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ANN ARBOR: Food, Flora and Farmland

We found ourselves in Dexter on an errand; having gotten off to a late start, it was already time for lunch when we finished. With so many offerings available in nearby Ann Arbor, we took advantage of our location and followed scenic Huron River Drive into the city. Where does one begin in a city bursting with great restaurants? Well, for one thing it is a Saturday, which means the city is packed with visitors, in that case our mind wanders more to, “where can we find parking?”. We were looking for something quick and tasty so we headed over to Ray’s Red Hots on E. University; to our delight we found easy parking on the street and no line at the counter. The menu seems endless (especially when you are super hungry), a Chicago Dog is a must, they do it right, all the way to the celery salt and poppy-seed bun. The Slaw Dog was a less obvious choice, but the guy behind the counter highly recommended it; a redhot dog, melted Swiss, BBQ sauce, raw onions and homemade coleslaw, I have to admit it was really good! The Diablo Dog was our final pick, a grilled all beef dog stuffed with jalapeno peppers and cheddar cheese, also served on a poppy-seed bun; we both liked it, the flavor of the dog highlighted by the grilling process, yum. Hot dogs are served in plastic baskets with tissue liners, be sure to grab lots of napkins. The place does a brisk business, as we sat at our high-top table the line continued to grow; patrons ranged in age from the very young to the very old, everybody loves a good hot dog!

The sun shone brightly in the blue Autumn sky, we thought we’d head over to the east side of town and do a couple of activities. Matthaei Botanical Gardens on Dixboro Rd is always a wonderful place to visit. Find a parking space that suits you, remember your number, walk to the pay station near the building entrance and deposit your quarters, that’s it, there’s no additional admission fee. The complex of buildings was designed by Midland’s own Alden B Dow; the conservatory and auditorium were completed in 1965, the look is definitely mid-century. In the lobby people are milling about, the garden store shares the space and invites you to browse.

We enter the conservatory and notice the change in temperature and humidity, this is the Tropical House, leafy green plants dominate the large room. A raised pool is the first thing to greet you; fish swim about, Lilly pads grow on the surface, water gently trickles over the sides. With the exception of the Orchids, few plants on the main floor are currently in bloom, when you see a splash of red, purple or hot pink it really catches your eye. Stairways line both sides of the original building, be sure and go up one side and down the other. From this height I get a panoramic view, walking further on we find ourselves in the Desert House. I remember watching re-runs of Lost In Space as a child, this could be the set for one of the episodes. The room is all glass from wall to ceiling; giant plants rise from the ground, one in particular is variegated green and yellow, the edges of the leaves look as though they could cut you. More than that, it looks like the lengthy leaves could turn into arms and grab you and pull you within, ok, maybe I watched too much Lost in Space……Cactus come in every shape and size, they look right at home on this sunny day basking in the light. We cross over, taking the other side back, passing a seating area that reminds me of summer; a patio table and chairs offers visitors a little respite. On the other side a waterfall pours over an orange brick wall into a shallow pool, the sound soft and relaxing. We see splotches of color in Flamingo Lily, bromeliads and Scented Geraniums. The outdoor gardens were closed off by orange fencing for the time being, giving us something new to see the next time we come.

Our last stop for the day was Domino’s Petting Farm. We have been coming here for many years, all the way back to the days when Mr Monahan owned Domino’s and he had an incredible museum filled with vintage cars, bicycles, Detroit Tigers memorabilia, and an area dedicated to Frank Lloyd Wright. The petting farm opened in 1984 and was originally a traditional working farm owned by the Zeeb family. The barn itself was built in 1925 and now houses pigs, sheep,bunnies, goats, donkeys and ponies. From time to time the farm rescues animals and later finds them new homes.

After I petted all the animals I could, we walked out the back to the rest of the farm; a birthday party was taking place and guests were loading into a hay filled wagon pulled by a tractor for a ride. We walked out past the pond to where the cattle were grazing; I have never seen so many different colored cows in one place, black, brown and white, they were speckled, spotted and striped. Highland cows look badly in need of a haircut; how do they see through all that hair? As we approached the llamas they hurried over to the fence, as curious about us as we were about them. Each animal sports its own unique haircut, they are friendly and act as if they are posing for the camera. I come across more goats, their fur a colorful pattern that resembles a sweater; some enjoy being scratched, others are just looking to see what kind of food you brought them! After we had made the rounds we got back in the Jeep and drove over to the section where the Watusi live, have you ever seen a Watusi in person? They are beautiful animals and those horns, wow! We just sat and watched them for a little bit, not wanting to disturb them; they looked content standing in the lush green grass.

Tags: Ann Arbor, Detroit Blog, Domino's Petting Farm, Flickr, Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ray's Red Hots, University of Michigan

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Categories Visit

DETROIT: Dlectricity

31 Oct

The buzz had begun months earlier; articles in local publications, postcards on counters, something new was coming to Detroit. We were about to find out what happens when you combine 35 local, national and international artists with the historic architecture of Midtown Detroit; throw in a few projectors, lots of extension cords, and there you have it: Dlectricity! Billed as Detroit’s nighttime exhibition of Art and Light we couldn’t wait to see what it was all about.

As soon as we approached Midtown we could feel the excitement; none of our usual parking spaces were available, the sidewalks were packed with people all headed towards Woodward; word had gotten out. Finally parked, we joined the crowds walking towards the light; it was everywhere! Coming up Hancock we encountered our first group of displays; Frontier Town created a camp of illuminated tents, children flocked inside playing with the effects of light, a little further up a small park of glowing amber light flowers sprouted from the ground. We were drawn closer to Woodward by the maze of thin light sticks that resembled glowing blue cattails. We paused on the sidewalk for a moment to decide what direction to walk; I was astounded by the number of human beings walking around the streets of Detroit on a crisp fall evening, and in the dark no less… I have to say I was totally impressed by the attendance at this inaugural exhibition. Further North on Woodward we stopped to check out a cool installation; a string structure located inside Wayne States Welcome Center reacts to motions made by passers-by through interactive light projection, just around the corner in a series of windows, screens displaying classic films are the backdrop to live performances. Something big was going on at the Detroit Public Library, we were about to see for ourselves.

As we walked along the lively avenue we could hear music in the distance, bunches of people were gathered in front of the Detroit Public Library watching what appeared to be a movie projected onto the facade. In a technique known as Projection-Mapped 3D Animation, the artists are able to create a film that actually ‘fits’ an individual building, it’s incredible! “Knowledge Is Power” tells the human story of knowledge from cave painting to the invention of books, the age of electricity all the way to the rise of the internet. We stood at the library gates as images of fire crept up the building, suddenly it was a sea and a boat sailed by, the building was transformed into an ancient greek structure, then a library stacked with huge volumes of books, all the while music played creating the mood, it was fantastic. The DIA was simply lit and elegant as pedestrians flocked to her steps and stood on the porch. In front of the Rackham Building on Farnsworth a series of lit up bicycles tell the story of a bike ride gone terribly wrong, the Michigan Science Center was turned into a canvas for a video projection called Whale; taking up three panels on the exterior you feel as if you are underwater viewing an enormous whale.

