As you all know by now my name is Wally and as Dr. Platz says I am a Detroit Special.
I was discovered in Detroit and will always be a Detroiter.
Detroit has been taking a bit of a black eye in the media right now and I want you to all take
the time to support the City that I love.
I have asked my mom some questions and memories to share what a special place
Detroit really is. SO here we go...
My mom grew up in Birmingham Michigan which is a suburb of Detroit, she moved there when she was 14 years old. She lived there until she was 29 and married daddy who had a house on the Eastside of Detroit. She said it was a beautiful home with a slate roof, marble fireplace and a separate garage that at one time the upper level of the garage was a chicken coop. She mentions this to show the beautiful homes Detroit has with wonderful people she has met.
She has so many wonderful memories: She shared once when going to a Detroit Red Wings game and leaving Joe Louis Arena, it was a decent walk to the parking garage. She explained that the next day was her birthday (maybe her 19th) and her brother started singing Happy Birthday to her and before you know it, hundreds of people were singing with him to her. She says there is a spirit to Detroit that is untouchable and at that moment she realized it!
She shares that there is nothing more wonderful then going to a Detroit Tiger's game and seeing the skyline. The excitement is awesome. The sounds, smells and feeling is like a hug.
One of her favorites is going to Easter Market on a Saturday morning. Spending the morning with good friends and starting it all out at Vivio's for a bloody Mary. Talking about the night before and what we are looking to buy after several tasty drinks...
Fox Theatre she says is another hidden gem where she would see so many amazing performances. The Nutcracker at Christmas topping the list.
She reminded me about the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Corktown, always the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day and bringing Tommy. Sharing that she was there with daddy and Ms. Davis. Well they spent a bit too much time and the gates locked.
SO here they are all having a good time when they realized the only way out was through the bar. Oh, I forgot to mention they were at Nemo's. Well at this time Tommy had his arms around mommy's neck with Ms. Davis yelling dog emergency and they weaved their way around hundreds of people. Allowing them to go first because of Tommy. Again, it's that Detroit Spirit!
Mom loves the fact that in Detroit you can look across the Detroit River over into Canada. She said when she was younger that she use to love to go over to Canada because the legal drinking age was 19. She says she does not condone her young behavior but simply sharing her story with me now that I am a bit older. She said it was some fun times coming home and singing and honking your horn through the tunnel that goes under the Detroit River and connects Canada with the US.
Lafayette or American? Now a Detroiter would get this. Hotdogs and Chili fries. Nothing better.
Taking us to Belle Isle where I always got in trouble. I am sorry I am not a fan of geese.
Greektown, Hamtramck for Paczki Day, Tom's Oyster Bar, and Pewabic Pottery are some of her favorites...
Music like no other, I am leaving a website on the bottom of this page for you to read. Some of the best music has come from Detroit. So many good memories mom says. She told about going to the Rolling Stones at Ford Field with Daddy and Ms. Davis, I believe they were third row. Awesome! Speaking of Ford Field home of the Detroit Lions, how we love them!
The love of cars and the auto industry. What provided a job for most families and directly effecting our own from the sadness of the economy.
People ask if we have so many nice things to say about Detroit, why did we ditch it? Like mommy says she would of never left Detroit if her parents were still alive. She said traveling the Country and moving to a new area with daddy was like her going away to college and seeing the Country. She feels a sadness from lost and realizes sometimes you can't go back only move forward...
She also says Detroit helped build her. Mom says she might be crazy but she is loyal. She was taught hard work and how to appreciate all walks of lives and ethnicity's. Just like Detroit!
-Wally
P.S. We only wrote about the great things within the City of Detroit, leaving the suburbs outs. The suburbs only add to the greatness. Also, there is so much more to share, maybe you can join Wally and share your favorite things about Detroit!
http://www.madeindetroit.com/
http://www.puredetroit.com/
http://www.everythingdetroitstore.com/
http://ViviosBloodyMary.com
http://www.detroitstpatricksparade.com/index.html
http://www.nemosdetroit.com/
http://www.americanconeyisland.com/home.htm
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/offbeat/130719/27-detroit-based-musicians-who-kicked-out-the-jams
http://www.tomsoysterbar.com/
http://www.pewabic.org/
Loved your post Wally. You and Freeway Freida have the awesome responsibility of being the last of a very special legacy..........Detroit has a spirit and pride that is like no other. I remember talking to the bartender at Hard Rock in Gatlinberg and telling him why Detroit is a great city. By the time I was done talking, he was so impressed that we let your mom and dad and biff and me take a picture with him behind the bar. As we were leaving he said, " I'll make it a point to say nice things about Detroit!"
ReplyDeleteAwesome post Wally! Love your country "cousin" Buttons. <3
ReplyDelete