Visiting Detroit
- Kali Durga
- Tiny Elephant
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- Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:42 am
Visiting Detroit
With the opening of TMR Cass Corridor, folks are going to need to know where to eat and stay and what to do. Seems there's a heck of a lot of good stuff. Here's some of what I've found &/or been told about so far, please add more.
Coney Dogs: I've been told Lafayette >> American. I've only tried Lafayette so far and they're addictive. The two shops are right next to each other, so decide for yourself. And apparently there are lots of other lesser-known great Coney places.
Polish food: Polish Village in Hamtramck is the place that's been most recommended to me. After eating there twice, I gotta say that it's good, but not quite as good as my mom used to make (though maybe that's because we're Hungarian). I've been told Polonia is also good and, like the two rival Coney places, it's right next door to Polish Village.
Hotels relatively close to TMR: Motor City Casino on Grand River and Hotel St. Regis on West Grand
Sites to see, stuff to do:
- Detroit Institute of the Arts. Spectacular museum.
- Detroit Historical Society
- Michigan Science Center
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Fisher Building
- Guardian Building
- tour the Masonic Temple building
- Campus Martius Park
- Hart Plaza
- Belle Isle & Belle Isle Aquarium
- UFO Factory social club
- Motown Museum
- Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers
- weekly Slow Roll bike ride
Oh, and I almost forgot Paczki Day! Since we're all pros at standing in line in all sorts of weather, there's the tradition of standing in line on Fat Tuesday for paczki, a truly sinful-sounding Polish pastry. There's apparently a parade in Hamtramck and everything.
Coney Dogs: I've been told Lafayette >> American. I've only tried Lafayette so far and they're addictive. The two shops are right next to each other, so decide for yourself. And apparently there are lots of other lesser-known great Coney places.
Polish food: Polish Village in Hamtramck is the place that's been most recommended to me. After eating there twice, I gotta say that it's good, but not quite as good as my mom used to make (though maybe that's because we're Hungarian). I've been told Polonia is also good and, like the two rival Coney places, it's right next door to Polish Village.
Hotels relatively close to TMR: Motor City Casino on Grand River and Hotel St. Regis on West Grand
Sites to see, stuff to do:
- Detroit Institute of the Arts. Spectacular museum.
- Detroit Historical Society
- Michigan Science Center
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Fisher Building
- Guardian Building
- tour the Masonic Temple building
- Campus Martius Park
- Hart Plaza
- Belle Isle & Belle Isle Aquarium
- UFO Factory social club
- Motown Museum
- Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers
- weekly Slow Roll bike ride
Oh, and I almost forgot Paczki Day! Since we're all pros at standing in line in all sorts of weather, there's the tradition of standing in line on Fat Tuesday for paczki, a truly sinful-sounding Polish pastry. There's apparently a parade in Hamtramck and everything.
Last edited by Kali Durga on Fri Feb 12, 2016 2:42 am, edited 2 times in total.
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
- Jamie
- Little Ghost
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Re: Visiting Detroit
Can we include a list of historically significant sites to see from the White Stripes / Jack history? Things like the fire station where they shot the cover to the first album, or the bowling alley where they met Conan and from the Bricks performance etc.
- Kali Durga
- Tiny Elephant
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Re: Visiting Detroit
I would think people would definitely want to be able to visit those spots. Hotel Yorba can't be missed, it's right smack along the highway. And Garden Bowl, or what it's become, is just a couple blocks from TMR Cass.
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
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- Little Ghost
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Re: Visiting Detroit
Childhood home- 1203 Ferdinand St
Gold Dollar - 3129 Cass Ave
House where GBMS was recorded - 1731 Seminole
Firehouse where S/T cover was shot - 1625 W Lafayette
Hotel Yorba - 4020 Lafayette Blvd
Keep in mind that some of these are not in the greatest of areas and extensive gawking or picture taking might not be the best idea.
Gold Dollar - 3129 Cass Ave
House where GBMS was recorded - 1731 Seminole
Firehouse where S/T cover was shot - 1625 W Lafayette
Hotel Yorba - 4020 Lafayette Blvd
Keep in mind that some of these are not in the greatest of areas and extensive gawking or picture taking might not be the best idea.