Turning south on Woodward there was much more to see. The top three floors of the Garfield building were illuminated with random images and multi-color designs while word messages travel across the top edge. Earlier in the evening a Light Bike Workshop was held, followed by a bike parade, many of the participants could be spotted riding around Midtown. The former Agave restaurant, vacant for years, was brought to life with images of people going about their business projected onto the windows. Everywhere you looked there was light, movement and activity. An astronaut wearing a Red Wings jersey floated up high on a structure, the entire side of a steam plant was aglow in text messages generated by attendees. Orchestra Hall and the Max Fisher Music Center building was glowing in red, pink, blue and yellow; architectural details that may be overlooked were now distinctly apparent. One of the coolest exhibits took place on the side of Orchestra Hall; in what was called “Max Cast” the south wall of the building was turned into a giant screen streaming the live performance going on inside, a show titled “Cirque de la Symphonie”. There we were, sitting on a curb in Detroit,watching and listening as the DSO played enchanting tunes and world-famous cirque acrobats bend and twist into seemingly impossible poses, those assembled around us gasped and applauded in unison. The night was a magical one, made up of sights straight out of artist’s imaginations and shared by thousands of folks eager to take part in what Detroit has to offer; I can hardly wait for the next Dlectricity…..

It was late and we had yet to have our dinner, we had been meaning to get back to Small Plates since the ownership change and interior make-over, so that was the plan. We were lucky enough to score a table near the expansive front windows; greeted immediately by our waitress, we quickly scanned the menu. The premise of the restaurant is to promote communal dining by offering a wide selection of small sharable dishes or “plates”. After we placed our order we had a chance to look around; the walls are painted black, several graffiti pieces by Shades decorate the walls along with work by other local artists. The bar extends further now and was busy with patrons both eating and drinking, the place has a great vibe. Our small plates began arriving, first to hit the table was the hand-cut fries, served with sides of malt vinegar and a spicy aioli, they were really good. Thankfully the Pretzel Sliders and Hudson’s Maurice salad followed quickly along with the skillet cornbread. The sliders were wonderful, I especially like the pretzel buns. The salad was unique in that the greens were dressed and the other items were cut in chunks and lined the side of the good-sized bowl. The cornbread had just the right amount of crunch on the outside and was still moist inside, served with a side of black beans it made for a tasty combination. We ate and we drank, our waitress was a delightful mix of friendliness and great service. I couldn’t help but inquire about dessert; while I was longing for the Key Lime pie, I just couldn’t do it. We’ll have to come back soon and give the desserts a try!

Tags: Art In Detroit, Detroit Blog, Dlectricity, Midtown, Small Plates, visit detroit, Woodward Ave

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Categories Happenings

DETROIT: Palmer Park

25 Oct

I can’t even begin to tally up the number of times we have driven down Woodward past Palmer Park, we’ve attended countless home tours in Palmer Woods and the University District, and yet we’ve never been to the park itself. That was about to change; The People for Palmer Park were hosting an Architecture Tour of Palmer Park and the Historic Apartment District and we were going. A little history on the park: Designed by Frederick Law Olmstead (Central Park NY & Belle Isle Park) and Charles Eliot in the late 1800’s, it was donated to the city of Detroit by Thomas W Palmer in 1897 “for the good of everyone.” The parkland is 296 acres of lawns, woodlands, tennis courts, playgrounds, a public golf course, outdoor pool, hiking and biking trails. There’s Lake Frances, a historic log cabin and the Detroit mounted police horse barn. Palmer himself kept Percheron horses and Jersey cows in addition to orchards on the land. As recently as three years ago the city threatened to close the park; local residents stepped in and the park and surrounding apartment district are undergoing an amazing renaissance.

We arrived right on time for our tour; people were everywhere. Thankfully the rain had stopped and the sun was coming out; October 6th and we Michiganders were already wearing gloves. With tour books in hand our group walked from Unity Temple Church to Palmer Park stopping in front of the Merrill Palmer Fountain; built at a cost of 1 million dollars it was moved to this location in 1926. When I first see the fountain I am distracted by the weeds growing in the open spaces in the large circular pool at ground level, my eyes travel up one level to the smaller clover shaped pool, then up again to the centerpiece of the fountain; a large arch decorated with delicate carvings of cat tails and water lilies. The interior of the arch is inset, reminding me of a seashell; a large marble turtle is flanked by stylized fish, in my mind I can picture water flowing from the mouth of the turtle into the urn-like pool below. No longer bright white, time has not been kind to this incredible marble sculpture, yet it is still beautiful. It is easy to imagine the pools filled with water, the sound of water splashing on a hot summer day, how wonderful that would be!

We follow the wide sidewalk around the outer edge of Lake Frances, the cool nights have started to turn Maple trees red and orange, Weeping willows stand gracefully near the lake. Ahead is the log cabin, built in 1885 the Palmers used it as a summer home, the word “cabin” hardly does it justice, think more like “lodge”. Today the large wooden structure is secured with boards over windows, plastic drapes the chimney. We are told the interior is in good condition, it was open to the public back in June for tours. Walking around the cabin I notice the spectacular view of the lake, a miniature lighthouse is over to the left. We follow the group further on pausing at the Spanish Bell, in a fenced in area the horses are out enjoying breakfast and a bit of sunshine.

The Palmer Park apartment district has to be seen to be truly appreciated. We have gone past these buildings for years always wondering what they looked like inside, today we get our chance. The architecture runs the gamut from Spanish and Venetian to Moorish and Art Moderne, with a little bit of Egyptian thrown in here and there. We walk the neighborhood streets, buildings all bear names: The Florentine, The Luxor, The Cumberland Manor and Madrid Court etc. We arrive at The Walbri Court; built in 1925 at the request of Walter Briggs, Albert Kahn (who else?) designed the Georgian Style apartments for families with children. The apartments are now condos, one owner was kind enough to open his home for the tour. Each unit is 2,600 square feet, no, that is not a typo, and is located in its own wing, making them very quiet. This condo was stunning; the owner did a fantastic job of incorporating the old with the new.

The Spanish/Moorish style apartments are fantastic; usually asymmetrical the entrances are always in the center. Built by the fine craftsmen of the day, details are everywhere; carved stone, colorful tiles, wrought iron light fixtures, and that’s just on the outside! The Trucadero sports barrel tile roofs, the Luxor with its gold-colored brick is rich in decoration; a Moorish arch surrounds the front door, above it tile from the Flint Faience Co. shimmers in gold, the vestibule a testament to the beauty of the tile company’s work. The lobby is an unexpected surprise; moorish arches lead to hallways on either side, the ceiling is painted and stenciled, wooden beams are stenciled to match, get this: they are original to the building. Both of these buildings were built in 1928 and reflect the popularity of the style at the time.

On Whitmore we travel forward in time; 999 Whitmore built in 1937 is early Art Deco. Constructed of cast concrete, each townhouse is two stories. Our guide told us the building originally had a roof garden with a fountain, very cool. Proceeding on Whitmore we continue to move forward in time; 900 Whitmore built in 1944 is done in late Art Deco style, buff colored brick, casement windows and an oval courtyard in front make this building very appealing. Next door at 950 picture windows replace casements, it has a little more Moderne feel to it, 850 was built in 1952 and has much cleaner lines and surfaces.

