Answering Questions about Detroit

I love finding out how Detroit Moxie readers land here; it's fun, interesting, and sometimes disturbing. Some of the searches are looking for more information about Detroit so I thought I’d answer a few questions. A few of them aren’t about Detroit at all but I’m going to answer them anyway.

Keep in mind, these are actual queries AND people actually arrived at Detroit Moxie by googling them. I’m not making this up! I have only fixed spelling and capitalization and put some of them in the form of a question.

Questions about Detroit

1. What’s the name of the Belle Isle Bridge?

The MacArthur Bridge connects Belle Isle to the rest of Detroit.

2. When is Flower Day at the Detroit Farmers Market 2010?

Flower Day 2010 is Sunday, May 16^th and I’m not being snarky but it’s Eastern Market.

3. How do you pronounce Hamtramck?

[ham-tram-ik]

4. How do you pronounce Campau? 

[com-POE]

5. Where to get dill pickle soup in Hamtramck? 

I’m not a dill pickle soup lover but my friends prefer it at Polonia. And, according to them, Polish Village doesn’t have it everyday.

6. How did the Heidelberg Project get its name?

Well, Tyree Guyton, the creator of the Heidelberg Project can trace his roots back to the Baden-Württemberg area of Germany. Specifically, his family hails from Heidelberg and he was so inspired by… Just kidding! The Heidelberg Project is on Heidelberg Street and that’s how it got its name.

7. What is the distance around the GM Renaissance Center?

The central tower, which is the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, has a diameter of 188 feet. The walkway that goes around the mezzanine level is about one-eighth of a mile.

8. What shops are in the Guardian Building?

Pure Detroit, Motor City Sweets & Treats (which is inside Pure Detroit), Bank of America, Andy’s Convenience Store, and the Rowland Café which is named after the architect of the Guardian Building, Wirt Rowland.

9. What's in an Irish Goddess at Dick O'Dow's?

Multiple flavors of vodka, a splash of sour mix, and 3 splashes of cranberry juice. Shaken.

Questions about the UK and Elsewhere

10. Do Americans know the difference between the Union flag and the English flag?

I’m afraid many don’t. The flag of England is the St. George’s Cross. The Union flag is the British flag. If you ask my husband he’ll add that you can only call it a Union Jack if it’s on a boat. Otherwise it should be called the Union Standard or the Union flag.

St. George's CrossUnion flag11. Is St. Patrick an Irishman or an Englishman?

The patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick, is indeed British. Now don’t ask me if he was Welsh, Scottish, or English. I’m not going there. Sheesh, do you think I was a history major or something?

And the mystery query is...

Someone arrived here by searching for “everybody saw my husbands penis story" and I'm not really sure how that happened. Because I know everybody hasn’t seen my husbands penis. And there isn’t a story. I’m pretty sure I’ve never used the word penis in any of my posts. Until now. Oh crap!

I look at my search queries daily but it was a fun little project to go through each and every one of them and find some quick questions I could answer. I did get some great ideas for future posts and look forward to working on them.

This Place is a Zoo!

The Detroit Zoo

The Detroit Zoo is situated on over 125 acres of land in Royal Oak, Michigan. We should be proud that our zoo was the first in the country to place animals in a natural habitat rather than behind bars. The Detroit Zoo continued its commitment to the welfare of animals in 2005 when it decided that it would no longer keep elephants at the zoo for ethical reasons.

A few of the main attractions at the zoo are the Arctic Ring of Life, the Australian Outback Adventure, and the Penguinarium.

This past weekend my husband and I went on a photo walk at the Detroit Zoo. I haven’t been to this zoo since I was a teenager and this was my husband’s first visit. Since this was a visit with the main intention of taking pictures, the lack of cages was even more noticeable.

Looking through my telephoto lens at all the different animals it was easy to forget that I was at a zoo and within safe distance from the animals. It felt more like I was on a mini-safari.

 

Step inside the Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden for an enchanting visit with hundreds of butterflies from Central and South America and four hummingbirds. My husband still insists on calling these insects’ “flutterbys.”

The Arctic Ring of Life, which opened in 2001, is a delight. Standing in the Polar Passage, a 70-foot long clear tunnel, we watched a polar bear swim and frolic and put on a show. He even stood on the tunnel and from underneath I could swear he was dancing.

The Penguinarium is a three-sided habitat that is surrounded by a continuous pool. I loved watching the penguins swim fast and sometimes jump out of the water or “swim through the air.” However, photographing this phenomenon was nearly impossible. At least it was for me.

We didn’t get to see the Giraffe Encounter or the Australian Outback Adventure on this visit but I did stop and watch a tree kangaroo climb around for a bit. And yes, we saw lions and tigers and bears. (Oh my!)

Don’t forget to take a ride on the Tauber Family Railroad! It’s open from May through September and on weekends in October. I thought my husband, who is really a 6 year old at heart, was going to cry that he couldn’t go on the choo-choo train.

Due to the photowalk we had a time constraint of just over 2 hours, which isn’t enough time to see everything. We’ll definitely be back for another visit soon.

I want to point out how economical a membership to the Detroit Zoo is. My husband and I paid full price ($11 each) plus a $5 parking charge. It wasn’t until we returned home that I realized for $55 we could have purchased the individual plus membership.

I did call to see if our receipt from the previous day could be applied towards a membership but you must do it on the same day. Live and learn. We’ll be back soon to see the giraffes and kangaroos and the lush gardens that spring and summer will bring.

Which animals at the Detroit Zoo are your favorite?

