Sweet & relaxing time at ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP in Metro Detroit

Regarding my trip to Michigan for the first time in five years, ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP was a must to revisit! Three cakes I'd definitely love to eat had always been in my mind while I was waiting in Japan for travel restrictions to be lifted.

ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP started its history in 1971 from the Greektown District of downtown Detroit, which was my first visit. Since then, I'd also visited Royal Oak shop several times, and this time, I came to Royal Oak shop again.

ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP   320 S Main St. ROYAL OAK

The three cakes of my dearest wish is...

Carrot cake！

Cheesecake！

Red Velvet Cake！

And the following Milk Chocolate Cookie was a new surprise. Collie bought it quickly so he could eat it while walking and I had a bite of it. It was so good! 😍 

Milk Chocolate Chunk Cookies

We took a quick look at ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP, and stepped out for a stroll in downtown Royal Oak. We will come back to this shop again to get my dream cakes later. 

A music festival was being held in a certain area. We attended a little but that music turned out not to be Collie's thing, nor to be Rose's thing. It was a scorching hot day. So we cut short walking around the city. 

We are heading to ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP.

We decided to eat something at the store besides taking away some other cakes with us after that. Let's take a break in a cool place♪

Collie's choice is mint chocolate chip ice cream☺ 

Rose's choice is cheesecake☺

Collie ordered large sized ice cream for himself and like "I can't eat it all.", but ate it all. :3  

I ordered plain cheesecake because I wanted the simple taste of cheesecake itself. This is my first cheesecake of ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP in a while. I'm happy❤︎

I have a penchant for cheesecake♡   It's not great in terms of health, but it tastes amazing！

We savored the relaxing atmosphere of the cafe sitting by the window and looking out at the street.

Savoring a treat inside the store with specialty gourmet coffee roasted just for their customers...✨ Coffee was great too and it went well with my cheesecake. I enjoyed the time to my heart's content. Collie is like, he's craving for meat after taking a lot of sugar. ww　But I'm sure he also enjoyed the sweet & relaxing time at ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP like me.

We brought home a box containing three pieces of cakes. I will let you know which cakes we bought. 

ASTORIA PASTRY SHOP is receiving many awards over the years and the high standard confections are preeminent in Detroit metropolitan area. I highly recommend you to go to this charming shop in Greektown or Royal Oak. You'd surely meet your favorite there.

I loved biscuits of CITY PARK GRILL in Petoskey, Michigan.

Having driven south from Mackinaw City, we stopped by Petoskey again. It's always exciting to find a good restaurant in Petoskey. AMERICAN SPOON, my icon of Petoskey, no more serves lunch since it became a gelato speciality store, so we looked for a new place to have our late lunch. 

Luckily it was not long before we found a nice place, which is also on E Lake Street and just near Pennsylvania Park like AMERICAN SPOON. We walked in CITY PARK GRILL. The decor has splendor. No wonder, it is one of Petoskey's oldest buildings and was originally constructed in 1875.

When we sat down, splendid warm biscuits were served. How tasty, and whipped butter is great, too! I love this biscuit. It was a yellowish, cookie-like biscuit. 

 

Collie's choice

FISH SANDWICH added SWEET POTATO FRIES

A powerful dish with gorgeous white fish, and plenty of Sweet Potato Fries!   Compared to that －

Rose's choice

SHELLFISH CHOWDER  small sized

It is including shrimp, scallops, clams...but whole the portion is much smaller than I expected...

( ；∀；)  I was so jealous of his dish. I've made the same mistakes as I made this time.

I asked for another biscuit to satisfy my stomach...and again one more... While I was still working on it, my whipped butter was taken away swiftly by a cheerful waitress. It often happens...( ；∀；) However, it's a nice restaurant serving delicious lunch & dinner where welcoming staff is likable.

CITY PARK GRILL

432 E Lake Street Petoskey, Michigan 49770

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 11:30 AM - 9 PM

When you visit Petoskey, please try a splendid hot biscuit with lots of whipped butter. You will be surprised at how delicious it is. Free refills so I recommend you to ask for another one. Have fun!

I dreamed of eating at 'ZACHARIAH'S' and 'MACKINAW BAKERY & CAFE' in Mackinaw City

In the morning, I took photos of my favorite spot in Downtown Mackinaw City.

I wanted commemorative photos here in bright light, too.  

ZACHARIAH'S.  For a closer look, you can see my favorite spot (taken last evening).

Diagonally across from ZACHARIAH'S, there is another charming shop called MACKINAW BAKERY & CAFE.  You can eat what you ordered or bought in the ample dining room next door. 

