Wined & Dined
We've had our fill of wine the past couple weeks, having attended the fantastic Viva la Vino event at the San Marino Club on 9/21, which found us sampling some fantastic faire, mingling and marveling at the generosity of folks during the live auction (one lovely lady walked away with an incredible 14K rose gold blue agate and diamond pendant that looked something like that humongous necklace from Titanic). While we fancy ourselves connoisseurs of all things alcohol-related, we do have to say that we were pleasantly surprised with a few of the bottles that we tried. The Inama Carmenere and Morgan Metallico Chardonnay were amazing, and we're not too proud to admit that we grabbed more than one glass of each! Many thanks to the fine folks at The Rotary Club of Troy for including us in this fun time. And then it was off to Uncorked at The Westin Book Cadillac (presented by Ford) last Friday. Let's just start by saying that we were pleased and entertained to see Jay Towers and Bill Ford as the event hosts, and with over 500 folks in attendance, it was once again apparent that Detroit is one of the most generous metropolitan areas around. Their silent auction awarded lucky attendees with a bevy of gift baskets, beverages and even some Detroit memorabilia. While we coveted quite a few things on those tables, we didn't go home with any special prizes. However, since the event benefitted The Children's Center of Wayne County, we didn't feel so bad. And considering we got to drink our fair share of wine in a downright beautiful venue, we must say we were not disappointed in the evening.

Turning the Place Inside Out
After somewhere around 17 years apart, the gals of the legendary Detroit punk trio Inside Out got back together for a special reunion at Small's in Hamtramck. As this was a much-anticipated show, our favorite rock bar was pretty slammed by the time the opening act, Betty Cooper, took the stage. And since there are few things in this world that we love more than chicks who can rock, let's just say they kicked some major butt. Next up were The Ruiners. Singer Rick Ruiner was all over the place (in a good way), balancing PBRs on his head and throwing the mic around – total rockstar style. Once Inside Out finally came on, we were seriously glad these chicks decided to reunite. Seventeen years of not being together clearly had no effect on the quality of their music and how hard they could still rock, because they ripped the place apart.

Autos in Autumn
A pleasant Saturday in Detroit found us at the 8 Mile Trade Center for their car show (although we'll admit we also picked up a few trinkets at their garage sale, which is held every Saturday at their diverse establishment). It was a nice mix of autos – new and old – and folks, and we'd like to congratulate Dennis Mosely on his first-place win. With a ton of unique upcoming events, it's safe to say that this isn't the last Saturday you'll see us down at 8 Mile and Van Dyke.

Cheers to the Weekend!
D-Days was more than ready to celebrate the weekend by the time Friday rolled around and we were thrilled to find Bayside Sports Grille was the perfect place to do so. Since we arrived with a gaggle of ladies in tow, we got to enjoy a bottle of champagne on the house, and we must say it was absolutely delicious – they certainly didn't skim on quality just because it was complimentary. Though we arrived by Trolley and not by sea, we enjoyed the beautiful view of Walled Lake on the establishment's gorgeous patio and when we were ready to head back indoors, the dance floor was on fire thanks to Channel 955 DJs Quest and Troublemaker. Needless to say, we were sad to hear "Last call!" and stuck around (still dancing) 'til the chairs went up. Thanks for a great way to start the weekend, Bayside!

Off to the Races in Plymouth
Plymouth Restaurant Week is off to a stellar start. The first-year event runs through Sunday, but from the very start (9/28) it was like gangbusters! The word is out and everyone's flocking to Plymouth! Just as a refresher, the ten participating establishments are Compari's on the Park, E.G. Nick's, Fiamma Grille, Ironwood Grill, Nico and Vali, Panache, Penn Grill, The Sardine Room, Sean O'Callaghan's and Zin Wine Bar Restaurant. And another word of warning – they're all delicious! Good luck, have fun and try 'em all! | RDW