TOP FIVE PATIOS

The Kalamazoo Foodie’s

TOP 5 PATIOS FOR SUMMER & WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK

Summer is here and that means Patio Season! While there are plenty of amazing restaurants around Kalamazoo and Portage, there are a few that stand out with their beautiful patio views. Also the season for fun summer cocktails!

If you know me or follow my page, The Kalamazoo Foodie, you know that Fisher Lake Inn has been one of my longtime favorite restaurants for over a decade. Not only because I used to work there, but because their food, cocktails, and staff are all incredible! My favorite part of Fisher Lake Inn? Their patio dining! The patio at Fisher Lake Inn seats about 12 tables and overlooks Fisher Lake in Three Rivers. The tables sit right at the edge of the lake and there is even a dock you can take a stroll on after dinner, pull your boat up to dock it while you eat, grab food to go, or view the beautiful sunsets Fisher Lake has to offer. My husband I absolutely LOVE their Rum Runners! If you have never tried one, it’s a must. Similar to a Strawberry Daiquiri, only it’s made with lots of Rum, Strawberries and

Fisher Lake Inn

Banana Liquor. If you aren’t into frozen drinks, my second favorite is their Vodka Vixen mixed with several types of flavored vodka, cranberry and pineapple juices. Perfect for sipping on the patio to enjoy the sunshine or sunset. Looking for something to nosh on while you are there, the Mahi Mahi Fish tacos are one of my favorite tacos around!

Fisher Lake Inn Another favorite patio with a gorgeous lake view and sunsets is The Cove Lakeside Bistro. They have a huge patio overlooking the West Lake on Portage Road. Aside from the views, they also have some fabulous fun summer worthy cocktails. One of my favorites is their Parrothead Punch. A wonderful mix of rum and fruit juices that Jimmy Buffet would be proud of! The Cove offers Happy Hour every weekday from 4:00 – 6:00pm. $1 OFF Draft Pours, 25% off House Wine Pours, and $4 Well Drinks. If there was ever an excuse to grab your friends and head to the patio, this is it! If you are looking for something light and refreshing to eat, I highly recommend their Shrimp & Watermelon Salad.

The Cove Lakeside Bistro

If you are looking to stay downtown, we love Martini’s, located in the Vine Neighborhood. They have a quaint little patio with umbrellas, lights strung about, and their flower and herb gardens all around. My favorite cocktail there is their Rosa Martini. Made with Ketel One

Vodka, Peachello, Cocchi Americano Rosa,

Martini’s

Prosecco, Fresh Lemon & Rose water. I dare you to find a more unique martini! It was light and refreshing. My other favorite of theirs is the Luna Martini. Made with Hendrick’s Gin, St Germain, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Bitters, and Muddled Basil from their herb garden. Grab your friends and book a table on the patio and share one of their amazing pizzas!

I highly recommend stopping by Zazio’s and sitting on their cozy patio. The patio offers plush cushioned chairs and a no-smoke fire pit for ambiance. It’s perfect for people watching and sipping on a glass of wine or one of Zazio’s many amazing martinis and cocktails! They never disappoint. My favorite of course is a Vodka Dirty Martini with Blue Cheese Olives. Pro Tip: their truffle fries are SO good and shareable. They make the perfect patio snack.

FIsher Lake Inn

Zazio’s

Zazio’s

Last, but certainly not least, the biggest stretch of patio- Bates Alley! The perfect summertime hangout to grab food and cocktails. Located downtown Kalamazoo, the alley was beautifully painted, patios for every bar and restaurant were added, and lots of lights strung above to add extra lighting and ambiance. You can also find outdoor seating at Fuze, Tempo Vino Winery, Green Top Tavern, Olde Peninsula and more. It makes for the ultimate outdoor dining experience!

Summer is finally here and I couldn’t be happier. You can most likely find me at all of these patios all summer long. Cheers!

