Year in Review: Michigan State Fair

Today's Year in Review picture is of the sign in front of the State Fairgrounds. 2009 marked the end of the State Fair in Michigan because of state budget cuts. There was a petition going around the State Fairgrounds during this year's Fair to save it from budget cuts. I always liked going to the State Fair to ride and look at all the exhibits. My mom always came with me until 2006 (she passed in 2007), because she always liked to see all the exhibits and partly to keep me company at the fair. I went to the State Fair with my friends in 2001 and 2003 and I've been going to the fair by myself since 2007. I like to go to the Michigan Mart to look at all the organizations and groups showing what they have to offer. I also like the exhibitions in the Coliseum. The Fair was a yearly tradition for me and for many families throughout the state. I'm sad to see it go for next year, but I'm hopeful the fair could be resurrected in the future.

Year in Review: CityFest/Michael Jackson Tributes

The pics I posted today are from the day of CityFest 2009 in the New Center Area. CityFest was originally called the Tastefest before the name changed a few years ago. CityFest has all sorts of food and entertainment from different restaurants and bands in the metro Detroit area. I like trying new things from many of the restaurants in the area. Before I went to the festival, I stopped by the Motown Museum to view the tributes and memorials to Michael Jackson, who passed away a few days before the festival started. People left stuffed animals and other memorial tributes in front of the Motown Museum, where Michael Jackson and his brothers got their start. Motown even placed pictures in the front window of the museum of the Jackson Five, as well as Michael by himself during his solo career. The museum even had condolence books so the fans could sign the book. I guess the museum gave the condolence books to the family sometime around or after the funeral and memorial service in early July. Well, more later or tomorrow.
Lauren

2009 In Review: River Days

Today's Year in Review segment is from River Days this past June. This picture was from the Diamond Jack Cruise along the Detroit River. River Days has been a popular event the past few years. I like seeing everyone out on the river enjoyng the concerts, the rides at the Carnival area, and more. I usually go on the Diamond Jack Cruise while I'm at River Days. They have a tour while you're on board, with tidbits on Detroit and Windsor History . I try to get a good picture of the "Sister Cities" of Detroit, Michigan, USA . and Windsor, Ontario, Canada. My other favorite attraction is the Tugboat Races along the river. This year, I got to see the J.W. Westcott mailboat, which delivers the mail to ships going through the Great Lakes via the Detroit River. This is one of my favorite pictures from River Days. This is the Detroit Skyline from the Windsor side of the Detroit River. This is one of the most photographed views of the Detroit skyline. Well, more later or tomorrow.
Lauren

May Festival Monday

Today's Year in Review Entry is about the May Festivals at Hart Plaza. These festivals include the Techno Festival and Downtown Hoedown. The Techno Festival takes place during Memorial Day Weekend. I enjoy listening to all the music and watching everyone having a great time. I've been going to the Techno Festival since 2003, when the festival was free. They started charging for the festival since about 2005. I think more people are likely to show up to the festival when it's a lower charge or free. The Techno Festival was the first Hart Plaza festival to charge an entrance fee. The Downtown Hoedown is the Country Music Festival. I've also been attending this festival since 2003. This festival is one of the many free festivals that is annually held at Hart Plaza, along with ethnic festivals, the Jazz Festival, and more. I always like going to both of these festivals, and look forward to the next year to find out what acts are going to be there. More later or tomorrow.
Lauren

Year in Review: Opening Day 2009

Today's picture is of the Tiger at Comerica Park during the Tigers Home Opener, which is what today's Year in Review article is about. Opening Day brings out optimism in all the fans, because a new baseball season is here, and the teams are fresh out of Spring Training in Florida and Arizona. I always hang out around the perimeter of the ballpark before the game. Even though I don't get tickets to the game, I always have a good time and have fun. Before the game began, the Tigers paid tribute to the late George Kell, who passed in March of this year, as well as the late Nick Adenhart, who passed a few days before the Tigers Home opener in April 2009. The Tigers did well this season, but seem to spiral downward in the end of the season. Coming up in 2010, Comerica Park will be 10 years old. It opened in April 2000. It's hard to believe that 10 years have gone by since the Tigers' new den opened. I remember when Tiger Stadium closed in 1999, and during the closing ceremony, many people booed every time Comerica Park was mentioned. Tiger Stadium housed a lot of memories for many Detroiters, including myself. Comerica Park has grown on many Detroiters, and has fostered many memories on many people, with most people remembering the 2006 Playoffs and World Series the most fondly. This Tiger at Comerica Park is the subject of many Photo Opportunities year round. This time of year, the Tiger wears a large Carhartt Jacket until Opening Day the following Year. Well, more later or tomorrow.
Lauren

