Swanson Family

Update

2010-07-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

It has been forever since I last updated this and almost had forgotten about it all together until a friend of mine asked why I hadn't updated. Well, we have had an enourmous amounts of changes to our lives. First, we lost our beloved cafe and were sad to see it go. We also had to move due to financial issues but it was a good move. We are delighted with our new house and our new neighborhood. Jeorge got a new job at Sweet Lorraine's and is back to a familar place. He still has a lot of friends there and is working a lot less hours. It is nice to have him around more and he is really happy being able to spend all this quality time with the boys. I have settled into my new routine of taking on the job of a stay at home mom. It is really rewarding and I feel blessed to have this time with my boys. I will eventually get back to work, but for the time being will cherish this time. I am on the mend with my anxiety issues. I am currently reading a book that a friend of mine lended to me called natural relief for anxiety. I went thru a rough patch after my dad passed away and was having weekly panic attacks. I was to the point where I couldn't even walk to the back of a store because of the fear of being trapped. Anxiety is a very hard thing to deal with, people that don't have it can't understand the magnitude of your emotions and why you can't do certain things. I am to the point where I am active again and getting out and doing all my normal activites. I still have issues from time to time but am feeling more myself again. I also had a health scare a few months ago with a nodule I had on my thyroid. It was biopsied and was told it was benign. I have to get it rechecked with an ultrasound soon to make sure it hasn't grown. The kids are doing great! Jack has almost earned his green belt in Karate and has been enjoying playing outdoors and studying geography. James is our fearless child. He is already riding his dirt bike and climbing everything he can possibly climb.

tributes

2009-01-16T11:35:00.001-08:00

It has been forever since I have posted. We have had a lot of things happen. Sadly, my wonderful father passed away unexpectedly on Oct 27th in his sleep. He was the most sincere, loving, and remarkable father and I am so blessed I had him in my life for as long as I did. He was an amazing grandfather too, and my son Jack misses him dearly.He made sure Jack was able to see the ocean and took us on trips to fla. He loved collecting shells with Jack and they spent hours and hours together walking on the beach and I know Jack will always remember. It is nice sharing memories of time spent with him. Our family is healing but will always feel the magnitude of our loss.

Also, my friend Bea passed away from leukemia on jan 6th. She was 34 yrs old and lived her life to the fullest.She was a witty, smart, beautiful and her smile lit up any room she walked in. She is definitely always going to be in the hearts of all who loved her and we were lucky enough to have had her in our lives.

Yesterday, my mother in law lost her battle with cancer. She was an amazing woman. She always was able to comfort me whenever anything went wrong in my life.She loved with every ounce she had. She was entertaining and I loved to call her on the phone to chat about anything under the sun. She was an extraordinary grandmother and always made time to spend with her grandchildren.When she was ill, she still had a weekly lunch date to see my children and give them all the love they needed. She will be missed very much but will always be in our hearts.I was extremely blessed having a mother in law that I loved so much!

recent pics of the boys

2008-10-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten

2008-09-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

So much has been going on lately and I have not been able to update our blog. Jack started kindergarten a few weeks ago and things are going great. He had no fears on his first day and actually told me to stop taking his picture inside the classroom. His teacher is great and has made a great schedule for the kids. I was worried about him in an all day setting, but he has enjoyed every minute and has been behaving perfectly. I went to Tim Hortons one day around noon and decided to swing by his school to see if it was lunch time recess. I am embarassed to say that they were outside and I watched Jack interact with his peers. I was laughing because he was playing rough with the boys and then a group of girls swept him away. I am glad he is a social butterfly, I wonder where he gets it from? LOL!!!

James 1st Bday

2008-08-24T20:10:00.003-07:00

It is so hard to belive that my baby boy is one already!! We had a perfect day with the family, playing and spending time together. We had my inlaws over for cake and James opened a few gifts with the help of his favorite older brother Jack. My favorite part was watching James jam his face into his ice cream cake and destroying it!! I added some pics from parts of our day.

Mark Spitz

2008-08-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

I can barely contain my enthusiasm. I can't believe I saw Mark Spitz, one of my swimming idols, in the flesh at my little cafe. Jeorge called me yesterday to tell me a famous swimmer was in the restaurant but had not found out who it was. A few minutes later he called and said "Mark Spitz in eating at table 8!" I freaked and immediately began to doubt him and kept asking over and over if it was really him. He said he was sure of it because he was getting mobbed by all of our guests asking for autographs and pictures. As soon as I heard that, I jumped in the car and drove to the Maple Leaf. As soon as I arrived, I went to the front and caught a glimpse of him. I was so excited I began to shake and did not have the nerve to walk over to him. One of our employees got his autograph for me and I was thrilled!! I went outside with james b/c I was still shaking and could not believe my eyes. He came out with his wife and started walking towards us. I could not even mutter hello, I had instantly become shy. A group of people passed by and I heard one of the gentleman say "Oh my god thats Mark F'in Spitz"!!

I went to the Maple Leaf with the kids today for breakfast and found out he had been there an hour prior to us eating breakfast. I was so sad I was not there to see him. One of the waitresses said he is going to New York today so he can appear on one of the early shows. He is going to come back to Michigan for a few more days because his son is competing in the maccabiah Games. I hope I can see him again, and I hope I will be able to mutter a few words to him.

Summer

2008-08-17T08:19:00.001-07:00

Its hard to believe it is the middle of august!! James is going to be one which boggles my mind. I feel like he is aging too quickly. He is a mover and a shaker lately. He is almost walking and I feel like it could be any day!! He is definitely curious and somehow squeezes thru every blockade I have set up around the house. He is beginning to talk more and his vocab consists of baby ( his favorite word) , dada, papa, and the occaisional mama. He has attempted to say Jack ( JAJA) too. He definitely resembles his daddy and has a reddish hue to his hair.