Rachel Kirtley has worked in all levels of the food industry for over a decade. She is currently a Social Media Influencer, Content Creator and Restaurant Reviewer. You can visit her at thekalamazoofoodie.com

Interdependence Day

We’ve all been taught that people need people. In the midst of this recent COVID-19 lockdown experience, it has never been more apparent. Many people have suffered intense feelings of isolation and depression from being deprived basic human contact. Even many introverts are eager to emerge from the caves of our homes to reconnect with friends and neighbors. As Independence Day approaches, I have been reflecting on some of challenges of human connection. It reminds me of the Goldilocks fairy tale, “Not too big, not too small, AHHHH, JUST RIGHT!” We get mixed messages from our societal norms. Many people, with the best of intentions, encourage people to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps!” (independence) or promote enabling/rescuing that perpetuates victimhood (co-dependence). We don’t often discuss the other option. The healthiest option. The option that the world desperately needs to learn and embrace.

INTERDEPENDENCE.

Interdependence is defined as the mutual dependence between things. It recognizes, and I daresay CELEBRATES, the importance and the complexity of all components. It speaks into the connection that exists between all people and all things. It eludes to harmony as the natural state of balanced systems. This is the kind of world that I envision is possible. Actually, it is not just possible. It is starting to manifest.

As each person awakens to the reality of their intrinsic value and how they are an essential component of the complex system that we call the world, that person starts feeling less victimized and more valued. Jen Sincero writes in her book, You Are a Badass, “You are the only you that this world has ever had and will ever have!”

This is not a message we hear very often; nevertheless it is absolutely true. You really are that unique snowflake that your kindergarten teacher told you that you are. You are utterly unique. No one else has your exact constellation of talents, gifts, insights and abilities. This makes each person irreplaceable and priceless. No exceptions. You have a purpose. You have a calling. There is a place for you because you exist and that alone is a miracle.

Jenny Opdycke, PA-C has been practicing medicine for more than 16 years. Her specialties include holistic wellness, anxiety/depression, trauma recovery and intuitive, low carb eating strategies that promote self-awareness and healing. She loves spending time with her twin girls, friends, and fur babies. More info at www.integratedhealthmatters.com.

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Paris’s Kitchen

aris Woods is an exceptional young woman with a P heart for helping others and a talent for taking ordinary ingredients and creating exceptional meals. Inspired by a stir fry her mom cooked using all of the veggies from the free lunch program boxes they received that week, Paris reached out to a friend about creating a cooking show based on the food available on the items available in each week’s free lunch boxes and Paris’s Kitchen was born.

On the first episode of her show, Paris made a veggie flatbread pizza and shared the video on her Facebook channel. Paris said, “It was a way to show kids that they can make something good out of the school lunches we are getting and spice it up a little and it really helps cut down on wasted food items.” During the COVID-19 pandemic all students are receiving free school lunch and Paris hopes that this coupled with her fun and inventive recipes will help remove the stigma surrounding the free lunch program. “I’m hoping that when things return to normal, this will help kids not feel ashamed about getting free lunch.” Paris’s passion for healthy cooking and eating by cooking with her mom who owned a catering business and taught cooking classes. After her father was injured in an accident, Paris’s mom began working two jobs, so Paris gladly stepped up to help in the family kitchen where she usually prepares lunch and sometimes dinner. “My favorite things to cook are grilled cheese, tomato soup and carrot fries.” A sophomore at Loy Norrix High School, Paris loves to sing. She is part of the advanced mixed choir at school, a member of the Youth for Christ City Life Club and loves to serve

in the nursery at her church. When we asked who she looked up to, Paris said, “My mom because I love her heart. She is kind, caring and taught me to serve others like Jesus.” Paris started an early middle college program this year and is considering pursuing a career in neonatal nursing. Keep shining, Paris. You are definitely a young woman we admire!

To watch Paris’s Kitchen and get all of her great recipes, visit her Facebook page at fb.com/Pariswkitchen

| RECIPES FROM PARIS’S KITCHEN |

Apple Cookies

INGREDIENTS: • 1 Apple • 2 Tbsp peanut butter • 1 small container of yogurt • Toppings of choice— breakfast bars, dried fruit, cinnamon or anything else you like! EQUIPMENT:

Cutting board, knife, mixing spoon, mixing bowl. INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Roughly chop or crumble the breakfast bar into small pieces.

Mix yogurt and peanut butter together in a bowl.

Turn the apple to its side 4.

5.

and slice the apple into thin circles. Spread the peanut butter yogurt mixture onto each apple slice. Top with breakfast bar crumbles, dried fruit, cinnamon, or any other toppings you like.

