Fat Tuesdays: Vinsetta Garage

With the world ending on Friday I decided not to buy groceries. My fridge is scarce and the cupboards are bare. If all else fails, I'm sure Meijer will be open with a sale during the Mayan apocalypse.

No, actually, I hate buying food before I leave for a period of time. You know that time when you really need to buy food, but if you buy food you probably won't eat it all because there are so many stinking Christmas parties to go to, and then you're going to be gone for a while so you don't want to stock up, or risk wasting a bunch of food that you could never eat in time? Yeah. That's right now.

So, instead of making anything cool for Fat Tuesday today, I give you a tale of a trip to a restaurant I recently visited. It was in a faraway place called Berkeley, north of 8 Mile, in a land that we south of the border rarely see.

It was a few weekends ago when I called up my buddy Matt to see what he was up to. Matt is from Chesterfield, via Warren, via Troy. If you don't know your Detroit geography, Matt is from the northernmost parts of the big yellow blob on the Michigan map and I live somewhere near the bottom. Despite the fact that we both live in the yellow blob, it gets a bit tricky to meet up sometimes. This particular weekend worked well, however, and we decided to do some dinner with our significant others at Vinsetta Garage, located on Woodward Avenue between 11 and 12 mile roads.

Vinsetta Garage, I came to discover, is a fairly recent and quite popular establishment. The draw, at least for me, is the ambiance of the restaurant, located in the oldest service station still in existence east of the Mississippi River. If you can imagine a service station from the days of the past, now with a brick pizza oven, full service bar, and numerous tables filled with people, you've either been there before or you're getting a great picture of what this place looks like.

We picked a Saturday night to visit the Garage, which may have been a bad idea. We didn't actually arrive until probably 7:30 or 8:00, but it was clear that the place was popular. When we arrived, parking was tough to find. Vinsetta has a nice valet service available, but I'm not quite that cool. Instead, I opted for one of the side streets for parking. After a short walk, we managed to get back to the restaurant to put our name on the list. The neighborhood surrounding Vinsetta is nice and quaint, at least in the dark, and easy to navigate.

The second indication that the place was popular was that when we checked in with the hostess, we were told the wait would be about an hour and a half. AN HOUR AND A HALF! That's pretty amazing. And what I think was more amazing was that it actually took an hour and a half. You know how you go to a restaurant and they tell you 45 minutes, but its really like 30 minutes and then you're happy because they over delivered, but they knew all along it was only 30 minutes? Yeah, that didn't happen here. It was really and hour and a half.

Since it was 8:00, we were all pretty hungry. Naturally, we grabbed a few beers and decided to take up a table on the patio. I imagine the patio is a nice place in the summer. It sits right on Woodward (so Dream Cruise Day is probably really special) and people are constantly coming and going so the people watching is excellent. However, early December is probably not the best time to sit and enjoy the outdoors. It was dark and cold and downright chilly, beer or not.

This is a rendition of what we all looked like. Not actual footage.

Being the good friends that we are, we enjoyed the hour and a half chatting, catching up on things we've missed in each others lives, and using movie references that few would understand. We had a few laughs, drank our beers, and anxiously watched the buzzer on the table. I'm thankful my back was to the window or I would have been salivating over the food that kept flitting by.

When the buzzer finally went off we all leaped to the hostess with great haste and ravenously asked for our table. Inside, the place was still jammed. The decor was difficult to see while zipping through the dining area, but it was clear they put some details into the room. The most notable piece to me was that the kitchen was clearly the old work bench in the garage and that each chef wore overalls like the old greasemonkeys of yore.

Inside Vinsetta Garage. There were approximately 3,000 more people inside when we were there. 

Having waited for an hour and a half, I was now at the point where any kind of food would have been tasty. Basically, I was expecting that this food had better be the best food I've ever eaten. Ever. I only recall being so hungry that the choices on the menu were overwhelming. Its not that there were that many choices, just that all the choices looked outstanding.

Matt and Desiree ordered a few burgers, while I split a pizza with Janel. I think at this point I must have slipped into a coma. I don't really recall what we talked about or how long the meal took to arrive, only that it came to our table and we devoured the food. I think it was good. Yes, it was good. Was it worth an hour and a half wait? I'm not convinced.

All in all, I enjoyed the experience. I like being in restaurants full of people. It always seems like something is happening. It was clearly a place to be. And the guys who own the joint are what is being dubbed as the new type of restauranteur. These guys own several restaurants in the metro region that have done quite well. They own multiple restaurants, but unlike a franchise owner, these guys have themed restaurants that fit the space they have renovated. I think its an outstanding concept.

Would I recommend Vinsetta Garage? Yes. Would I recommend going on a Saturday night? No. I'd like to visit again when it is lively, but not too crowded. And I'd like to visit again when my appetite isn't quite so savage that the pile of trash on the street starts to look appetizing. If you're looking for a place with a great atmosphere that has good food, this is a place to go. Just be sure that in the near future you plan for your entire evening to be spent with the company you keep. And you're not there on an empty stomach.

Marvelous Mondays: 5 Reasons I'm Excited for 2013

Is this thing still on? Sorry about that. I've been gone for a little while. I got busy and realized last night that I really missed sharing things here and keeping my mind thinking. Since the world is ending on Friday I thought it would be nice to spend this week posting a few things on my blog. 

Naturally, when not blogging for several months, things happen in life. Thanksgiving happened. That was pretty great. I am now involved with a lady-friend whose company I enjoy greatly. I applied to a graduate program. I got to see some friends and miss some friends. I made some new friends. I worked. Its been good.

When good things happen, I tend to get fairly excited about the future. Here are 5 things I'm looking forward to in the coming year.

1). Graduate School:
I've been debating about grad school for quite some time. I can recall talking about grad school when I first started working at my current job 2.5 years ago. Some friends are exhausted about hearing my plans, but they will be happy to know that I finally made a commitment. The application is complete! 

Something finally clicked in me that it was time to start the process. I was sitting at work one day tired of organizing an event when I realized I needed something different. I read a blog about cities and had just done something cool in Detroit when I finally decided I needed to pursue urban planning. I have talked about it for years and always wanted to pursue it. Self-doubt has played a huge role in why I haven't pursued it, concentrated mostly in the idea that I have never taken part in anything urban planning related. But, my interests and my passion seem to be a good fit for the field and I crave the opportunity to see progress in places that are old. I'm fueled mostly by Detroit, but ultimately I have a love of cities.


As 2013 gets underway I am looking forward to the opportunities presented in grad school. I want the chance to mingle with others and think about ideas and study concepts. I want to learn again. And I want to challenge myself. Which leads to me being excited about...

2). Preparing for a Challenge:
I often go back and forth about my place in life. On the one hand, I tell myself I'm 25 years old, what could I possibly know? How could I possibly be a contributing member of society? And then I recall people who have done amazing things by the time they were 25 or cavemen who were the wise sages of their time. As I go through life I marvel at the fact that we have such an opportunity to challenge ourselves constantly. I think we are often pressured into finding that perfect career that motivates us, but in reality, we live in a time when it makes more sense to try many things. You either become an expert in something specialized or you go out and try new things.

