More at the market | This week features the inaugural Eastern Market Sidewalk Jamboree, with plenty to hear and see (and taste) taking over the sheds and sidewalks of Detroit's Eastern Market. Sunday market visitors can experience curated, site-specific art and music, including experimental jazz, outdoor theater, art installations, modern dance, performance art, and a host of busking musicians on the street. It all happens 1-7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 7, at Eastern Market in Detroit.
Last chance to go al fresco | Over the years, New Center's Northern Lights Lounge would open its side patio for special events. But now it's a regular feature, and there's no better time to experience it than with Northern Lights' killer new Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A recent menu included five omelets, steak and eggs, a smothered hash, a tofu scramble, even a fruit plate. You can get a 1-liter carafe of mimosas for $10, or a house Bloody Mary with a beer chaser for $9. And with summer fading away, the attractive patio practically demands your presence while good weather holds. Northern Lights Lounge is at 660 W. Baltimore, Detroit; 313-873-1739.
Dearborn on Woodward? | Changes are coming to Ferndale's John D Bistro as early as October, when Dearborn's upscale cocktail lounge Crave will move in. The owners of the two businesses have teamed up on the renamed venture. The Ferndale Crave will feature the same fusion seafood fare that garnered the Dearborn location such attention.
Surf and turf | This month, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is bringing back its filet and lobster pairing, a deal that offers a swanky three-course menu for $44.95 at all Fleming's locations. Guests can enjoy a starter course, an 8-ounce filet mignon, and an 8-ounce lobster tail with drawn butter, as well as a choice of soup or salad, for $44.95 plus tax and tip. Guests must reserve online or inquire about the offer at the restaurant. For more information, and for area locations, see flemingssteakhouse.com.
Another place to cheer | The good people at the national chain Hurricane Grill & Wings wanted us to remind our readers that there's more than B-Dubs in town. Known for its "juicy, jumbo never-frozen chicken wings" (and more than 35 sauces and rubs) Hurricane Grill & Wings offers a fun dining atmosphere and (importantly) large-screen televisions throughout. This season, the chain will be offering 20 wings and a domestic pitcher of beer for only $20 during all NFL games, starting Thursday, Sept. 4, although there's more than wings, including Firecracker Shrimp, Fried Pickles, half-pound Angus Steak burgers, citrus-marinated churrasco steak, grilled mahi sandwiches, grouper sliders, and more. You can find them at 29852 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield; 248-996-8296; hurricanewings.com.
King in exile? | Critics are alleging that Burger King plans to use its acquisition of Tim Horton's to evade U.S. taxes via an "inversion merger." Saru Jayaraman, of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, a group campaigning on behalf of restaurant workers, says, "Burger King's acquisition of Canadian-based company, Tim Horton's, means we, the American public, will be left to offset the cost of their 'corporate desertion.'" Jayaraman adds, "What's truly spectacular is that our taxes already subsidize Burger King and every other major restaurant chain out there. Every year, the restaurant industry, one of the largest and the absolute fastest growing economic sectors, provides us with seven of the 10 absolute lowest paying jobs in the country. ... The industry's wages are so low, and benefits so scant, that even with full-time hours or more than one job, workers still qualify for public assistance like SNAP and Medicare. In fact, nearly half of all restaurant workers live in or near poverty." The debate over the wages of fast-food workers came to the forefront last summer, with a wave of protests in metro Detroit. If anything, Jayaraman's remarks show the underlying problems run much deeper than that.
Teaching kids why vegetables rock | As we've learned from such books as Fast Food Nation, public health is threatened by the glut of processed foods. And the way these foods often target children puts each new generation at increased risk for health problems. Meijer is working on a way to combat that with an unusual campaign that involves fundraising, a caterpillar, and rock 'n' roll. In hopes of reminding children that eating fresh produce is vital to health, Meijer and Produce for Kids, a national philanthropic organization, have launched their third annual Healthy Families, Helping Kids campaign. In order to educate families on the benefits of healthy eating (and raise money for nutrition education) they offer "Jump with Jill," billed as "the world's only rock & roll nutrition show," and in-store displays featuring "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." More to the point, participating Meijer suppliers will donate money to Jump with Jill tied to the volume of fruit and vegetable purchases through Sept. 27. Curious? Want to learn more? See produceforkids.com, where you'll find more than 100 recipes, meal-planning tools, and healthy tips from real parents.
