MGM Lawn Displays

The thing I always like looking forward to as the year goes through its seasons and weather patterns here in Detroit is the changing of the display at the MGM Casino . There are large reindeer statues here in the winter, and this year, Pinwheels, shrubbery and Pumpkins adorned the Bagley side of the Casino. During the Christmas holidays, there are usually ornaments and other decorative touches for the season. I always am interested to see what they do next with their displays. These can be seen from Michigan Avenue and as you travel on and off of the Lodge Freeway, as well. My favorite displays are the Pinwheels and the Reindeer displays. Also among my favorites are the lawn chairs that were displayed earlier this summer.

Midweek articles

I'm reading this article on CNN's Entertainment page about Joseph Cerniglia, who was an a contestant on the reality Show "Kitchen Nightmares", commiting suicide a few days ago. It's sad to hear about anyone taking their own life. I saw this report on TV yesterday, and the reporter said that about 10 or 11 people who were contestants on Reality shows had taken their own lives. I'm just wondering why many people do this, especially when they have been on TV. CNN's article says that he had recieved some criticism on the show. Maybe some that were on reality shows found out that it wasn't what they had expected after they had left the show. It may be different for some folks than others. I hope that you are able to find help or talk to someone you trust if you have thoughts of taking your own life

Guardian Building

These pictures are of the Guardian Building in Downtown Detroit. I like this building because it's a nice piece of architecture. It was built during the building surge of the 1920s (many of the Downtown Buildings were built or had additions built in the '20s), and it's on the register of Historic Places. I'm a fan of historic architecture, and this is one of my favorite buildings. I read an article about this in one of the Detroit Daily papers, and they say that the Guardian has an observation deck at the top of the building. If anyone knows if there are daily or weekend tours, I think that it'd be interesting for Groups of tourists and locals alike.

YouTube Friday: Red Wings victory parade and rally

Today's YouTube Friday video is from the Detroit News YouTube channel at DetNewsVideo. It's of the Red Wings Victory Parade and Rally in June 2008. I post this video to TWaSbL in honor of the Hockey Season getting back into gear for the 2010-2011 season. Hopefully, the Red Wings can go back to win the Stanley Cup again. My favorite Red Wings are Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk (called the "Euro Twins" by many). Here's hoping your team does well in the upcoming season.

Farwell Building

Here's a picture of the Farwell Building in Capitol Park. This building at one time held an arcade/pool hall on the ground level. Back in the Days, the Farwell held offices and other businesses. According to Detroit 1701, This building was named for Jesse Farwell, who owned this building at one time. It was built in 1915 and was abandoned by the mid 1980s. I'm not sure if the signs for State Farm and Re/Max are there because they're going to move in soon, or if they're there for movies that are going to be filmed downtown (Michigan has a tax break for all who want to make movies in the state). The Farwell Building is interesting because of the way it's built. It reminds me of a school in a sense.

Decorative touches

As I was going around town this past week, I realized how many so-called "Hidden" touches are on some older buildings. I spotted these two gems on the Music Hall and on the old Detroit Free Press Building. It's amazing how the architects of these buildings incorporated design, functionality, and some interesting pieces of art into the buildings that they designed and built, especially in the 19th and early 20th Century. I especially like the man on the side of the Free Press building and the two heads next to him. They kind of remind me of downspouts in a way, but they're just decorative.

Capitol Park Building

Here's a picture of the old Capitol Park Building downtown. There's a few nuggets of info floating around on this building. According to the building's page on SkyscraperPage, it was built almost 100 years ago in 1912, and is built in the Beaux Arts/Chicago School style. This building may have been used for offices of some sort in a past life, but I'm not quite sure. Formerly, there was a party store (shown on the ground level with the signs above the windows), as well as a check cashing/bill payment center. Both provided bus schedules for people waiting for the buses when they stopped at Capitol Park (the buses have since moved just west of here to the new Rosa Park Transit Center on Michigan Avenue). The last business to move out of this building was the party/cigarette store. My favorite part of the architecture of this building are the center column of windows, and how they turn the corner there.