Jack has had a productive summer too. He has been working on his biking skills. We got him a new bike earlier in the summer. At first he was all over the bike 24/7, but after falling a few times he developed a major fear. We worked on it for weeks and finally got him back to his bike. He is doing very well and loves to go out for rides. Jack also has been quite busy in the swimming dept. He has been to Forest Hills this summer with my parents. He is in the big pool now which was a huge relief to my dad. I think he was tiring of hanging with jack in the baby pool. I think his lessons all summer at Goldfish have truly paid off. He is gaining sao much confidence in himself and has been interested in Phelps at the Olympics. He says he wants to continue swimming in the winter and he also wants to do indoor soccer again. Kindergarten is right around the corner and Jack cant wait to start!!

As for me, I am disappointed in myself. I had wanted to start swimming and train for an open water race. I am sad to say I only went a few times and then slacked. I am writing this to motivate myself to start and stick with the program. I am done making excuses for myself and need to get going. I am down because I need to lose weight. I am lacking so much energy and know if I got the lbs off I would have more. I know for sure that I would have my esteem and confidence back.

Thats it for now. Love

happy 4th

2008-07-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

We had a relaxing 4th of july. We all slept in and had a leisurely day. Jeorge made us all breakfast and we cleaned up the house. I enjoyed watching Wimbledon for a few and can't wait until the finals. I was thrilled the Williams sisters made the dbls finals as well as the singles final. It is satisfying because American Tennis has been lacking ,and its nice that the Williams are in top form again. I don't know which one to root for tomorrow but I am leaning on Venus b/c Serena is 5-1 in major finals against her. On the Men's side I am rooting for Nadal. I love Federer because he is such a classy guy and a great champion, but I love the intensity Nadal brings to the court. I love his fist pumps and the agility he displays running down the majority of shots that look unattainable.

The latter part of our day we enjoyed a family walk. Jack decided we were transformers on a mission. Jeorge was Megatron, I was black arachnea, Jack was star scream, and James was baby megatron. Our mission on our walk was to destroy the autobots and conquer the universe. It was in effect for a few minutes until we saw several cute dogs, and a pair of cats in a stroller!!!

Lastly, we enjoyed a bbq at my parents house. We had a simple but delicious meal and more importantly good company. My sister in law was there and has 8 weeks to go before she is due to have her first baby. I like to hear about how she is feeling, her baby plans, and upcoming showers for her. She has had a rough pregnancy so its nice to see her feeling better. The only ailment she is having is fatigue. I remember that all too well. I am still fatigued with the boys...lol!!

Happy 4th!! Cheers

random pics

2008-07-02T21:24:00.001-07:00

swimming lessons

2008-06-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

Jack had his 2nd lesson today and is doing quite well. He has great swim mates and his instructor Mark deserves an award for his patience and kindness. I really enjoy watching my fearless boy swim on his own. He swam 1/2 length today. Mark reported to me that Jack will probably be moving to the next level before his set of lessons are done. I am wondering if he got my swimming genes. I would totally dig that!!!

Swimming

2008-06-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

My mom called and invited us to the pool today and I happily obliged. It was a hot day and i thought a dip would do us all good. I am still at the tail end of my inner ear infecIion, so I was very careful. Jack was so amazing today!! After one swimming lesson and a few tips from me he is swimming by himself and going underwater!! The proudest moment of our day at the pool was when jack asked to jump off the diving board. He got on the board and walked to the end and then his nerves kicked in. I thought for sure that would be the end of it, but jack asked the lifeguard on break to catch him and was back on the board. I could not believe my eyes when he finally left the board. He liked it so much he had to do it again!!!

jack's preschool

2008-06-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

A parent of jack's preschool friend was kind enough to take photos from the last few weeks of preschool and share with us. I thought I would post some. Jack is looking forward to his free time this summer. He started swimming yesterday and it was a big success. I was so proud because he was fearless and did everything he was asked to do. My heart was so full of joy when he swam on his own without any assistance!! It will be interesting to see what he does at Forest Hills this summer.

On a side note, I had to delay the start of my swimming due to a dbl inner ear infection!!!

The Latest from Chez Swanson

2008-06-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

James attended his very first bday party for his friend Everett. The party was wonderful and the food was even better. My friend Carol deserves an award for the spread she served!!! James got his first two teeth and it was a harmless process. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the others will be just as smooth, but that is pretty unrealistic.

We attended the annual adopt an animal day at the Detroit Zoo and welcomed Fisher to our family!! She is a 7 month old short hair brown tabby. She is named Fisher b/c the shelter that had housed her found her with a fishing lure jammed thru her nose into the roof of her mouth. She is healthy and happy and we are glad we saved her!!

Jack wrapped up his school year and was sad to say goodbye to his friends. I am glad we survived the year and am looking forward to enjoying our summer. Jack is going to take swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School and I am thrilled. I have tried to teach him, but he is still hesistant and not always cooperative with me. I think the group setting will help when he watches his peers in the water.

Jeorge is spending more time at work and getting reorganized. He is feeling better and loving our new central air. His pulmonary Dr recommended we get it due to his condition and with this heat, we are all happy about it.

I am working a few days a week and loving it!! I worked last Sunday and made 200!! I am looking forward to more of those kinds of days. I am also looking forward to swimming. I decided I am going to train for a long distance open water race. I am hoping lake tahoe has one so jeorge and I can go back to where we got married. I am going to put my goggles on and start my journey on Monday. Forest Hills will be open daily and I can swim my laps while the kids are entertained with my folks.

