You Own It, You Better Never Let It Go

They don't drive European Sports Cars in Detroit....
i didn't pay any attention at allll when the agent at Hertz gave me the keys to a new Toyota...
later..as i was driving around tying to get a feel for the city... i noticed it... NO FOREIGN CARS... not one...ok..JUST the one I was driving... the closest thing to a foreign car that i saw was a Saturn.. good for them, way to go...way to practice what ya preach kids..either that or that employee discount is better than i would have thought....
i definitely felt that if i had been a dude i probably would have gotten my ass kicked a couple of times..instead i got out and kinda kicked at my toyota, shrugged and said to anyone looking ..
"its a rental"... as way of apology..

what Detroit does have is:

• a Wicked cool art scene ..i even purchased a few new ones and if i was more of a whore i woulda called Supreme Court and asked him to buy me a few of the ones i couldnt afford..ok i might still do this..they were that good... and if your gonna be a whore i def. believe you should be an art whore

• Detroit is tuff..it could kick DC's ass..if they were in a fight..(which Detroit would have started over some smart ass comment that DC said) Detroit would win.. there wouldnt even be a real contest..Detroit would just pummel the shit outta DC

• Smokestacks ... Detroit is an industrial town..still... as down and out as it is..it is actually working and there is smoke coming out of the smokestacks and there are lots of them... i found it comforting to watch smoke curl out of them.. of course this could have been because it was cold like Greenland there.

• Coneys and Condos... Detroit calls hot dogs coneys.. i dont know why..some sort of weird connection and tribute to coney island that nobody seems to be able to recall....but coney stands reign supreme.. officially a cony is a hot dog with chili like sauce "coney sauce" and raw onions.. and supposedly is a "detroit original" other than coneys the ONLY thing that seems to sell in Detroit is new "loft style" condos.. which is ironic because they build them right next to abandoned warehouses filled with glass block, gorgeous limestone arches, and 40 foot ceilings... you know buildings that would make great AUTHENTIC lofts...but people dont really want authentic .. its not just detroit.. folks want stainless appliances not authentic steel beams with real dents and rivets and i know the economics.. its cheaper to knock it down than to rehab..but it still strikes me funny...and sad at the same time.... and while i said they are selling.... i don't actually know that..what i KNOW is that there are A LOT of them FOR SALE... which is quite dif.

• Catfish and Grits that made this southerner a little envious....who woulda guessed??. the Majestic Cafe was a great stop... the food was delicious including the yummmy basil vinegarette... the staff was great.... although it completely threw her when she asked how i was and i responded  "im just Great! How are you??" .. she looked blankly.. she completely lost it..apparently  "how are you?" is considered a rhetorical question in detroit and if you actually answer... well...their rhythm is completely lost...lol..she eventually regrouped..nicely..

• The Heidelberg Project ...part housing project.. part art project this is the definitive example of art making a dif in peoples daily lives.. an amazing community art project that is alive and bringing people from all over the world to a "forgotten neighborhood" bridging what keeps urban poor separated and thereby segregated  from  the rest of the city and the world....

overall..i love it..
gritty 8 mile, "girls next door" on michigan ave,  lowbrow galleries on woodward, a karaoke bar that could make your ears bleed from outside in your american made car.. (or your rented toyota), art shows that go until two in the morning, jazz and techno musicians swapping tips over a coney...

   
Detroit is authentic industrial america..hot and cold..  deteriorating and rising up at the same time...   i like that in a town...
xoxo

Comments

[Velvet]

It's really funny you say that loft condos sell there. Michigan is the state and Detroit is the city that people around here are constantly using as the "poor example" of what can happen to homebuilders. I've heard it dozens of times: "At least we aren't like Detroit!"

And, don't turn your nose down at having abandoned warehouses as a neighbor - you're just spoiled!!! HAHA!

[suicide_blond]

velvet...
no no no..i was saying i would RATHER live in the warehouses!!
some goofy builders "idea" of a loft and mine are generally not the same! lol
but i am spoiled.. that is a dif topic altogether!!
xoxo

[Frankly, Scarlett]

As a proud Michigander - I'm honored that you've seen the positive side of the motor city!

[JocelynBurks31]

I received my first loan when I was 25 and it helped my relatives very much. Nevertheless, I need the car loan once more time.

[business loans]

Cars and houses are not very cheap and not everyone can buy it. Nevertheless, business loans was created to aid people in such kind of situations.