Rattlesnake Club

Last night, some out of town friends wanted to 'dress up and go out to dinner'.  I picked the Rattlesnake Club.  It was a first for all of us.  The location is nice and the atmosphere was fitting of an upscale downtown restaurant.  I am non-committal on the food,however.  It was good but not as good as I anticipated.  I am not sure how often they change their menu but I felt as though the food could have been spectacular with just a little refinement.  We will try it again but next time we will make sure it is a nice day so that we can enjoy the patio and river views.

Movement: Detroit's Electronic Music Festival

Movement, Detroit's Electronic Music Festival, had attendees dancing 24/7 in downtown Detroit last weekend.  My colleague, Nicole, stayed downtown at the Greektown Casino and Hotel so that she could soak up as much of the music, dancing, and excitement as possible.  Her take?  The event and surrounding parties were a lot of fun and full of energy.  Look below at some of the pictures she snapped and I am sure you will have to agree, even if techno isn't your thing. 

I have a little pride just knowing that Detroit was the birth place of the techno music genre.  I studied abroad for a year and was amazed that many of my European classmates didn't ask me about the auto industry, motown music, or drive-by shootings (my Mizzou classmates did even though St. Louis was fighting us for the murder capital title at the time); but instead, they asked me if I had ever attended a techno party in one of the abondonned warehouses of Detroit.  If techno music can help improve Detroit's image and draw in vacationers from across the Atlantic; I must thank the musicians and DJs for making it happen.     

 

Nicole and I both noticed something exciting last weekend.  The town was alive with people.  Movement, Race for a Cure, and Eastern Market drew huge crowds to Downtown Detroit.  The streets were alive with people walking, talking, and having fun.  It was a downtown showing its rivival.    

Date Night: Armandos in Mexican Town

My husband, Mike, and I take turns planning date nights.  It is free game to pull a heart off of the Valentine's Date Night map in order to get ideas.  Mike combined the map with a Living Social deal to take us to Detroit's Mexican Town last night.  We ate at Armandos on Vernor.  I was tempted to have ask him to write this blogpost since I must confess that I don't really like Mexican food and he loves it.  Remember that I made the Valentine's map and included Mexican Town so his date plans were not selfish.  The Mexican food was self-induced. 

Mike had never been to Mexican town.  He liked the experience but didn't think the food stood out as exceptional.  That being said, we will  probably go back and try another restaurant in the area.  My treat to him...and I do like Margaritas. 

Afterward, we drove around Corktown for awhile checking out the houses.  I was happy to see how many of the homes were inhabited.  If you aren't familiar with Detroit's neighborhoods, Corktown includes Slow's, the site of the old Tiger's stadium, and the train depot. 



Graffiti in Corktown



Detroit Bike Tour with Motor City Bike and Brew

Date Night #?  

(see date nights tab on blog for explanation of date night events)

Shortly after providing my husband with his Detroit Date Night Valentine's gift, I came across Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Tours.  I was so excited that instantly wrote my husband letting him know in bold large font that I really wanted to do a bike tour of Detroit.  My hubbie had secretly found a different bike tour company  and had been planning to surprise me later.  Romantic and sweet, yes...but let's talk about the tour that he still managed to surprise me with yesterday morning.

Motor City Bike and Brew:  Detroit Prohibition Tour

Entering the Dequindre Cut

Learning about a speak easy

The bike tours are led by the owner, Steve, with the aid of at least one helper (his wife, Laura, for our tour).  Steve obviously loves his job, people, and Detroit.  His enthusiasm combined with his research on the tour subject matter made the tour fun and engaging.  Despite the rain, we enjoyed biking Detroit and would definitely consider another tour.

The Prohibition Tour started at Motor City Brewing Works in midtown.  We wove through Wayne State's Campus, the River Walk, Dequindre Cut, and Belle Isle before taking a pass through Eastern Market and heading back to midtown for a lunch with local brews at Traffic Jam.  The entire tour was around 13 miles with several stops for prohibition history lessons.  The pace and length could be managed fairly easily by anyone in reasonable shape. 

Belle Isle

We will definitely head back to Detroit for some more biking as a couple and I will have my good camera in hand.  With the rain, I only brought my point and shoot.  I saw many great shots and can't wait to stop and try to capture them 'on film'.

I recommend Motor City Bike and Brew tours and suggest trying out urban biking in Detroit.   

30th Annual Downtown Hoedown - June 8-10, Comerica Park, Detroit, MI

This year is the 30th annual Downtown Hoedown.  It is also the first year that it will have a tickets ($20 each) and it is moving from Hart Plaza to the grounds surrounding Comerica Park.  I have been to the Hoedown twice and have to admit that the crowds and extremely drunk people were a turn-off for me.  Maybe the new venue will make it better?

http://wycd.radio.com/shows/wycd-downtown-hoedown/

Slows BBQ

Slows BBQ is a true Detroit experience.  Just down Michigan Avenue from the site of the old Tigers' Stadium and across the road from the majestic ruins of the train depot, visitors feel in touch with Detroit's history while feeling the excitement of today.  The decor is a contemporary take on rustic.  The restaurant is usually crowded with very long waits.  Plan to arrive early and use the time to check out the details of the decor and sample a local brew.  The BBQ is amazing.  My favorites are the baby back ribs and beef brisket, but people rave over every dish from the mac ' cheese to the salads.  Free street side parking is easy to grab, even on the busiest nights.

Some of our friends had plans to attend the Kid Rock benefit for the Detroit Symphonic Orchestra last night.  We met for a pre-show dinner at Slows and it didn't disappoint.  One member of our party was a huge Red Wings fan and received a treat when Chelios waited for his table within a few feet of our seats.

Building by across Michigan Avenue and slightly east of Slows.  We parked by it and I had to take a picture.    

Hope and Despair Abroad

I travel quite a bit for work and love to travel for vacation.  I think that my initial fascination with Detroit started as a nearby (and much more affordable) mini adventure.  The more that I experience it, the more that I love it.  

I recently returned from a business trip to Chicago.  We had taken our family there for vacation last year but this was my first visit since I started recording my adventures in Detroit.  At first, I felt a sense of despair.  Downtown Chicago is impressive by most measures.  It is full of museums, restaurants, live entertainment, and full of life with people walking, biking, and plenty of horns honking.  I felt overwhelmed with the work that it would take to get Detroit to measure up.  My despair only lasted for a short while though.

Detroit has its own unique treasures.  It has a history and it has a future.  The average visitor might not see its awesomeness now, but I have.  Cliff Bells has more class than the blues bar I visited in Chicago.  The Whitney is more unique and just as delicious at the restaurant on Michigan Avenue.  And for me, the most important part is that I can play a role in making it better.  This is my city and I am proud of it.  I look forward to having out of town guests.  Watch out Canadian in-laws, Mizzou classmates, and business guests...I have a treat for you the next time you are in town.