July 2008

MCB will be providing the burgers, dogs, buns and condiments, and we encourage everyone to bring their favorite beverage as well as a dish to pass (NO GLASS) based on the first letter of your last name. Your cooperation will help assure that we don’t have too many of one item and not enough of another.

A-F: Picnic side dish
G-M: Salads, cheese, deviled eggs, dip trays etc.
N-R: Desserts
S-Z: Snacks, finger foods etc.

Everyone: In addition to your beverages and dish to pass (NO GLASS), be sure to bring a suit, a towel, and a lawn chair or two.

Please check in the Yahoo groups and/or with Jerry to confirm the date. Depending on weather it could be moved to the last weekend in June

**Club event - Non MCB members are asked to bring a $5.00 donation for the club**

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

For all you bears staying around town for the 4th of July weekend Jim E has invited all MCB members to a Brunch at his home on Sunday, July 6, 2008. Come enjoy Fun, Food, Friends and Beverages! beverages will include Mimosa's and Bloody Mary's.

All Motor city Bears members are Invited!!!

For Jim's address, check the member's only Yahoo group or email Jim.

Our general meetings are discussions of past and upcoming activities mixed with club business and socializing. If you want to know if we're the club for you, come check us out. Guests and visitors are always welcome. Generally speaking, Diamond Jim's Saloon is located on Warren Ave., one short block east of Evergreen in Detroit. It's right by the Comerica Bank, and you can use their parking lot.  

29^th Annual Metra Picnic

62000 Gratiot, Lenox, MI (Map)
$15.00 in advance
$20.00 at the door

Use this link for even more information: http://hometown.aol.com/metrapicnic/index.html

Come out and join the Bears for dinner at a great Hungarian restaurant. This was a suggestion by Mark D. last year and everyone just loved the place. You will not leave this place hungry! The food is very unique and excellent. The online reviews also say this is a great place (Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars). See write up below

Their family style all you can eat dinners that includes everything from salads to desserts. The Menu dinners can also be ordered with entrees from $11 to $22. Some can do family style and some can order from the menu, your choice, and they can do separate checks.

As with most dinners we need to tell them how many are coming so please let me know if you are coming by responding to this in the members Yahoo group or if you are not a member  send email to vicepresident@motorcitybears.com.

Review:

The food at Hungarian Rhapsody is authentic, zesty and very filling. For starters, visitors to this suburban Detroit restaurant can try home made chicken noodle soup and sausage-based Hungarian hors d'oeuvres, then proceed to a variety of Eastern European entrees including chicken paprika, stuffed
>cabbage, fried goose livers and beef goulash, the latter served in a kettle with dumplings and potatoes. Accompanying noodle dishes are enlivened with cabbage, bacon or cheese, and desserts are Old World specialties like tortes, strudel and crepes. Property Information by Wcitie.

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

Join us for our 8th Annual Canoe Trip down the Huron River. This event has become a summertime favorite. Spending about four hours lazily floating down a river can't be all bad. Leave the hustle and bustle behind and enjoy Summer at its peak. For the most part, this part of the Huron River is deep enough to keep everyone floating, but shallow enough to please the land
lubbers and non-swimmers as well. If you get tired of floating or paddling, there are several places where you can stop and enjoy the scenery before you continue on down the river. As in the past, we will be canoeing in the fiberglass canoes, which are better suited for bigger, bearish bodies.

Space is limited for this event and we must make reservations and prepay for a certain number of canoes. Because of this, participants must pre-register and prepay no later than June 19^th.

UPDATE 6/22/08: Direct Payment to MCB is now closed with 6 canoes rented. Skip’s Canoe Livery will hold a few more canoes for anyone who wants to still come.  To do this you will have to contact Skip’s yourself and asked to be added to the MCB reservation on July 19th.   You will have to talk to them about payment arrangements as well.  You can probably pay for the canoe the day of the trip but again please confirm this with them.    Their phone number is (734) 769-8686

Let us know if you rent a canoe on your own so we can tell them a final group count if they ask for it. 

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

* Price per canoe $44.00 Members and $49.00 Non Members *
In Person: Payment may be made in person to our treasurer at the June 14th meeting or you can send a check to the Treasurer to P.O. Box 1894, Royal Oak, MI 48068, checks must be received by Thursday June 19, 2008. We also accept PayPal. See buttons below. By using PayPal you can pay instantly with your credit card, bank account or PayPal balance and get your receipt online.

