Detroit, Mi

[Sijuki]

Well heck, if we can talk up cincinnati that much, I should at least be able to get one person to think Detroit is a decent city. I have lived here all 23 years of my life. Contrary to popular belief Detroit is not all about Riots, killings, arson, and car jacking. We've lost all those titles. That's right, the city that used to be #1 in the country in murder, arson and car jackings has cleaned up. Not that I am saying Detroit is a peaceful symbiotic utopia, but it has improved.

People have asked me what the heck is cool in detroit. I usually say, I don't know. Usually because most people won't listen anyways. Detroit's main thing is music. Whatever music you like, it's here. We have Techno, Rock, Rap, Hip Hop, Country, Opera, Symphonic, Jazz, Blues, etc.

We have the Fox Theatre, which has top end plays, concerts and comedians.
We have Century Club / Gem Theatre which show plays (usually comedy's)
We have the State Theatre, which is probably the best place to see a concert for a small venue
The Second City, for more comedy.
Hockeytown for a bite to eat and some drink while watching whatever sporting event happens to be big in the city. Especially big during hockey season.
Several small clubs in the area like Magic Box, Harpo's, Emerald, Clutch Cargos, etc.
Other concert facilities like DTE Music Theatre, Cobo Hall, Palace of Auburn Hills.
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Opera House, Max Fisher Music Center
The Detroit Institute of Arts for a wide array of Art, which commonly has special expos.
If you like fresh food, there is the Eastern Market, which I believe is one of the oldest open air markets in the US. (But can't find concrete proof), anyways it's cool there on the weekends.
Obviously, Comerica Park (Tigers, yeah they suck), Ford Field (Lions, yeah they suck too.), Palace of Auburn Hills (Pistons), and Joe Louis Arena (Red Wings).
If you're passion is drinking, then this is the city. Detroit I swear as bars everywhere. Whatever your preference, a quiet sit down place, or a hoppin jumpin party harty all night club, we have them all. Any Thurs through Saturday you can head downtown and find at least 4 or 5 clubs, most of which will jam up the streets with people in their cars all dressed out.
The quieter places are usually on the outskirts, a few by campus.
And of course everyone must learn, we have Wayne State University, and the Detroit Medical Center
Also, the beautiful (ok, not so beautiful, but working on it) Belle Isle Park. I haven't been there in years, so I don't know if the Aquarium is still open or not.

How about food... Greektown (which strangely has some of the best Chicago Style Pizza), Mexicantown, East Dearborn for Arabiv food, and Several excellent Chinese restaurants in the area. Not to mention some great Italian restaurants in what is now part of mexican town. Dearborn Italian Sausage, Buddy's Pizza (always highly recommended), Mongolian BBQ, etc.

We also have our own little slice of Vegas, with our three casinos, although I suspect they will be much better once they finally get into their permanent locations and have hotels built on.

Plus you are not too far from Ann Arbor which is a yuppie college town, with decent food and drink and I am sure some good clubs, Ypsilanti next to Ann Arbor has some of the hottest clubs right now. Pontiac usually has something happening on the weekend also.

Ok, enough rambling, just felt like plugging my town. :D :D

Plus for the future, the soon to be remodeled Book Cadillac Hotel, reminiscent of its prime in the 20's.

Although Detroit has its bad, oh does it ever, it is truly a city on the rebound, a slow, but steady rebound. I love my city, and not too many people will say that. I know most of detroit very well, from the million dollar homes in Grosse Pointe to the once vibrant, now gutted neighborhoods of DelRey. Not that I would make a trip just to see Detroit, but if you are in the area, swing by, even if just for a concert or show and a drink or two.

Oh yeah, and Hart Plaza, where the Annual Techno and Industrial Music Show is.

Biggest downer of Detroit, no mass transit. The trolley system was sold to Mexico City, and the People Mover elevated rail system is all but a lost cause as it only circles downtown.

Ok... thanks for reading if you did. Nice day. :D

[Diorama]

yo sijuki.

nice article on your hometown. it's funny how we are so proud of our home that we could ramble on and on about it forever! I feel the same way don't worry.

