From Japan with Love

Do you ever wonder what you would miss about Detroit or Michigan if you moved abroad? Having lived in the UK, I know that homesickness and food cravings can be overwhelming.

Of course, living in an English speaking country is a bit easier than say, Japan.

Over the past year or so, I’ve made friends with two former Michiganders who are now living in Japan. I wanted to get their take on what they missed about Detroit and Michigan. 

Angela ShetlerAngela Shetler (@ashetler) is originally from Houghton Lake, Michigan and she also spent time living in Lansing after graduating from MSU. She currently lives in Koriyama, Japan, which is 1.5 hours north of Tokyo by bullet train.

Mark Williams and his wife, Hiroko.Mark Williams (@markmatsusaka) is originally from Toledo but we won’t hold that against him. He spent 10 years living in Detroit and wears his love of the Motor City proudly. Williams lives in Tokyo with his wife and daughter.

On food

I missed Mexican food while living in the UK. What food do you crave?

AS: The first thing I say when asked what I miss about home is "food." Mexican food is my favorite and it's nearly impossible to find here.

MW: We also miss Mexicantown! We were regular customers at El Zocalo. You cannot find decent Mexican Food in Tokyo, period. Before my father passed away in 2003 (just 2 weeks after my daughter was born) we took my mom and dad to El Zocalo. We ordered the margaritas and my dad noticed we had a wobbly table. He asked a waiter if we could do something about it and the waiter said, "If you drink that margarita, the table won't wobble any more." Needless to say, that waiter got a great tip from my dad.

AS: Navigating a grocery store in Japan also takes a while to get used to, and it's next to impossible to get ingredients that are foreign or out of season. I also love books and movies (and the incredibly-bad-for-you popcorn), so I miss the many bookstores and option to catch a movie at the last minute. The selection of English books here is small unless you order online, and movie release dates are often several months later than those in the States.

Favorite restaurants?

MW: In Farmington Hills we used to always head to Green's Burgers for the sliders and my wife's favorite, chili cheese fries. Also in Farmington Hills we loved going to Priya on Grand River for the amazing Indian Buffet there.

Also, I need to put a final note about the Coney's in Detroit. I loved them for breakfast. Here in Japan you just plain can't go out for breakfast. I really miss the country omelets you could get. They were huge. You just don't see portions like that here in Tokyo.

What do ask your family or friends to send you in care packages?

AS: My requests are usually food related. This ranges from junk food (Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Cheetos, Butterfingers, seasonal or holiday candy) to baking supplies (spices, chocolate chips, mixes). I often just say "surprise me", and have gotten wonderful books, DVDs, mementos, etc.

My friends and family have been really great about putting together packages that capture a sense of home. Donuts from Quality Dairy. Graham crackers, Hershey bars, and marshmallows so I could make s'mores in the summer. Spartan gear and Biggby coffee. They really are packages of care, and that helps a lot when living far from home.

On Detroit and Michigan

What specifically do you miss about Detroit or Michigan?

AS: I miss the friendliness and the diversity of Michiganders. I miss being able to go to the gardens at MSU in fall and spring. I miss being able to drive to a cider mill, or the lakes, or Bronner's.

MW: I miss going to see the Tigers. When my daughter was born, during the slow parts of the game I used to love to take her to the merry-go-round to ride the tigers and the baseball Ferris wheel. When Paws came over she was beside herself. Here in Japan she still loves the big characters in suits. Japan seems to have a monopoly of those for sure.

AS: I miss the people. Being active online helps me stay in touch with everyone back home. It's also a way for me to support and promote the creative energy coming out of the state, such as Handmade Detroit and TEDxDetroit.

Detroit has a global image problem. Do you see much of that in Japan?

MW: All around the world you will hear folks bad mouth the city of Detroit. Truth is that they never lived there and they have no idea what they are talking about. The disturbing trend of piling on Detroit just has to stop. Hopefully with Twitter, Facebook, and other venues, I can do my part to change that trend with some positive stuff that I always liked about the city.

How do people react when you mention Detroit or Michigan?

AS: The majority of the reactions have been very positive. Usually one of the first connections to be made is President Obama's "Yes we can" slogan. Michigan doesn't always ring a bell for people, but they often know the Great Lakes.

Many thanks to Angela and Mark for sharing their experiences. My husband and I hope to visit Japan one day and I'd love to meet my new friends in person.

Photo credit: luckygun on Flickr.

Burning Effigies or Remembering what we have

"Remember, remember the Fifth of November" is the beginning of a traditional rhyme that goes along with the festivities of Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was a failed attempt to blow up Parliament and assassinate the King of England.

Today, Bonfire Night is celebrated throughout the UK with fireworks, bonfires, barbeques and burning effigies. For us, it was a special day to hang out with our friends. 

So, maybe it's time to burn an effigy. Not an effigy of Guy Fawkes but of the image that we thought our life would be like once we moved to the United Sates and Detroit.

Perfect house, picket fence, bright new shiny cars, and all that.

Yeah, it’s time to burn those “perfect world” images and look at what we do have. So many wonderful things have happened that we weren’t expecting; it’s time to be grateful for and embrace all the good that has come into our lives.

Detroit has met and exceeded our expectations by leaps and bounds. Every time I turn a corner or delve into the internet I find the most amazing places and people. Seriously, I could blog about Detroit forever and not run out of fantastic content.

Which leads me to blogging. Yes, I knew I wanted to start a blog before we moved back but it never occurred to me how many new opportunities would arise just from being a blogger.

