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The Start of an Infinite List
As V-Day nears, we’re reminded of why we love our families, friends and lovers but there’s something else close to us that we often overlook, though it’s right in our backyard. The Motor City. You know, that large, gritty place called Detroit and its suburbs that we know and adore unconditionally, through its ups and downs? So, what’s to love about it? Well, all of it - the good, the bad and the ugly.
We were asked to come up with a short list of under 100 of our favorite things that not only inspire us, but keep us here. From the small and abstract to the large and tangible, here’s a teeny list that allows us to consider making February 14th D-Day.
Oh, and feel free to add on. We just wanted to get the ball rolling, ya know?
- We have an NBA Hall of Famer as our Mayor. Cincinnati had Jerry Springer. Detroit: 1, Cincinnati: 0.
- Being able to basically set your GPS according to what you’re craving: Greek, Mexican, Polish, Soul, Arabic, Bengladeshi, you name it …
- Catching shots of the Townsend Hotel, Gusoline Alley, Tiger Stadium, our “best and worst” stage props and other things that arouse our civic pride on HBO’s Hung.
- We have our own version of a Russian Bath House at The Schvitz Health Club on Oakland Avenue in Detroit. Check three-piece inhibitions at the door.
- Detroit supplied 75 percent of the nation's liquor during the Prohibition Era — na zdrowie!
- A former Louis Vuitton model convinced his brother and parents to pack their gear, leave their Chicago digs and head to Detroit to open the greatest BBQ joint in the Midwest.
- We’re listed as one of the five best cities to get a green job by Clean Edge.
- Low Down Sound — a bass player’s wet dream.
- Try and order the mystery cobra cognac at Cliff Bell’s. Neat.
- A double feature at the Ford Wyoming drive-in .
- Scoreboard proposals at Comerica Park. You blink, you miss it. Kind of like some of our relationships.
- The entrance and exit ramps on the Dequindre Cut. And the fact that we’re (finally) celebrating graffiti.
- Catching the occasional post-2 a.m. drag race on the I-75 service drive by the American Axle plant.
- Ceiling beam signatures at the Scarab Club, including those from Salvador Dali, Norman Rockwell and Diego Rivera.
- Motor City Motors on the Discovery Channel.
- (313) Texts From Last Night was born here (thanks for getting one past the goalie).
- The way Jefferson Avenue and Belle Isle bump on a hot summer afternoon.
- The complimentary fresh salsa and guacamole that’s available for snacking each and every time we visit Honey Bee Market La Colmena in Southwest Detroit.
- Pewabic Pottery and the out-of-towners that house it from Chicago to Paris. Martha Stewart loves it, too.
- There’s no backstage at St. Andrews. So you can hang with the band at the bar ... no “special favors” required.
- El Taquito Taco Truck at Vernor and Military, because eating a $1.25 taco packed with fresh pork carnitas, homemade salsa and cilantro that was made inside a motor vehicle is so Motor City, baby.
- M.L. Elrick and Jim Schaefer … Detroit’s very own Batman and Robin.
- It’s easier than ever to walk onto a movie set in your neighborhood these days (or have your home featured in a major motion picture staring Michael Cera).
- George Romney may have been governor of Michigan, but thank god Mitt Romney is way the hell away from here.
- A little “piece of the good life” located smack dab at McNichols and Woodward.
- Ranked 10th on the “Best Sports City” list by Sporting News Magazine.
- There are 245,969 people working in manufacturing in Michigan. There are 226,019 working in health care and social assistance, and that number is growing every day with world-class hospitals like the DMC, Henry Ford and Beaumont. Put down your injection molding machine, boys and girls, health care is the new future of the Motor City.
- The huge incubator of creativity that is the Russell Industrial Center. And it's blossoming bazaar.
- The chalkboard that allows you to buy a pal (that’s not with you) a drink for their next visit at the Bronx Bar.
- Waking up in the wee hours of the morning on Fat Tuesday to rip open a fresh box of paczkis from our favorite Hamtramck bakery like kids on Christmas.
- 64,980 inland lakes and ponds. Take that, Minnesota.
- In 1846, we became the first English-speaking government in the world to abolish the death penalty.
- Feather bowling, muscles and Belgian brews at Cadieux Café.
- The Eddie Money kickoff concert at DTE Energy Music Theatre. Best. People Watching. Ever. The Money Man seems to favor us, too.
- Staring at the ceiling of the Fisher. Or the Guardian Building. OK, tons of amazing Detroit architecture.
- A celebration of Dickens-lovers at Battle Alley in downtown Holly and the Big Bright Light Show in Rochester during the holiday season.
- Fireworks over the Detroit River.
- Detroit: The Future Mecca of Urban Farming?
- Extra-spicy Bloody Marys at Vivio’s after a Saturday morning Eastern market shopping spree.
- Detroit Red Wings crossing the red line into the top five best sports franchises, period, by ESPN Magazine.
- Sunday morning trips to New York Bagel.
- “Detroit is really a small big city with some of the friendliest, most amazing people you will ever meet,” says the Brazilian gal who’s only lived here for 18 months.
- The Mackinac Bridge is only five hours away. Say yah to da U.P., eh!
- Sunday morning walks in the summer on the Riverfront with your children, pet, soul mate or water bottle full of Valentine Vodka.
- We hold the World Record for largest burger, largest cupcake and we recently added largest snow cone to the list.
- We have our own style of pizza: It is a square, with a thick, deep-dish crust with toppings placed under the sauce. Oh, and by the way, GQ ranked us third on their 2009 Best Pizza list. Yep, we beat Chicago.