Bagley Fountain

The picture I post today is of Bagley Fountain in Campus Martius Park. This was a gift from John J. Bagley, who, was a governor in Michigan in the 1870s, and worked in the Tobacco industry after moving to Michigan (info on Gov. Bagley courtesy of Wikipedia. The picture on the Wikipedia of Gov. Bagley has him with a really interesting beard). It was originally a working water fountain back in the old days . according to the Ask.com Encyclopedia, he left some money in his will for a fountain to be built after his death so that Detroiters could have something to drink. Now, the fountain is no longer working, and stands here in Cadillac Square near Bates. I like the little lion heads in the center, which used to dispense water to the public.

YouTube Friday: World Over - P Benedict XVI in the UK - Raymond Arroyo w Fr Sirico + Jos...

Today's YouTube Friday segment is from EWTN's YouTube channel. It's of the Mass that Pope Benedict XVI celebrated after his arrival and his meeting with Queen Elizabeth II. He visited with the Archbishop of Canterbury , who represented the Anglican Communion in England. His Holiness also spoke to young people and at an interfaith meeting, as well. I look forward to seeing all of the Pope's visit on TV and online.

Megabus!!

One mode of transportation that I see pretty often is the Mega Bus, which travels to and from Chicago from various cities, including Detroit. There are a couple of stops in the downtown/midtown Detroit area. Looking at the website, it has cheap fares, as well, and is a good way for folks to travel on a budget if they don't want to catch a train, plane, etc. They're currently in the States, the UK, and now in Canada. These double decker buses are somewhat new (the one pictured was on a break). They had some single decker buses, and some double decker buses, as well. The Megabus is represented by a cool little bus driver that's displayed prominently on their website. Have you taken a ride on the Megabus? If you have, how was the experience? Did you get to and from your destination pretty fast?

Watch out while Tanning

Just reading this article in USA Today about Tanning beds and the health risks, especially for young people. They say that many young people (between 18 and about 30) turn to tanning beds nowadays, and this makes many doctors worried about the risks, such as cancer and other diseases. If you use a tanning bed on a regular basis, watch yourself while tanning, and protect yourself so you won't do any irreparable harm to your skin. I usually get tanned while I'm out for a walk or a bike ride, but I need to start using some sunscreen on a more frequent basis.

Metropolitan Building

The Metropolitan Building is one of the most unique buildings in Downtown Detroit. It's located on John R. street, a hop, skip, and a jump away from Woodward Avenue, and walking distance from Comerica Park and Ford Field, as well as the Broadway People Mover stop. The center tower reminds me of a castle or another grand building. According to the building's Wikipedia page, The building was built and opened in the mid 1920s, and closed in the late 1970s, and was used for Jewelers back in the days. Looking at the Buildings of Detroit Page on the buildng, I see that the building had specialty machines for the jewelers and rented out space for those selling their wares in the world of jewelry. The paintings on the building have been there for quite a while now. I wonder what will happen with this building, and if it will be used for a new purpose, or torn down to make room for something else.

Fox Theatre

Baseball and a Movie
Originally uploaded by femaletrumpet02

The Tigers had Baseball and a Movie this past Saturday, which, I think, is a new thing. They played the movie "Field of Dreams" before the Tigers-Orioles game. The Fox Theatre opened in 1928, and reopened after an extensive makeover in the late '80s, when the Ilitch family bought the old Theatre. My parents remember the Fox being one of the top theatres for a date night back in the old days, and the place where concerts were held. I read somewhere that the Fox had an orchestra that played at the opening of the theatre. I saw a picture online or in a book of Woodward Avenue being packed with limos for the showing or debut of one of the Beverly Hills Cop Movies.

Detroit Life Building

Here is the old Detroit Building, formerly the Detroit Life Building. It was built in 1923, and was the home to Detroit Life Insurance, hence the word "Life" in the middle. It closed in 1977. (via SkyscraperPage) I see that the Ilitch family bought the building to redevelop it (via January 2006 article on Emporis) Not much has been going on with this building recently, other than some scaffolding around the doorway of the building, which means that someone is working on it. I'd be interested to see how this building would be used in the future.

