Friday, June 19, 2009

Sugar High

Ken and I met up with Mark this morning and headed down to Greek Town to visit Mark's favorite place in the city: Astoria Bakery. Oh. my. goodness. I had a cheese danish that was SO good, and then I had a mini Key Lime pie, because I can't pass up Key Lime pie! The cheese danish was so huge that by the time I finished with everything, I was almost overcome with the sugar rush. I rarely eat that much sweets! It was so cool to share that with Mark, because I could tell how much he loves the place. The pastries...the cakes...wow. (Yes, pictures were taken. Please be patient while we are under construction, or at least out of town. :) Parting is such sweet sorrow, and it made me sad to say farewell to Mark. I look forward to our next meeting...and it should be interesting to see where that will be!

We drove around downtown for a bit, then headed a little out of town and got into some of the "urban blight" area. It made me so sad. I told Ken that it made me feel down driving through it, so what must it be like to grow up in it and be immersed in it every single day? One of the many things we talked about with Mark was the sad demise of so much of this great city. All in all, I felt it was a positive experience, and they have done much to renovate and renew downtown...but what about those who live in other areas? I'm sure I'll have more to write about this after we get back home. It's a fascinating subject to me, and although Detroit isn't the only city to go through this (Gary, in my own state, springs immediately to mind), the effects have been very profound. I'm hoping that I got some good pictures of the old Cass Tech high school (Is that right? And who mentioned going there? Was it Mark? Someone mentioned it recently.), which looks abandoned and forlorn, but is still a beautiful building architecturally. The new school is built right next to it, but the old structure remains. Why am I so fascinated by old, abandoned buildings?

We're in Monroe now, and spent a couple of hours at a place at the harbor before we could check into the hotel. It is mayfly season by the lake, and we watched with amusement as swallows dived and plucked the mayflies out of the air and off of the windows. It was a smorgasbord for the swallows! An employee went out and revved up a leaf blower and blew all the mayflies off of the windows. They quickly began to settle back on the windows...and all over the poor guy's T-shirt. Ugh! Ken said that lots of mayflies are an indicator of a healthy lake. I said, "Well, that is one healthy lake!"

We'll head over to Bill and Mary Sue's house in a little over an hour. Oh, Alaina, we were planning on visiting the place you recommended! But when we got on the road, 75 South was closed, and we made a big loop, getting onto 275 after we'd passed Hamtramck. We didn't have an atlas with us to find an alternate route. I was bummed, because it sounded neat, and I thank you for the recommendation! Perhaps next time. If you and Mr. Mischief go soon, I'll look forward to seeing your pictures! I love the description of it...that the way the elements of the installation play in the breeze is part of a kinetic artwork. Very cool.

Maybe more tonight, but if not, we'll be back at Nutwood tomorrow. This has been a very fun trip, and I got to see some sights that I had not seen before. I'm always happy when that happens!

13 comments:

  1. How nice that you and Ken met up with Mark again during yet another trip.

    That pastry sounds heavenly!

    Hugs, Rose

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  2. Hi Beth,
    Yikes ... I'm not familiar with May Flies but your description enough is to make me want to steer clear!
    Best,
    Marty

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  3. Those pastries sound heavenly!

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  4. I'm so glad that you are enjoying your trip... especially the bakery part... LOL!! That always sounds like the best part, to me!! Don't know what mayflies are... I'm picturing mosquitoes!!

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  5. Glad you're having fun! Just to let you know, we had some pretty wicked storms the last 24 hours. You'll probably have some limbs down. Give us a call if you need any help!
    Love,
    Jamie

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  6. We visited the sadder parts of Detroit when we were in the city for the Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance car show there some years ago. We went looking for the remains of the old Packard plant. What we saw were the bones of what must once have been a majestic building, now in a sad neighborhood of other relics.

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  7. Ooh ... I knew there was something I had wanted to mention about getting to Hamtramack ...

    I want you both to know that it was a pleasure meeting the both of you, and you guys are my ideal for how a couple should behave with one another!! Truly a privliege and thanks for sharing your time with me!!!

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  8. May flies?? Sounds like critters...and I don't do critters! Glad you're having a good time...just getting out into new environments, seeing the sights, and meeting new "old" friends...bliss!

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  9. As I read your posting, I heard the song "Hit the Road, Jack" in my head. I love just taking up a few odds and ends, jumping in the car and pointing... just to see where I end up. I'm planning on doing just that this summer so that I can find scenes to shoot some photos. Hope you and Ken are having fun!

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  10. This morning, the Mayflies all over the car was amazing. Having to flick them off so we could even open the doors was something else :o)

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  11. it is cool how you take us along with you for the vacations and report in...i like reading about what you see and do. I have never been to Detroit...i can not think of it and not think of KISS. XO

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  12. may flies > mosquitoes


    glad y'all had a great time in the city i call home. the wedding was a hoot, i will be posting my dress up pictures in a day or so :D

    xxalainaxx

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  13. We get so many mayflies down here in Saint Clair Shores that they cover the fronts of the stores at night-get alot of them together and they get a fishy smell, hence their other name "fishflies"....I hate the smell but what can I do?..lol

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I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?