• S6,E33: It's back-to-school time! Trips to CMU, Western, Michigan and Michigan State (Aug. 17-18, 2024)

  • Aug 22 2024
  • Length: 45 mins
  • Podcast

S6,E33: It's back-to-school time! Trips to CMU, Western, Michigan and Michigan State (Aug. 17-18, 2024)

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  • Summary

  • We are back to school this week! Our young Michiganders are headed back to the classroom this week, and back to college campuses, which is both exciting and sad.

    It's exciting if you are a student and finally back home at school with friends, exciting if you are a business that is ready to serve, and exciting if you are a tourism bureau welcoming visitors.

    But it's sad if you are a momma sending two kids back to campus, which Amy is doing this year, and probably for the last time. Gonzo has already traversed this road with his boys, so he gets it too. So very exciting, so very sad.

    College towns came back alive this week as students streamed in, so we went right to some of our most popular spots here in the mitten: Mt. Pleasant, Kalamazoo, East Lansing and Ann Arbor. We kick off the show and get FIRED UP in Mt. Pleasant, where Gonzo attended Central Michigan University. If you are a fellow Chip, then you know The Bird, one of the most popular places in town. We talk to Ben Breidenstien, who co-owns the bar with his family. Stop by here to sidle up at the bar next to a professor, while a family enjoys a pizza nearby. Ben and Gonzo agree, it is THE spot to be in Mt. Pleasant.

    Next, we head to Kalamazoo, home to both Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Together, these schools offer a degree program that we can really support. Did you know you can actually get a degree in beer here in the mitten? True story, if you go through the dual program that they offer at WMU and KVCC. We talk with our good friend Aaron Ross, formerly of Mitten Brewing Company, current instructor at KVCC in the brewing program. He explains how this two and two program works, what students learn, and how everyone can come to Kalamazoo this fall to taste the beer.

    At this point, we got hungry, so we called our buddy Keith Mckendry in Ann Arbor up. He makes what just might be the very best cheesesteaks in the state at his uber popular spot, Mr. Spots. Yes, he gives us the low down on those beauties which a certain famous former pro football player, and U of M alum, loves. He also gives us his thoughts on the Wolverines chances this season. Our thoughts? Doesn't matter the win/loss record when you are eating one of these cheesesteaks.

    One last stop in East Lansing, where we catch up with fellow journalist Chris Solari. His Detroit Free Press beat is the Michigan State Spartans football team, so we talk x's and o's. Chris got so excited that we were going to ask him about something other than football that we just went with it, and he shares many of his favorite places to hang out at in East Lansing, including The Peanut Barrel, which we just love.

    Follow John and Amy:
    Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/behindthemitten
    Twitter at @BehindTheMittenI
    nstagram at @BehindTheMitten
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