New In Town

Ginger Yang recently opened LotusVoice Integrative Therapies in East Lansing, which is dedicated to holistic healing. Yang, a certified music therapist and massage therapist, worked with patients and their families as a music therapist at McLaren Hospice since March 2010. She said she established LotusVoice to offer complementary and integrative therapeutic treatments to encourage and support physical and mental health wellbeing for Lansing area people dealing with a wide range of difficulties. “I want to assist people in listening to their own bodies and minds,” Yang said. “We teach people how to create their own wellness.” LotusVoice features music therapy, massage therapy and sound healing. It also has classes and clubs for tai chi, yoga, Pilates and meditation. Yang said the common element is “bridging differences, finding balance and teaching people how to come to peace with themselves.” From 11 a.m. to 4 pm. Sunday, Jan. 19, there will be a free grand opening/open house featuring discussions and demonstrations. Topics include aromatherapy, bolstering your immune system (quite the relevant subject lately) and “alternative human energy field modalities.” Sounds uplifting. The sandwich district If you’re looking to grab a sandwich, Washington Square in downtown Lansing has no shortage of choices — Downtown Subs and Salads, Mediteran Deli and Backyard BBQ, to name a few — and this week, it got two more: Tom Chee and Firehouse Subs. Both held grand openings, including a donut-eating contest at Tom Chee. Screw New Year’s resolutions; it’s carb-loading season. Tom Chee is a Cincinnati-based chain that features a menu of creative takes on grilled cheese sandwiches and soups, including grilled cheese’s wingman, tomato soup. The Lansing location marks the first Tom Chee in Michigan, and the franchise’s eighth restaurant overall. The soup-and-sandwich shop gained national attention last year when the idea was pitched on the reality TV show, “Shark Tank,” with its twist on comfort food. Extending that media coverage, its signature dessert, the Grilled Cheese Donut, has been featured on ABC´s “The Chew” and Travel Channel´s “Man v. Food Nation.” The restaurant offers many variations of the classic sandwich in addition to the Grilled Cheese Donut, including the Hippy Chee, which comes with hummus and vegetables, and the Flying Pig, which includes turkey, bacon and pickles. In addition to the wide variety of sandwiches, the restaurant also boasts made-from-scratch soups and salads. All of the meats are roasted in-house and all dressings, sauces and spreads are made from scratch. The restaurant also serves gluten-free bread, vegan cheese and vegetarian and vegan soups. Firehouse Subs, a Florida-based chain, features steamed deli meat, which removes much of the salt. Owner/operator Sam Shango said the franchise awards money to a firehouse near each of its locations nationally; if the Lansing location wins, the Lansing Fire Department could get $20,000 for equipment. LotusVoice Integrative Therapies 4994 Park Lake Road, East Lansing Hours by appointment/class schedule only (517) 897-0714, lotusvoice48823.com Tom Chee 123 S. Washington Square, Lansing 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sunday%u2028facebook.com/tomandcheelansing Firehouse Subs 200 S. Washington Square, Lansing 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily (517) 316-0483, firehousesubs.com