Year in Review: Final Four Weekend

Today's picture of the year in review is of the Final Four, which was held in Detroit. The games were held April 4 and 6, but the festivities were held the weekend of April 3, and ended on April 6. This is the bracket at the "Hoop City" fanfest at Cobo on April 4. North Carolina was the eventual national Champion for 2008-09, and Michigan State was the runner up. There were a lot of fans here for the Festivities, and the hotels in the metro Detroit area were booked or nearly booked for the weekend. Many people were at Hoop City when I went. I haven't seen downtown that busy since the Super Bowl back in February of 2006. As I went around town after lunch and a break to watch the concerts on the riverfront, I saw many people supporting their schools. When I went to the area around Ford Field, I saw many people at the bars and clubs that were headquarters for their respective schools. Many students that made the trip to Detroit from their schools were waiting in line at some of the entrances to Ford Field to get in. I'm not sure what time the students were let into Ford Field, but they needed their Student ID's to gain access to the field. I watched bits and pieces of the games on TV because all the games were sold out. I remember reading somewhere around this time that if the Tigers started their season at home with the Final Four in town, it would have been pandemonium downtown. The Tigers started their season in Toronto against the Blue Jays, and their home opener was on Good Friday this year. Overall, it seemed like everyone enjoyed themselves during the weekend. Well, more later or tomorrow.
Lauren

Free Friday

Today's picture from the year that's coming to an end is from the Winter Blast here in Detroit back in February of this year. The Festival had to cut back on some of the attractions, namely the giant snow slide, because of the economy going sour. The Winter Blast started out on a trial basis in 2005, and was one of the fun events surrounding the 2006 Super Bowl held in Detroit. It became a yearly thing after that, probably because of how many people showed up in 2006. Many people have attended the Winter Blast in the past few years, and it seems like everyone has a great time skating, watching Ice Shows, roasting marshmallows, and enjoying the entertainment in the many tents around Campus Martius. My favorite thing to do at the Winter Blast is to listen to the bands in attendance and watch the ice skating exhibitions. This picture was taken between free skate periods when the Zamboni was resurfacing the ice. I like to see everyone skating on the ice. The last time I was Ice skating on the Campus Martius rink was early 2008. Well, more later or tomorrow.
Lauren

Tigers on Thursday

Today, I decided to write about my favorite Baseball team, the Detroit Tigers, hence the Olde English D ice sculpture that was taken at TigerFest back in January. The Tigers have been making moves this off season, most notabe of these moves is the trade that sent Curtis Granderson to the Yankees, and Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks. A lot of people didn't like this move, and from what I've been reading around the internet in comment sections of many blogs and news articles, many people are dissatified that the Tigers are letting go of one of their more popular homegrown players players in Curtis Granderson, and they say that they won't be going to see the Tigers in 2010. No matter what happens with the "Motor City Kitties", I'll always be a fan of my Tigers, and I can't wait to see how the season plays out in 2010. As I mentioned a bit earlier, this Ice sculpture is from this year's TigerFest in January 2009. TigerFest 2010 is rapidly approaching in a little more than a month. I'll be attending, as I have been since 2006, when it was at Joe Louis Arena. It's been at Comerica Park since 2007. It's been sold out the past few years, but there are still tickets on sale for the 2010 event. I'm still wondering what to take with me to get autographed this year in the autograph areas. There are autograph areas and a photo area there, and also a question-answer session with the players and front office staff. I'll try to post pictures of the event soon afterwards. Well, more later or tomorrow.
Lauren

Wednesday Wheels

I'm starting to write about the year gone by in the next few entries here on TWaSbL. I saw a picture from tis year's Auto Show, and thought about how the Auto Industry has has been going through a lot over the past year. This picture is from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show back in January of this year. Over the past year, energy efficient cars and "Green" Technologies have come into the marketplace, and the "Big Three" automakers have been going through a lot, especially GM and Chrysler. A lot of dealerships across the country have been forced to shut their doors because of all the cuts by the automakers, and many people have been unemployed by the moves. I feel that the auto industry can find ways to save money instead of closing dealerships and laying people off. They can find ways both internally and outside of their companies to save money and to be more efficent in their practices. I think in the next few years, the Auto Industry can rise from the ashes and hopefully come out of these times stronger than before. More later or tomorrow.
Lauren

Lafayette Tuesday

Here's a picture of the Lafayette Building downtown. It's in the process of being demolished, and the sign, pictured here, is no longer there. There was a battle between the City Council and preservationists on whether to keep it standing or to tear it down, but in the end, the City Council won the battle, and it's being torn down. The Lafayette Building was built sometime in the 1920s, and itt housed various legal entities in later years before closing in the late 1990s I'm not sure when that electric sign that reads Lafayette Bldg. was put there, but probably within the past 50-60 years. I always see this building while I'm downtown, and I'll miss seeing it when it's torn down. Well, more later or tomorrow.

Lauren