Some rules and guidelines:

• Only 10 fiberglass canoes have been reserved. First come first served.
• This is a canoe reservation, the person making the reservation is responsible for co-canoer.
• Departure time is 12 noon SHARP. Arrive early. The next bus that runs is 1pm and there is no guarantee that bus will have room.
• Release forms will again need to be signed, so arrive early.
• No Styrofoam coolers, no huge coolers.
• New this year: NO BEER, WINE, or ALCOHOL in the coolers. If you want something, grab it at the party store along the canoe trip.
• The bridge is still closed, so everyone must come in from the south.

**Club event - Non MCB members are asked to bring a $5.00 donation for the club.**

Members Price $44.00

Non-member Price $49.00

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

(Please see the full announcement in the yahoo groups for details)

You say canoeing isn’t for you? (See above) Well then just come out for the post canoe trip backyard barbeque at Steve C’s.

The bears will be providing the burgers, dogs, buns and condiments, and we encourage everyone to bring their favorite beverage as well as a dish to pass based on the first letter of your last name. Your cooperation will help assure that we don’t have too many of one item and not enough of another.

A-F: Picnic side dish
G-M: Salads, cheese, deviled eggs, dip trays etc.
N-R: Desserts
S-Z: Snacks, finger foods etc.

Plus Steve has offered to open up his yard for campers to pitch a tent and stay over night.  As many of you know Steve's house is a little drive from the city and some like to stay over night.  Only change here is that if you want the outdoors feel and love tent camping, now you can do it.

**Club event - Non MCB members are asked to bring a $5.00 donation for the club.**

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

With more than two and a half million visitors each year, Kensington Metropark is a 4,481- acre first- class recreational facility. Its wooded hilly terrain surrounds beautiful Kent Lake. The park features an 18-hole regulation golf course, a disc golf course, a nature center, a farm learning center, picnic areas, beaches, boat rentals and a paved hike-bike trail. Check out their website for a full list of other activities available for your enjoyment.

The bears will be providing the burgers, dogs, buns and condiments, and we encourage everyone to bring their favorite beverage as well as a dish to pass based on the first letter of your last name. Your cooperation will help assure that we don’t have too many of one item and not enough of another.

A-F: Picnic side dish
G-M: Salads, cheese, deviled eggs, dip trays etc.
N-R: Desserts
S-Z: Snacks, finger foods etc.

**Club event - Non MCB members are asked to bring a $5.00 donation for the club.**

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

Comerica Park (Map)

2100 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI

Come on out and enjoy a baseball game with the bears.  This time it is the Tigers vs. the Chicago White Sox.  These tickets are prepaid so contact the EC for more details.  There maybe a few extra tickets so even if you don't have a ticket already you may still be able to go. 

Ticket Price $20.00  MCB TICKETS NOW SOLD OUT FOR THIS GAME, SORRY

More Details coming

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

August 2008

Translation: Not enough officers will be present to hold a meeting so the members voted to cancel this one.  Enjoy the summer!

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

"Cruise Woodward with the Bears"

Here's the plan. You trek out to the northern 'burbs, bringing a dish to pass (See below) and we ogle and drool all afternoon as interesting cars, and their often more interesting drivers, parade by. Bring a chair; the sidewalks in Bloomfield Hills are nice, but not too cushy. :)

I will have the grill set up, so burgers, dogs and such will be available. Sodas, iced tea and ice will be provided as well, so be sure to bring anything harder you wish to drink.

Please bring a dish to pass based on the first letter of your last name. Your cooperation will help assure that we don't have too many of one item and not enough of another.

A-F: Desserts
G-M: Snacks, finger foods etc.
N-R: Salads, cheese, deviled eggs, dip trays etc.
S-Z: Picnic side dish

Now the disclaimers:
1. Smoking is allowed outside, and on my balcony.
2. Nothing stronger than tobacco will be permitted!
3. We live in a community that is overseen by condo Nazis, so proper manners must be upheld.
4. We no longer have cats, so those with allergies no longer need worry (see disclaimer #3)

The cruise runs all day, so drop ins may start arriving around noon, dinner will be progressive, starting around 3ish.

