Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Baseball in October, people! Congratulations to the Detroit Tigers on winning the American League Central Division and to Miguel Cabrera on winning the Triple Crown!

I highly recommend that you check out DLECTRICITY this weekend (#1 in the Weekend Roundup). Midtown will be lit up and buzzing!

Weekend Roundup

1. DLECTRICITY - This contemporary light and art festival will take over and electrify Midtown. 35 artists will light up the architecture throughout the neighborhood. Check out the featured events. October 5—6.

2. Evil Dead: The Musical - Now in its third year, this cult horror musical based on Sam Raimi's classic films have become a fall tradition in Detroit. October 4—7.

3. Historic Fort Wayne Flea Market - If you haven't visited Historic Fort Wayne, this is the perfect weekend to take a peek. Guided tours will be offered, a train exhibit plus bargains, collectibles, and arts & crafts. October 6—7.

4. Detroit Zoo Fall Festival - Enjoy a day at the zoo with the animals complete with fall-inspired food and beverages, hayrides, pumpkin painting and more. October 6—7.

5. Incredible Journey to Midnight: Detroit Underground Railroad Tour - This evening tour will retrace the steps of the freedom seekers on their journey to freedom. Learn about the role Detroit played in the Underground Railroad. October 6th.

Bonus: Detroit Restaurant Week

Double Bonus: Plymouth Restaurant Week

Do you know of a great event going on in Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!

This is not the best burger in metro Detroit

There are people who will tell you that Miller’s Bar in Dearborn has the best burger in metro Detroit. They are wrong. What you will find at Miller’s is the best damn, no-nonsense bar burger in the area.

By bar burger, I mean you get a beef patty on a hamburger bun. That’s it. If you opt for cheese it’s going to be Swiss or Velveeta.

Complete with rotary phone, Miller’s Bar is stuck a few decades back in time. And that’s OK. In fact, that’s the charm. When you walk in, the place will most likely be full. You wait in line until a table is ready for you. Don’t expect them to bring you a menu once you're seated. There is one small menu hanging near the grill but you shouldn’t need it. 

Let me explain.

Miller’s doesn’t have a full kitchen or chefs or ‘gourmet’ burgers. Nope. They have a grill and limited options. Hell, they don’t even have plates. Your burger will arrive at your table on a sheet of wax paper.

Your options? You can have a hamburger or a cheeseburger, or as they like to say, with or without. You can have fries or onion rings. Yes, they do have a few other items on the menu but why in the world would you go to a place known for their burgers and order a chicken or tuna sandwich? That just doesn’t make sense.

Along with your burger, they’ll bring over ketchup, mustard and a vat of pickle slices. If you’d like raw onion, they’ll happily serve that up for you on an additional piece of wax paper. There is some Grey Poupon behind the bar but just as I doubt you rolled up to Miller’s in a Rolls Royce, I doubt you’ll need or want the fancy mustard.

The burger is thick and juicy. Smartly, they put the cheese on the bottom half of the bun so it doesn’t needlessly intermingle with your condiments. The fries are OK but onion rings are definitely the better side item here. Order the onion rings!

You won't find a ton of choices behind the bar, either. They have pop in cans and until recently, limited beer options. Up until about six months ago your beer choices were little more than Miller or Budweiser. They have now added ‘craft’ beer, meaning additional choices such as Sierra Nevada in a bottle and a Leinenkugel seasonal on tap.

When you are finished with your fine bar burger, you won’t get a check. This doesn’t mean you’ve just happened upon a free lunch. Simply go up to the bar and tell them what you had, “two cheeseburgers, fries, onion rings, two beers and a pop.” Done. Bring cash.

No, the Miller’s Bar burger isn’t the best burger in metro Detroit. But… it is a juicy, tasty burger and the experience isn’t like any other in the area. This burger easily makes my top 10 list and it might even creep into the top 5. More than that, Miller’s Bar should be on your list of places to check out in metro Detroit.

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

As of last night, our Detroit Tigers are in sole possession of first place in the AL Central with 7 games left in the regular season. Let’s savor this moment. Go Tigers!

From a poetry reading by a Pulitzer prize winner to a street art segway tour, there are tons of things to do in Detroit this weekend. If you’re looking to celebrate the beautiful fall season, be sure to check out our post on cider mills, corn mazes and beer festivities.

Get out there and enjoy Detroit!

Weekend Roundup

1. Phillip Levine reading - The Detroit-born urban poet, Pulitzer prize winner and 2011-2012 U.S. Poet Laureate will read from his works at the DIA. September 27th.

2. Fall Flavor Weekends in Greenfield Village - Taste the flavors of the season with cooking demonstrations, Local Roots product samples and more. Can you smell the simmering pork chops and freshly made biscuits? Mmmm. September 29—30, October 6—7.

3. Detroit Restaurant Week - Make your reservations! Enjoy a three-course meal at 17 Detroit restaurants including Atlas Global Bistro, Roast and La Dolce Vita. September 28—October 7.

4. Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds - It's the perfect time of year for a horror flick! Catch this Hitchcock classic on the big screen at the beautiful Redford Theatre with a special appearance by Tippi Hedren. Plus real butter on your popcorn and an organ concert! September 28—29.

5. The Gritty Segway Tour - Zoom around Detroit while standing! This tour focuses on street art and takes you through downtown, Eastern Market, the Dequindre Cut, the Heidelberg Project and the East side. September 30th.