As we walk through the neighborhood we are in awe of the contrast of buildings; fully occupied structures share the same block with nearly empty shells. Some apartments have been completely restored and others have always been lived in. The styles are vastly different too, making it a welcome departure from the type of building that goes on today. Near the end of the district we come across the Whitmore Plaza, built in a time when anything Egyptian was popular it snuck into every design style; here it is combined with the Moorish design and it works perfectly. Our last stop was one of the best on the tour; recently renovated and now accepting renters, La Vogue on Merton is the epitome of eclectic Art Deco. Burnt orange bricks are laid in fanciful patterns, green Spanish tiles accent porches, multi-colored tiles are scattered throughout the facade, a medallion of a sailing ship is located near the front door, the original address marker still hangs on the wall. The lobby is a marvel of Art Deco shapes and designs; painted in yellow and green it’s a knock-out. Apartments were open to tour; the floors are still the original, the units are updated with today’s modern conveniences. The owner of La Vogue owns seven other buildings in the district, all are to be renovated.

Time to eat! You may have noticed a whimsically painted house resting on the corner of Woodward and Golden Gate; this is the Innate Chiropractic Center and Golden Gate Cafe. Not sure if they were serving lunch on Saturday we parked in the lot in front of the house and investigated further. There’s a lot going on outside; sculptures, a pond with a water feature, landscaped gardens and cafe tables. We followed the walk to the front door; it was quiet inside, we were facing a counter and behind it shelves filled with dried herbs and other natural supplements. We heard voices to the right and followed them into the cafe. The informal cafe occupies a tiny space with just enough room for 1 large table and seating at the L-shaped counter. Chalk boards let us know the soups of the day and daily specials. A young man steps out from the kitchen and greets us; we decide on a bowl of black bean soup and the tempeh burger. Sitting at our table we conversed with a couple of nice ladies sitting at the counter who were raving about the soup. Our meal arrived; a giant bowl of soup garnished with house-made pita chips, very tasty! The burger was topped with sautéed onions. mushrooms, lettuce and tomato, delicious! A quirky, cool place to lunch, I’m glad we stopped in.

Tags: Detroit Architecture, Lizzie Merrill Palmer, Log Cabin Palmer Park, Palmer Park, Palmer Park Historic Apartment District, People For Palmer Park, Thomas W Palmer, visit detroit

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Categories Visit

BIKING DETROIT: Riverwalk & Dequindre Cut

19 Oct

If you’ve never seen Detroit on two wheels, you don’t know what you’re missing! Kris and I each have vintage bicycles from the late 60’s, early 70’s; banana seats, high-rise handle bars, and shifters, his even has a tall sissy bar. One of our favorite things to do is hop on the old bikes and take a ride through the city, today we were joined by a friend. The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy is responsible for this wonderful thing we call Riverwalk; with a vision of providing riverfront access from the Belle Isle Bridge to the Ambassador, it has become one of the city’s greatest assets. I like to start things at the beginning, in this case that would be Mt Elliot Park; the forecast promised sunshine and mild temperatures, for a change it was right on. The Riverwalk itself is constructed of a series of concrete slabs and multi-color brick pavers, decorative railings furnish a place to lean against while looking out across the river to Canada or a place to rest your fishing pole. We pedaled along, cruising past the UAW GM complex, Roberts Hotel with its outdoor patio, and the old Park Davis building; sparkling blue water on one side and beautiful historic buildings on the other. We make the jog to Atwater then hop into Milliken State Park and Harbor with its 52 slip marina and 63 foot replica light tower; it is completely unexpected and wonderful to find a state park inside a big city. A surprising number of boats are still in the water, large Weeping Willows sway in today’s gentle breeze, fishermen sit patiently soaking up the sun, waiting for the big catch of the day. We head back to Atwater St then to the Dequindre Cut, an urban greenway that links the riverfront to Eastern Market.

The Dequindre Cut was formerly a Grand Trunk railroad line; the 20 ft wide path is below street level, allowing you to get from one part of the city to the other without the hassle of crossing busy streets. Popular with both pedestrians and bicycle riders each are given separate lanes. Tall light poles display banners inviting us to “Play at Dequindre Cut”, many embrace the invitation. Today there are lots of people enjoying the path; joggers, casual walkers, serious bikers and photographers. Graffiti covers the concrete walls; once paint starts to fade and peel, it is scraped off and becomes the blank canvas for a new artist, the current array of murals is fantastic! We ride to the end, asking much of our thighs to push us up the ramp at Gratiot. We cross Gratiot and enter the hustle and bustle world that is Eastern Market on a Saturday afternoon.

All three of us were thirsty, luckily Germack Coffee Shop serves up some of the best coffee around. The boys stayed outside with the bikes while I went in to get our beverages; as usual the shop was busy, but the line moved quickly. I returned with two iced coffees sweetened with Germack’s own homemade vanilla syrup and an iced Chili Mexican for me. Armed with a little caffeine and a little sugar we were off again. We rode north on Russell and took a left on Mack Ave to Woodward. We turned at Willis making our way to Avalon to get some lunch. Along with amazing breads and pastries Avalon International Breads also makes a variety of sandwiches and salads ready-to-go from a refrigerated case. We were starving! All that fresh air and exercise built up an appetite. Kris stayed outside, saving us a table while Ben and I went indoors for food; we grabbed a variety of sandwiches and a salad and headed back outside for our meal. The sandwiches were interesting combinations of flavors served on a variety of their best organic breads, the salad was excellent; the dressing a homemade puree of strawberries and who knows what else, that was just delicious! We sat and rested in the late afternoon sun as we talked of our adventures in the city so far.

Riding at a gentle pace, we went north on Second over to Wayne State University; the campus is actually quite scenic and makes for a nice ride. Then it was south on Woodward, pedaling onward we took in the sights and sounds of the city; the detail of buildings much more apparent from this level and at this speed, two different wedding parties posed for photos in front of the fabulous Fox Theatre, at Hart Plaza we stopped and took photos of the bicycles. The vintage bikes are a natural conversation starter, folks come right up to us and share their stories of their own childhood bikes, all told with a smile on their face and a twinkle in their eye; I get a kick out of the ones who call out the bikes by name. Back on the riverwalk we ride over to the west end near Joe Louis Arena, taking time to pause at Cobo Arena and check out the renovations, can’t wait to see it when it’s done. Turning around at the end of the walkway it was back east for us. We stopped in front of Ren Cen and watched the kids run in and out of the fountain, the sight is always accompanied by the sound of joyful screams and laughter at a pitch that can only come from a child.

The view is spectacular; it’s hard to look away and concentrate on where I am going, the water looks as though thousands of diamonds have been sprinkled atop, the clouds in the sky have taken on interesting formations. Further down, the lure of the patio at Roberts Riverwalk Hotel proved too much to resist. We parked the bikes and grabbed a table with a picture perfect view of Windsor; Kris went inside to the bar and grabbed cocktails. The patio was full of wedding guests mingling before dinner was served, what a gorgeous venue for a reception. Evening was approaching quickly; time to get back on those banana seats.