Other than that I can't think of anything new to report. I will be logging in my swimming progress to aid in motivating myself.

Love to all!!

Reunion

2008-05-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

`Today was a perfect day. The weather was absolutely perfect, Jack had a great day at school, the tigers beat the yankees, and the reunion/playdate I organized was successful. Speaking of the reunion, I was able to get together with friends I have not seen in a very long time, say 15 yrs!! We all met at a local park with our kids and caught up. It was so fun seeing all of my friends with their own children and it was nice to hear about their lives. I have facebook to thank for this one because I was able to locate and reconnect with them. My only downfall is I forgot to bring my camera!!

I'm back!!

2008-04-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

My computer had a slight mishap and was out of commission for a long time. It was spilled milk, compliments of Jack. The main problem it was not an accident and was done deliberately. I am happy that I have a talented nephew who fixed it free of charge!!

Here is what is new at our house
Jeorge is getting better day by day and is more energetic
Jack is biking every day and finishing up soccer. We also have been visiting schools b/c we are unable to afford Waldorf without financial assistance
James is his happy little self
I am working more and taking classes

Jack had his 1st dental appt and it was a hit!! He was power boy ( he was wearing a blanket as a cape) and he was a hoot. He was asking a trillion questions and was extremely cooperative and on his best behavior. I was very proud and was happy it went so well!!

New Digs

2008-03-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

We recently got bunk beds because I had nowhere to sleep. Our bedroom has become a machine inferno. Jeorge has a nebulizer, oxygen tanks, and a bi-pap machine. Needless to say, it is literally like a sauna in there. I tried to sleep there one night and between the noise and the heat it was terrible. I resorted to sleeping on an air mattress for a week but quickly decided that I could not keep that up!! My new bed is amazing!!! I am so comfortable and sleep great every night. Jack is my new roomie and he loves it. Every night he climbs up to his bunk and reads books to me. At least the fun factor is fading so he is talking less and getting to bed earlier.

Work

2008-03-29T20:49:00.001-07:00

Ok so I have only worked a few shifts at the restaurant and they were on the slow days. Today was a completely different story. I forgot how hectic and exhausting waiting tables can be!!! I went to work at 9 and expected to get a few tables here and there, but I was busy from the second I walked in until 4 pm~!! Don't get me wrong, I like being busy and the money is great but I am an amateur these days and need to get my rhythm back. The highlight of my day today was seeing some old friends from highschool. I saw jarchow, Dave, and Brad. Its always fun to see a familar face, especially ones you haven't seen in 15 yrs!! I am looking forward to adding more time in at the Cafe so I can see more people on a regular basis.

On a side note... I am bummed State lost.
Another note.. ...Happy I did not do a bracket this year because it would have been ugly!

Baby james is 7 months!!

2008-03-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

It is so hard to believe that my little guy is 7 months old today!! He is at such a fun age right now. He is trying so hard to talk and is constantly making loud noises to make his presence known. He adores his older brother and always gets excited and laughs whenever Jack talks to him or is acting silly. I am still waiting on his first tooth. It seems like it could be any time because of his excessive drooling. He is rolling over and sitting up. I have to eat up as much baby time as I can because you blink and they are already toddlers.

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T09:20:00.001-07:00

Jack was thrilled that the Easter Bunny prevailed thru the snow and made it to Chez Swanson. He couldn't believe the Easter Bunny knew he liked Cars and was loving his 1967 blue ford mustang gt coupe!! James recevied a pokemon stuffed animal from his loving brother who was willing to share some of his basket, now thats LOVE!!

Jeorge part 2

2008-03-18T15:52:00.000-07:00

`Jeorge is home!! We are so happy. He is recovering slowly and needs lots of TLC!!

Jeorge

2008-03-15T06:13:00.001-07:00

Some of you know what has been going on with Jeorge and some may not. jeorge was admitted to StJohn's hopspital this week. After admitting him and settling him in a rm, I got a call a few hrs later saying he was being transferred to ICU. Needless to say, I was panicked and I dropped my cell phone in the toilet and lost the majority of my numbers b/c I did not save to sim. He was in really bad shape for a few days and the dr's were alarmed b/c he had lg amounts of carbon dioxide in his system from his sleep apnea and the lack of sleep he had been living on since we opened the restaurant. He has since gotten better and was able to leave ICU. He is in a regulart room at St Johns Oakland and getting better day by day. We are hoping he can come home within the next few days. Hope all is well, KARA

Facebook

2008-03-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

I joined facebook this week and I love it!! I think it was made for me!! I love to know how people are doing and I love seeing pictures of friends I haven't seen in years with children of their own. It is so refreshing to see everyone grown up and happy in their lives without any silly high school drama. I have reconnected with several people and hopefully going to have our own mini-reunion ( kids included) because we have not had a organized one lately.

Decorating eggs

2008-03-07T09:44:00.000-08:00

the goods

teamwork

Working away!!

Jack's favorite egg, I wonder why!!

The boys showing off their creations!!

Jack's 5th bday

2008-02-28T19:43:00.001-08:00

Jack is 5 today and it is hard to believe!!! It just seems like yesterday that after 15 hours of labor that included 2 hrs of pushing, I was looking at my new baby boy. It feels like I blinked and now he is this big boy. We had an awesome day today!! I woke Jack up with breakfast in bed. It was his favorite blueberry pancakes with a small amount of syrup and bacon. We played with his different toys for awhile and then we ventured out. We were able to eat lunch at our restaurant, spend time with both sets of grandparents, go to rite aid to get his favorite cars, and go to the Sullivan's for a mini play date. We had cake and presents at our house after dinner and then Jack played some more. Overall, I think his bday was a success. He is having one more celebration at my parents house this Sunday!