When I think of Detroit I think of:

-eminem
-Red wings!
-Cars and more cars
-windsor, ontario
-industry
-I'm thinking of kidrock (is he from detroit too?or am i on crack)
-and more industry

That's so weird that you don't have public transit! (except for in the dt core) so you don't have any buses? And why the heck would you sell your trolley's to mexico city. stupid politicians.

[Sijuki]

Yeah, Kid Rock is from Romeo, which is just north of Detroit. We are also responsible for ICP. We do have busses, but they are not the most reliable form of transportation, they have improved so i have heard. But chances are you can probably get farther just by walking or driving. Although parking downtown can be expensive, unless you park at the casino.

The reason they sold the trolley was because it was getting old and it wasn't used much, mainly cause the cars were always broke down. But hey, those were the golden years when the city was still going down the tubes. :D

[Sijuki]

Oh geez... I totally forgot to mention The Henry Ford... which has Greenfield Village, the Henry Ford Museum, and an Imax Theatre. This is like our history museum. All sorts of old historical stuff.

[npabga]

monorail, monorail, MONORAIL!! - from the Simpsons

Sijuki,

Are you from Detroit the city or the just the metro area? I live about 10 miles outside of the city in- you guessed it- a subdivision . The suburban sprawl aided by the advent of the auto. I also don't like the fact that I have rarely travelled into Detroit- the parking is unpleasent (gets expensive during big events) and without money, a car, and most importantly, time, trips are tough. Also, I have not been in MI for months anyways.

To those who are interested in Detroit:

There are many good things about Detroit and the Detroit area, as Sijuki said.

Though large sections of Detroit are unsafe, there are also large sections that are. If you are aware of your surroundings, and are as cautious as in any other big city, you should be fine. Detroit also has several museums devoted to art, music, automobiles, African American history, and Greenfield Village (they have the chair that Lincoln was shot in, the Wright brothers' bike shop and others).

Detroit definately has a great music history. Some cities are tied to a particular genre, Detroit has been the home of many artists from a wide range of style: Eminem, Aretha, Smokey Robinson, Bob Seger, Iggy Pop, Madonna, John Lee Hooker, James Cleveland, George Clinton, Alice Cooper, Yusef Lateef, Sippie Wallace, yes even ICP, Kid Rock, and the White Stripes.

And Detroit still has a vibrant music scene- Such as the Hamtramck Blowout (this year there was nearly 170 performances over 3 nights at 13 venues, entrance by means of a wristband (cheap)), to the DEMF (Detoit Electric Music festival, the largest electronic music festival in the world (and free)), and free Jazz, Country, and Blues festivals, amongst others.

Go ahead and read up on it- you might consider it worth a visit.

[travelpunk]

When I think of Detroit, I envision Car Manufacturers and a lot of gloomy gray. I never got that "colorful picture" about Detroit. But now, I'm seeing the light! Looks like Big D has lot's to offer!

Nice rundown of Detoit! Thanks Sij and npabga B) !

[Sijuki]

npabga,
Actually I have lived both in the city and in the burbs. As of current I live in dearborn about a whole mile and half from the city border. I have always loved detroit and love spending time down there. Actually, I am working to get an understanding of Real Estate and to get into rental properties so I tend to spend some time scouting out areas of the city for ideas.

But it's good to know that there is a fellow detroiter out there... where abouts do you live (usually)?

[npabga]

Sijuki,
My closest family ties to Detroit are that my parents used to live there and I still have a relative on the Westside. My family moved out way before I was born, so I guess the place I call home (I hesitate to call it that really, but I guess it is the best I got) is Sterling Heights. Incorporated in the late 60's and has all the character of a strip mall. In fact besides those and subdivisions, we got nothing. We kind of have a downtown, if you go to the neighboring city of Utica.

I wish you success on the Real Estate; there are a lot of nice neighborhoods there. Starting to miss the metro area a bit now that I began thinking about it. crap

[Sijuki]

Hey, someday you can go backpacking to Detroit be a tourist.