For me, the only way to stay excited and motivated is to try new things. I get bored easily and that makes things challenging, but I liken it to the confidence gained in school. I always remember being slightly frightened as a freshman in high school, but marching in senior year with a smug confidence that only seniors could have. It was the, been-there, done-that mentality that sets in when you do the same thing for too long. While I've only been at my current job for a few years, I've been doing this job for much longer. Yes, I've learned new things along the way, but the fact remains that I'm bored. 2013 is the year for me to start challenging myself again. Really the last several months have been the start of that, but I look to 2013 as the year that it really takes off.

3). A Clearer Sense of Identity:
Is our generation doomed to take longer to leave the nest? Why does it seem like we have taken much longer to establish our identities? Perhaps it is over-protective parents or maybe it was the economy we were pushed into. Perhaps the world is just a tougher place to be in or maybe it was the onset of social media that allowed us to stay young for much longer. Or maybe we all take the same amount of time to establish ourselves, and my generation has taken the steps to clarify our identity more seriously; that we want to be defined by something other than our jobs and families.

I think these questions are only answered with more time, but I can say that writing personal statements for graduate school and discussing the motivations for pursuing a degree certainly help outline a sense of identity. I don't have it all figured out, but I do know things that motivate me. I see that when I talk about, think about, read about urban planning, I get an excitement in my heart and in my mind and I know I need to pursue it. It helps me to gain a sense of what I want to give back to the world, arguably the hardest question to answer. 

4). I Am Going to Meet New People:
I love to meet new people. The past few years have been difficult living on my own in Detroit. I often use this as a crutch to complain and whine about how lonely I am and blah blah blah. The truth is, I am proud of the fact that I have survived on my own and explored some great things about the city. I am proud of the fact that even though no one followed me here, I have made steps to establish myself in the city.

This year I want to do more. I am ready to join a club or organization. Is it a running club? Maybe the community choir? Maybe its a group I don't know about yet or just plain volunteering. Whatever it is, I intend on being a part of something more to gain a new network of people. Old friends will always be a part of my life, but I will not be dominated by their absence. Instead, I plan on meeting new people to open the next chapter of my life. 

5). I Am Going to Seattle:
Since middle school I have always wanted to go to Seattle. Seattle has consistently been near the top of my list of places I'd like to move and I have never been there. Along comes my girlfriend whose parents just moved to Seattle. So, I signed up for the Seattle Marathon in June and we are already actively planning our trip there. I am excited beyond my means.

The marathon should be a challenge. It is a hilly course. But, I'm very much looking forward to the sights and sounds of the city. I'm excited to travel to Seattle and visit a city that's been on my list for years. And I'm excited to travel with my girlfriend. So far, we're pretty good travel buddies.

So there you have it! 2013 is shaping up to be an exciting year. If the twists and turns of 2012 are any indication, 2013 will have its share of excitement that I am not anticipating. With any luck, by this time next year I will be elbow-deep in graduate school, completed my race in Seattle, and looking forward to celebrating 2014 with a new network of friends.

Wednesdays in the 'D': Detroit Marathon Weekend

I like to run. If you don't know this by now you don't know me very well. In which case, thanks for reading! For the rest of you, you'll be happy to know that I had a great time at the Detroit Marathon this weekend. Unfortunately, I was not running this year as I have a race in a week and a half and needed to rest and instead volunteered on Saturday and Sunday to make sure I didn't miss out on the action. True, looking at the maps for the race I longed to be lacing up my shoes and running across the bridge, thinking of how tired my legs should be leaving the tunnel, and how I would need that last boost of energy to get off of Belle Isle.

But, alas, I decided to dedicate my time to supporting those who would be going through the race, first by giving out packets on Saturday and then sitting at mile 24 for encouragement. I was the guy that was cheering people on when all they really wanted to do was stab someone for how long they had been running. The early runners didn't see me. The middle runners were happy to see me. The runners at the end hated that I was smiling and wanted to throw me into the river in a body bag.

That's how marathons work. And its fun.

But before I start gushing too much about why I love to run and the spirit of the race, let's get to the point of all this. I was volunteering on Saturday with a guy named Lou. This was his first marathon. He was 67 years old and filled with a lot of stories about life. He was a bit shorter than I was and had a lot more belly on him, but not any more than any other 67 year old man should.

Lou grew up in Detroit. I know because he told me, unsolicited. In fact, he told me a lot of things unsolicited. He now lives in Brighton, about as far from Detroit as you can be to still be considered part of that blob on the east side. He had a heart attack recently due to his exposure to Agent Orange during Vietnam, and in Vietnam he nearly died one day when he ventured to Cambodia by mistake. These are just a few of the unsolicited tales from good ole Lou.

Anyway, Lou met me at 6 am in Tim Horton's at the foot of the Belle Isle Bridge. 6 am on Sunday is already pretty early, but meeting Lou at 6 makes things really early. Lou is a talker. In fact, I don't think he knows how to stop talking. It was always a challenge to get a word in edgewise. But, he's also one of those grandfathery people who you enjoy listening to for hours, even if you don't know what the heck he's talking about.

Standing in Tim Horton's he immediately informed me that he had scoped out the place where we'd be for the day and found a great parking place. Parking was really the least of my worries as we would be standing for the next 7 hours unable to move our car, but nevertheless I was appreciative of his preparedness.

After sitting in his car waiting for the sun to rise, I learned a great deal about Lou. Not just the aforementioned stories, but also that Lou had grown up on the east side of Detroit in the 1950s and remembered a lot of great things about the city. Downtown Detroit was the place to go for first-run movies. I was unfamiliar with this term, but apparently movies weren't released all at once back in the day. Only the biggest places got the first-run movies. And Downtown was the biggest place around. He would take a date downtown, put on a suit jacket, and have a fancy dinner. Then it was off to the movie to see a brand new film that nobody else around could see. Those were the days.

He also told me about how Belle Isle was the place to go in the evenings. You could stay at Belle Isle until midnight or later, watching the stars and feeling the breeze off the river. His go-to line was to ask the girls to come watch the submarine races with him. If you know anything about submarines, you'll know they are underwater and that it would be quite challenging to watch them race. In other words, this was his code to get girls to Belle Isle to make out. Ah, thanks Lou, I got it now.

Lou is one of those guys that you could easily roll your eyes at and seek others to help take pressure off the conversation. When Vietnam is a central part of a guys' life and that's his lead off story, its easy to write a guy off as a crazy nut job. But, I wanted to give him a chance. First off, I was stuck with the guy for the next 7 hours and it was highly unlikely anyone would be along to take the pressure off. Secondly, I did find his stories interesting. And as if some kind of young person, unspoken duty came over me, I decided that I needed to listen to him.

