Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe

Tonight after work I finally had the chance to stop into Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe on Woodward & Watson.  I have been hearing great things about the store and was dying to try it out myself.

The first thing that struck me about the store was its attractiveness.  The design is modern & minimalistic.  Everything is neat and they manage to fit a lot of variety into a relatively small space, especially when you think of the size of your average Walmart  or Meijer.  Everything is super clean and the staff was friendly.  They also had a nice meat counter with a very appetizing spinach & feta london broil on sale.  I might have to pick one up for dinner this week.

Their produce section was filled with all types of fruits, vegetables, and even a complete selection of herbs (which, trust me, can be extremely difficult to find in the city).  They had fresh breads that smelled heavenly, a coffee stand, and even a salad bar if you want to jump in and check it out at lunch time.

All-in-all I was pleased with the store.  Fair warning that their prices are kind of high & for a Detroiter on-a-budget this may not be your most economical option for those trips where you really stock up.  However, for quick trips on your way home, specialty items, lunch, or coffee this is definitely your spot.  If you haven’t yet, stop by, and show this store some love.  It’s no easy feat to open a successful grocery store in the city of Detroit.

Lastly, I’m going to leave you with a picture of this amazing painting I saw on display at the N’Namdi Gallery on Forest just east of Woodward.  I visited there for the first time during Noel Night and took a stroll through the gallery.  This piece was my favorite.  Hopefully you guys are making time to visit your local galleries and enjoying some of the amazing work artists are doing all throughout the city!  Speaking of artists all photos in this blog are credited to @theapexcaliber whose work you should definitely check out!

The Incarceration of Our Country

Today at work I had to research our clients’ criminal histories for an insurance application.  I utilize OTIS, the state’s public offender database, and was once again astounded and appalled at the sheer number of people this country incarcerates.  Do me a favor and try it.  Go to OTIS, enter any common last name (I recommend Brown or Jackson), and prepare for your jaw to drop.  There are pages and pages of people who are either in prison, on probation, parole, or who have a criminal record which will haunt them the rest of their life.

While the diversity of incarcerated citizens is increasing, the fact of the matter is that the vast majority of these offenders are African-American males and the vast majority of those African-American men come from the city of Detroit.  This trend is not good for the black community, its not good for the city of Detroit, and whether you want to face it or not, it’s not good for anyone in our  community; no matter your race, age, or socioeconomic background.

I say all that to say this: let’s not forget these people.  So many of my fellow Detroiters are doing so many amazing things with art, technology, and community activism.  But please, while you’re doing all this great work, don’t forget that our young men need mentors.  Take the time to mentor them.  Take the time to talk to them.  Take the time to show them a new way.  If you want to get involved in a great community organization doing great work with the young men in Detroit please visit BME on Facebook, Twitter, or at their website and learn how you can get involved!

Remember Detroit, its up to us.

Shop Local

Today is Black Friday, the biggest shopping event of the year.  I have only participated in Black Friday one time my entire life and that was enough for me.  Deals of this magnitude seem to bring out the beast in people (which the stores actually encourage if you ask me) and I would just rather not indulge.  That, however, does not stop me from supporting my local business owners, designers, and entrepreneurs.

There are all types of great deals going on today from DSE, Detroit vs Everybody, local artists like Trae Isaac, and local restaurants that you can (and should) take advantage of.  It’s really a win-win for everyone (except the large corporations who don’t support your local community anyway).  You get good deals, the Black Friday shopping experience, and to support your local community without having to deal with traffic, lines, or crazy shoppers.  Your local businesses get more income which helps them to develop themselves more and contribute more to our local community.

Let’s remember that the future of Detroit is up to Detroiters.  Be a part of this amazing renaissance, get cool shit, and support a local entrepreneur.  Businesses & entrepreneurs will only stay in Detroit if we show them some love so remember it’s up to us Detroit.

This year I’m thankful to live in a city that holds so much opportunity for so many of us. A city that believes in second chances, in coming back from the dead, and in renewal. I’m thankful for my fellow Detroiters who constantly inspire me to be better and do better without even knowing they’re an inspiration.

Photo courtesy of @huffpostdetroit

courtesy of TEDx Detroit

This is the building she’s talking about in the video, the Grand Army of the Republic Building on Grand River & Cass.

courtesy of Grand River Creative Corridor

Outliers

A friend of mine is in town from New York.  My friend is a Detroiter who moved to NYC only because he had to live in the same city as his son but who loves our city and misses it terribly.  When I I heard he was coming it just seemed natural for me to take him around and show him some of the new, amazing things happening here.  I began thinking up all the new restaurants, bars, and art galleries I could show him.  I wanted to take him shopping at Campus Martius, show him the art galleries in Midtown, and take him to eat on Michigan Ave. in Corktown.