I've never really gone to Sterling Heights. I will agree with you on that whole area over there though, it's all urban sprawl of subdivisions and strip malls. As scary as it is, I do miss my hometown when I am away for a long time. Maybe I can post a picture, make ya feel at home

[voyd]

Originally posted by Sijuki@Nov 1 2003, 05:06 PM
Yeah, Kid Rock is from Romeo, which is just north of Detroit.* We are also responsible for ICP.

So, is Detroit kinda a wiggatown, or what? What the people all like there?

[Sijuki]

It depends on where you are. In the city it is mostly non-white. You really don't have too much of a problem, people are usually easy going. As long as you don't act like a fool, you really don't have a problem. When you head downriver (the small cities south of detroit to the county border) you can sometimes run into wiggas and other rich white kids who think they are thug life. :greenguy: I had to go to school with these people and listen to their stupid bull. North of the city as far as I have seen isn't too bad but you do run into a few people like those downriver. There is actually a lot of well off people. The northwest suburbs is where you have specialty shops for the likes of Ecco, Gucci, other high end apparal and high end food. Then west of Detroit is Dearborn which is stuck in its own world. East Dearborn has the worlds largest Arab population outside of the mid east, so if you can't afford the trip to Saudi Arabia but want to get some good mid eastern food, come to dearborn. :D As strange as it is, there are some really good italian places there too, and bakeries. West dearborn is like a yuppie downtown, but the people are usually pretty friendly and its like a small town. There are all sorts of people around here. Past dearborn is Inkster, that's the ghetto.

[voyd]

Originally posted by Sijuki@Nov 4 2003, 06:03 PM
so if you can't afford the trip to Saudi Arabia but want to get some good mid eastern food, come to dearborn.* :D

Mmm, I love Mid Eastern food! One thing I damn miss about Europe - all the ME shops eveywhere!

So, where are Em, Kid Rock and ICP from?

[Sijuki]

Eminem is from Ferndale, which is just across 8 mile from Detroit. Not quite the ghetto, but still not quite great. He did spend quite a bit of time in the city at places like the Shelter.

Kid Rock (a.k.a. Rob Ritchie) is from Romeo. He is a suburban kid, but always spend time mc'ing and working in bands. He also spent considerable time in the city trying to build his image and become big. He was the white rapper before Vanilla Ice made it big.
Good ol Joe C. was from Taylor.

ICP well they are from, shit I don't remember, the burbs somewhere. I went to school with a kid that became their roadie or some crap. My cousin is way into them. They had their humor but it gets kind of old.

Kid Rock and Em have done work together as well as Kid Rock with ICP. I don't particularly recall ICP and Em working together ever.

[Sijuki]

Well as much as I have tried to push the good of Detroit here on t-punk, I must regretfully let you all know that my wonderful city has once again made it to the top of the list.

After being knocked off the top of the list in 2002 by St. Louis, Mo. Detroit has returned in 2003 to be:

The Most Dangerous City in the United States!


What great honors we have here! :D I still think its safe.



(as determined by the "Morgan Quitno Awards")

[Columbia]

Um Detroit Detroit Detroit...first thing I think of: Detroit Rock City (KISS... ). You may be #1 on the Danger list Sijuki, but you're also #1 on the list for.....healthiest school lunches!!!
No, I'm not kidding.

[Sijuki]

Columbia (Kelly),

Not that I would ever doubt you, but are you serious? I never thought the food was very healthy. Of course it did taste terrible, so it may be healthy. :P j/k. So how did you ever find that out? Detroit does have a great heritage of musicians. So I guess that isn't too bad. Although I never saw the movie.

[Diorama]

don't worry my city, vancouver, is numero uno in property crime (for north america)
:D
People like to steal here

[Sijuki]

You had better start teaching those people some manners. They are giving Canada a bad name. :D

[Columbia]

Sijuki: http://www.clickondetroit.com/health/24231...155/detail.html

[Sijuki]

Columbia,
I said I didn't doubt you. :D But my internet connection must blow, since it keeps timing out on me. Oh well.. I will check it some other time.