As any good listener does, I asked questions. I asked Lou why he left Detroit. I figured I knew some of the answers. The riots, white flight, the usual suspects, but I heard different things from Lou. Yes the riots had scared him. But Lou was in Vietnam when the riots took place. It wasn't that he had been changed by the riots, it was how the riots changed Detroit that scared him. When he returned from Vietnam, not only was he returning to a different country from when he left, he was returning to a different city. Neighborhoods weren't quite a safe as they had been. People weren't quite as friendly as they had been.

Lou still worked downtown at this time, though by now he had bought a house and moved to Warren. What finally pushed Lou as far from Detroit as he could possibly go was an escapade he had at work. He worked in a cubicle that he shared with whom he described as a 'black woman who was very nice.' One day while rummaging through her purse, a tiny object fell out and rolled over to Lou's desk. He bent down and picked up a small bullet for a handgun. It was then that Lou knew his time in Detroit was over.

Lou has never looked back. When he came downtown for the marathon, it was his first time back in a long time. He was still nervous of any person walking by themselves, suspicious of their motives. He wanted his car within sight so he could watch it throughout the race, in case one of those suspicious characters decided he liked what was inside. Lou even told me be brought his wife's car down instead of his because hers was older. He was glad I was there so he wasn't alone.

Lou reminded me of how big a battle Detroit really is. I'm a kid here, young and naive. I see a lot of the momentum of the city and tend to dismiss a lot of the talk of how it was. I suppose that's the trouble with youth, we know only as much as we've experienced, which usually isn't much. But, I think, in that way, we are able to renew. We don't have the experiences and stories that Lou has. We don't know what Belle Isle was like or how amazing downtown was. We only know what it is like now.

We need to remember that there are many people like Lou out there with stories. And people like Lou, who have these traumatic experiences and memories of simpler times in the city, are always going to be afraid. Until we are able to provide Lou with solace and comfort, Detroit will always be a place filled with haunting memories and fearful people. And think its important that as Detroit moves forward, we don't forget the people who saw it first.

Marvelous Mondays: 5 Reasons Why I Liked 'Detropia'

Recently a film came out called 'Detropia.'  Its a documentary set in Detroit that documents the struggles the city is facing and follows a few of its citizens around while outlining the efforts being made.

Notably, this film was released earlier this year in many worldwide locations... but not Detroit. I remember hearing that the film had screened for a group of Detroit leaders who did not like the way the city was portrayed.

As with anything that has some controversy behind it, me being human, I was curious to know what the fuss was about. One thing is certain, the striking image of two people in gas masks in front of a crumbling home makes me think this film is only going to show the bad parts of the city and call it Detroit. I have a phobia of gas masks which is probably appropriate for another post, but I get angry when the image makes me think I have to wear one to live in Detroit.

The film was different than what I expected. Here are 5 reasons why I liked it:

1). The film showed all parts of the city
Yes, the film did indeed show a lot of abandoned buildings. Its a film about Detroit, I think its in the contract film crews have with the city: 'In order to film within the city limits you must film 1 abandoned building for every 2 minutes of film.'

BUT, the film also showed a few parts that are doing well. And while the entire film is very gritty and sad, I think it accurately portrays Detroit. Detroit is a bit gritty and sad. And to show anything else wouldn't be entirely truthful. There are an awful lot of rah-rah cheerleaders (myself included sometimes) that will gladly skate over some of the grosser parts of the city. While I've flipped and flopped on this issue, I think its far more important that the problems are front and center than swept under the rug.

2). The film was larger than Detroit
I remember reading this defense from the filmmakers upon hearing the screening reviews. I think I agree with them that the focus is not just Detroit. It harkens to something I've been saying all along: Detroit's problems are America's problems. For whatever reasons all the major problems we as a nation face are collected in Detroit. And for whatever reasons the nation has chosen to largely ignore Detroit.

BUT, if we manage to think about these problems Detroit faces and find solutions, even the smallest baby steps of solutions, than we can certainly solve these problems in other places. Detroit has been described as a clean slate and a place to experiment. I think its important that this experimentation shouldn't just be through art, but through social issues that have plagued our country for decades.

3). The film was a bit ahead of the game
The film was filmed in 2010. This caused one major portion of their film to now be inaccurate, which I at first was angry about, but then realized how great that fact is. In just 2 years, a major program has changed into something far more positive for the city. I can't recall anything that has happened in Detroit in such a short period of time that is good for the city.

At any rate, I remember a quote from one of the people featured in the movie about the gap between the rich and the poor, something that hadn't hit the spotlight in 2010 from things like Governor Romney's 47%. The man being interviewed spoke of how we can't keep pushing the upper and lower classes apart. If we rip apart the middle class there is no buffer. And when there is no buffer you are left with revolution. Startling stuff to think about.

4). The film hit familiar spots, but focused on the people
I think another caveat in filming in Detroit is that your film must contain at least some reference to the 1967 riot. This film actually had footage. Of course the Michigan Central Station was featured in the film and several abandoned plants.

But what I felt the film did a great job of was using people to paint the context of these places. It wasn't just about the riots, but how the riots caused such a great change in the city. It isn't just about giant abandoned buildings, its about the people who used to work in those.

I had the opportunity to chat with a 67-year old man who had grown up in Detroit. He was terrified to be in Detroit helping with the marathon this weekend. I often forget the experiences that people have that shape their lives. His experiences have stuck with him for so long that he was constantly looking over his shoulder in a place that I have never seen anything suspicious. Ever.

Detroit, like any city, is a living, breathing place, and as these historical events happened, people's lives changed.

5). The film focused on the resiliency of the people
This was where I thought the film excelled. The film followed a few people around the city and heard their stories. One was a union leader, one was a nightclub owner, one was a blogger, and others filled in the gaps to make the city breathe.

I think with a place like Detroit it is very easy to find people down in the dumps, people with nothing good to say. I think it'd also be quite easy to find people who would have everything good to say about the city, glazing over the problems in education, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, corruption, and the countless other problems that are a part of the reality in Detroit.

But, this film did something I haven't seen from other pieces about Detroit. It managed to find people who were frank about the situation, but still optimistic about the future. I didn't sense anger about what has happened, just observations of how it happened. And in the end, everyone had a very positive outlook of what was ahead. Well, maybe positive is too strong. I should say that these people had a very realistic ideal of what happens next. Things turn around, like they always do, and things change like they always do. And these people living in Detroit will do the best they can until then.


Leaving the film, everyone was quite somber. The music and the scenes shown were cold and gritty, and it shed some light on the major problems that we as a nation will be facing. It didn't show all the pretty new things happening in the city and the pretty new buildings being redone. But, it did show the true story. From all angles. And most of all, it showed that the people here are not done fighting, even if the rest of the country (and state of Michigan) is.

Thoughtful Thursdays: Detroit, All or Nothing?

I've written before about living in Detroit and the toll that it can take on ones psyche. But, lately I've noticed a different aspect to living in Detroit. It is a concept of all or nothing and it has been quite damaging to attempted recovery.