My nephew

2008-02-24T18:32:00.000-08:00

My nephew won his wrestling regionals this past weekend!! He is a model to all involved in any sport because he demonstrates all the qualities an athlete needs: heart, determination, strength, knowledge, and courage. He has been wrestling with a torn ACL for several weeks. He has states in 2 weeks and we are hoping he can win it all!! Good Luck Josh we love you!!!

Jack's bday party

2008-02-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

Jack's bday party was a huge hit!! I had it a week before the actual date because many schools were having mid-winter break and i thought the moms would enjoy a day of not having to find an activity for their kids. We had it at Bounce U. This place is a huge warehouse with giant moonwalks. The kids had so much fun and the place was electric with all the happy children running around. We served lunch and cake afterwards and the kids were still energized from all of the excitement of bouncing. Jack is obsessed with Hot wheels so it was very appropriate that he received many hot wheel gifts and he recevied so many other cool things like a giant frisbee ( perfect for the spring days ahead) and a spider man web blaster. We were happy we had our party there because Bounce U did everything for us and I mean everything. I never lifted a finger for anything. They even wrote a list for me with the names of his guests and the gift they gave jack. I heard from other parents afterwards that their kids slept for several hours after the party. Jack is the energizer bunny so he keeps going and going so no nap for us. I am looking forward to this Thursday because my little guy is going to be 5 yrs old!!!

Our Weekend

2008-02-18T12:15:00.000-08:00

Our weekend was filled with bad weather!!! We had a massive amount of freezing rain, so the roads were a nightmare. Jeorge got pulled over in the alley of the bakery where we buy our bread because the officer thought he was drunk. He told him that he was slipping on all the sheets of ice and was trying to regain control of his driving!!! It finally warmed up and melted most of the ice but it refroze at night, so we had another day of dangerous roads!!

Jeorge had a blood sugar episode which scared me to death. He has type 2 diabetes and his sugar is usually in check. However, on Sat morning at 8 30 I got a call from one of our employees telling me to come get jeorge. They said his sugar had shot to 300 and that he was barely awake and needed me to come get him right away. I was panicked so I called my mom immediately( she is a nurse) for advice. She told me to give him some water and to have him rest for an hr and retest. In that hour it lowered to 120 and I was relieved!!! I had my mom get me a book so I could read more about it and get us on the right track with our diets. I have a lot to learn about the disease and the foods that are safe ,and the ones that should be eliminated.

Our weekeend ended on a great note. My brother and sister in law had a belated bday party for my father in law. It is always great to see the family and catch up. I wish we had more time to see everyone, but we all have hectic schedules. Jack loved seeing his older cousins 18 and 21 respectively, and his aunts and uncles!! He said the dogs were creeping him out and kept trying to chase them around the house. My sister in law Tammy made an awesome lemon cake and I made her take a pic of it!! Lemon cake is my favorite!!! My father in law got a ton of great gifts. My favorite was 2 tickets to the Pistons game this week from my brother in law Jeff, he has season tickets!! Jack's main highlight was blowing out the candles on the cake with his Papa!!!

Recent pics of the baby

2008-02-10T16:03:00.001-08:00

James is growing up so fast!! He is going to be 6 months old on Febrauary 23rd. Here are some pics my friend Polly took!!! Also, Jack is going to be 5 yrs old on February 28th!!! We are having a party at this new place called Bounce U which is a giant warehouse with huge inflatable moonwalks. The kids get to bounce for 1.5 hrs and then we do cake and presents for 45 minutes. The best part is the people at bounce do everything for you. I can't wait!!!

Jewish News Article

2008-02-09T06:17:00.001-08:00

2/8/2008 11:20:00 AM
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The Maple Leaf Cafe297 E. Maple RoadBirmingham (248) 723-1222Hours:Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.Price Range:Breakfasts: $5.50-$13.95Lunch entrees: $9.50-$14.25Sandwiches, burgers and salads: $7.25-$9.25
PLATINUM: All's Fare- Daylight DelightBreakfast and lunchtime treats await hungry diners in Birmingham.BY JUDY GALENS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAANIt's an age-old lesson: Things are not always as they appear. Glance through the window at the Maple Leaf Cafe, and find a narrow restaurant with vinyl table coverings, vintage photos lining the walls and the grill right up front, reminiscent of any greasy-spoon diner. Once inside, however, you'll find this new restaurant is anything but ordinary. Using fresh, high-quality ingredients - with an emphasis on organic and all-natural foods - chef-owner Jeorge Swanson has created a menu bursting with inventive flavor combinations.Open since October, the Maple Leaf attracts a crowd on weekends and during the weekday lunch hour, and with just 10 or so tables and a handful of counter seats, it fills up quickly. You'll likely wait for a table, but use the time to ponder life's big questions: Breakfast or lunch? Sweet or salty? Burger or salad? At the Maple Leaf, there are no wrong answers.Breakfast offerings include a number of egg dishes, including a build-your-own omelet option and a host of tempting egg scrambles (all made with organic eggs, natch). Highlights include the Mediterranean scramble, which tosses together eggs, fresh spinach, feta and Greek olives, and the sweet-potato scramble, which combines sweet potatoes with mushrooms, scallions, bacon and havarti cheese. All are accompanied by toasted fresh breads and homemade jams.The Maple Leaf also presents several sinful pancake varieties - from bananas Foster to sweet potato to coffee-malt crunch, which folds almonds, oats and chocolate chunks into malted mocha batter. You'll have trouble resisting the Voodoo French toast, with hunks of challah dipped in a yogurt, honey, vanilla and egg batter and topped with toasted coconut. Feeling more virtuous? The breakfast banana split consists of fresh fruit, yogurt and house-made granola.The lunch menu includes traditional, hearty fare like secret-recipe meatloaf and ultra-rich macaroni and cheese as well as more innovative entrees like crab cakes drizzled with raspberry honey mustard and fritters made with butternut squash, cheese and arborio rice. The sandwich list includes vegan and vegetarian fare among standards like tuna, chicken salad and grilled cheese. But even here, the usuals are enlivened by details like feta cheese and lemon oregano aioli on the grilled cheese and a slice of pineapple atop the tuna melt. The Maple Leaf also ventures into burger territory, offering half-pound patties with a variety of toppings, accompanied by large, beautifully crispy french fries. While the kids menu is limited, the Maple Leaf Cafe is definitely family friendly, a detail that fits right in with Swanson's worldview. After working long hours and late nights as a chef at Lily's Seafood in Royal Oak and Sweet Lorraine's in Southfield, Swanson longed to be his own boss and create his own menu. He envisioned a restaurant offering only breakfast and lunch, in part, he says, because Birmingham needed a breakfast place. But more important, the daytime hours allows him to be home in the evenings with his young children. Running the Maple Leaf Cafe, says Swanson, gives him "the freedom to do what I want to do" - whether it's reading a bedtime story to his kids or having a menu that includes a version of eggs Benedict made with crab cakes. Fortunately for diners at the Maple Leaf, Swanson's freedom translates into wonderful food.