Bonus: This is last weekend of the Michigan Renaissance Festival

Double Bonus: Plymouth Restaurant Week

Triple Bonus: The Carhartt Workshop with Phil Cooley, Chazz Miller & Mike Score

Do you know of a great event going on in Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!

Detroit Fall Fun: Cider Mills, Corn Mazes & Beer

Left: Franklin Cider Mill Right: Tashmoo Biergarten

The leaves in Detroit are beginning to change color and the air is slightly crisper. Boots and sweatshirts are given pride of place in the closet and football can be heard in the background. Yes, the fall season has arrived in Detroit!

With fall comes seasonal activities that only come around once a year. I’m talking about cider mills, corn mazes, pumpkin patches and great occasions to drink beer. Yeah, I know, you don’t really need a special occasion to drink beer.

In the metro Detroit area and all throughout Michigan we take cider mills for granted. When I lived in Milwaukee and Chicago, I would ask the life-long locals where the nearest cider mills were only to be greeted with blank stares. Embrace the cider mills, people! And the corn mazes! Especially, the beer!

Cider Mills

Yates Cider Mill – The big red barn, the trails and the water-powered apple press remind me of my childhood. Add in the pony rides, petting zoo and other activities and make a day of it. This is a great place to bring the kids or go on a romantic date. September through November.

Franklin Cider Mill – Nestled in quaint Franklin Village, this little gem seems miles away from the hustle and bustle. I love this cider mill because it’s only a few miles from home and I can stop by for cider and donuts anytime without making a day of it. Besides cider and donuts, they offer pies, pumpkins, roasted corn, jam, cheese and beef jerky. September through November 25th.

Blake Farms – An orchard where you can pick your own fruit and vegetables plus hayrides, a haunted barn, straw mountain, petting farm, corn maze, train rides and bunnies! This is a place that you can enjoy all day and take home some tasty treats.  Through October.

Miller’s Big Red – Fun for the whole family begins with cider and donuts and ends with a petting farm, straw mountain and corn maze (free during the week). They also have haunted hayrides that begin at dusk. Through Oct. 28th.

Corn Mazes

Izzi Farm Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch in Ira Township will delight with a corn maze, moonlight maze and pumpkin patch out in the country. Pack up a picnic basket and bring your friends and family along for a lovely day. September through October 28th.

DeBuck’s Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch, located in Belleville, boasts 13 acres of trails, a giant corn maze and a pumpkin patch. For added fun check out the pedal go-karts, corn cannons and a super slide. September through October 28th.

Charles L. Bowers School Farm in Bloomfield Hills offers a beginner, intermediate and advanced corn maze plus a haunted maze. They also have wagon rides, farm animals, pumpkins, smore’s and donuts. September 29th through October 28th.

Beer

The Dakota Inn Rathskeller – Bring your chicken hats, Oktoberfest is in full swing at this Detroit institution. It just doesn’t get any better than beer, German food, an oompah band and chicken hats. Through October 27^th.

Tashmoo Biergarten – Having just started last year, Tashmoo is the new fall tradition in Detroit. Head to the West Village and enjoy our very own European style outdoor beer garden on three weekends in October. Weekends only, October 13­—28th

Blocktoberfest – The aforementioned Tashmoo teams up with Detroit’s Atwater Brewery to celebrate 15 years of brewing in the Rivertown district. Beer, food, and community. October 20^th.

Detroit Beer Festival takes over Eastern Market for the fourth year in a row. Over 50 Michigan craft brewers are expected to offer 300 different beers. Plus local bands and food. October 26—27.

What are your favorite fall places and events in metro Detroit?

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

For the record, fall—or autumn to you super-formal types—is my favorite season. Yes, it has a little to do with the fact that my birthday and anniversary fall in fall. Mostly though, I love fall because you get to wear sweatshirts and jeans and marvel at the beautiful changing colors. Cider and donuts (or is it doughnuts?) don’t hurt either.

But…I had to scrape ICE off of my windshield yesterday morning. September 19^th is technically still summer, Mother Nature! That was uncalled for and I won’t have any more of it. Get with the program and let us enjoy this beautiful season.

Now, get out there and enjoy all the wonderful things to do in Detroit!

Weekend Roundup

1. Eastern Market After Dark (Facebook link) - The market isn't just for fruit and veg anymore! Take a self-guided tour of the creative side of Eastern Market including Red Bull House of Art, Signal Return, Salt & Cedar and OmniCorp Detroit. September 20th.

2. Detroit Design Festival 2012 - 60 events, over 70 venues and 300 designers featured in 5 days! The DDF brings the community together to execute ideas using retail, technology and design to improve quality of life in and around Detroit. Full list of events. September 19—23.

3. Park(ing) Day (Facebook link) - Head to the Cass Corridor and transform metered parking spaces into public places. The idea behind this global event is to create more places for humans instead of cars. September 21st.

4. Hopscotch Detroit - From Campus Martius to the Wayne State University campus, 4 miles of Detroit will be turned into a (hopefully) world record setting longest hopscotch. Hop on over and create your own chalk art! September 22nd.

5. Joe Louis Arena Open Skate - Have you ever dreamed of skating on the same ice as the Detroit Red Wings? Now is your chance! (Tickets are limited and the only slot left is 9am-10am.) September 22nd.

Bonus: Detropia (Now playing at the Ren Cen 4, Main Art in Royal Oak & the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor.)

Super Bonus: The Detroit Party Marching Band Bus Crash