A documentary is out there called 'Detropia.' I haven't seen it because it only screened one night here in Detroit and I wasn't able to get there. From what I gather, the makers of the film were hesitant to show the film in Detroit because it doesn't portray the city in quite a fair light. Or, to put it more bluntly, the cheerleaders of the city were concerned that the film displayed Detroit in a negative context when good things are happening.

I'm torn on this issue. I certainly work hard to defend the city from ignorant people who spout off all the bad things happening here without ever setting foot east of Ann Arbor. Just two weekends ago at Wheatland a woman started to tell me all about how Detroit has nothing left and after I informed her of some good things I realized that it was a losing argument and walked away.

The culmination of all this led me to realize that Detroit faces, and quite possibly the country at large faces, a real problem in terms of all or nothing. In the case of the woman at Wheatland, it was that Detroit lost such a huge swath of population and infrastructure was destroyed that it was time to raze the city to the ground. My perspective is, of course, all the great things happening here, but admittedly, I am not working with the problems directly to know the severe magnitude of said problems.

What I see happening is a call on one side to give up, bulldoze the city and start over, and on the other side, an incessant cheering, rah-rah, feel-good story of how Detroit has turned the corner. I think its safe to say that neither of these visions are accurate.

Enter my evening activity last night. I went down to the Detroit Works Project home base in Eastern Market to attend a meeting regarding transit in Detroit. The meeting was an excellent meeting to attend.

For some context, the Detroit Works Project started back in September 2010. I remember thinking how remarkable it was that Detroit was actually organizing people to start thinking about how to shape the city, and that Detroit was working to have community involvement.

What I didn't realize (didn't pay attention to?) was that the initial phases of the Detroit Works Project were a real mess. Lending an ear to citizens is always a bit of scary thing as you never know what you might get. And in a place like Detroit where the problems are plenty, its a good bet that if citizens have a sounding board, you're going to hear some pretty passionate people.

And the hardest part of the project was that it was meant to lay out a long-term plan for how to start moving Detroit in the right direction. However, people were not thrilled about planning for the what the city looks like 20 years from now, when at the moment the need for streetlights, quality police and fire protection, and a knowledge that city services were going to be provided was a little bit higher priority.

The city decided to split the project into a short-term planning and long-term planning project. And the long-term project was turned over to a design center based at the University of Detroit- Mercy. These were the leaders that we heard from last night. And boy did they have some interesting things to say.

Through all the studies and plans that are on the website, solutions have started to arise. And it must be pointed out that this plan is not exactly a roadmap. It really isn't a land-use plan or any kind of step-by-step guide for what the city should do. As much as I think that's what we as people generally want, we all know that changing things takes time.

But the greatest piece that I pulled from last night happens to coincide with the notion of all versus nothing that was already brewing in my mind. The lead presenter, Dan Pitera, spoke about how one of his observations in this project is that all too often we are looking for a monolithic solution. What do we do with vacant land? Make urban farms of course! How can we attract jobs? By changing to a new economy of course! How can we improve transportation? By adding light rail of course!

The trouble with that approach is that a monolithic solution rarely works for a large city. What was suggested, and what the Detroit Works Project is presenting, is a multi-faceted approach to improving the city, and a recognition that some parts of the city will require different things than other parts.

I really do think this kind of thinking is essential. It isn't just about attracting new tech jobs to the city, its about attracting manufacturing, educational, health related jobs, and other areas we are already strong in to support the city. Its not just about utilizing vacant land, its about studying what the neighborhoods already look like, where strong points are, and designing our neighborhoods to best meet the needs of its citizens.

Movement is happening. It will be a decades long approach to making it work, but it was really the first meeting like this I've ever attended where people weren't pointing fingers and placing blame and making circular arguments about tiny details in the larger scheme. The meeting encouraged people to share concerns and thoughts, but it was very much a conversation, and not a firestorm.

And one final point, the presenter addressed the population issue first and foremost. Its true Detroit has lost a large chunk of people in a relatively short period of time. But to say that the square mileage of the city has anything to do with how it functions is erroneous. Cities cited were: Atlanta (133 square miles; pop: 420,003), Denver (153 square miles; pop: 600,158) and Portland, OR (133 square miles; pop:583,776). Nobody would say that any of these cities are too big to function and if any of these cities jumped to 1 million people, they wouldn't know what to do with them all. Suddenly Detroit (139 square miles; pop: 713,777) doesn't look quite so bad, does it?

Fat Tuesdays: Black Bean Burgers

I know this is a day late. So what.

On Sunday I made up this tasty treat that I've been eating all week. The recipe is for Black Bean Burgers and comes from allrecipes.com.

I found this a while ago and really enjoyed the recipe. Especially for a single guy, I can make 4 burgers which last for 4 meals! And it only takes one can of black beans which you can usually get for a dollar or less at the grocery store. Basically, its an inexpensive meal that lasts and can be made any way you like.

A few notes on the online recipe:
- Draining the beans is a great idea. I didn't used to do that and had very sloppy burgers. I recommend following instructions on draining and rinsing.
- I do not have a food processor. Therefore I cut the onions and green peppers into small chunks. The bigger the chunk, the more you'll have chunky burgers. Personally, I think the color of green and onion (I use red onions) makes your burger look quite delectable. I mean, we are working with mashed up beans here.
- The bread crumbs are essential. I used to try and get away without, but the burgers end up very sticky and hardly hold together. Then I tried crumbling slices of bread with similar results. True bread crumbs work amazingly well to hold together the patty.
- You can add any spices or vegetables you want to the burger. Try different things. However, make sure you use something or your black beans are going to be... beans. But, even a small amount of something flavorful gives the burgers all the kick you need.
- Finally, cheese does not melt well on the burgers and it isn't as easy to see when they are done. You may want to let the cheese melt in the pan before sticking it on top and I would suggest letting the outside of the burger turn golden before saying the burger is done. The good news is you can't undercook the burger, but the crispier it is, the better it tastes, at least in my opinion.

So voila! Black bean burgers made from just one can of black beans! Tasty and satisfying. Enjoy!

Marvelous Mondays: 5 Reasons to Say Yes

For the past seven years, my good friend Mike has wanted me to come with him to the Wheatland Music Festival. For seven years I've made up excuses for why I can't go or flat out said no to the offer. I've resisted for so long because I was a bit nervous of what I would find there. Mike is a bit of hippie (that's an understatement) and the music offering is mainly folk and bluegrass.

You're likely to find lots of peace-loving, tie-dye wearing, dreadlock sporting people and plenty of interesting smells ranging from human odor to illegal substances wafting through the trees. I learned what a dulcimer was, that there is a technique to playing the spoons, and that there are more than one kind of banjo and mandolin.

It was this combination of very foreign things that always made me a bit apprehensive. Like high school all over again, I wondered, would I fit in? Would people like me? Could I be enough of a tree-hugger? Could I make it without a shower?