Brotherly Love

2008-02-04T20:26:00.000-08:00

It is so nice to see my boys interact. James is getting so big, he is 5.5 months old and weighs 19.2 lbs!!! I must have some gold in my breast milk, LOL!!! Jack's favorite thing to do when he first wakes up is to hold his baby brother. I am so happy he is not jealous and loves him very much!!!

Trader Joes

2008-02-04T20:18:00.000-08:00

Jeorge and Jack went shopping recently at Trader Joes. They were standing in line to check out when Jack spotted a vintage car that he liked behind the managers counter. He immediately ran over there and told the woman that he loved the car and asked if he could have it. She said I'm sorry little boy, but this car is up here for a display for the Dream Cruise. Jack replied " Nice lady I will work really hard for this car" and with that she gave it to him!! It made his week!!!

Candidate Matchmaker

2008-02-04T14:28:00.001-08:00

Eccentric Article

2008-02-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

Chefs add new spice to Restaurant WeekBy Jay M. Grossman STAFF WRITER
Jeorge Swanson and Andrew Craig are the new chefs on the block.
Swanson runs the Maple Leaf Cafe that opened its door in October. Craig is the chef partner of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, which opened in March.

They're participating in the third annual Restaurant Week, Feb. 4-8, in which customers can enjoy a three-course meal at some of Birmingham's finest restaurants at bargain prices - lunch for $15 and dinner for $25.
Both chefs are at the top of their game, but they play in vastly different arenas.
A candle-lit environment of mahogany and white linen greet customers at Fleming's, located on the first floor of the Burton-Katzman building at 325 N. Old Woodward. From the expansive wine collection to the signature dessert tray, every detail in the dining room is decidedly posh and swanky.
Craig, 29, spent his entire career with Fleming's, joining the franchise in 1997.
"I love this area," he said about Birmingham. "I come from Ann Arbor and the two areas are very similar ... it's that downtown feel where the residents support their community very well."
Blue jeans and organic food rule the day at the Maple Leaf, at 297 E. Maple Road. Historic photos grace the walls, while a customized countertop created by Swanson himself features old vinyl LPs from the Stones and Zeppelin, baseball cards, comic book covers, floating scrabble pieces and the Three Stooges.
The menu is just as eclectic, offering Voodoo French Toast and Five-Star Meatloaf. All the meals are prepared with organic or natural ingredients, a wholesome approach that Swanson said was inspired by his parents.
"My dad's a holistic medicine man and my mom's an astrologer," he said, smiling. "My parents are hippies."
He knows the area well. While growing up in Royal Oak, he held a part-time job at the old Harmony House store in downtown Birmingham. He even owned his own record shop at one time, in the Caribbean.
Behind the grill, he's a master. Before opening the Maple Leaf, Swanson, 42, held court at Sweet Lorraine's in Southfield, the Big Fish Seafood Bistro in Madison Heights and Lily's Seafood in Royal Oak.
"I feel comfortable in any restaurant situation," he said.
Visit http://www.enjoybirmingham.com/ for more information about Restaurant Week, including all the menus.

Zoom Photo Maple Leaf Cafe owner Jeorge Swanson shows off the Voodoo French Toast.

Sick

2008-02-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

YIKES!!!! Our whole house has been sick this week. Jack was the one who was hit the hardest. He started the week with an inner ear infection and pink eye and then he developed a horrible chest cold. We found out the hard way that he is allergic to amoxicillin because he broke out with the worst rash I have ever seen all over his body. We had to take him to the pediatric after hrs clinic because he was miserable. Luckily, his reaction did not impair his breathing. I am happy to report he is almost back to 100%. James had an inner ear infection with a fever, but he is well now. Jeorge has bronchitis but is on medicine and doing good. I am just tired from taking care of everyone all week. I am looking forward to watching the superbowl tomorrow. I haven't decided who I want to root for. Jeorge wants the Pats to win because he wants Brady to go down as best qb ever, because he was a Wolverine. That way, all the sports radios guys can't knock the Big 10 because we would have the greatest Qb of all time from our conference.

Veggie Update

2008-01-20T07:22:00.000-08:00

thank you all for your suggestions in the veggie department. I broke out my juicer the other day and decided to try carrot/apple/orange juice on Jack. I juiced the carrots before he came in the kitchen and as he walked in was putting the orange in the juicer. He immediately wanted to help so we juiced together. He was so excited that he drank his juice right up. Now, I need to get some good recipes for veg/fruit combos. Anyone have any suggestions to offer? I am still serving veggies on his plate every night. I will win this battle!!!!