Almost every article and post written about Detroit comes to the same conclusion; it’s the people that make this city so great. When I look around at all the new friends that we’ve made it truly astounds me. People from all walks of life and different backgrounds, we are blessed.

We had become couch potatoes back in the UK; we weren’t really engaged with our community and only went out with our friends occasionally. Here, we are constantly meeting new people and exploring new ideas.

We are living.

Last night, my friend Chris Kaufman (@kauf) posted this quote by Sparky Anderson on Twitter:

As long as you remember where you are from, you will always know where you are going.

We know where we're from and now we know where we’re going. And, we’re quite excited about the possibilities. It may take a little bit longer for that perfect house and picket fence but once we get there it’ll be the best damn picket fence ever!

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

We lost another great man today. Rest in peace, Sparky Anderson.

Weekend Roundup

1. Lettuce Roll - Enjoy beer, wine, and mead tasting as well as entertainment in this fundraiser for the Royal Oak Community Farm. Also, if you dine at Cafe Muse, Inn Season Cafe, or Lily's Seafood between 5-8pm a portion of your bill will benefit the Farm. November 6th.

2. Ferndale Film Festival - The festival features films from Michigan and elsewhere and includes features, documentaries, children's films and more. November 4-7th.

3. Wet N' Wild (FaceBook link) - A dance party with Marcus Price of Palms Out Sounds with Heisenberg & Sheila at the Mars Bar in Hamtramck. November 6th.

4. Parade Company Studio Tour - Go behind the scenes and get a sneak peek at the floats, costumes, and big heads that will march down Woodward Avenue in America's Thanksgiving Parade. Weekends until Thanksgiving. (Call ahead to book and although the website states "groups of 10 or more" they will try and fit you in with another group if there is space.)

5. Burnt Sugar at MOCAD - This improvising, experimental jazz/funk/soul orchestra is conducted by Greg Tate out of New York City. They will be accompanied by some of Detroit's finest players including Jessica Care Moore. November 5th.

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

Pizza!Pizza! is back in Detroit

In case you haven’t noticed, pizza is my favorite food group. Really, I could eat it every day. So, I was really excited to hear that Pizza!Pizza! is back in Detroit.

Little Caesars has announced that not only is Pizza!Pizza! back but it’s also Hot-N-Ready. Pizza!Pizza! Pantastic is a new style pizza from Little Caesars consisting of two rectangular pizzas, one pepperoni and one Ultimate Supreme, for $9.99.

The new promotion is being tested in the metro Detroit market until the end of year. If it is well received, they expect to extend it and roll it out in other markets.

I had the opportunity to try the new creation a few days ago and it’s quite yummy. I have to talk about the crust! It’s thicker than their original round yet thinner than their deep dish. The crust is brushed with olive oil to give it a different flavor profile. It’s light and airy.

Pizza!Pizza! Pantastic is geared towards families, with the kids getting the pepperoni and the parents indulging in the Ultimate Supreme.

But you know what? This is going to make dinner in my house much easier too. You see, I always want the pepperoni and the husband wants the Ultimate Supreme so we would have to compromise. Not any more!

Little Caesars and its founder, Mike Ilitch are an institution in Detroit. Ilitch founded Little Caesars in 1959 and now owns the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers. Are the Pistons next? No one at the press conference would answer that question.

I have been a fan of both the pizza and the man for years. I have a history with Little Caesars; I worked there in high school. In fact, I didn’t work at just any Little Caesars; I worked at the closest one to where Mike Ilitch lived at the time.

I remember the phones ringing off the hook and people lined up out the door, waiting to pick up their pizza. Hot-N-Ready changed all that. I also remember the Ilitches stopping by to pick up pizza for their family.

So, I’m pretty excited to add this new pizza into our dinner rotation. Do you know what you’re having for dinner? Pizza!Pizza! Pantastic is available as of today.

Spooky, Scary & Cute: Halloween in Detroit

I was looking for spooky, scary, Halloween-y Detroit type stuff to share with you all to get in the Halloween spirit. I didn’t have to look far; a few of my bloggy friends have shared some ghosty goodness.

John E.L. Tenney’s Weird Lectures gives us 5 Things to Do in Detroit Once You’re Dead. I’m pretty sure I should take the headline as a compliment, right? Well, I am and I love it!

If you’re still decorating for Halloween, I suggest you also check out his 10 tips for making your house a scary stop for trick-or-treaters. Actually, just check out the whole site, you’ll find out which cities in Michigan are the most haunted.

Over on The Night Train, you’ll find out about the haunted spots at Historic Fort Wayne. I’m pretty sure I’m going to stay away from the women’s bathroom.

Also, in her quest to find more haunted places in Detroit, she tells us of a mysterious happening at Farmington’s Oakwood Cemetery. Be sure to see the readers tips in the comments, it led to this post over on Midwest Guest about a similar phenomenon up north in Benzie County’s Putney Road.

I then found this story about the Ghost of Belle Isle and the urban legend of Old Al and the Pick Fort Shelby Hotel.

If you think Halloween has become too commercial and over the top, you have to head over to Sweet Juniper! and his Part Kid, Part Machine, All Cop post. I love the creativity and ingenuity that went into this. The photo shoot around Detroit is just genius.

So, whether you’re going to a costume party, hitting the bar scene, or trick-or-treating with you’re kids, have a great Detroit-style Halloween!

Do you have any Detroit ghost stories?

Photo credit: Daniel Morrison on Flickr.

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