So, when Mike asked me again this year if I'd like to go to Wheatland I initially did my hemming and hawing about whether I could make it and finally decided that I had nothing to lose. It turns out that I had a fantastic time (though I am exhausted) and I learned a lot about why it is always a good thing to say yes. The following are 5 reasons you should always say 'yes' when the opportunity is presented.

1. Saying Yes Can Really Shake Up Your Routine-
I live a pretty boring life right now. I wake up at my scheduled alarm, make breakfast and drink coffee. I usually watch a show from the previous night or do a crossword, jump in the shower, dress, and drive into work. If I time it right I can hit all the green lights. I'm kind of like Harold Crick, minus the counting of the tooth brushing.

So, when I packed my car with a sleeping bag, camping clothes, and non-perishable food items, I realized my weekend was going to be a bit different than the usual routine. I drove on roads that I hadn't been on, I drove in traffic patterns I was unfamiliar with, and I arrived at a place I'd never been before. I saw people I'd never seen before, wearing things I'd never seen before, talking about things I'd never heard of before, and thinking of things in ways I've never thought of before. I've never camped as close to another collection of people as I did this weekend. I literally told our neighbors the time when they were asking people inside their own tent.

But, despite the strange sights and nights that lasted until well after 3 AM, despite an irregular eating schedule and irregular diet, and despite the fact that I didn't know how to contribute to many conversations, I managed to have an awesome time. In fact, I learned a lot about myself and about communities of people. And it certainly shook up my very regular routine.

2. Saying Yes Can Really Broaden Your Horizons-
This festival is very bluegrass and folk oriented. Sure there's a bit of country or country rock or blues and many bands that didn't really have a genre, but almost every band had a harmonica and many had a tall string bass. Banjos and mandolins were everywhere and it was impossible not to go anywhere without hearing a tune being picked.

This music is relatively foreign to me, probably because it isn't on many radio stations and not exactly popular in Detroit, at least to my knowledge. Plus, I always associate folk music with country bumpkins and I think there tends to be a desire not to be seen as such. Its as if the music of the hills makes you a bit backwards or something. And while I learned I am very much accustomed to city living, I can certainly appreciate the music and the talent I saw on stage. My favorite bands were Hoots and Hellmouth and De Temps Antan, though all groups were incredibly talented.

But my horizons were not broadened just in music genres. Between the music, dancing, conversations, and people in general, this festival was certainly good for realizing that there are other types of people out there in the world and that in the grand scheme of things, we're all just looking for a good time.

3. Saying Yes Can Help You Dance-
A festival like this would not be complete without a little bit of square dancing, line dancing, and contra dancing, and you bet your patootie that I danced in them all. But, it certainly took some prodding, and I must say I'm a little ashamed of that.

I like to think that I will try anything. I like to think that I'll agree to do anything and be a go-getter. Yet, somehow, when the time comes to take action, I struggle a bit. And generally this struggle manifests itself through the fear of doing something that I don't know how to do. I become petrified that I'll be wrong, look like a fool, or both. The fear is crippling and it keeps me from enjoying new things. This is a big theme I plan on exploring in the coming weeks.

At any rate, during the first song, I sulked around the edges of the dance hall pretending to enjoy myself. In reality, I really wanted to participate, but that fear of not being good enough crept in. So, I instead continued to pretend that I was enjoying myself or waiting for a friend to come or some other excuse for not getting out on the floor. As the second song got underway, Mike pulled me out on the floor, pointed at a lonely girl and said, 'go dance with her, she's good.' I approached and said that I need an experienced dancer and wondered if she'd like to dance. She happily accepted and away we went.

 I haven't had so much fun in a long time. I learned about the different calls and moves and moved to the beat. I found out that while I was far from perfect, I do have some rhythm and I certainly have fun. And having fun is what dancing is all about.

If I had sat sulking in the corner, I would probably regret that I didn't participate. Instead, I have a great memory and wonder if there are places I could keep dancing. Currently, my only place to cut a rug is weddings. I'm hoping I can find another outlet. Square dance halls best be looking out.

4. Saying Yes Can Help You Find Happy People-
Wheatland was full of happy people. Some of these people achieved these results through excessive use of alcohol or other 'things,' but the majority were simply there for a good time. And what could be better than camping in the woods and listening to music? Seriously. That is not a rhetorical question.

Not only did I need to say 'yes' to come to Wheatland, but saying 'yes' to things such as square dancing, moshing at a concert, and jumping into some jam sessions led to an realization that everyone was there for a good time and people in general are pretty receptive to other people. In a world that can be so dominated by pessimistic things, these types of environments help to keep it in perspective.

Oh yeah, I sang bass in some jam circles, played drums (I don't play those) and took the lead on Gin and Juice, in which I was accompanied by a mandolin, guitar, string bass, harmonica, and violin. And except for Mike every one of those musicians was at least 50 years old.

Snoop Dogg. At a folk festival. Thank you Phish.

5. Saying Yes Can Restore Your Faith in Others
I had my faith shaken a bit in people recently. Besides the conventions and election crap, I also felt very let down by others after a disappointing weekend. I'm generally a pretty flexibly person, but I was stretched to the limit over Labor Day.

To make a long story short, I had planned my Labor Day weekend around a few major events and nothing else. I cleared my schedule to entertain friends and I was hoping for a good time. I spent the days before cleaning and prepping and in general putting all other plans on hold for these couple days.

When the weekend ended, I missed all the things I had planned for except the Tigers game and hardly visited with friends. After prepping for the weekend and staying in for most of the time, I was incredibly disappointed that I wasted so much time doing absolutely nothing. And one of my friends left for California quickly thereafter. It was a mixture of selfish pity and a deep rooted desire to enjoy time with my friends that drove me to such great heights of disappointment.

Wheatland allowed me to see that there are all kinds of people out there waiting to meet you. One thing about hippies is that there is usually very little emotion or thoughts that are hidden. At least in my experience, hippies are very free people who do what they love and nothing else. If they have something to say, they say it. Its an admirable lifestyle in a sense. That is, until you see their feet.

My point is that I had a great time mingling and talking with people whom I'd never met. No one asked what I did with my life and I never asked anyone else. Mostly it was about enjoying the music and loving the weather. Sometimes it was about sharing the beer or some hot dogs. Occasionally it was about sharing a dance. But, it was always about enjoying life and enjoying each other.

How could you ever say no to that?

Fat Tuesday: Creme Brulee and Refrigerated Eggs

Let me lay it on you plainly. I have not felt like cooking lately. There are no gastronomic creations brewing in my brain and I have little motivation to go the grocery store. Sunday I literally had a green pepper and some peanut butter and that was about it. 

So, I don't have an amazing recipe to share today, but what I do have is a delectable treat that I had recently on a delectable night. 

I've been venturing downtown on nights I've been bored with the intent of finding some good photographs when there aren't many people around. However, I've been both pleasantly surprised and mildly irritated to visit downtown and see it teeming with people. Including a Thursday night a few weeks ago when I strolled past the fountain at Campus Martius because of the abnormally large crowd gathered there. 

