THE WILD ROVER is no more. Say hello to The Recovery Room.
That’s the name of the new restaurant and bar on West Washington Street, due to open on Wednesday after remodeling is completed.
A new name, new management, a new menu, a new partner in the operation for owner Peter Lassing and his wife. Lassing, himself, was at the site Monday sprucing up the exterior.
The Rover had a checkered history. Lassing is hopeful that’s all in the past.
Attempts to sell the property have failed for various reasons so the Lassings are keeping it. The location, smack dab in the center of town, is unbeatable. Now all they need is stability in the staff and management, and a good menu.
They’ll be open for lunch and dinner, six days a week. Closed Tuesdays.
About the name “Recovery Room”. The idea is–after work, take a break, come in, and recover.
It could also apply to the restaurant itself.
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WE’RE GETTING A better idea of what that new Asian restaurant will be like on US 41—the one that’s replacing the Great Hunan.
It’ll be called Jasmine Asian Cuisine, a fusion of Chinese and Thai food, more Chinese than Thai. This, according to May and Werachai Thammasiri, the owners.
You’ll recognize them as the owners of the Thai House and Teriyaki Bowl.
Jasmine will be different, they say. Higher end and classier Chinese food than we’ve been used to, including dim sum—exquisite, smaller, snack-like portions of food. They’re hoping to bring in a professional chef from Thailand to run the kitchen.
Decor? Like a Chinese palace, May says. Remodeling will start in a month when the Thammasiris return from Thailand. Opening? Likely around January 1st. They’ll be hiring 10 employees.
The Thammasiris arrived here from Portland, Oregon several years ago, with the hope of being able to spend more time with their children in a smaller, more manageable town. That’s worked out well, they say. Now they’re on their way to becoming Asian restaurant magnates.
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NEUROTRAINER FOUNDER Jeff Nyquist got some great news earlier this month. His company’s been awarded a $50,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.
The money’s to be used over the next seven weeks to determine whether his technology might be useful in reducing concussions and managing them better. Nyquist refers to the seven weeks as a boot camp for scientists.
He’ll be traveling to sports tournaments, universities, and professional teams to find out exactly what athletes and their families want and need.
He’s been at it for a week already, and the biggest concern they have, he says, is ambiguity. How do you know it’s safe to return to the sport after you’ve suffered a concussion? No easy answers.
If the boot camp proves successful, NeuroTrainer will be eligible for a $250,000 NSF grant…and beyond that is a $2 million grant.
Nyquist and his wife are relocating to San Francisco in August in hopes of tapping into the sophisticated and lucrative technology market there.
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HERE’S SOMEONE TO root for in the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Mikaela Mayer, who trained at the US Olympic Education Center at NMU under legendary boxing coach Al Mitchell, will be competing in Rio as one of only two US women boxers.
Huge accomplishment. She reportedly has a chance to medal.
She didn’t take up boxing until she was 17 year old in Los Angeles but then fell in love with the sport, and now wants to be the best female boxer in the world.
Oh, she’s also a part-time model.
Just keep your gloves up.
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SOMEONE ELSE TO root for.
15 year old Cooper Smith of Marquette is headed to Italy in a few days to take part in the US Bridge Federation World Championship. He’ll be competing with the six person 16-and-under team.
He’s been playing since he was 9 years old and is a member of both Marquette bridge clubs. (Alas, that’s probably cut down on his time with video games and cell phones).
He’s already competed in three other national bridge tournaments.
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SOMETHING THAT’S BOTH awe-inspiring and depressing from the just concluded Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival: the utter mastery that most of these musicians have over their instruments, including their voices…and the obscurity in which so many of them dwell.
They’ve truly devoted their lives to learning their instruments and making magic with them…and yet they have to work their asses off, week in and week out, to make a barely manageable income.
Many have second jobs.
Most of the rest of us have more ordinary jobs—selling things and performing tasks that don’t require anything close to mastery—certainly nothing that would draw a crowd and elicit awe.
Oh well. Salesmen sell. Baristas make coffee. Journalists report the news. And musicians make music. Their choice.
Still, just listen to them. It’s magic, produced at bargain basement prices.