- Kali Durga
- Tiny Elephant
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- Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:42 am
Re: Visiting Detroit
I touched on this in the New Detroit Branch thread. To me, one of the important things to keep in mind when "playing tourist" in those neighborhoods is that people live there. Even in the most blighted areas of Detroit (or any city, for that matter), people live there. Be mindful of your own safety, but also be respectful of the fact that folks are living and working there and don't treat it like a tourist attraction.cwja wrote:Keep in mind that some of these are not in the greatest of areas and extensive gawking or picture taking might not be the best idea.
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
- rsimms3
- Tiny Elephant
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Re: Visiting Detroit
Yes. The firehouse is in a working class neighborhood with quite a bit of traffic in the morning and evening. If you don't know the address you'll drive by it every time.
Garden Bowl/Majestic/former Magic Stick
Spirit of Detroit
Garden Bowl/Majestic/former Magic Stick
Spirit of Detroit
"The chairs are too nice, the chandeliers are too beautiful, and the popcorn is too buttery." - Jack White
"What if my problem wasn't that I don't understand people but that I don't like them?" - Louis Bloom
"What if my problem wasn't that I don't understand people but that I don't like them?" - Louis Bloom
- Kali Durga
- Tiny Elephant
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Re: Visiting Detroit
Oooh, where's that located?rsimms3 wrote:Spirit of Detroit
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
- arewhyehen
- Little Bird Flipper
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Re: Visiting Detroit
Does anyone know what is left of The Heidelberg Project??
I know a lot of the houses were burnt down by arsonists a few years ago,but I think it's still a cool area???
I know a lot of the houses were burnt down by arsonists a few years ago,but I think it's still a cool area???
- Kali Durga
- Tiny Elephant
- Posts: 7369
- Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:42 am
Re: Visiting Detroit
^^ I need to make sure to put that on my list.
Here's something I definitely want to do, might even try to organize a TMR fan participation thing next summer: The Detroit Slow Roll bike ride-- http://www.slate.com/articles/video/vid ... troit.html I participate in a similar monthly ride in Baltimore and it's a great way to get to know a city, and is a blast, to boot. Who else would be interested?
Here's something I definitely want to do, might even try to organize a TMR fan participation thing next summer: The Detroit Slow Roll bike ride-- http://www.slate.com/articles/video/vid ... troit.html I participate in a similar monthly ride in Baltimore and it's a great way to get to know a city, and is a blast, to boot. Who else would be interested?
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
- arewhyehen
- Little Bird Flipper
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Re: Visiting Detroit
Making the trip down to the detroit shop next week for the first time. Been to detroit many times but usually drive through as quick as possible. Going to try and check out as many of these things as possible.
- Kali Durga
- Tiny Elephant
- Posts: 7369
- Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:42 am
Re: Visiting Detroit
Ah, thanks for bumping this. Jack mentioned in Duly's Place Vault chat a few days ago, and I remembered that Anthony Bourdain also gave the Coneys there a recent plug-- http://www.mlive.com/business/detroit/i ... lys_t.html
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
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- Little Bird
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Re: Visiting Detroit
For Detroit style pizza I'd recommend Nikki's in Greektown or Loui's Pizza in the burbs.
- mangry
- Little Ghost
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Re: Visiting Detroit
I wanna go to Detroit to do this! And I guess I could stop by Cass Corridor while I am there.Kali Durga wrote:Ah, thanks for bumping this. Jack mentioned in Duly's Place Vault chat a few days ago, and I remembered that Anthony Bourdain also gave the Coneys there a recent plug-- http://www.mlive.com/business/detroit/i ... lys_t.html
Hyperbole used for effect!
- Kali Durga
- Tiny Elephant
- Posts: 7369
- Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:42 am
Re: Visiting Detroit
Holy crap, look at the Belle Isle Aquarium-- https://roadtrippers.com/stories/americ ... .72762&z=5
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
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- Little Bird
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Re: Visiting Detroit
Hey Kali, The Spirit of Detroit is at the foot of Woodward, by the Joe Louis fist, across Jefferson from Hart Plaza. https://goo.gl/maps/duwUyyV3wE72