And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a band in the band shell, and cafe seating next to the fountain! I abandoned my pursuit of photos and opted for a glass of wine and dessert seen here:

Nope, those swirls of syrup are not painted on the plate. 

I'll be honest, I don't know much about creme brulee. I think it has a weird texture and an odd combination of sweetness and pastiness. Nevertheless, the after picture looks something like this:

Except it was creme brulee and not chocolate cake. 

It was tasty and I enjoyed it, along with the music bouncing off the downtown buildings. 

Are you ready for a great segue? So, creme brulee has a few ingredients, one of which is eggs. Which reminds me of a conversation I had this weekend where the question came up, why do we refrigerate eggs? 

(See great segue!) The question arose as I was listening to my friend share tales of her stint while WWOOFing. While staying at the farm, she noticed that the farmer did not refrigerate eggs. While at the time I forgot, I later remembered my sister sharing that in Europe eggs are purchased off the shelf, not the refrigerated section. 

While no consensus was reached, it was decided that Google would need to be consulted later. (Side note, Google is not a strange word in spellcheck.) During my trip to the grocery store (remember I only had a green pepper and peanut butter) I remembered this question as I pulled eggs out of the refrigerator, only to notice that the package says to keep eggs chilled at 40 degrees or cooler. 

How can it be that a farmer in Georgia can keep eggs out for weeks, but we consumers need to keep our eggs chilled? Well, I spent some time trying to find an answer to this question and didn't find anything really concrete. Most of these sources are not exactly what I would call reliable, but I think it gets the gist. 

Apparently, eggs produced on massive farms are more highly susceptible to disease, such as salmonella, which I read is found in hen poop. Because of this, farmers are required to wash their eggs (and because we don't really like hen poop). 

While washing gets all that nasty hen poop off the egg, it apparently also takes off the natural protective coating that protects the egg from other diseases. Since that protective coating is no longer there, we now have to keep the eggs cool, lest disease gets in. 

Therefore, in countries where eggs are not required to be washed, eggs can stay out longer without refrigeration, but we are led to believe that they are more susceptible to hen poop. In other words, if you know where your eggs are coming from (i.e. small farms like the one in Georgia or the Alps of Switzerland) then you are less likely to see disease and able to get away without washing or refrigerating eggs. 

Naturally, after this breakthrough, I found the Egg Safety Center's website (Egg Safety Center!!!) to help clear up some loose ends.

Fat Tuesdays: Guess Who!

Hey hey! So, I don't have any food for today's Fat Tuesday because, in case you didn't notice, I've been MIA for a couple of weeks. All I can say is... oops. Sorry! Basically, I was lazy and didn't feel like writing. So there.

But, America (and by that I mean dear family, Jay, Josie, and Jessica) I am back. And I'm ready to do some writing.

Let's start with today. I woke up this morning full of energy, relaxed by the evening thunderstorm and ready to conquer the day. I even had a good breakfast and was ready earlier than usual. I jumped into my car and noticed immediately that something was off. As I titled my body weight to one side, I poked my head out the window to see a lovely flat tire.

Dramatization

I jumped into Boy Scout mode with my Auto Mechanic merit badge and set to work changing my tire. Meanwhile, thoughts were running through my head: 

• cars suck
• did someone slash my tires? 
• who would be mad at me to slash my tires?
• why did they only slash one?
• why is this jack stuck in my trunk?
• I think I'm selling my car
• WHO put these LUGnuts on last? Holy cow!
• Okay, I think we're good. 
• Great, the spare is soft
• DAAAADD!

Yes, I called my Pops for some help. It always seems a bit silly doesn't it? My dad lives two hours away, I have a flat tire, and here I am calling for assistance. I think it must be the simple assurance through a familiar voice that things would work out okay. 

I went to work, stressed for about 15 minutes, and then got caught up in the day-to-day. I had found the local Belle Tire and got prepped for how to take the slowest, least trafficked route there. 

Basically, I was prepped to pay a bunch for a new tire. I had no idea that they can do repairs there at Belle Tire and no idea that they did them for free. Thankfully, my dad checked in on me to see how things were going, and made sure I asked for a repair and not a new tire.

Artist Rendering of my Dad

Anyway, the point of all this is that I was really stressed this morning. As the sun was rising (and the humidity was causing me to sweat profusely) I silently muttered numerous four letter words and thought about how this day was going to be miserable with such an awful start. 

In actuality, it wasn't much different from any other day, except I got sweaty before 9, my car tilted slightly to the left, and I had a pit stop to make before I went home. And when you think about, that's usually how most stressful things go. One minute its a crisis and the next minute its just another day. 

Oh, and on an unrelated topic, I really like this shirt.

Fat Tuesdays: Because One Isn't Enough- Grilled Cheese

I know what you're thinking. Grilled cheese? David, Mom taught me how to make grilled cheese when I was 7 because she was tired of making the second easiest kid approved meal in the world (the first being Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.)

But, wait. This grilled cheese was amazing. And for adults. Or something like that.

Oh. My. God. This is so good. 

I'm so serious. I can't believe I made it, that's how good it was. So what did I do differently? I added a few ingredients. First off, pesto. While one side is coated in butter for golden crispiness, the other side is slathered in pesto for a nice tasty base. Then, add your cheese. I chose cheddar and colby jack. You really can choose any cheese you like, but yellow cheeses seem to be staples. Also, I didn't use any Kraft singles. Those things aren't really cheese and are not allowed on grilled cheese sandwiches. 

Next, add tomato. I did a slice and a half on each sandwich. It depends on your liking, but I enjoyed it. And finally, the real secret ingredient and the one that made this sandwich sooo good, goat's cheese. I went to the store looking for feta and found that goat's cheese was on sale for cheaper than feta. 

Word to the wise, a little goat's cheese goes a long way. There is not even a full 'slice' on each sandwich, just a small smattering of goat's cheese that when mixed with pesto and other delicious flavors, makes this a grilled cheese worth having again. 

Recap:

Italian Bread- Really any kind works here, but something that you have to slice yourself tastes better

Cheddar Cheese- A slice or two for each sandwich

Colby Jack Cheese- A slice or two for each sandwich

Pesto- To slather on each piece

Butter- To grill the exterior of the sandwich

Tomato- A slice on each sandwich would suffice

Goat's Cheese- Just a dab will do ya

I use a frying pan on medium heat and let the bread grill until it is toasty brown. Then I put it on my plate and devour it. 

I also have a new Oregano plant named Octavius.  

Octavius really likes the camera.

Thoughtful Thursdays: Detroit's Image

I get a lot of funny looks when I tell people I live in Detroit. Especially back in my small, Anywhere, USA hometown where people think of Detroit as a nuclear wasteland. I'm also not able to be one of those people from the burbs who can say, well, "I'm from _________ (fill in the blank), but its very near Detroit," because I'm from Dearborn, and that often gets as many funny looks as it does when I say I'm live in Detroit.

