A Grand Rapids experience

As y'all know, my dad and sister were in town visiting this past weekend. Since it has been a couple years since my cousins have seen "Uncle Mike" (I always get a kick when they talk about my dad as Uncle Mike), both Jenn and Laura made an effort to get together so Dad could meet their husbands (Matt and Andy, respectively). On Monday, Andy, Laura, and Matt (unfortunately, Jenn had to work) came over to hang out with Julie and to see Lyla. Well, ever since we moved to the GR, Laura has been talking up this restaurant called Yesterdog. It's a local hot dog restaurant that is popular among a small subculture here in the GR and even got a cameo in the movie American Pie. Apparently it was started in 1976 when Bill Lewis decided he wanted to build a better hot dog. I'm not sure what hot dogs he was trying to top but they must have been awful because Yesterdog's dogs are not anything to write home about (though they are getting plenty of press in this entry, I should get back on track).

Laura's been hyping Yesterdog for quite some time but Katherine has been pregnant so we haven't gone, until Monday. We braved snowy roads and bitter cold to venture out to this Easttown staple. I could see how the place would be awesome if it was 2 am (when GR bars close) and you were drunk, but at 4 pm on a Mondayit seemed like a dive. I got a Yesterdog and Cheddardog (Yesterdog........... $1.60 chili, onion, pickle, ketchup, mustard... Cheddardog.......$1.90 chili, cheese). Toppings are generously dumped on top of the hot dogs so there really is no way to keep your hands clean while eating them (what do you expect for $3.50?).

Anyway, we had a good time hanging out and I'm glad we finally experienced Yesterdog (though I don't know if we'll be going back soon, especially because there are like three other hot dog restaurants that are supposedly worth checking out). Here's some pictures:



Post hot dog conversation:


Requisite Lyla picture (btw even though her head doesn't quite fit into that hat, I think she looks sooooo cute in it):