Tags: Dequindre Cut, Detroit Blog, Detroit River, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Flickr, Germack Coffee Shop, Milliken State Park & Harbor, visit detroit

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Categories Visit

DETROIT: Design Festival

14 Oct

Detroit is no stranger to design, consider this; some of the 20th century’s most notable architects, sculptors and designers called Detroit home:Louis Kamper, Wirt Rowland, Albert Kahn, Eliel and Eero Saarinen, Minoru Yamasaki, Marshall Fredericks, Julius Melchers, Carl Milles, Corrado Parducci and Isamu Noguchi, now that’s impressive. The architecture in Detroit is recognized as being among the finest in the country. The city was home to men of wealth and power; Ford, Dodge, Hecker, Fisher, Hudson, Kresge, Scripps, Whitney and Lindbergh to name a few. There was money, lots of money; when things were built they were made of the finest materials, the rich hired the men that created the face of the city. The Detroit Institute of Arts, to this day, remains one of the top art museums in the US and CCS one of the best design schools. This city has always embraced art and design, over the last few years we have experienced a new momentum and Detroit has become known as an epicenter of the art scene.

The 2012 Detroit Design Festival took place September 19-23, we couldn’t wait to get downtown and check out all it had to offer. The list of activities was enormous, impossible to see in one visit, but one was all we had, we crammed as much as we could into one night. We began with the Grand River Creative Corridor, which of course, took place on Grand River, between Rosa Parks Blvd and Warren Ave. Earlier in the year Derek Weaver, managing director of 4731 Gallery, hired local graffiti muralist Sintex to do three pieces on his building; why stop there? What kind of impact would it have on the area if you kept going down the street? They decided to find out; enlisting help from other Detroit based artists the project grew to 50 murals on 15 buildings, Wow! As we drove down Grand River we were awestruck, one scene after another, eventually we came to the last one and parked. You can’t fully absorb and appreciate the works unless you get out on foot to take it all in. The images are bold and colorful, the detail precise; some are amusing, others dark and a bit scary. A huge cartoon bolt greets passing traffic and lets them know this building is home to a nut and bolt manufacturer. Murals feature imaginary characters from alley cats to sinister beings, settings range from eerie cityscapes to bright splashes of color; the graffiti has become a welcome tourist attraction. As we headed back to the car we noticed many camera toting tourists on the sidewalk, the plan seems to be working.

We arrived at Slow’s to Go on Cass with just enough time to grab a quick sandwich before our next activity. We placed our order and took a seat by a window; seating is limited as this is basically a take-out place. Before long our meal was ready, packed neatly in a brown paper bag we unloaded it immediately and went to work. You can’t go wrong with the Longhorn sandwich; tender beef brisket sliced and piled high on Texas toast topped with melted cheese, onion marmalade and spicy bbq sauce, love it! The house salad is quite good topped with the honey jalapeno vinaigrette and no visit to Slow’s would be complete without a side of mac and cheese. The food disappeared in record time and we were off again.

Next we were scheduled to take a tour of Minoru Yamasaki’s buildings on the campus of WSU; since September 11, 2001 Yamasaki is probably best known as the architect of the World Trade Center Towers. In the early days of his career he was hired by the prestigious Detroit firm of Smith, Hinchman and Grylls. He was a man of vision, in 1949 he started his own firm Yamasaki & Associates; he stayed here for the rest of his life. Our tour began at the McGregor Memorial Conference Center on Ferry Mall, we had never been inside so this would be a new experience. Before our guide arrived we had a chance to look around, completed in 1958 it has a definite mid-century feel to it. Two-stories tall, the front and back entrances are glass, the ceiling is a skylight made up of glass and a series of triangular designs. Just inside the entrance an overhead bridge connects the two sides of this symmetrical structure. The triangular theme continues throughout the open space. The floors and stairs are marble, railings are stainless steel polished to the highest shine. Our guide was a wealth of information, he was actually an associate of Yamasaki’s, he worked with him for many years. He provided us with great detail on the building’s construction, he was filled with stories of his days spent at the firm. Darkness had fallen while we were inside; once outdoors we looked at the building in a new perspective, all lit up more attention is drawn to the metal screens that lay over the entrance doors, the building sets on a marble platform, columns rise up from the ground ending in a triangular pattern at the top. The original reflecting pools and sunken gardens that wrap around two sides of the building are currently being restored, we will definitely be back to see them when they are finished.

Nearby is the Education building, completed in 1960 the exterior is classic Yamasaki; again we have columns and a repeated geometric pattern, this time a hexagon. Since the space was used for classrooms the interior lacks the finer detail found in his public buildings. We walked across campus to the DeRoy Auditorium; opened in 1964 it was built to serve the business school and is used as a lecture hall. This nearly square building is also surrounded by a reflecting pool, though currently empty. I have always admired the buildings facade; reaching up two stories it is windowless, cast concrete panels with raised ribs resemble Calla Lillies, at ground level the ribs project out about four inches, gradually increasing to almost two feet at the top, it is a striking effect. Inside is a small entrance lobby to the auditorium itself. Downstairs is a tunnel that connects the auditorium to Prentis Hall, also designed by Yamasaki. Located on Cass Ave across from the main branch of the Detroit Public Library the business school also opened in 1964. My favorite part is the wide walk-through that separates the north and south wings of the structure allowing us to look through to the mall and the auditorium. I highly recommend a walk through campus!

Time was ticking by, we jumped back in the car to check out Eastern Market After Dark. It was a Thursday night and people were everywhere; boutiques and galleries were open late, a fashion show was in full swing under shed number two. Over on Winder Street the Red Bull House of Art Detroit was a hub of activity. The building, originally the home of E & B Brewery has been turned into lofts on the upper levels and an amazing gallery on the first and lower level. For the next three years a new group of eight artists will take over the studio cubes every eight to ten weeks. Red Bull covers the cost of artists materials serving as an incubation project for up and coming artists. As awesome as the main floor is, the basement is way cool; the underground space was once a prohibition hide-a-way. As we head down the stairs it is dark, almost feeling our way through until we come to huge brick archways lit by LED lights casting a glow of red and blue. At the end of the hall we are immersed into a brightly lit room that serves as a second large gallery, what a unique place. After we got a good look at the artwork it was back outside; we followed the crowd around the corner to a couple of other open galleries, most places were filled with people shoulder to shoulder, curious and eager to see what the creative community is up to.

The Detroit Design Festival is a community curated and supported festival highlighting the talents of the local creative community. Put on by the Detroit Creative Corridor Center (DC3) they form a partnership between CCS and Michigan business leaders. DC3 believes Detroit has all the assets to be a global center of design and creative innovation; I couldn’t agree more.

Tags: 4731, DETROIT DESIGN FESTIVAL, Detroit Graffiti, DETROIT MURALS, GRAND RIVER CREATIVE CORRIDOR, MINORU YAMASAKI, RED BULL HOUSE OF ART, SINTEX

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Categories Happenings

FLINT: The Other Motor City

9 Oct

There were only a few days left to catch the “Muscle Car” exhibit at the Sloan Museum in Flint, so we headed north to Flint‘s Cultural center for a fun-filled afternoon. The museum itself celebrates Flint’s glory days; from lumber center and birthplace of GM to home of Buick and AC Spark Plug. At one time GM employed over 80,000 people in its Flint plants. This was the land of the famous sit-down strike of 1936-37 that was vital in forming the UAW. Sloan takes us through 20th century history in Flint and the region. The museum also hosts traveling exhibits in its temporary gallery, so it’s nice to stop in every now and then.