 

Breakfast Sandwiches are made with homemade Croissants & Bagels. Also, they are baking many kinds of pastries. Eating inside of the shop must be great! I dreamed of it. 

But I might not be able to come here anymore... So I focus on the best I can right now. I took the photo with all my heart.

There is also a gift shop as well as a cafe.

I took a photo of this house again.

I came into ZACHARIAH'S to see what it was like inside. Enchanting cheese cakes were taken as a commemorative photo. I wish I could enjoy it leisurely one afternoon.

ZACHARIAH'S, MACKINAW BAKERY & CAFE, DIXIE SALOON, and the pastel blue house are close and all seen in this video I took: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9i09RNSa7M/, which was the last.

I'm writing in Tokyo. What I can do now is uploading these photos carefully on my blog. My thoughts will live on here. My precious memories... Let me finish my travel record till the end. God, please draw me near to you.  Rose 

 

an active day at Tahquamenon Falls State Park and a new gift

We hit the road and reached Tahquamenon Falls State Park, that is between Newberry City and Paradise City in the northern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The sun is so bright. We played in the river. I was impressed that Collie brought a bath towel so he could dry our feet later. It's like him😉 

The water is so clear that you can see straight down to the bottom! 

I didn't take a picture this time, but you can see all 360 degrees of Tahquamenon Upper Falls through Google's Street View. Tahquamenon Upper Falls is not only Michigan's largest waterfall, but it is also one of the largest waterfalls in the United States east of Mississippi River.

Nothing beats cold beer on such a scorching day!😋  We usually have lunch at Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub when we come to this park. It is a unique brewery with meals that fill you up and rustic charm, offering fine selection of micro brewed beers. I am blown away by the distinctive quality of harvest wheat beer.

I did one of the sandwiches. It is BIG!😳 All sandwiches are served with beer battered fries (substitute onion rings for $4). I rather like simply fried french fries, but many people seem to like beer battered fries. I ate up all the food on my plate. Ohhhh, I'm stuffed... 

Camp 33 Gift Shop

Camp 33 Gift Shop is located next door to the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub. It's so cute that stairs are full of stuffed animals. I couldn't help but record it on video😊

→ https://www.instagram.com/p/C9KahJbSiU-/

Hiking on the trail, watching falls, playing in the river, big lunch with beer, the gift shop...we had a blast. It was an active day. Then we drove back south, and headed towards Mackinaw City through Mackinac Bridge. After we checked in at a hotel in Mackinaw City －

I took a picture of a necklace. It's same as the one which I bought last time. This time, Collie bought it for me when I was wondering if I should buy a new one or not because the former one was partially damaged. 

Coming back to Japan, I sometimes wear this necklace Collie bought for me. This necklace is full of memories on that day, and his kind suggestion.

Let's grab lunch at Tropical Smoothie Cafe!

Have you ever been to Tropical Smoothie Cafe? I've never been there until now. It is an Atlanta-based quick-service restaurant founded in Florida. Locations are more than 1150, in the US only so far? It looks like a vibrant cafe with a healthy appeal.

They are like, safe and quality ingredients means more than just delicious food and smoothies. Nice!

Rose's choice from WRAPS on the menu

BAJA  CHICKEN

grilled chicken, rice, black beans, smashed avocado, romaine,

pickled red onions, cheddar & roasted tomato salsa

It's awesome! I chose a wrap that included rice as an ingredient. Rice is a staple food in Japan. So this is a wonderful way to satisfy my stomach and heart while enjoying different country's cuisine.

Collie's choice from SALADS on the menu

THAI  CHICKEN

grilled chicken, carrots, cilantro, scallions & wontons

on a bed of romaine & served with Thai peanut dressing

His THAI CHICKEN looks great!  He chose a good one.

From SIDES on the menu

Collie's choice: MAPLE-KISSED SWEET POTATOES

Rose's choice: WHOLE FRUIT(choice of banana or apple)

I love it! 'Roasted' SWEET POTATOES are kind to the body and way healthier than 'fried' ones that are common in other restaurants. The beauty is that the roasted MAPLE-KISSED SWEET POTATOES are maple-grazed to make them tastier in a healthy way.

He didn't order a smoothie because he's afraid of the high calories, but I got one for me as it's a great opportunity in the US. Why not! 

Rose's choice from SMOOTHIES on the menu

PARADISE POINT

strawberries, banana & pineapple

Yum... It was heavenly❤︎  This is the best smoothie I've ever had. I'll definitely be a repeat customer.