On the one hand, people from my hometown ask if I live near a lot of 'blacks.' I do. In fact, I work mostly with people of a darker skin complexion. In fact I'm the only one on our recruitment team that has straight heritage from Europe, and I find that pretty cool.

If people hear I'm from Dearborn they ask how Sharia Law is and if I can hear the prayer bells each morning. I respond by letting them know that Dearborn's mayor is Irish and yes, I do live next to the Islamic Center of America, but a large majority of Arab-Americans practice a form of Christianity.

Their sickening grin often fades quickly.

I bring this up today to talk about Detroit's image. Mainly, I don't think its fair to say that Detroit's image problems are completely due to the people who live here. While there needs to be some self-love and some true work on the problems, I also think we get a bit of a bad rap. Like playing Detroit in Apples to Apples when 'Worthless' is the green card. That sucks.

I won't say that Detroit isn't all sunshine and roses. This is a true story that is downright terrifying. And yes, I found this house on Google maps and no, the image isn't photoshopped.

Its that sort of thing that really puts a damper on any kind of good news coming from the city. Like this.  Okay, maybe the news is more bizarre than good, but still... wouldn't that be freaking awesome?

However, I still see Detroit get a lot of bad rap that isn't always due. Mostly, I see it as preconceived notions that are solidified through the experience you get on the internet. Let's try an experiment.

Open a new browser. Go ahead, make a new tab, a new window, a new page on your mobile device, whatever... just get a web browser up. Got it? Okay. Now, Google image the following: New York City, Chicago, LA, Baltimore, Detroit. It has to be the images.

Spend some time on each city. Look at the first several pages of pictures. None have to be too detailed of a search, but notice what you see. Look at the related searches for each city- this will come up later.

You should have noticed that when you Google any of the first four cities listed, you get some beautiful pictures of the skyline during the day, at night, some famous sites, and beautiful cityscapes. You'll also notice that Google gives some other options on what to search for like: (city) at night, (city) skyline, (city) professional sports team.

Pretty right? What happens when you Google image Detroit? You see a few skyline shots, but you also get several crumbling buildings, vacant lots, a photo of the 1967 riot, and a shot that is actually Manilla in the Philippines that has been tagged as Detroit. And, oh yes, related searches include: Detroit skyline, Detroit lions, and DETROIT SLUMS and DETROIT GHETTO.

Awesome. Thanks for taking the time to optimize people's searches Google.

Well David, you say, Chicago and New York are a little bit different than Detroit. I think you should calm down.

Okay fine. Google Cleveland. Do you see 'Cleveland slums?' How about any crumbling buildings? Try out Newark. Anything yet?

Oh, I've got it. At the expense of my personal freedoms and liberties surfing the internet, let's Google Baghdad, Kabul, any city in Syria, and see how badly the war has ravaged these towns. Ah, I see. There's a freaking WAR going on in these places, but we don't have any pictures of crumbling buildings to be shown. And good luck finding related searches with slum or ghetto.

I don't deny that Detroit has problems. I don't deny that the photos shown aren't real. I do deny that Detroit gets treated just as fair as every other city and I do deny that it is only due to the people's attitudes that we get treated this way.

If the people from my hometown believed that Detroit was crumbling in all corners, filled with slums and dilapidated lots, Google would certainly confirm their thoughts. And no matter what I tell them, until they actually come to see the city, these preconceived notions will stick with people forever.

Fat Tuesdays: Because One Isn't Enough- Fish Tacos

As my friends from this weekend know, I have had a strange affinity for fish tacos lately. There's something in the air that is making me crave delicious fish inside a flour shell with whatever that tasty sauce is dripping all down my hand. I feel like I'm five again with the mess I made. Then again I almost always make a mess eating.

So, nothing better than trying to recreate the dish that made my fingers tingle with excitement.

Unfortunately, I didn't have all the supplies to make a true fish taco, so I opted for the old empty-the-fridge tactic to create a scrumptious dinner.

That's tilapia, cilantro, green onions, and green peppers. And it smells as good as it looks. 

I had wine. I've heard it prevents cancer.... or something. 

I also put some BBQ sauce on in lieu of the actual sauce you're supposed to use. 

Mmmm....

It was a bit unconventional, but it sure tasted delicious. I threw in a little tomato and a little cheese too and voila, a fish taco! 

Ingredients:

Tilapia Fillet- frozen food section at Meijer

Small pile of green onions

One side of a green pepper

Small handful of fresh cilantro

A few grates of cheddar cheese

3 flour tortillas

Tomato to taste

BBQ Sauce to taste

Cook em all up and put em in the tortilla! 

Marvelous Mondays: 5 Things You Can Do When Its Really Flippin Hot.

I'm not a huge fan of the heat. I like it to be about 75 degrees and then stop. This 90 degree stuff is just not boding well for a sweaty guy like me. Here are 5 things you can do when it gets really flippin hot.

1). Tell everybody you can about how hot it is.
This is a great thing to do. It really doesn't matter who it is, you really should tell them about the heat. Tell your friends, tell your co-workers, text some people you haven't talked to in a while, call up some others, and tell everyone that it is hot. They could even live in the same city as you, but there is a good chance that your neighborhood is a few degrees warmer than theirs. So you should tell them about the heat.

2). Go for a run.
There's nothing like running in 90 degree heat to make you feel like an athlete. As you stand on the corner panting, waiting for the stop light to change, the disgusted looks from fatties in their cars are usually the best confirmation for how athletic you are. Those looks alone often give me an extra mile.

Sadly, the heat can often take a lot out of you and when you return home you usually look like this:

At least I have my health. 

3). Go to any source of water and use it. 

This applies to friends' pools, fountains, sprinklers in people's yards, rivers, taps, and any other water source not mentioned. Jump in them, wade in them, drink the water, and generally do whatever you can to not be hot. 

                                                           

4). Sit in front of sixty-three fans and don't move. 

Okay, so actually I only have three fans, but you get the idea here. 

5). Go do everything you would normally do anyway. 

When it gets to be this hot there is a general understanding that people are gonna sweat. So get out there and do the things you planned on doing. Get real sweaty on a walk, buy those groceries in style, slather on some extra deodorant (and bring a spare stick) and enjoy being human! 

So there you have it! 5 great things to do in this heat! Hope you had a marvelous Monday! 

Statues of Downtown Detroit

If you're ever in the mood to do something interesting, go to the nearest large city, park your car, and spend time walking around and investigating the statues that are placed around your town.

Statues serve a variety of purposes for us, but more often than not, I notice statues in the center of our public places that serve as monuments or reminders of things past, people lost, or important figures in society.

Most importantly, if you think of public places that you visit, the sculptures and statues are often the things you take pictures of. The importance of the natural landscape with our manmade structures makes a park more than just green grass. The statues often serve as our memento from the area. I can remember even visiting Italy that the first thing I did in most piazzas was to take a photo of the statue, obelisk, or fountain that served as the rallying point in the plaza. It was the grounding point and the thing that provided a sense of place for us as humans.