The displays had been changed up since our last visit; Carol Churchill Pierson’s Doll collection filled the first few rooms. A portion of these amazing dolls were purchased by the owner on her travels; others were commissioned by artists and respected doll makers to create historical figures. Free standing display cases line the walls, scenes are of significant historical events in period settings, dolls depicting famous figures teach us about important events in history. I have to admit my favorite ones were the “First Ladies”, the attention to detail is exquisite; beautiful gowns, fancy hairdo’s and even fur coats, I’d bet these are the ones most little girls would love to play with!

We moved on to the next gallery, this one is a real attention-getter, especially if you are male. The Muscle Car display features ten vehicles that epitomize the Muscle Car era; a 1970 Hemi Superbird is stunning in Lime Light, you can’t help but be drawn over to it with its bright color, nose cone, rear wing and of course, the Road Runner on the side. You may not think of silver as a typical muscle car color, but this 1964 Pontiac GTO with a red interior is a subtle beauty. The horsepower wars had started much earlier, the 1957 Chrysler 300 C has a 392 Hemi that puts out 390 horsepower that’s powerful even by today’s standards. We checked out the 1969 Chevy Nova with a 396, a deep blue 1965 Olds Cutlass 442, a 1969 Hemi Charger R/T, blue with a white top and stripe and another car I’ve always liked, a 1970 AMX in Big Bad Green. Kris was definitely in his element here; he has always liked cars, this era being one of his favorites. When it comes to Muscle Cars anything goes; color is key, you could get almost any color on the exterior including pink and purple. The interiors were not left out; red, orange, green and blue could be had along with patterns like hounds-tooth and plaid, how cool! There were fake side-pipes, hood scoops, bold stripes and most importantly the size of your engine called out with decals or emblems. The space is complimented by the poster-size ads that hang on the walls; these are typical advertising tools used back in the day. The whole exhibit was very well done, we’re so glad we got a chance to see it.

The 20th Century Gallery is home to “Flint and the American Dream”; over 600 artifacts including photographs, period clothing, signs household furnishings and vintage cars take us through time and show us what life was like in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, it’s fabulous. We enjoy this section each and every time we come; eye-catching displays submerge us back in time, well-written descriptions explain what was going on at the time both in Flint and America. We learn about the birth of the UAW and Flint’s role as the Arsenal of Democracy; the 20th century was a time of big changes both good and bad.

Just a short walk about 1 block east from the Sloan Museum is the Buick Automotive Gallery, your paid admission gets you into both buildings. This facility houses 80 Flint-built automobiles with up to 30 on exhibit at any given time. The building is also used for restoration of vehicles and houses Sloan Museum’s Perry Archives. With that out of the way, let me say, this place is amazing. Many of the cars here are prototypes, you’ve never seen anything like ’em. Plenty of 50’s Ultra-cool, space age styling; one, the “Wildcat II” looks like Buick’s version of a Corvette, gorgeous! Another, the Centurian would look right at home in Buck Rogers garage; in addition to an all plexiglass roof, it even has a backup camera…These cars must be worth a fortune. Cars throughout Buick’s history are represented here including a Hellcat Tank Destroyer from WWII, along with plenty of automotive memorabilia. A replica of a 1940’s soda fountain sits near the back, have a seat and relax with a glass bottle of Coke, neat-o. Be sure and check it out!

The Flint Crepe Company is located on S. Saginaw Street downtown; small cafe tables and chairs are set up outside, the window invites you to partake in both sweet and savory crepes. Inside tiny white lights hang from the ceiling, work by local artists decorate the walls, mmmmmmm, the coffee smells great! The menu is substantial, pick one from the list or create your own, they all look delicious. Since we were both extremely hungry we chose the Reuben and the Monte Cristo; one of the many things I like about crepes is they are quick to make. Before we knew it plates arrived; the Monte Cristo was loaded with ham, turkey, cheese and a touch of jam for a little sweetness, delicious. The Reuben as you can imagine was filled with shaved corned beef and sauerkraut topped with a wonderful sauce, excellent. The crepe itself had a nice flavor and was nice and tender. Our plan was to have the savory and then the sweet, but we simply had no room left for the sweet, next time. They also serve Zingerman’s coffee and espresso, a perfect match for a crepe. If you visit on a Tuesday all tips are donated to a local charity, a different one each week; they definitely support the local community.

Before getting back in the car we took a walk around downtown to get a look at some of the historic architecture; we were in and out of several buildings, Bank of America has an awesome space with a great lobby. Heading back, we passed a parking lot off of Saginaw and Kearsley that was playing host to the 6th Annual Bikes on the Bricks. Friday was their practice day and open to the public; we stood on the sidewalk, sort of stopped in our tracks by the sight of so many police on Harley Davidson motorcycles driving around orange cones. We spotted open bleacher seating near the track and had to get a closer look. Basically the event is a skills competition open to active uniformed police officers and their motorcycles, it’s quite a sight! Throughout the lot challenging skill courses are set up using bunches of those infamous orange traffic cones. As we sat and looked out it was difficult to figure out what the participant was supposed to do; once a rider took his bike through the course it all made sense. To our right was a spiral course, you know, like if you took a cinnamon roll and loosely unrolled it; they start in the center and work their way outward trying their best to leave all cones standing. The speed and agility of some of the riders was impressive, then there was the guy who not only knocked over several cones, but ran one over and dragged it across the track, that was funny! Police forces from all over attended, we saw officers from the Michigan State Police, Rochester, Southgate, Toronto, St. Paul, Detroit, Ottawa and Flint. As time went on they attracted quite a crowd, these guys have skills!

Tags: Bikes on the Bricks, Buick Automotive Gallery, Detroit Blog, Flickr, Flint Crepe Company, Flint MI, Sloan Museum

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Categories Visit

DETROIT: Tudors Galore !

2 Oct

I find myself running out of adjectives to describe the beautiful and architecturally significant neighborhoods in Detroit, there are just too many… You have probably heard of Indian Village, Palmer Woods and Boston Edison, one you may not be so familiar with is the University District. Deriving its name from its close proximity to UDM, the district is located west of Woodward between 6 and 7 Mile Rd; this community of roughly 1,400 homes was built mostly between the 1920’s and 30’s, often referred to as the “Golden Age of Housing”. Most residences range in size from 2,000 to 4,000 square feet and feature amazing workmanship from hand-pegged hardwood floors to highly detailed plaster work. Often 3-stories tall they also have finished basements and several fireplaces; a bit more unusual is the number of bathrooms; it is not uncommon for these homes to have 3 full bathrooms along with a half bath. Neighborhood streets are tree-lined, exteriors of houses are stone and brick, windows are made of leaded and stained glass, lush gardens create eye-catching landscapes. Architectural styles include French Provincial and American Colonial but the English Tudor is king. Every other year the district holds a spectacular home and garden tour that we’d like to share with you today.