However, the sweetness is not only due to natural sugars from the fruits alone. The chain adds turbinado sugar into smoothies. Turbinado sugar is raw cane sugar, a type of raw brown sugar. Unfortunately, the smoothie is not something you can drink every day because of added sugar. Still, this tastes amazing and I believe it's made from fresh and quality fruits. The slightly higher prices compared to other smoothie shops makes sense considering the high-quality and fresh ingredients. 

So...I'll try other menus while I'm in the US. I'll let you know more about that then.

Talk to you later, Rose

The second attempt★ at new WISTLE STOP DINER

We came to WISTLE STOP DINER for lunch again. Though we just came yesterday, I really wanted to try other menu items on this trip💨 

The diner was almost empty when we came in. We were not taken to our seats when we entered, so we chose a table with a good view of the outside. Collie brushed bread crumbs off his seat. Then he was a little surprised to see me also brushing the crumbs off my seat.

A different waitress than yesterday came to our table for taking the order. I ordered one burger from HANDMADE ANGUS STEAK BURGERS section on the menu. In response to her "How would you like your steak?", I answered "Medium rare." I thought "medium" at first, but then I reconsidered and changed it to "medium rare" to avoid overcooking. 

RAILWAY BURGER

Arugula, Tomato, Onion & Mayo

with Home Fries & a Dill Pickle

I love French Fries of WISTLE STOP DINER💕 It's as good as I remembered😊 Today, I ordered coffee☕️ to enjoy with my American meal. Later, I realized no waitress went around refilling coffee anymore, different from the former WISTLE STOP DINER before renovation. It's a shame... Oh well, I guess it's inconvenient for staffs since the diner is now bigger than before. 

While I was eating it, I noticed that the beef patty was undercooked. It was too rare😰 The beef was scorched on the outside and raw in the middle. Collie agreed that it was very rare inside. I see, this is the way how "medium rare" is cooked. But we hesitated to ask, like, "Could you please cook it a bit more?". Besides, the surface of the patty was already charred black💦 A raw meat burger was sad for me who visited Birmingham all the way from Japan after covid-19 pandemic😭 

Collie had just ordered Sweet Potato Fries for himself. He didn't have much appetite. Though my coffee cup got empty, it's hard for me to say "Could I get a refill?". It is all right...since - I'm sorry, but - the coffee was a little insipid.

However, French Fries are great ever! If I have a next chance, I will say "Medium" for my burger.

Collie paid the bill and we approached the exit. I was standing a bit away from him.  Then －

"Have a nice day!!!"

The same waitress as yesterday said so only to Collie friendlily with big smile in a loud voice.

Rose: 😦

I stayed on the sidelines. I seem to be unwelcome here. Is there a third visit sometime, I wonder? I know Collie won't come unless he is with me. 

I want to eat French Fries of WISTLE STOP DINER even just one more time. Also, I hope to try other items. I think I'll ask him to accompany me likewise if I can come here again in the future. Or...

Does anyone know a good French Fries place!?

Thank you all for watching my second visit to new WISTLE STOP DINER, Rose

MATCHA Cafe MAIKO - There is real matcha soft serve in Michigan!

Collie suggested that we could stop by the store for matcha soft serve. Since I claimed the health benefits of matcha and sent him a can of matcha powder, he tried matcha soft serve for the first time at this cafe. Actually, I have a thing for matcha products and have just tried different matcha soft serve at Haneda Airport before flying to Michigan. Though I knew there was a place to provide matcha soft serve in Troy, I didn't know Collie tried one here. So, why not! 

I ordered soft serve matcha ice cream of PREMIUM MATCHA Cafe MAIKO because I really wanted to enjoy basic matcha in a simple way. How grateful I can taste a rich, high quality, and authentic matcha flavor ice cream in Michigan! It's tasty! (And bigger than the one I had in Japan.) 

Surprisingly, all the products are imported straight from Kyoto, Japan. Uji is a place in the southern part of Kyoto and is renowned for making topnotch, highly nutritious matcha. 

PREMIUM MATCHA Cafe MAIKO

5082 Rochester Rd, Troy, MI 48085, United States

Stores in United States such as San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, New York...so much more. I'm happy as a Japanese. In Michigan, there is only one store in Troy.　

They aim to serve sweats and drinks made in-house as far as possible to maintain safety and high quality. They bring out the best out of authentic matcha from Kyoto, Japan.

Collie looked also curious about other menu items as there are many selections you can make on the menu. As a result, we both ordered matcha soft serve in a cup.

He said that he couldn't eat all of it when he first experienced it here before because the taste was very unique for him. But, he enjoyed all of them this time...like me.

Thank you for having taken notice of the matcha store, Collie. Let's come here again!

