were lightly seasoned with olive oil, garlic (I believe), and other deliciousness. Don't be afraid! They may very well replace the potato chip for me.



What's really great about checking out a new business and those of a progressive sort such as juice bars is this -- they're still experimenting! While I was there, Susan let me try her carrot muffins (raw, I remind you!) and macaroons, and also her new dish of a mock-tuna salad that consisted of nuts such as cashews and almonds. The mock salad was to die for, especially when paired with her kale chips! I imagine that as Squeeze develops, even more fantastic offerings will be added to her already stellar menu selection.



For my first visit, I chose the "Peak Performance" smoothie and added bee pollen. This smoothie included pineapple, orange, banana, and honey. Without the bee pollen, the consistence of the smoothie had a sweeter and more smooth flavor. With the bee pollen, you noticed a more grainy texture and the bitterness toned down the natural sugars found in the fruit. It was definitely an excellent first choice for myself, and something I would order again.

I realize that in the mid-west, the idea of "vegan" and "raw" foods can scare people away -- especially when we live in the land of Applebees and TGI Fridays. But I guarantee that there is something for everyone on this menu -- from traditionalists who like their basic fruit smoothies to more adventuresome types who are willing to try kale juice and hemp seeds.



The hours for Squeeze are Tuesday through Saturday 9:00am -- 7:00 pm and Sunday from 12:00 noon -- 5:00 pm. Be sure to check out this new juice bar in Niles and support your local business owners! It's a great place to socialize, catch up, study, or just relax after a busy day.

Go! Support! Enjoy!

I promise you won't be disappointed.

Monday, January 3, 2011

the passing of a great man.



One of my professors from Bethel College, Dr. Scott Johnson ("Scotty J") passed away from his long, excruciating battle with cancer this morning. Scotty J was one of the most brilliant, compassionate men to ever exist in this world. Not that many people understood him, some found him odd. I was just always enthralled and thankful for the three classes I took from him. It really sucks that I sluffed my way through all of them with C's when I bet he could have empowered me to get A's.

You know who some of the most wonderful, amazing, powerful people in the world are? Teachers and professors. It's true. You guys are one of the greatest rocks in our international humanity. The people I admire the most from my life? It's my professors. You were our mentors, our challengers. You inspired and believed in us.

I wouldn't be where I'm at in life today if it wasn't for some of my professors from Bethel. They're the ones who opened my minds, unlocked my dreams, and made me feel like I had the potential to do or be anything in the world that I wanted. Teachers and professors are awesome. You can graduate and go months without contacting them, and they'll still love to catch up over coffee or have your back with a job recommendation when you need it. They'll attend your weddings, cheer you on in grad school, give you recommendations for research topics, send you messages on Facebook. The relationship doesn't stop with the final grade.

My parents and my professors shaped who I am and who I am still trying to become. I owe so much to all of you.... from those who taught me music, literature, science, sociology, and theology. You're the heroes of my heart. May God bless ALL of you.

Scott J, I pray for peace and rest for your departed soul. You will be missed.