There is a limited amount of parking available, some of which is located by other buildings. Please do not park on grassy areas, nor under the covered carports.

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Brad

**Club event - Non MCB members are asked to bring a $5.00 donation for the club**

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

Although this restaurant is big, please email the Yahoo group if you are coming so we can reserve tables.

“Its out of the way location is part of it’s charm in a solid brick house trimmed with wrought iron in Southwest Detroit.

Mi Pueblo restaurant is a colorful setting of archways, terra-cota walls and murals of Mexican scenes.

Peek in , and see basketsful of chilies, cactus leaves and tomatillos waiting to become part of the menu of cal do de res, menu do, chilies rellenos and tostadas. Tacos come filled with marinated pork, chorizo, chicken and grilled steak. Tortas (sandwiches on thick grilled bread come in more than a dozen varieties. Home made tamales, filled with chicken or pork, have joined the array.

The busiest time at the big restaurant, which seats 150 on the main floor and another 100 upstairs, is often on Sunday mornings, when families crowd in after church. Good thing Mi Pueblo offers a spacious parking lot which is constantly patrolled by security guards allowing your visit even more convenient.

Mi Pueblo restaurant wants to maintain the family aura even though it added margaritas and Mexican beers to the menu. The gazebo-style wood bar has no bar stools, to preserve the family friendly atmosphere “ Hour Detroit magazine September 2006”

Welcome to Detroit's most truly Mexican Flavor - Bienvenidos al Restaurante con Autentico Sabor a Mexico

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

Description

As many of you know, Dennis and Brad pretty much live this festival. There are not many hours that the festival is open that they are not there. Here is your chance to come on up and see their other life or find out just what do they do up there. Please bring back photos if you catch them laying back in hammocks and being fanned by the help. ;>)

Anyway feel free to post in the members only Yahoo group or email treasurer@motorcitybears.com if you plan on going up. Maybe the group can meet somewhere and car pool up? Here is the information from sir Dennis:

Inside the turreted gates of Hollygrove you are free to roam the festive marketplace, featuring friendly village merchants lining every path.

In addition to the fantastic selection of handcrafted wares, Hollygrove visitors may also partake in games of skill or enjoy non-stop entertainment where belly dancers, sword swallowers, musicians, comedians and sword fighters provide merriment for all ages. The Festival is best known for it's awe-inspiring full-contact armored jousting tournaments where gallant knights defend their honor until the last man is standing!

Visit http://www.michrenfest.com/ for more information, it is a good time had by all.

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

September 2008

Date and Time TBD

More details to come.

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above

Our general meetings are discussions of past and upcoming activities mixed with club business and socializing. If you want to know if we're the club for you, come check us out. Guests and visitors are always welcome. Generally speaking, Diamond Jim's Saloon is located on Warren Ave., one short block east of Evergreen in Detroit. It's right by the Comerica Bank, and you can use their parking lot. 

We did this a last year and it was a lot of fun.  We meet up at Eastern Market, shop and buy all the goodies to take back to a member’s house and cook it up.  This year, Rick M & Michael B, have again graciously opened up their home for this event.  Their home is pretty close to Eastern Market so it is perfect for this event.

Let’s meet up for Eastern Market  on Division St, Between Russell St and Riopelle St.  This will be just outside the parking structure and near the produce stands.

We will meet at Eastern Market and shop from noon until about 3pm. Then head to Rick M & Michael B's house in Boston-Edison for preparing all the goodies from the market and a general fun day.

Location of house: (please see Members Yahoo group for details)

HOUSE RULES -We have three cats, two Maine Coons and one Himalayan Persian, all are strictly housecats. Always best to forewarn someone that might have an allergy. Smoking is allowed only outside.  Soda and Water will be provided. Anything stronger is a strictly BYOB (and that is not Bring Your Own Bear ;>) ). Rick and Michael's has a 4400 square feet home to accommodate a large group.

** If you don’t go to the market, you are still welcome to attend just bring a side dish to contribute to the feast and as always we ask non-members to donate $5.00 to the club to help pay for costs.**

Stay tuned to the Yahoo group/ MCB Feed for last minute updates or contact the Event Coordinator above