Reviews & Comments
Chelsea, MI
Lily-White Bourgoisie -
6/30/2016I lived in Chelsea in the 1990s and occasionally return out of family obligation. It's marginally more affordable than neighboring Ann Arbor, thus its status as a bedroom community. ZZZ-zzZZ-ZZZ
In a word: Stefordian (As in Stepford Wives). My personal idea of hell. Lots of play groups for the kiddos, though.
Seriously, there is NO appreciable diversity there. Very, very small town feel--so lots of preoccupation with thy neighbor's business.
One caveat: the public school system is GREAT, for Michigan. On the other hand, the cemetery is full of youthful tragedy--suicide; death-by-parent; drunk driving... Middle American malaise in spades; a heroin capital, per capita--but all this is swept under the expensive designer rug.
The popular restaurant, the Common Grill, is overrated, unimaginative and above all, LOUD due to poor acoustic design. Evans St. Station, a half hour away in the unassuming berg of Tecumseh is far superior. The equally popular Purple Rose Theatre, established by local celeb Jeff Daniels is acclaimed and kinda cute.
Detroit, MI
2 Detroits -
6/30/2016There are so many disparaging remarks here about Detroit--I feel I must step in.
Let's not be redundant, people, and add to all the trash-talk rhetoric. That's the equivalent of being the middle-school bully whose favorite target is the poor, obese, or intellectually-impaired kid.
Anyone who reads knows Detroit has taken it on the chin like a punch from Joe Lewis. And we know about decades of corupt government, the lack of industrial diversification, white flight, etc. That's old news.
There's plenty to love about Detroi& not just ruin porn, people!
Ask the droves of creative young folk from Brooklyn and Portland and the like--who moved to the "D" for its creative vibe, its can-do attitude, and above all--the affordability of fabulous loft space.
The problem is, there are 2 Detroits. There are the oppressively crime-gripped neighborhoods with no way out, and there is the central business district with boat-tons of investment underway.
My kids treated me to Mother's Day weekend in Detroit. I couldn't get over the price tag on the hotel room, the world-class fabulosity of Shinola, the murals and intrigue abundant in Eastern Market. Frankly, this middle-aged ol' gal now living 100 miles "Up North" wants to move back.
The thing is--brilliant public servants must envision a future for Detroit that favors all Detroiters--not just the Corktown hipsters.
Detroit, MI
re: Americas Toilet Bowl - 7/27/2011 -
6/30/2016Jainy,
I live in Bay City, too. Not exactly a slice of heaven, either.
I must ask--why were you hanging out in the destitute and depressing areas of Detroit, when you could have visited Eastern Market, the DIA, Comerica Park, etc.? Sure, Detroit has fallen far, but it has also come a long way in recent years. I just wish the prosperity now enjoyed by Downtown and Midtown would fan out to the neighborhoods more quickly.
Richmond, VA
re: Update -- Negative Vibes - 6/10/2016 -
6/30/2016Thank you for these thoughtful observations, Brian. I read both of your posts.
I currently live in Bay City, MI. I returned here after many years in the Michigan I-94 cities of Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, and Detroit--so I appreciated your former-Michigander perspective.
I so need to get the h-e-double Red Wings hockey sticks out of here before my sanity is rendered irretrievable. My entire family now resides on the East Coast, from NYC to Savannah, so I am researching various cities that might be a good fit.
Your remarks were so eloquent, and I so completely understood your perspective, I just had to let you know.
P.S. I don't know if you have been to Detroit lately, but it is coming along! The WSU / Cultural Center has vastly improved, and I am so drawn to Eastern Market--when I need a "happy place" to go in my mind, I go there.