We didn’t end up doing any of those things but we did end up doing one of my favorite things, driving around the city.  We went and saw the new retail developments in the West Village and drove by his old house on Seyburn.  While we were in the neighborhood we started talking about the importance of outlying developments, like the one in the West Village, to the sustainability of positive change in the city and he ended up showing me something I had never heard of!  One of my favorite things about living in Detroit right now is that there’s so many amazing things happening it’s impossible to know about all of them.  You are always hearing about something new that inspires you.

He took me to a surprising place.  Farnsworth and Mt Elliott.  There on a 1/5 acre lot Rising Pheasant Farms is growing all types of vegetables and are, as their Facebook page describes them, more than organic.  This family-run farm even delivers their produce to local restaurants and businesses on bicycle!  These Detroiters not only start businesses in the neighborhoods but they purchased their home for dirt cheap and completely remodeled it.

What inspired me most about this place is that it’s a true outlier.  This farm wasn’t started in one of the trendier neighborhoods where the other farmers work and live.  In neighborhoods where it would’ve been easier to plant roots and gain support.  No, these Detroiters pushed the boundaries and planted roots in what is arguably one of the most decimated areas of the city.  These are the Detroiters we need.  Detroiters willing to reach out into the neighborhoods and make positive changes.

I was talking with someone tonight at a sustainable business panel at Cliff Bell’s (which is a whole other post by itself) and he mentioned that we can’t become insulated in our trendy neighborhoods and forget that the rest of Detroit still looks, in many places, like a third world country.  It’s people like the ones who started Rising Phoenix Farms that won’t let us forget.  It’s people like that who will make sure Detroit never dies.  How can anyone not be inspired by this?

One a sidenote: I visited the farm at night so I will go back later and take some picture for you guys.  In the meantime visit their blog or Facebook page for more information.

Honey Bee La Colmena

Honey Bee Market on Bagley & 14th is a true Detroit gem.  If you’ve never been you are missing out on what it arguably the best produce section in the city.  

They have every type of staple & specialty vegetable you can probably think of at great prices.  Add this to their selection of Latino food choices, great meat counter, and convenient location and you have what amounts to one of the nicest grocery stores in the city.  

Also, it’s not super expensive or high-end, which means a trip here won’t break the bank.  Support this local store that has been in Detroit for over 50 years!! Remember, it’s up to us Detroit.  

The Shops at Campus Martius

 

If you haven’t been yet you definitely need to check out the shops at Campus Martius.  I didn’t make it to the tree lighting, unfortunately, due to an emergency but I was able to go shopping there this afternoon and it did my heart good.  Campus Martius, as you may or may not already now, has long been a downtown gathering spot for weekday lunches and nighttime ice skating.  Recently, however, they’ve added shops along Woodward and for another week or so an artist’s market in heated tents on the east side of the park.  

The afternoon began with a tasty lunch at the Grand Trunk on Woodward that began with a surprisingly delicious lobster bisque.  Our appetizer was a hummus & grilled vegetable plate.  The pita bread was fried just the right amount & delicious.  The hummus, while appearing chunky, was tasty & the grilled vegetables were the perfect compliment (although they could branch outside of just broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots).    All-in-all a delicious upscale bar lunch in a cozy spot filled with people.  

Afterwards, I strolled through the artist’s market in heated tents east of the ice rink.  Inside I found my new favorite coffee cup (see picture below) and perused a variety of artistic and craft pieces including all types of mediums.  I must admit some of the prices were high but the merchandise was high quality and the people were very friendly.

I ended my afternoon by walking north on Woodward from the ice rink and perusing the shops on the west side of the street.  Included are the Detroit Shoppe (where the proceeds from all purchases go to support revitalization efforts in Detroit), Somerset Collection, D:pop, and Moosejaw to name a few.  I got to shop and be entertained.  I ran into a juggler who was friendly and able to juggle flames.  I also was serenaded by live entertainment in Somerset Collection while perusing their beautiful collection.

 

All-in-all it was a great afternoon spent in the city I love and I was, as I always am, inspired.  Campus Martius is giving us a snapshot of what Detroit can be.  Seeing an area that just a year ago was deserted on the weekend alive and bustling with ice skating, entertainment, food, and shopping warmed my heart.  If you get a chance stop by and show these shops some love.  They’ll only stay around if we support them.  It’s up to us Detroit.  In closing I’ll leave you with this poem I found in the Detroit Shoppe and I hope it will inspire you just like it did me.

Good Morning Detroit!

Hello Detroiters!  This blog is for you.  As a life-long Detroiter I am constantly inspired by what I see happening in my city.  This blog is my way of sharing that inspiration with you.  I hope by educating Detroiters about what’s happening in their city I can, in some small way, contribute to the revitalization of the city I love.  It’s up to us Detroit.  xoxo