Carrot Fries

INGREDIENTS: • Baby carrots (1 or more 3-4 oz. bags) • Cooking oil ( ~ 1 tsp per bag of carrots) • Salt and pepper EQUIPMENT:

Cutting board, sharp knife, baking tray, oven mitt, tongs or a long spoon INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2.

3. Place baby carrots on a cutting board and cut each baby carrot in half longways. Add baby carrots to a baking tray and lightly coat baby carrots with any cooking oil that you have. 4. 5. 6.

7.

Add salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 mins. Halfway through the baking time, use tongs or a long spoon to flip the carrots. You can also add paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano or any other spices you like. If you add the spices too early, they could burn. Enjoy as is or with your favorite condiments.

Covid-19 has changed the way we do many things, including eating out. Restaurants have just recently opened up, but I wasn’t feeling 100% comfortable eating out quite yet. So, when a couple of my girlfriends wanted to get together for breakfast, I searched high and low for a place that had outdoor seating. I came across STUDIO GRILLlocated downtown Kalamazoo, and noticed they added a couple of tables outside. I had always heard great things and decided we should try it out. Upon arriving, the outdoor tables were taken so I hesitantly went inside to find one. I was immediately at ease when I saw all employees wearing masks, a hand sanitizer station, as well as limited tables so that each one was given plenty of space. I found a table by a window and as I waited for my friends, one of the tables opened up outside. Although I would have been perfectly comfortable sitting inside, it was a beautiful day, so I grabbed the outdoor table. My friends arrived and our masked server greeted us and took our drink orders. We scanned the menu, talking about what a tough decision it was going to be because everything looked wonderful. Studio Grill offers an array of breakfast items: delicious omelets, scrumptious pancakes, and yummy skillets and scrambles. While we were focused on breakfast, they are open through lunch and offer some amazing sounding burgers (as well as other items.) The burgers are each stuffed with some delicious sounding ingredients, setting them apart from other burger joints! When our server returned, I ordered the STUDIO OMELET . This was made with three eggs and had Bacon, Swiss cheese, sautéed onion, green pepper and tomato. I also added avocado because it just sounded good that morning. My plate also came with American fries and toast (which I got strawberry jam with). One of my friends got the MONTEREY OMELET which was filled with bacon, avocado, tomato and feta. She also asked for cheese on her American fries and they were happy to make that addition. Lastly, my other friend ordered the BREAKFAST BURRITO which had Chorizo sausage, cheddar, salsa, tomatoes, potatoes, and scrambled eggs. She asked for their homemade SERRANO PEPPER SAUCE to dip her burrito in. She also added two pancakes so that we could try them. The food came quickly, hot and appetizing. My dish was amazing. The omelet was big and filled with a delicious blend of ingredients. I really enjoyed the AMERICAN FRIES, finishing those quickly. I had ordered the whole wheat toast with my meal and the STRAWBERRY JAM was so good and tasted homemade. My friend with the omelet agreed that the omelets were incredible. She really enjoyed her choice! The breakfast burrito looked great. It was big, cut in half and was stuffed to the brim with its ingredients, but not so much that it was messy. My brave friend really likes some heat and thoroughly enjoyed their serrano pepper sauce. Lastly, we all tried the PANCAKES. They were giant, fluffy and just…pretty! They tasted amazing. We couldn’t put our finger on the flavor of them, but they were sweet and delicious! You almost do not need syrup (… almost) because the flavor is so good. The texture of them was also amazing. Cakier, where I find a lot of pancakes can be rubbery. These will be a must on my next visit!

Pancakes

Everything, including our service at Studio Grill went beyond my expectations. The food portions are large, and I was able to take half of my omelet home to enjoy for lunch later that day. Everything was clean and pristine, and it was so lovely to sit out on the streets of Downtown Kalamazoo enjoying the beautiful day and watch the people of our community walking by. I will definitely be back to enjoy one of their famous stuffed burgers and if you haven’t been yet, I urge you to try them out. You WON’T be disappointed!

Elizabeth Precopio is a hairstylist by day and 24/7 food enthusiast. She visits restaurants in the Kalamazoo area and blogs about her experience at feedmekzoo.com

Studio Omelet Monterey Omelet

Breakfast Burrito