The Latest

2008-01-19T19:12:00.000-08:00

We had a fun day today. I went to my parents because I had a gift card from Old navy that I wanted to use.Jack, my mom, and I went to get a few things. It was really hectic there because they are having a HUGE sale. It is so funny to see summer clothes when you are freezing your ass off in 12 degree weather. I also noticed the new trend with teens , not wearing any kind of winter gear at all! I at least wore a coat when I was in my teens! Jack started to fuss while we were in line so I told my mom to meet us at Petco. It happened to be adopt-a-pet day there so we were treated to an array of dogs and cats. I am always saddened when I see these animals without loving homes. We adopted our dog from the humane society and wish we could adopt more. We unfortunately cannot because we don't have the space or the time to devote towards new pets.

The restaurant has been doing very well since our great review from Sylvia rector!! We are going to send her a Thank you card this week! It is incredible how much business has increased since her column. I stopped by the other day to get a carry out at 2 pm and the whole restaurant was jam packed so I decided to go to my parents for a bite. I did not want to bother Jeorge while he was busy!! I saw some old friends from Seaholm( Matt Pollard and Brian Pistor) that I had not seen in yrs. It was great to catch up and hear the latest on some other people.

Bob's 60th

2008-01-08T15:22:00.001-08:00

Susie Weed ( my 2nd mom) asked if we would have Bob's 60th bday at our restaurant and we were delighted!! Jeorge brought his A game to the menu and everything was divine!! He made chicken skewers with a peanut sauce and crab stuffed shrimp with a thai chili glaze. We had amazing tomato gorgonzola soup and a beautiful green salad with an array of veggies and toasted candied pecans. The main course was Chicken Piccatta with fresh asparagus or Salmon Rockefeller ( spinach, bacon, breadcrumbs and crab baked on the fish) with fresh asparagus!! Everyone had a grand time!!!! Kelly's husband Erik took some beautiful photos that show the inside of our place!! I liked the one of our mixer so I added it on there too! I added it twice by mistake but too much of a pain to delete it!! Thank you Weeds, we love you!!!

On a side note.... I lost the superbowl in my fantasy football league:(

Free Press Article

2008-01-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

We are very excited because we got some more press!!!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Maple Leaf Café
***
out of four stars
297 E. Maple, Birmingham
248-723-1222
Fare: Creative, hearty, comfort-food breakfast and lunch dishes prepared from scratch with organic and natural ingredients. Good value. Vegan-vegetarian friendly.
Scene: Local flavor and retro touches create a friendly, off-beat atmosphere in a tiny place with an open kitchen just inside the door. Extremely casual.
Service: Friendly servers make you feel at home.
Price: Breakfast mostly $5.50-$8.95. Lunch $7.25-$9.95.
Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m-3p.m. Sat-Sun
»
Entertainment
»
Dining Out
Maple Leaf Café is all about creativity
Chef cooks from scratch at 40-seat Birmingham restaurant
January 3, 2008
BY SYLVIA RECTOR
FREE PRESS RESTAURANT CRITIC
You don't usually expect the chef to greet you when you walk in for breakfast.
But at Maple Leaf Café, Jeorge Swanson often does, saying hello from the tiny open kitchen just inside the front door.
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His new breakfast and lunch place on Maple Road in downtown Birmingham is quite simple and small -- just 40 seats -- with an attitude that's more cool than quaint.
The oilcloth on the tables is retro green. The white walls are hung with enlargements of old Birmingham streetscapes and high school teams. And the clear resin countertop, which Swanson made, enshrines an array of collectibles, from Three Stooges and baseball cards to political buttons and Scrabble pieces.
But what really sets the Maple Leaf apart from dozens of other small cafés and diners is its fresh, interesting, from-scratch menu, created with almost all organic or natural ingredients.
The meats and poultry are naturally grown without hormones, Swanson says, while the eggs, dairy products, multigrain bread and as much produce as possible are organic.
The sweeteners for coffee are natural, and the beans used to brew it are fair-trade organic from the Rainforest Alliance. The sodas are all-natural, too; you won't find any Coke or Pepsi products here.
You will, however, find a varied collection of appealing dishes, served in Midwest-sized portions and loaded with flavor. The menu may be socially conscious, but that doesn't mean it's boring, bland or skimpy.
The breakfast lineup features a dozen creative entrees.
Among the sweet choices, my favorite was the wonderfully light and fluffy sweet-potato pancakes ($6.25), topped with a scoop of pecan-laced honey butter and served with a side of real whipped cream -- a dreamy combination.
If eggs are more your style, order the Apachee ($8.95), a three-egg scramble with Southwestern spices, peppers and Jack cheese and an unusual but memorable side of spicy rice cakes -- moist and creamy inside with a crisp, crumb-coated exterior.
The delicious crab cakes topped with poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce with a side of excellent house potatoes is the most expensive breakfast dish at $13.95 but worth the price.
The fluffy three-egg omelets -- served with toast, homemade jam and those tasty spuds -- are a good value at $8.95 with your choice of three fillings from a list of 20.
Lunch offerings range from sandwiches on thick, fresh bread to juicy half-pound-plus burgers and four hot entrees.
The aptly named Five-Star Meatloaf ($9.95) is sliced, grilled and kicked up with a sweet, peppery barbecue sauce. Fresh broccoli and smashed redskins, deliciously laced with green onions and cheddar, come on the side. For meatloaf fans, it doesn't get any better than this.
The Gold Medal Grilled Cheese ($7.50) will appeal to grownup tastes with its combination of provolone, Gruyere and feta cheeses, baby spinach, red onion, toasted almonds and lemon-oregano aioli on thick slices of grilled challah bread. It's one of the restaurant's several hearty, well-conceived vegetarian options.
And the extra-large, juicy burgers made with Certified Angus Beef come with generous toppings and some serious fries ($8.25-$9.25).
The Maple Leaf is Swanson's first restaurant but clearly not his first kitchen. His resume includes top jobs at Sweet Lorraine's and Lily's Seafood.
This little place won't impress you with expensive décor, but if you appreciate good food, you'll like its style.
Contact SYLVIA RECTOR at 313-222-5026 or srector@freepress.com.

