Some relatives (you know who you are) in my hometown of suburban Detroit weren’t convinced by the booster-ish tone of the 36 Hours in Detroit article in last week’s NYTimes Travel section but the article sold me. It made me want to revisit Detroit with a pair of fresh eyes and new enthusiasm!
Category Archives: Michigan
Midwestern hotels to check out
Also from a recent issue of Midwest Living:
– Chicago – Elysian, Ritz-Carlton, Hotel Palomar (rat pack-esque doormen!)
– Columbus, Indiana, Inn at Irwin Gardens
– Novi, MI, Baronette Renaissance
– Shell Knob, Missouri, (wherever that is), Stonewater Cove
– Dubuque, Hotel Julien
– Kohler, Wisc., The American Club
– Custer, S.D., Custer State Park Reunion Cabin
Filed under Chicago, Illinois, Indianapolis, LODGING, Michigan, Missouri, South Dakota, Wisconsin
restaurants to check out all over the Midwest
Found a copy of the Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Midwest Living on the library’s sale rack – so scooped it up since there’s always good recommendations on things to do in this neck of the woods. Here’s some restaurant recommendations:
– In Indianapolis, Recess (soup!)
– In Chicago, Gilt Bar and Restaurant on Magnificent Mile.
– Woodbury, Minnesota (where we have friends!), Apertif (rotisserie chicken) and in neighboring St. Paul, Heartland (clever meat and potatoes) and Clearwater, Minn., Nelson Bros. Restaurant (yes, at a restaurant on I-94; fritter french toast w/wild rice sausage)
– Omaha, Hiro 88 (sushi and more in the Old Market district)
– Madison, Wisc. L’Etoile (longstanding haute green cuisine in new location)
– Kansas City, Glace Artisan Ice Cream (peanut butter ice cream with swirl of strawberry jam…) and Succotash
– Traverse City, MI, Soul Hole (southern food in Old Town)
– Iowa City, Blue Bird Diner (Sunday brunch)
Filed under Chicago, DINING, Illinois, Indianapolis, Iowa, Iowa City, Kansas City, Michigan, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Omaha
Transportation options between Chicago and Traverse City
We were looking lat summer – with little success – for mass transportation between Chicago and Traverse City, Michigan. And finally decided the best bet was to rent a car.
But there is another option a reader offered: an Indian Trails bus (indiantrails.com). It is a fairly long trip (9 hours) compared to driving a car (5 hours), but the advance purchase cost is, we’re told, $50.
The other options: take the train from Chicago to Grand Rapids (which takes about 4.5 hours) and then somehow get to Traverse City. Word has it there’s a bus connection but it takes 12 hours. (that’s crazy.)
More Detroit hotspots – pt. 2
I forgot to mention another NYT story in its fall 2010 T magazine about Detroit – this one about “artists in residence” in some struggling Motor City neighborhoods. It likened the city to a modern-day Rome. um, not exactly. But here are more suggestions of things to do, places to see:
Restaurants – Atlas Global Bistro, 3111 Woodward Ave!; The Cass Cafe, 4620 Cass Ave; El Barzon (Mexican-Italian?) 3710 Junction STreet; Russell Street Deli, 2465 Russell Street.
Museums/Galleries: The Butcher’s Daughter, 22747 Woodward Ave.; Detroit Institute of Arts (duh); G.R. N’Namdi Gallery; Heidelberg Project – between Mt. Elliott and Ellery streets heidelberg.org; Lemberg Gallery, 23271 Woodward Ave., Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, 4454 Woodward; Paul Kotula Projects, 23244 Woodward; Susanne Hilberry Gallery, 700 Livernois. Sad not to see my parent’s gallery, The Rubiner Gallery, in the list but it’s been closed for many years after a long run in suburban Detroit.
Hotels: The Inn on Ferry Street.
More Detroit hotspots
The NYTimes seems to be promoting Detroit as a tourist destination these days and why not. Here’s some suggestions from their latest travel piece on the Motor City:
– Roast – “Detroit’s most talked about restaurant”…..
– Rub BBQ Pub – with a sandwich named after local boy gone rocker Ted Nugent
– Detroit Beer Company – behind the Opera House beer. And my favorite beer name “People Mover Porter” – with chocolate tones.
– Westin Book Cadillac Hotel. Take off the first name and it feels like the good old days. or the bad old days. take your pick but nice to see this place open again after a $200 million renovation. What’s next – the downtown Hudson’s???
Wine, beer, hard cider in the Leelanau Pennisula, Mi.
During our visit to the Leelanau Peninsula last month, we visited only one winery (Black Star) and weren’t impressed (although pretty place.) But my sister J and her husband want to go winery hopping up there this month so here’s one suggestion – based entirely on a knowledgeable friend’s review of the wine, not the winery persay: Forty-five North Vineyard and Winery – which gets its name from being located on the 45th parallel – is good wine, we’re told. So maybe the winery will be worth a visit too. see http://www.fortyfivenorth.com Tasting Room Hours are Mon-Sat, 11-6
Sun, 12-5
Another option: visit a hard cider maker. Tandem Ciders – near Black Star – looked like a neat place but it was closed when we dropped by. The season is more likely to be happening in September. We also found two local beers we liked – North Peak (out of Traverse City) and Bell’s (from Kalamazoo). Bottoms up!
Filed under Michigan
One more Northern Michigan tip
A woman who runs a chocolate shop in Empire, Mi. recommended another website for renting places in that area – vrbo.com (which stands for “vacation rentals by owner” – she says it cuts out the middle-man/woman fee. worth a try although i was happy w/our visitupnorth.com rental.
When we next return to Glen Arbor, Mi.
At the end of most vacations, I always have a list of things I wish I’d done and hope to do next time (like the time I went to Spain and skipped Grenada – although I did get to Seville. Someday.)
So here’s my list for the Glen Arbor area:
1) canoe or kayak on the Crystal River. Our tubing on the Platte was a bit of a bust – too slow and sleepy. The Crystal River looks fun – narrower and more winding and mysterious. And we’ll skip the tubes next time.
2) visit the Old Mission Peninsula, especially the general store in an old wigwam.
3) visit Traverse City – we didn’t even get close to the place.
4) check out the towns of Maple City and Cedar something or other. (uh oh, I’m already forgetting names.)
5) do more hiking on the dunes and the other ride with the ranger on Point Oneida.
Filed under Michigan
TakeBetsywithyou 