- Birthplace of Motown, techno and Dilla.
- Home to Vernors, the best ginger ale on Earth. Cure for tummy-aches, sweets cravings (toss in the blender with Sander’s ice cream) or the mid-week happy hour blues (on the rocks with vanilla vodka).
- Charles and Ray Eames met, fell in love and married while teaching at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in the early-1940s. They went on to become the Frank Lloyd Wright of modern furniture.
- Walking through the butterfly house, the kangaroo path and the polar bear tunnel at the Detroit Zoo.
- Introducing newcomers to the epic battle between Lafayette and American Coney Island.
- Hearing our best local raconteurs spinning yarns at the monthly Moth Storytelling Slam.
- We move fast like the East Coast, but with Midwest friendliness and amazing southern soul food.
- Saturday morning tree plantings with Greening of Detroit.
- Friday Nights at the DIA.
- Each and every brewer in Southeast Michigan. You guys just taste better.
- The New York Times can’t get enough of us.
- Opening Day. Yes, it is a religious holiday.
- Backyard bonfires and rolling stops overlooked by the police.
- The most friendly, supportive and non-competitive city to open a small business in America: see Midtown.
- There are so many things about Detroit that make us smile, but the Charles H. Wright and the Holocaust Museum honor those who paved the way for us.
- Rouge Park — 1,182 acres, 40 percent larger than Central Park. That’s right, NYC. Our park is bigger than your park. Na-na-na-na-na.
- Toby Barlow lives here. ‘Nuff said.
- Our marathon goes international.
- Oprah loves Cafe Muse’s Grilled Cheese. So do we.
- Jimmy Fallon has a love affair with Detroit and continues to make sure his audience knows it. We didn’t mind making friends with him either at random house parties in Woodbridge.
- The way Mansion Run at Pine Knob looks after a fresh snow fall.
- Moosejaw hoodies — 100 percent comfy; 100 percent Detroit.
- The drunken, naked weekend of aquatic insanity known as Jobbie Nooner.
- Sixty years of backseat hanky panky while parked on the side of Tanglewood Drive on Belle Isle.
- Michael Jackson’s sparkly glove at the Motown Museum.
- A local favorite bartender Fotoula Lambros, the hip, eco-cautious, one half of Femilia Couture, which made an international debut on the runway during Fashion In Detroit in October ‘09.
- Eleven Stanley Cup Championships, 10 American League Pennant Wins, four World Series Titles, three NBA Championships.
- Mario’s Detroit is straight outta The Godfather, only with fewer murders.
- Who cares about what Paper Magazine says, we still think Funk Night is America’s best party in 2009.
- “Let’s Go Red Wings,” "Hell’s Bells" before a face-off and the octopi whizzing by your face. Game time and Joe Louis Arena.
- Summer soccer and beach volleyball leagues while drinking a frosty cold beer outside at Oakland Yard Athletics.
- The best part of a Detroit football Sunday: standing around a Lions motor home at the Eastern Market tailgate.
- The elderly gentleman that walks ladies to and from their cars at El Barzon — the best bring your own wine Italian/Mexican restaurant you’ve never been to, and quite possibly the only.
- Insert favorite badass Detroit band here: ___________________________
- We have our own currency, Detroit Cheers.
- Everything Is Going To Be Alright? Nothing Is Going To Be Alright? We’ll wait for the MOCAD sign’s next glowing prediction.
- On a clear day, you can see the outline of the Ren-Cen as far north as 16 Mile while driving south on Woodward.
- No need to travel north when two of Michigan’s best bed and breakfasts are tucked away in Midtown (See Ferry and Winder).
- Afternoon summer drives along the “coast” on Jefferson in Grosse Pointe.
- Got a guitar or an 808? Hook up with one of the city’s indie record labels. Or create your own.
- Cross country, biking, canoeing and kayaking at Kensington.
- We have our very own female roller derby team, featured in Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut film Whip It.
- We can’t choose between the myriad crepe restaurants in Detroit these days. They really weren’t kidding about that Paris of the Midwest moniker.
- Brew N’ View at the Magic Bag. B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T!
- The new Med Grow Cannabis College in Southfield … our fave new institute of, yup, higher learning.
- Cass Avenue has the nation’s first eco-friendly gym for the homeless.
- After hours sing-a-longs home on the Night Move, metro-Detroit’s hip, green alternative to the drunk tank.
- The Detroit Film Theatre — easily one of the finest film houses in the country.
- Freedom House, the only temporary home in the United States for survivors of persecution from around the world seeking legal shelter — located in Detroit by the Ambassador Bridge.
- Much like you would at an arcade, you can play “the claw game” for two bucks with real live lobsters. Catch one and they cook it for you on the spot at Doc’s in Livonia.
- Satisfying your sweet ‘n' salty fix with locally-made treats from Sander’s to Stroh’s to Better Made to McClure’s. Don’t forget to wash it down with your favorite flavor of Faygo or Towne Club.
- Hey, Sarah Palin! We can see Canada from our house — and our bridge and tunnel actually go somewhere!
- Whoa, 99 already? We had to take items off our list to stop here. Let us know why you love The D at ideas@realdetroitweekly.com. | RDW
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Comments (1)
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Since Angela Doesnt work there any more..How do i get my Pictures??? I did the Cover shoot for the Feb 14th 2010 issue, 99 Reasons to fall in love with detroit, Was assured Theyd be email to me, and werent. The picture featured on the beginng page of the article, the close up, of my work, id love to have it. please email me
Mikelenymkup@yahoo.com
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Posted by
Mikele MakeUp
on March 11, 2011 at 3:17 PM
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