It is easy to get lost in our urban landscapes, but statues and public spaces are a major piece of the urban picture to provide balance and an anchor. Today, I ventured around Detroit to find a variety of statues. Some were easy to see, others were fairly difficult. I've done my best to capture why the statue exists.

The first statue is 'The Spirit of Detroit.' Most people are familiar with this statue as it is situated in front of the municipal center on Woodward and Jefferson at the heart of the city. It also serves as the unofficial symbol for the city and is often decorated with a jersey if one of the Detroit teams wins a title. Sadly, its been naked for a few years now.

Next is naturally the Joe Louis Fist on Jefferson Boulevard at Hart Plaza. This is right up there with 'The Spirit' in terms of recognition and symbolism. However, this fist also has caused great controversy in the city since it was erected in 1987. Many people feel that it doesn't convey the true spirit of what Joe Louis meant to Detroit. From an outsiders perspective, the fist seems to represent Detroit's resiliency. In that sense, I'm okay with it. 

This is Joe Louis as the boxer and this statue can be found inside Cobo Hall at the main entrance. I couldn't find much information about this statue, other than it was dedicated in late 1987, according to the plaque on the statue. I do know that many people dissatisfied with the fist prefer this statue just down the road. 

This is the Detroit side of the International Underground Railroad Memorial. This sits right on the Riverwalk at Hart Plaza and faces Windsor. The memorial is actually a two part memorial with the other part residing in Canada. As it turns out, Detroit was one of the top gateways for leaving the country because of its proximity to Canada. This memorial was dedicated in 2001. 

This is the Michigan Soldiers and Sailors Monument that sits in Campus Martius Park. This statue is pretty old. It was actually commissioned to honor the Michigan soldiers who died in the Civil War and was dedicated in 1872. On the front side which you can view in the picture there is actually a time capsule that was buried in 2004, when Campus Martius Park was dedicated. The capsule is to be opened in 2014. The other piece I found interesting about this monument is that it has been moved from its original location when the park was designed. Old photos of Detroit show the monument in the middle of a chaotic traffic pattern, which is both cool and slightly terrifying. 

This was the first little monument that is not entirely familiar and one that I've walked past numerous times without noticing. It is the John Judson Bagley Memorial Fountain which was built in 1887. It resides now on Cadillac Square just east of Campus Martius. Apparently, it used to be on Campus Martius. It also served as Detroit's first public drinking fountain. No water was running today, and I assume it has been disconnected from the water supply. 

This is the Russell Alger Memorial Fountain in Grand Circus Park. If you see behind it, it is very near Comerica Park and thus home to many panhandlers these days. The statue itself is not Russell Alger, but a roman figure that is supposed to symbolize the State of Michigan. I don't see it. At any rate, Russell Alger was a longtime Detroiter and Michigan resident who actually served as Governor of the state, Secretary of War for President McKinley and US Senator for a time before he died in office. There is an Alger County in Michigan way up in the U.P. For any birthers out there, Russell Alger is not a native Michigander as he was born in Ohio, but thanks to his contributions, I guess he can keep the statue. 

On the left side, William Maybury, former mayor of Detroit. On the right side, Hazen Pingree, former mayor of Detroit and Michigan governor. These two adorn each side of Woodward in Grand Circus Park and are passed by thousands of tigers fans on a regular basis without much notice. What's so fun about these two is that they were political rivals back in the day and really despised each other. Now they sit and stare at each other every single day, laughing as pigeons drop stool on the others' face. They both seem like pretty tough politicians, but perhaps my favorite fact I found was that Hazen Pingree threw a new year's party in the Michigan House on December 31, 1899 which was attended by future president Teddy Roosevelt. Later, Pingree died while on safari with Roosevelt in Africa. I can only assume this guy was so awesome that he was mauled by a lion while fighting off a cheetah, but sadly it was peritonitis,  an inflammation of the inner wall of his abdomen. 

No city is complete without a statue of Abraham Lincoln. Sixteenth President, guy that kept the country together during the Civil War, on a five dollar bill and pennies, yeah, that guy. Turns out this statue which is now downtown in front of the Detroit library behind the old Hudson's Building was originally at the Lincoln plant in west Detroit starting in 1919. After the plant closed, the city obtained the statue and moved it downtown.

Up above on the left is a small scale replica of the state capitol building that was in Detroit when Michigan became a state back in the 1820s. On the right is our first governor, Stephens T. Mason. Turns out that this guy was 19 when he was appointed territorial governor of Michigan. Besides being the first governor, he helped guide Michigan through the Toledo War, the war that we had with Ohio over the rights to Toledo. Ohio 'won' in getting Toledo, but in exchange we received the entire Upper Peninsula. With the conflict behind us, we were approved for statehood and Stephens T. Mason became governor of the state. His statue resides in Capitol Park, along with the building replica in Detroit. 

This is Alexander Macomb, General during the War of 1812. He was from a wealthy family here in Detroit that owned most of Macomb County, Grosse Ile, and Belle Isle. And they were friends with John Jacob Astor. This statue was actually designed by the same guy that did Mayor Maybury's statue up at Grand Circus Park. General Macomb stands at Washington Boulevard and Michigan Avenue, right outside the Cadillac Book Westin Hotel. 

This is General Casimir Pulaski. Never heard of him? Me either. He stands across Michigan Avenue from General Macomb, but from what I could tell they aren't associated with one another. According to the plaque on the statue this General died in Savannah, Georgia in 1779 during the American Revolution. This statue was dedicated in September 1960 on behalf of Americans with Polish descent. I imagine Detroit's large Polish population probably had something to do with this. 

I know Detroit's Polish population had something to do with this statue of General Thaddeus Kosiuszko. The General is another Polish hero of the Revolutionary War and apparently fought with General Washington. His statue was a gift from Krakow, Poland and commissioned during the American Bicentennial. The statue was dedicated in August of 1978 and sits in its original location at Michigan Avenue and Third Street just outside the MGM Grand Casino. Sadly, what I think was the most impressive statue is hidden on the edge of downtown in a difficult location to walk to. 

Did somebody say George Washington? Yes, we have one of those too. This is definitely a statue that most people probably miss as he sits in front of the Mariner's Church on Jefferson right at the entrance to the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. Interesting to note that this statue of Washington has him with his masonic symbols across his waist. 

The final statue I found was actually a bust dedicated by the Italians of Detroit of Christopher Columbus. I intentionally allowed the tree branch to be in front of his face so as to hide the shame of getting lost at sea, wiping out an indigenous people, and then getting a holiday for it. Sorry Italians of Detroit, it is a very nice bust. If you'd like to see it, it is on Randolph Street at Jefferson facing the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. 

There are other statues hidden throughout downtown Detroit and many more scattered throughout the city. And its possible one day soon that a Robocop statue with be erected to guard the city from unwanted criminals.