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Before I give you my list of things to do in Detroit this weekend I just wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for stopping by once a week, or once in awhile, or for every new post. Thank you for your thoughtful comments and words of wisdom. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside to know how many amazing people are out there who love Detroit as much as I do.

And hey, if this is your first visit, take off your coat and stay a while.

Weekend Roundup

1. Egg-stravaganza at the Detroit Historical Museum - This family friendly event is a celebration of Spring! Kids can decorate and fill their own bags with trinkets, watch a variety show, and listen to a storyteller. March 27th.

2. Mayer Hawthorne & The County - Detroit's newest soul man is back in town to perform at Saint Andrews Hall. March 26th.

3. The 3rd Annual Laugh Detroit Comedy Festival - Nationally known comedians, as well as up-and-coming talent, take to the stage to make us laugh. Now through March 27th.

4. Assembly Line II: Second Shift Concert - The epic first Assembly Line concert set a Guinness World Record and they're back to bring us more great music. Now through April 1st.

5. Survival Saturday: How to Get Unlost - This event at the Kensington Nature Center will show you how to get yourself out of a sticky situation, with or without a compass. March 27th.

Bonus: Rock out with Stephen Clark (Facebook link)- Yes, that mild-mannered anchor on WXYZ is also a little bit country. Ok, a lot country! Come out and watch him perform at the Uptown Grille in Commerce Township, part of Songwriters Night - Nashville Style. March 28th.

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

Troy Restaurant Week is in Full Swing

Troy Restaurant Week kicked off yesterday and continues through Friday, March 26^th. This is a great opportunity to try out upscale restaurants in Troy at an affordable price, three courses for $15 at lunch and $30 at dinner.

The 16 restaurants participating in the 2010 Troy Restaurant Week, in partnership with the Troy Chamber of Commerce, are also adding a charity element. They have teamed up with Gleaners Community Food Bank of SE Michigan to hold a canned food drive. Both canned food and monetary donations will be accepted at all participating restaurants. (Canned fruit and canned proteins such as tuna, salmon, and beef stew recommended.)

Participating Restaurants:

• Benihana

• BRIO Tuscan Grille

• Charley’s Crab

• Crumpets Restaurant

• Kona Grill

• Kruse & Muer on Wilshire

• La Marsa

• Loccino Italian Grille & Bar

• McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood

• Mon Jin Lau

• Morton’s The Steakhouse

• Ocean Prime

• Ruth’s Chris Steak House

• The Capital Grille

• The Melting Pot of Troy

• Tre Monti Ristorante

What looks good to me?

For lunch I’d choose The Melting Pot or Mon Jin Lau. I mean, I really only want the cheese and the chocolate fondue anyway! For dinner I would go with Ruth’s Chris or Morton’s. Yep, I love a good steak! Please note that I actually haven’t been to any of those restaurants (which is one of the reasons they are tops on my list), I just like the look of their menu.

Check the Troy Restaurant Week web site for the full menus and reservation information for Troy Restaurant Week.

If you attend Troy Restaurant Week please let me know what you thought in the comments. Oh, and don’t forget Detroit Restaurant Week is April 16-25, 2010. I’m looking forward to that as well, check back for a post closer to the event.

Detroit Coney Islands: Wars & Feuds

The Detroit Coney Island wars are heating up and it seems everyone wants in on the action. In the last two weeks two networks have been in town filming at Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island.

I was already bummed I missed the taping for the Travel Channel's “Food Wars.” Then I got a message about another filming for “Food Feud,” which will air on Food Network, starring Iron Chef and Roast proprietor Michael Symon. Sadly, I was busy on Friday and wasn’t going to be able to make that taping either. Double bummer.

And then fate stepped in. On Thursday my husband and I went to Roast for their amazing Cocktail Hour menu. Michael Symon was there doing a photo shoot and some video. I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

Symon got behind the bar and asked if anyone in the crowd didn’t want to be filmed. He then told us that in about 15 minutes coney dogs from American and Lafayette Coney Islands would be delivered and we were all going to do a blind taste test. On film.

We had just cashed out after stuffing our faces with Roasts’ awesome burger, mac n’ cheese, fries, and stuffed peppers. But who can say no to free coney’s? We ordered another beer and made ourselves comfortable.

Once the dogs arrived, one of each was given to everyone. The dogs simply had a red or blue toothpick stuck on them to denote which establishment they came from. Symon went around with the camera crew and filmed each patron eating his or her coney. He asked if you were loyal to either American or Lafayette and then you blindly picked the better coney.

Unfortunately, when it was our turn to be filmed a few hipsters slid in front of us and took away our limelight. The husband & I both choose blue. The blue dogs were from Lafayette Coney Island. As an avid supporter of Lafayette I would have been beyond embarrassed if I picked the wrong dog.

At the end Symon declared that only two people (that were filmed) choose the coney establishment that they are loyal to and maybe we should all think twice about blindly or emotionally following either brand.

Michael Symon was charming and engaging. After meeting him, I’m now an even bigger fan of Roast, if that’s possible. I can’t wait to tune into “Food Feud” and see the Detroit Coney Island Wars when it airs.

By the way, there is a Roast Coney Dog on the bar menu with pulled pork, jalapeños, and cheddar. At $9, it’s a bit more expensive than American or Lafayette. I haven’t tried it yet but will do so on my next visit.

Here’s a sneak peek of some footage I shot on my iPhone. Strangely, I had my fancy camera that shoots great video and my flip with me but the iPhone wasn’t as obtrusive.

Yep, that was my husbands voice with the British accent asking Michael Symon about his version of the coney dog.