YouTube Friday: When the World Stopped Turning: A 9/11 tribute

Today's YouTube Friday entry is a September 11 tribute, posted by YouTube user MEGARA2009. Tomorrow marks nine years since the events that literally changed America, if not the world. Where were you when these events happened? I was a seventeen year old Senior in High School at the time, and I had a doctor's appointment that day, so I was home from school . I had gone back to sleep after changing clothes, and when I got up from my short nap at about 8:30-9 AM, I heard a breaking news bulletin on the radio telling everyone about what had just happened in New York City. I then went to go to see my parents, who were sitting in the kitchen watching the news on TV, and I spoke with them about what was going on. My Dad had told me to e-mail my cousin, who was living in New Jersey at the time, to see if he and his family were okay. I spoke to my parents about this before my Mom and I left for my Doctor's appointment. When we got to the hospital, all hospital staff was on High alert just in case someone was airlifted from New York, Pennsylvania, or Washington DC. I also remember the moments of Silence around town, and especially at school in the days and weeks following the attacks, the show of Patriotism that was displayed around the country (There was a giant flag being carrried by the Detroit Police and Fire Department in the 2001 Thanksgiving Parade, and Lee Greenwood was in the Parade singing his song "Proud to Be an American"), and people reaching out to help others.

Detroit Sports Blog

Us Detroiters love our Sports teams. The Lions, Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons are always good draws year round. The Tigers are one of the oldest Detroit Sports franchises, who can trace their roots back to the 1880s. They were known as the Detroit Wolverines at one point back in the days, and from what I've heard, got the name "Tigers" after the striped stockings the players wore that reminded someone of Tiger stripes. The Tigers have called Comerica Park home since the 2000 season. The Tigers played at old Bennett Park (which would later be called Navin Field, Briggs Stadium and Tiger Stadium) for over a century. They moved from Tiger Stadium in 1999, following a ceremony with former Tiger players. Did you know that Home Plate from Tiger Stadium is currently

The Lions got their start here in Detroit in 1934. They played at Tiger Stadium until the '70s and played up at the Pontiac Silverdome (which, from what I hear, was a pretty interesting place to be on a Sunday afternoon), and have been at Ford Field since the early 2000's. Even though they haven't been doing too well in recent years, people still come out and see them on Sunday afternoons during the season. Their Thanksgiving game is always a big draw, as well. Many people usually go to the Thanksgiving Parade and then head over to Ford Field for the game before heading home for dinner with family.
The Red Wings have been in Detroit since the 1920s. They were known as the Detroit Cougars for a while before the name Red Wings became their moniker. They played in Windsor for a little bit before coming back here to the States to play at Olympia Stadium (known as the "Big Red Barn"), which was located on Grand River and McGraw on the west side. They moved here to Joe Louis Arena in the early 1980s. They've won the Stanley Cup 11 times, most recently being the 2007-2008 season, and have had many legendary players, from Gordie Howe to Steve Yzerman.
The Pistons were originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, and moved from there to Detroit in. They've played at University of Detroit, downtown at Cobo Arena, and up at the Pontiac Silverdome before moving to their current home, the Palace of Auburn Hills, in the mid-late 1980s. They've won the NBA Championship three times, 1989, 1990 and 2004. Their address reflects these championships as well as the three championships of the former Detroit Shock (now Tulsa Shock) in 2003, 2006 and 2008. Currently, the Pistons are up for sale, and there are many people wanting to buy the team

New Cop cars on the road

While I was at the picture of this new Dodge Police Interceptor, which I saw at the Detroit Labor Day Parade, I thought about all the news about the new Police Interceptor from all of the Big 3 automakers, which mainly replaces the old Ford Crown Victoria, which is still in use by many police departments. I've seen some Impalas in use, as well as some Chargers and Crown Vics as Police Interceptors around here in the Metro area. I've even seen a small CT&T car at the Auto Show that was used as an energy efficient cruiser. What do you all think of the new cruisers?