We begin by picking up our tour booklets on Oak Dr just north of Mc Nichols; volunteers with smiling faces hand out booklets and answer questions of eager tourists; today we will be visiting 6 homes and Gesu Church. As Kris drives into the neighborhood to park in a central location, I flip through the pages of the book getting a sneak peek of the homes. We find a spot on Wildmere that suits us and head out on foot. English Tudors are the featured home on this years tour, there is no shortage of them; the neighborhood is like a jewel box, each home a jewel. We arrive at one of the homes, built in 1928 it is 3,000 sq feet; wrought iron railings, stained glass windows and a vaulted ceiling in the dining room make the place exquisite. This is not our first tour of this district and yet we are still surprised by the beauty and charm encased in the walls, the remarkable way in which the area has survived decades of economic ups and downs nearly unscathed. With our map in hand we stroll up and down Muirland, Birchcrest, Fairfield, Pickford and Parkside. We see turrets, slate floors, doors carved of Gum wood, fireplaces galore, barrel ceilings, crystal chandeliers and Pewabic tile. There are French doors, original wall sconces, spiral staircases, walnut pocket doors and intercoms to page the servants. Each address has its own distinct character with plenty to oooohhhh and aaaahhhh over.

Attending as many home tours as we do, we have encountered a type of floor tile on occasion that we knew was not Pewabic, but quite lovely just the same. Today we finally learned what it is: Flint Faience. Made by the Champion Spark Plug Company the tile business came about as a fluke. Kilns were used to fire the porcelain caps used on spark plugs, the repeated heating and cooling cycles were damaging to the kilns, to keep the kilns hot they began firing colorful tiles when not producing spark plugs, thus the Flint Faience and Tile Company was created in 1921. The tiles popularity grew far and wide through the years and more designs were added. Due to the high demand of automobiles, GM unfortunately ceased production of the tile in 1933 so the kilns could be used to produce spark plugs full time. Another contribution by the automobile industry to the Detroit area and beyond! We continue to walk through the area; Kris takes picture after picture, I wonder how we will ever choose which ones to post. The original owners of these houses were businessmen, doctors and lawyers; residents included Stanley Winkleman (remember Winklemans?), Mayor Jerome Cavanagh, the Cobo family and even Gilda Radner. These dwellings were built by the finest craftsman using only the best materials, qualities usually found in much larger homes.

After we had seen each home we drove back over to Gesu Church on Oak; built in 1934 you may find the configuration a bit unusual, that’s because it was originally built by the University of Detroit to be used as an auditorium. We stepped inside to find a largely open space; the altar takes up one wall, pews are angled to face the front of the church. The ceiling is striking, done in the Moorish style its designs are elegant and colorful. Light fixtures are suspended from long chains, glass pieces are oblong in shape. Light filters in through richly colored stained glass windows and a centrally located skylight; it is sunny today so we can see every detail. Most of the decorative features are found on the walls and ceiling; elegant sconces are made of wrought iron that twists and turns around red glass, the walls surrounding the altar are painted in lavish designs inspired by Moorish Romanesque churches architect George Diehl had seen in Spain. Entry doors are made of wood and feature a peg design. Deeply carved figures and objects representing Jesuits are focal points in the exterior columns, be sure and have a look. This year the Gesu church is celebrating its 90th anniversary, they have many activities planned for this occasion.

It was well past lunchtime; we were looking for a hearty meal and outdoor dining, Polish Village Cafe immediately came to mind. We made the short drive to Hamtramck. When we arrived we were happy to see tables available on the patio. Kris chose a table, I ran downstairs to let them know we were there. When I was offered menus I declined and asked if I could just order, as we already knew what we wanted; that done I joined my husband outside and relaxed while waiting for our meal to arrive. The restaurant opened their patio last year; they did a marvelous job with the space. Black wrought iron tables and chairs are surrounded by pretty gardens and assorted flower pots. The day had turned hazy so there was no need to put the umbrella up; flats of Pansies sat nearby waiting to be planted, their perfume recognizable. Large Hibiscus are still showing off their blooms, they have weathered the dry, hot summer well. First to arrive is the dill pickle soup and the bread basket, this is my favorite soup. That finished off quickly, our entrees arrived shortly after. The Hungarian pancake is a huge potato pancake topped off with a meaty Hungarian style stew, chunks of pork fall apart with the touch of a fork, vegetables join the meat in a rich red sauce that has a bit of a kick. The mixed plate of perogi is always delicious; today it included potato, cheese and kraut, yum! Did I mention the sour cream? It doesn’t get much better than this!

Tags: Detroit Blog, Detroit Home Tours, Flickr, Gesu Church, hamtramck, Historic Detroit Neighborhoods, Polich Village Cafe, University District

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Categories Happenings

PORT HURON: Cool Old Stuff….

27 Sep

There seems to be no end to the fascinating history of Detroit and Michigan, this place has done it all! In the early days we built trains, ships and stoves, we made cigars, soda pop and ice cream sundaes; of course, we are best known for putting the world on wheels. North of Detroit, in the small town of Algonac, the legendary Chris-Craft boats were born. In the early days, beginning in 1917, Chris Smith teamed up with Gar Wood; Smith built ’em, Wood drove ’em, they went on to win five straight Gold Cups from 1917 to 1921 before parting to start their own companies. In 1922 the Chris Smith & Sons boat company was formed, by 1927 Chris-Craft was recognized as the largest builder of mahogany constructed power boats……..which leads me to today…..Every September the Michigan Antique and Classic Boat Society hosts the Blue Water Antique and Classic Boat Show at the River Street Marina on the Black River in downtown Port Huron. We are not boaters ourselves; terms like aft, bulkhead, cuddy, keel and gunwale mean absolutely nothing. But, given the opportunity to get a look at a group of pristine antique wooden boats, we’ll be there!

It was a crisp Saturday morning, the weather forecast was not exactly boat friendly; windy, cool and rainy. Always enjoying a trip to Port Huron anyway, we took the ride up the water to check out the boats. We parked at the marina and were excited to see a fair amount of boats tied up at the docks. On the grass, a display of vintage outboard motors was set up; Sea King Midget, Chris Craft Commander and Mercury, some for sale, some just to look at. I love the way they even made the motors decorative back then, great lettering, pretty colors, they’re cool! The boats themselves are works of art, seriously, have you ever seen a completely restored Chris-Craft Runabout? The mahogany is refinished perfectly, chrome railings and nameplates gleam in the sunlight, the upholstery flawless. Initially we walked along the sidewalk, getting an overall glimpse at each one, on the way back we took the time to see each individually by walking out on the dock. The detail is amazing;chrome and teak make beautiful accents, dashboards are clustered with all sorts of gauges. Each owner adds their own personal touch with distinct colors and furnishings. The crafts ranged from the 1920’s to the 60’s, I couldn’t get over how modern the models from the 20’s and 30’s looked. The combination of wood and chrome is unbeatable whether a Runabout, Capri or Cruiser, they are gorgeous!