xmas 07

2007-12-26T14:20:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe Christmas has come and gone already. It always seems to creep up on us and then disappear in the blink of an eye! We had a superb Christmas this year. We spent Xmas Eve with my parents and Erich and Tonya. I am happy to report that we did not have a table catastrophe this time around. I was nervous taking a picture of the table before we ate because of what happened on Thanksgiving! If you have not read my blog before, refer to Thanksgiving massacre! We were spoiled by both of our meals on the eve and Xmas day. My mom made Halibut with a buerre blanc sauce, fresh steamed asparagus, and lemon rice. Jeorge decided to do Xmas dinner this year at our Restaurant and we had a FEAST!!My dad thought we hired servers because he saw my sister in law Tammy in her Xmas apron. I have included a pic of my sister in law's in their Xmas aprons. Jeorge mastered his craft as usual, and to our stomach's delight served us Crab stuffed shrimp, clam chowder, garlic mashed potatoes, cole slaw, salad, gourmet mac n cheese with cheddar, Gruyere, Swiss, and feta with baked breadcrumbs, and the main attraction standing Rib roast with Au jus and for extra love horseradish cream sauce! Thank you jeorge!!! After all of that food I was not able to fathom eating dessert but there was a spread waiting for us at my brother and sister in law's house. We had a gourmet chocolate cake, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, brownies, cookies and anything else you can think of. I was a good girl and only had a very small brownie:) We all had a blast opening presents! We all gathered in the living room and a person was assigned to pass out all the gifts, and then it was a free for all. All you could hear was the wrapping paper crackling, thank you and I love yous and laughter. It is always a fun time and the kids love all the excitement! Thank you for your hospitality Sammy and Jeff!!

On a side note, I am looking forward to this weekend! My team The Beer Goggles has made the Superbowl in Fantasy Football. I could make history in our league if I win. It will be the first time anyone has won twice! Please wish me luck! Have a wonderful New Year!!!

xmas tree fun

2007-12-20T18:14:00.000-08:00

We decorated our tree tonight and it was a lot of fun. Jack was very animated and kept saying "Our Christmas Tree is Beautiful"!! We were sad because our angel from last Christmas was lost. Jack told us that we could just reach up in the sky and grab a star. James was mesmerized by the tree and could not keep his eyes off of it! We decided to just put a wreath outside this year to conserve energy. Jeorge is cooking Xmas dinner at the restaurant for our family and it should be delish!!!

Random

2007-12-19T14:41:00.000-08:00

Things are good at Chez Swanson. I was treated to a cut and color from my parents this week and decided for a new color. I have had the same color scheme practically my whole life and decided it was time for a change. I went for an auburn and have included a pic of james and I. In other news, the restaurant is doing well. The free press was there taking pictures for our review that comes out next week in the food section. Now for my geek side, I am very happy because my Fantasy Football Team snuck in the playoffs. GO BEER GOGGLES! We hope everyone has a great Holiday season.

Jack's new pajamas

2007-12-11T17:00:00.001-08:00

Jack was so excited tonight because his Grandma Cheryl and Papa Bobby got him new pajamas. He is in a phase where he loves super heroes so he wanted to put them on right away. I took a few pics.

Help

2007-12-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

I am in a constant battle with jack to eat his veggies. He ate a good amount of veggies when he was younger, and one day decided that he hated them. The only thing I can get him to eat is romaine lettuce ( plain) and that is a chore. We have veggies on his dinner plate every night and he never touches them. We followed the 10 times rule and got no results. I even tried trying the Deceptively Delicious way of putting purees of veggies into foods he likes but he busted me while eating his homemade chicken nuggets.It must have been the panko crust that gave it away! If you read this can you please leave me some advice?

Saturday

2007-12-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

Jack had a wonderful day today! He was invited to his friend William's house and they played for an hour. I was happy because my mom came over to watch james and I was able to get things done around the house and able to clean our gutters before the big storm hit us! A few hours later jack was picked up and went to the Holiday extravaganza in Berkley. He enjoyed the petting farm and was really excited when Santa came in on his Sleigh. My mother in law told me that he said "Santa its me Jack, I would like Geotrax for Xmas!" Afterwards, they went to Sweet Lorraine's for dinner and Jack ordered his favorite kid cappuccino. It is just frothed milk and he puts raw sugar on top. I was a little disappointed today because the guy we hired to do our leaves did not show. He was supposed to come yesterday and did not bother to call and told jeorge that he would be by today and again no show. I don't have energy to do them this year, so I hope he will call later on this week. I have included a pic of our yard to show why it is hard to get done with little time. Our restaurant has shown an increase in business the last 2 days since our free press article. We are excited because we are getting reviews in the Jewish News and Eccentric.