Labor Day Bloggin'

First of all, let me say Happy Labor Day to you all! Today was a busy Labor Day here in Metro Detroit. I attended the Labor Day Parade in Downtown Detroit before heading to Comerica Park for the Tigers game against the White Sox. The Tigers lost in 10 innings today, but it was good to see everyone out and about for the game and Parade, as well as at the Jazz Festival n Saturday. The Picture of the Buses was taken during the Labor Day Parade, where it accompanied the Bus Drivers union along the Parade route. W They were part of the Bus Drivers union, that was marching in the parade. The TigDetroit Tigers 2010 sign was taken shortly before the game started. Lots of visitors were in town for the various events in town. I hope all of my out-of-town readers enjoy your time here if you're in town for the Jazz Fest, the Tigers/Sox series, Labor Day Parade or for any reason at all.

Jazz Fest Blog

I attended the Detroit Jazz Festival yesterday, and it was a good time. It was a chilly and windy day, but it seems like everyone enjoyed themselves despite the weather. The bands were really good, and the wares people sold on Woodward were nice. Everything from Shea Butter to clothing to pictures were sold. The picture I post today is of the float from the Parade Company for the Jazz Festival. I first saw this float last Thanksgiving at the Parade. The bands that I liked were some of the college bands and the bands at the Carhartt stage at the Hart Plaza Ampitheatre. Lots of footwork going up and down Woodward for the Festival, but overall, everything was really nice. I suggest if you're hanging around the Metro Detroit area, or even if you are visiting from out of town, come to the Jazz Festival (Tomorrow, September 6, is the last day) and listen to the music!

YouTube Friday: Faygo Boat Song TV commercial - 1970's

To go along with yesterday's entry, Today's YouTube Friday segment, found on YouTube user curleyco's channel, is the Faygo Boat Song. Many people remember singing this song and drinking an ice cold Faygo. I may have posted this before in a previous entry, but I thought this would be cool to correspond with yesterday's TWaSbL entry.Follow the Bouncing Ball and sing along! I found myself singing along and thinking about my parents, who vividly remember this commercial being on Detroit Television. Hope you all enjoy this Detroit TV gem.

Refreshing Blog

Here's an entry about one of Detroit's favorite drinks: Faygo Pop. According to the Faygo website, the company was started in 1907 by the Feigenson Brothers, Ben and Perry. The Feigensons made their pop after some cake frosting that they made, and moved on Gratiot, just a few miles east of Downtown, in the mid '30s. Looking through the history page of Faygo's website, I was surprised to find out that Faygo made a one-calorie pop and started their Diet pops back in the days. . Many Baby Boomers remember the commercials with "Black Bart" and the "Faygo Boat Song" (titled "Remember When You Were a Kid?"). My favorite flavors of Faygo are Diet Orange, Diet Frosh, and on occasion, Diet Creme Soda.

Water Board Building

Here are some pictures of a familiar yet overlooked piece of Detroit Architecture. This is the Water Board building in Downtown Detroit. It was built in 1928 by architect Louis Kamper , who was the architect of many downtown buildings. This building houses the Detroit Water Department, and people can come here to pay their bill as well. The plaque in the doorway lists the mayors who were in office during the construction of the building (Mayor John Lodge, who was in his third term as mayor when the building was completed, and Mayor John Smith), as well as the Common Council (that'd be the City Council now), and the Water Supply departmental officers.The white area at the top of the building lights up at night. Some of these names are familiar because there are streets or freeways named for them: Mayor John C. Lodge (namesake of the Lodge Freeway, M-10, which runs from Downtown to the northwest Suburbs), John Kronk (located on the southwest side of the city), Robert Ewald (Ewald Circle on the Northwest side), George Fenkell (Fenkell Street in the city-Five Mile once you get to the Western 'burbs). Also, Frank Book is a familiar name because he and his brothers were the namesakes for the Book Building and the Book-Cadillac Hotel on Washington Boulevard.