Luckily, the rain held off, which meant we could have lunch on the roof-top deck at the Vintage Tavern. This charming brick building has been completely renovated; brick walls are left exposed, dark wood adds rich accents to the decor, each floor has its own fireplace. We walked through the cozy main dining room to the back stairway which led us to the rooftop. Straight out you can see water in the distance, off to the side is a view of the city, clear lights are strung across the top of the dining area; it must be beautiful at night. The menu offers a little bit of everything; looking for a light lunch we decided on the Tuscan Dipping oil with a loaf of French bread and the gourmet cheese and cracker platter. Kris commented to our waitress that he was surprised to see dill pickle soup on the menu, she raved about it and was nice enough to bring us a sample, it’s really good! It had turned into a lovely afternoon; we sat in the sun and leisurely dined on marinated mozzarella, Italian salami, fresh fruit, nuts and crusty french bread. When we had our fill we descended the staircase and on the way down noticed many of the details we had missed the first time; framed ads of local breweries from back in the day, stained glass windows and the wine barrel that hangs precariously above the front door. It’s such a nice place we’d like to come back for dinner some time.

For as many times as we have been to Port Huron this summer, our visits have never coincided with the open hours of the Knowltons Ice Museum of North America…until today that is. I know, an ice museum? YES, an ice museum, and what a great museum it is! We had no idea what to expect, which made it even more fun to discover. We came in the door, paid our admission and sat down to a short movie that summed up how the ice industry began. It’s funny how we take things for granted; we’ve all heard of ice boxes and the ice man, but maybe never stopped to think of where the ice came from. In the 1800’s and early 1900’s men would actually cut blocks of ice from frozen lakes and ponds, the ice would then be stored in ice houses to be used in the sweltering summer months; this was known as natural ice. The man who owns the museum is the founder of the Party Time Ice Company, he has a passion for collecting anything to do with ice; what better way to show off your collection than to open it up to the public. The museum is awesome; he has everything that was used to cut and harvest the ice: saws, axes, picks and chippers. There are the items used to store ice in the home: ice boxes, buckets and coolers, from plain to ornate he has loads of examples. There is an old-fashioned kitchen exhibit, it was no easy task being a housewife in those days; everything was done manually. The owner was a milkman at one time and has an excellent array of antique milk bottles. A glass cabinet is devoted to old, miniature ice wagons and trucks; there are ice crushers and makers, even horse-drawn ice wagons. The collection is huge! One section is dedicated to Diana’s Sweet Shop; opened in 1926 it was a fixture in the city that sadly closed several years back. This was the place locals and visitors went for a meal or just dessert. There are photos of the interior, it was gorgeous, items from the restaurant include a Vernor’s dispenser, signage, uniforms and more. Someone actually bought the interior of the shop and moved it down to Nashville TN, so Diana’s lives on! Next time we go to the Music City, we will have to check it out. I’m so glad we finally got a chance to visit the museum, make a plan to see it yourself.

Tags: Antique Boat Show, Chris-Craft Boats, Detroit Blog, Flickr, Knowltons Ice Museum, Lake Huron, Port Huron Michigan, Vintage Tavern

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Categories Visit

DETROIT: Baseball, Hot Dogs and a Nutella Latte……

23 Sep

For better or for worse, Detroiters love their sports teams; over the last decade the Detroit Tigers have been both. The Detroit Tigers are one of eight franchises that originally made up the American League; they are the oldest, continuous one-name, one-city franchise in the league. The Tigers have won four World Championships. Comerica Park opened in April 2000 to mixed emotions; it was hard to let go of the old stadium. Fortunately, the Ilitch family was thoughtful of the past and included it in the present building. We have been lucky enough to get down to Comerica park to see a few games this season, the last time we were there we thought it would be a lot of fun to come back and get a tour, so that’s exactly what we did! If you have ever seen Comerica Park there is no mistaking what goes on there; a huge Tiger sits outside the main gate, gigantic baseball bats flank the entrances and tiger heads with baseballs held in their teeth stud exterior walls, handcrafted Pewabic tiles with the Old English D decorate the brick walls. If you pass by the stadium day or night, summer or winter, you are sure to see folks having their picture taken with the big cat out front.

We purchased our tour tickets at the box office on Witherell St, I was surprised by the number of people waiting for a tour on a Friday at noon. Our guide met us in the Tiger Club Lobby and we were off. We were not more than a few feet into the building when our guide broke the news that we would not get to see the clubhouse, dugouts, batting tunnels or suites, as workers were preparing for a fantasy camp taking place over the weekend; major bummer. My advice to you would be to call ahead and ask if the full tour is available before you make the trip; when I purchased the tickets I was not told it would be an abbreviated tour… Off we go! We walked along the concourse, there in the distance was the field; manicured, lush, green grass, a diamond shape in the middle outlined by a dirt track with white bases at the corners, it’s beautiful. The scoreboard is one of the largest in baseball; the large tigers on each end are painted life-like, stalks of stadium lighting bookend the Tigers team name. We walk the wide concourses passing the tunnels we will not see, we arrive at centerfield and the Statue Gallery. The sculptures represent six of the Tigers all-time great players; Ty Cobb, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg, Willie Horton, Al Kaline and Hal Newhouser. Cast in stainless steel, each stands on a granite pedestal and is about 13 ft. high; the past connecting with the present. Next we entered the space where the TV cameras are set up during a game, not a lot of room, but what a view! What we didn’t know is that one of the couples on the tour was about to become engaged, the man had arranged the whole scene; Tiger jerseys bearing his last name hung on chairs, the rest of us gathered on one side as he got down on one knee and proposed….luckily she said ‘yes’, tears fell, hugs and kisses were exchanged. Once the ring and jersey’s were in place, we were ready to move on; next stop, the Walk of Fame.

Along the circumference of the lower level is a series of towers that are decorated with historical elements from Detroit baseball history,they are referred to as decade monuments. Anybody who goes to a game can check these out, so next time you’re there have a look. The bottom of the monument is made up of tires that would have been seen on cars of that era, this is the motor city after all. Looking up from there are photos of players, uniforms, tickets, and a radio from that time period, very interesting; a little further on a statue of Ernie Harwell stands alone. We head up the ramp, disappointed we cannot get into a suite today, we continue on to the press box, known here as the Ernie Harwell Media Center. We each take a seat and for a second get to see what it feels like, again the green of the field getting our attention. To the right above the centerfield wall is the Chevrolet Fountain; referred to as liquid fireworks the fountain celebrates home runs during a game. Behind the fountain, in the city itself, the Detroit Athletic Club keeps watch over the park, the top of the renaissance center glows in the distance. Fan sight lines were one of the top priorities in the design of the park, you really feel you are part of the city when you attend a game; the sides of the park are open enough for passer-bys to stop and watch an inning or two. We walked down aisles noticing the different styles of seating available, the closest we got to the field was the first row of seats next to the Tiger dug out, we all leaned over to have a look at the dug out itself; the tour ended here.