Free Press Word of Mouth

2007-11-29T05:47:00.000-08:00

SYLVIA RECTOR WORD OF MOUTH
Birmingham's Maple Leaf Cafe keeps it natural
November 29, 2007
BY SYLVIA RECTOR
FREE PRESS RESTAURANT REPORTER
The first reason you'll want to try chef Jeorge Swanson's itty-bitty new Maple Leaf Café in downtown Birmingham is that the food is creative, fresh and hearty.
The second is that he's cooking only with organic and natural ingredients and keeping prices competitive.
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Maple Leaf also is vegan- and vegetarian-friendly, but don't let that scare you off if you love a great burger or two-fisted sandwich.
Swanson, whose resume includes Lily's Seafood in Royal Oak and Sweet Lorraine's, opened in early October in the former location of a Thai restaurant at 297 E. Maple between Woodward and Old Woodward.
He seats just 40, so you may have to wait. But based on my first-taste visit, I think you'll want to stick around.
Breakfast includes items such as sweet potato pancakes with toasted pecan honey butter, Mediterranean scramble and crab cakes-and-eggs.
Lunch ranges from Five-Star Meatloaf and roasted butternut squash fritters to salads, overstuffed sandwiches and half-pound Certified Angus Beef burgers.
Swanson says about 80% of his food is organic, and the rest is naturally produced.
"I have kids, and I would not want to see them eat genetically modified products or things with growth hormones in them," he says. "I'm trying to feed the people the same kind of food I feed my family."
He's open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

Thanksgiving Pics

2007-11-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics from Turkey Day. I would have had some of james but he slept the whole time. Jeorge is missing because he was at the Lion's game.

Thanksgiving Massacre

2007-11-22T17:21:00.000-08:00

Jeorge scored tickets for the Lions game today from my bro as a late bday present. The Lions were torched again by the one and only Favre. It was painful to watch and to top it off Sports Radio was filled with all the peeps who got off the bandwagon. I don't know they must have been fooled by the cornbread. The lions were the least of our worries this Thanksgiving. Later, while we were enjoying our wonderful meal the table collapsed. Everything was spilling, breaking, and flying everywhere. My brother and Jeorge got drenched by water and red wine while trying to hold the table up to prevent everything from just falling all over my mom's rug. I included a pic of how the table looked before we dined and the aftermath of the table catastrophe. We were left without the scrumptious apple pie my mom had baked because my dad kicked us out. We settled for coffee and a cookie from Dunkin Donuts. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Friday

2007-11-16T19:29:00.001-08:00

My day started off bright and early today at 3am. James is battling a chest cold and was awoken by his cough. It officially ended our two week streak of him sleeping from 11-8am. I had forgotten how spoiled I had become until I heard his cries from the monitor at 3. While I was feeding him I got hooked on an informercial for a steam mop. It was so convincing that I actually programmed the number to order the product into my cell phone. I have actually ordered one other product from an informercial, The Chop Wizard, and it was a gem. I am still on the fence about this steam mop. Do other people get sucked into these? In other news, Jeorge had a great day at the restaurant. It was his first weekday that he hit over a 1000 in sales and he was thrilled. The weekends are another story, Sundays have become so popular that there is a wait for most of the day. We have an ad coming out in the metro times and the eccentric is planning a write up, so we are moving right along. Jeorge also took time to go to Jack's preschool to do snack time with the kids. He did breakfast banana splits with them, and set up a little bar so the kids could be involved in their snack for the day. Jack was really excited to say the least. Jeorge was laughing because jack's friend joseph turned to him and said "This better be good" and Jack's reply was "oh it will be".

Computer Trouble

2007-11-15T08:47:00.000-08:00

Jack was online today and must of had some sort of issue because he was talking to himself. I got my cell phone out because I knew he would come to the family room to tell me about it.

Halloween part 2

2007-11-09T12:49:00.001-08:00

Here are pics of Jack's other Halloween costume. He was a tranformer by day and Thomas the Train at night.

Jack's new hobbies

2007-11-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

Jack has recently developed interests in photography and the internet. I showed him how to use our digital camera the other day and now he is hooked. The other night before we went to bed he asked to take a few pictures. I have added them to this blog ,as well as a few pics Jeorge took of the 3 of us. Also, Jack learned how to access the internet by himself and go to his favorite website to play memory and the various puzzles it has on it. Things are good with me. I feel like my anxiety is getting less intense and I am doing more things everyday. It has helped that the weather has been so nice because i can get out and go for a walk.

Halloween

2007-11-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

Jack had a great Halloween this year. He went trick or treating with his friend William who lives down the road from us. Jeorge and our friend Polly ( william's mom) took the boys and they were running from house to house. They only did our street and then went back to William's to play with trains. I stayed home with the baby and set up a candy station outside. I did not want anyone to wake the baby so I posted a Halloween sign outside with a note stating we had a new baby in the house. Jack was exhausted and slept very well that night. Here are is a pic of his 1st costume, I will send pics of his 2nd one later.

2007-10-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog and I am excited about it! We welcomed the newest member to our family James Patrick on Aug 23rd. He weighed in at 10 lbs and was 21 inches long. Since then he has grown to an impressive 15.5 lbs and 23 inches at 10 weeks!! I am finally recovered from my seperated pubic bone and happily sleeping on my stomach again!! I have been dealing with a bout of anxiety because of things that happened after his birth, but would take forever to write about. A friend of ours who is an MD suggested that I try protein enzymes after each meal. He said that curbed his anxiety and helped him avoid the traditional meds. I shall give it a try and see. In other news, we recently opened a new restaurant in Downtown bham. I will have pics on here soon. Our place is called the Mapleleaf Cafe and it is mainly an all natural/organic restaurant. Jeorge( my hubby) does not carry splenda,equal, sweet and low because it is poison to him. He does have in place of it agave syrup, sugar in the raw and honey. We are starting to catch on in town and people are responding very well to the food and the place. We are happy and hope to have a lot more business around the holidays. I will write again soon.