That's local for people from The Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Michigan!
I loved the Upper Peninsula. My friend Steve is a Michigander, and he sent me an email with lots of suggestions for things to do and see when I’d visit his state. Including:
“Eat a Pasty with gravy.”
For us non-Michiganders, it’s pronounced to rhyme with “nasty” rather than “tasty.” Glad they cleared that up, because the image conjured up by this sign for “Gram’s Pasties,” was certainly unnerving. And they really are quite tasty!
“Visit the Cedar Street Café, and sample the homemade jam.”
I did have lunch at Cedar Street, which is now located on Main Street. And they served up French fries with gravy! A favorite teen-food from my home town. And the jam was amazing! But with my super-powers of will, I was able to bring another meal home for another day. (Actually, there was so much food, I'd have had a bellyache if I ate all that at once! ;-)
I wanted to bring some jam home to my kids, but they don’t put it in jars. If it were sold to me in a Styrofoam cup, it would never have made it back to Long Beach, because I’d have finished it off.
“Visit the Big Springs, Kitch-iti-kipi in Palm Brook State Park. And take the little ferry across to see them."
It was a really interesting place, and these giant trout call the place their retirement home, after their time being productive in the fishery. Pretty cool.
"Lake Michigan steams like a young man's dreams, the islands and bays are for sportsmen..." (from The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald). It's true, there is steam coming off the lake in the early morning. And if you're a sportsman, there are handy-dandy 24 hour Bait and Tackle vending machines! Never have to be without your Canadian Night Crawlers!
People were happy to smile and tell me all about their pride and joy--unless they were just passing me by on the highway. Sorry I didn't get to the museum in Detroit. Next time!
I really enjoyed my time on the Upper Peninsula, the people were SO nice, so helpful, friendly, and open. I believe this goes on the list of places I've visited that left me feeling like “I could live here.”