By all means, everyone please try and go♪  Rose

Newly renovated WHISTLE STOP DINER in Birmingham, Michigan

Since I knew WHISTLE STOP DINER was newly renovated during the coronavirus pandemic, it was my dream to visit it when I can come to Michigan after lifted flight restrictions. As of May 12, 2023, noncitizen visitors to the U.S. got to no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Before the pandemic, WHISTLE STOP DINER had been the restaurant I loved very much. So visiting it again was my long-cherished dream.

On June 19, 2023, I was finally able to visit WHISTLE STOP DINER, which had always been in my heart as a warm memory. What is the new diner like? I was excited.

Sandwiches with Coleslaw for Collie

When we entered and took a seat, a waitress came to take the order. I knew her from the Instagram of WHISTLE STOP DINER, but she had an aura that made it hard for me to talk to. So, I remained silent without saying this was my long-awaited visit from Japan. 

His sandwiches looked simple. Collie said to me, like, these were good sandwiches, thank you.   

Omelette with Hash Browns & Toast for Rose

Somehow, I wasn't as impressed as I was when I first ate it. But it was good. 

When I visited the old WHISTLE STOP DINER, I could naturally say that I was from Japan and was looking forward to having this "KURTZY" Omelette" often seen in online photos to the waitress at that time. She was bright, efficient and friendly.

New WHISTLE STOP has an open stylish vibe, while old WHISTLE STOP was a cozy and warm place.

My own memories of old WHISTLE STOP are friendliness, thoughtfulness for customers, and heartfelt welcome... It might be a good old American style. Those traits were suitable for cozy space, but difficult to keep in a spacious space? Maybe coziness doesn't coexist with spaciousness.

After the late lunch, we stepped out and basked in the sun for a while. In retrospect, we weren't in WHISTLE STOP DINER for very long.

These are houses in the immediate vicinity of WHISTLE STOP DINER.

Which do you like, old WHISTLE STOP or new WHISTLE STOP? I asked Collie. He said new one was nice, but he liked that old one was more featuring in the interior, this place was once a whistle stop.

Collie kindly took a photo for me, with WHISTLE STOP DINER in the background. There is expanded patio seating that wasn't there before. 

I was hoping restaurant employees were not looking at me with a derisive expression while I was posing for the picture in front of the restaurant. 

I accept it if they are not very happy about my visit, I don't know if it's because I am Japanese. However, I still think they serve high quality, delicious food and there are more food I'd like to try. So, I'll come back here again during this stay in Michigan. 

The old WHISTLE STOP DINER is in my heart forever.  ＊Rose＊

The perfect brunch experience at Rochester Brunch House*

Sunny Sunday afternoon, we came to Rochester Brunch House in downtown Rochester, Michigan♩

Rochester Brunch House  301 Walnut Blvd. Rochester, MI 48307

Mon - Sun 8am to 3pm  Walk-Ins Only to best serve customers

It is a hip cafe located in the heart of downtown Rochester. Since I found this fashionable cafe online searching for nice places I should visit, it's been my plan to put a practice into with Collie. It was very popular as I expected when we visited (besides, it's Sunday noon!), so we needed to wait until we were called. 

I like it when Callie waits together without no irritation when I want to experience some crowded places (that seem almost food...😓) in Michigan. Walked around, we sat and chatted in the vicinity of Rochester Brunch House to kill time. It was also fun.

Fruit Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast with a choice of Blueberry

Mine is Blueberry French Toast from 'Sweet Breakfast' section of the menu. I'd already decided what to order in Japan! You can order at any time during opening hours even if it is written 'Breakfast'.

Collie offered to take a photo from where he were sitting. The perfect shot❤︎

It became a lovely memento at Rochester Brunch House with my boyfriend. 

California Omelet (ham, bacon, tomatoes, onions, avocado, Swiss cheese)

with a choice of Potatoes & Toast

There are some kinds of omelets in 'Stuffed Omelets' section of the menu. I think Collie's one was it. By the way, he didn't know this place, so it was a first visit for him, too.  Tempting potatoes... :3

One more shot by Collie😎

Pink salt bottle on the left (from his side) made a good impression on me.  "Our food is fresh and organic."  That's what it said on the website. Not only fresh, but also organic? How impressive!!!

Please see Charming Rochester Part Ⅱ about my having taken a look at this spot in advance.

I'm having a taste of Collie's (as usual).  I am happy〜〜♬  It is a routine action...😅

I was able to go to a place I had always wanted to visit. Though we had a terrace seat this time, I think it would be nice to eat indoors as well. 

How about a perfect breakfast/brunch/lunch experience at Rochester Brunch House, downtown Rochester, Michigan sometime?

Wishing you a wonderful week, Rose