About two blocks from Comerica Park is a little place called the Bucharest Grill, it is actually located inside Park Bar on Park Ave. We took a seat at a high top table by a window facing Park; I grabbed a menu and we took a look. Bucharest Grill is probably best known for their Shawarma, and for good reason; it’s outstanding, but they also serve amazing hot dogs. Since baseball and hot dogs got hand in hand that’s what we were in the mood for. I went over to the register at the Bucharest counter to place my order and Kris went to the bar to get our drinks, I returned with a red plastic number, he with a New Holland Oatmeal Stout and a whiskey and coke. Our food arrived quickly in cardboard containers with paper wrappers and plastic utensils; it’s what’s inside that counts! Everything here is handmade from original recipes, we’ve never had anything we didn’t like. Today we ordered the House Salad; vine ripe tomatoes, chunks of red onion and cucumbers with lots of Feta cheese crumbled on top, so simple, but so good. We had a Hamtramck dog that is a polish type sausage topped with braised red cabbage and a brown mustard, absolutely delicious! The Detroit Dog is a handmade hot dog with an outstanding chunky type chili with yellow mustard, my mouth is watering just thinking about the food, it is so flavorful.

We didn’t really have room for dessert, but we always have room for coffee. We wanted to check out Chez Zara’s new space in the M@dison Building on Broadway, so that was our next stop. We lucked out with a parking space right in front, and went inside. The coffee bar has a modern, contemporary feel to it; concrete floors, white ceiling, globe lights, a pop of color in the red chairs and some personality with the wood covered wall and giant street map of downtown. I love Chez Zara for their Nutella Latte, what can I say? A warm espresso drink with creamy chocolate and hazelnut, I can’t resist; Kris has been on an iced coffee kick for a while, it was that kind of summer. We ordered our drinks and had a seat at the counter, as always the coffee was excellent. Chez Zara serves espresso drinks, organic teas and petite pastries; we did splurge and split a caramel meringue, also very good…..It’s a great space with a great view, they should do well in their new home.

Tags: Bucharest Grill, Chez Zara, Comerica Park, Detroit Blog, Detroit Tigers, Flickr, M@DISON BUILDING, Park Bar, STADIUM TOUR

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Categories Visit

Harsens Island: Then and Now

16 Sep

Picture yourself at the foot of Griswold Street standing alongside the Detroit River; it’s 1926, you are wearing your Sunday best, you have an overnight bag in one hand and a ticket for the steamship Tashmoo in the other. You gaze out in the distance and see the elegant steamer approach; excitement fills your body. Once aboard you find a place to look out over the railing as the ship heads north; destination Tashmoo Park and the St Clair Flats, also known as Harsens Island. Roughly 2 1/2 hours go by, the scenery splendid along the way, the park is in sight. As you leave the ship you hear music playing, visitors dance under an immense pavilion, a group of men are playing baseball at the athletic field, picnickers eat sandwiches and drink lemonade, the beach is sandy, its crystal blue water inviting. Tonight you will be staying at the Grande Pointe Hotel, sitting atop the highest point on Harsens Island you can hardly believe your eyes! The hotel is stunning; think Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island), Victorian in style it has a 300 foot long veranda, the perfect place to relax and look out on the St Clair River. Inside there are 125 rooms, a dance hall, bowling alleys, billiard rooms and parlors; the cost, about $3.00 a day. From about 1900 to 1936 the White Star Line of steamers carried thousands of people from Detroit to Port Huron with stops at Tashmoo Park, owned by White Star Line and the many hotels located on the island; Harsens was a summer paradise. The size of the hotels ranged from the 22 room Public House to the 150 room Star Island House; entertainment consisted of dance floors and slot machines. Outdoors you could ride bicycles, play lawn tennis, hunt, fish and go sailing. Hotel Mervue had the largest dance floor on the flats. There were private clubs for the wealthy Detroiters, bars, restaurants and markets. Alas, there was one problem that led to the demise of many of these remarkable buildings: fire. Back in the day buildings were constructed of wood, combine that with being located on an island with no roads, and no fire department, a recipe for disaster. The Rushmere Club was the first large hotel to burn down in 1908; some of the hotels and clubs rebuilt, but the St Clair Flats area was never able to recapture the glory days of the past.

It had been many years since our last visit to the island; we boarded the ferry in Algonac and crossed the North Channel. When we arrived on the island we turned right and followed Middle Channel Drive, the road that follows the shoreline; with few exceptions this area is mostly residential. As you look out into the water there are large areas of water and land that make up the St Clair River Delta; this is the largest freshwater delta in the world, the water glistens and is strikingly clear. The road ends, we turn around and go back the way we came, enjoying the view as much as we did the first time. This is how we remembered Harsens Island; pretty, but as a tourist, kind of dull….

We started taking 154, the main road, out to the other side of the island, Kris noticed the smaller, but more scenic, North Channel Drive; we follow the water making our way to South Channel Drive. Suddenly we find ourselves skimming along the South Channel; charming cottages and beautiful historic homes on one side, sparkling turquoise water on the other, hmmmm maybe there’s more to this place than we remember….Remnants of the past are visible here. We arrive in the town of Sans Souci on South Channel Dr; an old grocery store is now the Sans Souci Market, this is the business district of the island. We see the old fire hall has been turned into a museum by the Harsens Island St Clair Flats Historical Society, we park in front and head in. The museum brings the islands past to life; photographs and postcards, dishes from the steamers, summer schedules of the White Star Navigation Co. are all on display. Maps of the Flats show the area in detail, memorabilia hangs on walls and fills up display cases. It is absolutely fascinating to see. Volunteers from the historical society answer questions and tell stories of life on Harsens, many have lived here their whole life. When you come out to the island be sure and visit the museum, it’s wonderful and really gives you a sense of what a magnificent place this once was when people traveled from all over to come here.

We jumped back on South Channel Drive till it merged with 154, then headed to the Southernmost tip of the island, believe it or not at this point you’re about parallel with 14 mile road. The views of the channel and lake are beautiful; I bet the sunset view would be awesome. It was hot and sunny; it seemed every boater was out enjoying Muscamoot Bay, it was an amazing sight. OK, now we’re hungry! We had planned to have lunch at the School House Grill even before we got to the island, many people have told us to give it a try. Located just off the main road on Columbine Rd the tan-colored brick school was built in 1934; it was one of Michigan’s only 2-room schoolhouses until it closed in 2005. In 2009 the building was brought back to life as a restaurant and wine bar, much to the delight of residents and visitors alike. We entered through the back door, a few steps led to the lower level where the main dining room and bar is located. The space is airy and attractive, the exposed ceiling painted black. We took a seat at the bar and ordered cold beverages to quench our thirst as we checked out the menu; everything sounded good. The bartender answered our few questions and we were ready to order. The Tuscan salad was delicious; mixed greens with basil, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and shaved Parmesan topped off with homemade cashew honey dressing. The Deli 101 sandwich was an Italian style sandwich served on warm ciabatta bread, also very good.

Back in the Jeep we drove back to South Channel Dr for one more look at the water; we noticed Sans Souci Bar has a covered patio and tables near the shoreline, we are so there! We considered taking advantage of the cooler temperature on the patio, but couldn’t resist the water view provided by tables overlooking the channel. We sipped our drinks as we watched the passing traffic on the waterway; freighters, jet skis, and boats of various sizes kept our attention. The color of the water is remarkable here, we found ourselves asking why we hadn’t come back sooner. Harsens Island is a great place to get away for a few hours without having to go very far.

Tags: Detroit Blog, Flickr, Harsens Island, Sans Souci, School House Grill, St Clair Flats, Tashmoo, White Star Line Steamers

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