Celebrity confirms: not "a damned thing to do except take walks in Birmingham."

**bailey** · June-17-13, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I'm pretty sure she didn't expect Birmingham to be Manhattan. No person realistically expects to find New York outside of New York. However, she clearly expected Birmingham to offer more than what she got. Birmingham tries to sell itself as the center of urban sophistication for the Detroit area which I'm sure is why she chose to live there. It fell short of expectations. She stated her dissatisfaction. The world continues to spin.

I guess, but really, it's a suburb of Detroit... relative to local options is it miles better? sure. but can anyone anywhere realistically think a suburb of Detroit is going to offer anything near what she apparently was used to in NYC.

She moved, basically, to the country and is complaining about it being a bit low on options for an octogenarian theater queen. I mean it's like moving to moving to NYC and complaining it's too crowded, loud, smelly, and expensive.

**michimoby** · June-17-13, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by TexasT

Is there some wall preventing Detroiters from coming downtown?

Not necessarily, unless you count the lack of public transit. That in itself can be a huge deterrent for someone to make the jaunt downtown for an evening out...

On a relative note, can we talk about how batshit scary it is that a great many people drive home drunk from sporting events and other downtown activities?

**bailey** · June-17-13, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by TexasT

Is there some wall preventing Detroiters from coming downtown? I don't live downtown and yet, there I was yesterday evening. The majority of people I saw on the river walk last night had children with them so I doubt most of them live downtown.

... and I would doubt most of them live in Detroit. Which is a good thing that they're going and feeling comfortable. But, for a city of 700k with a 85% AA population, the crowds at the river walk on your average evening and the crowds in CM during the day and early evening [[to me at least) seem to skew awfully white and young.

Clearly there is not wall, but it would seem there is some sort of barrier or a very high level of disinterest amongst the general population of Detroit.

I would compare it to B'ham. demographics are basically the reverse of Detroit. Wouldn't there be some comment if 10% of the population made up the vast majority of the persons patronizing the CBD?

**iheartthed** · June-17-13, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

I mean it's like moving to moving to NYC and complaining it's too crowded, loud, smelly, and expensive.

True. And I can't go a day without hearing someone complain about those things lol.

**TexasT** · June-17-13, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

But, for a city of 700k with a 85% AA population, the crowds at the river walk on your average evening and the crowds in CM during the day and early evening skew awfully white and young.

80%+ of the people on the river walk yesterday were black [[see my pics). I went on a Friday night when my [[white) East Texas family was in town, and they were definitely in the minority then too. Now when there's a game in town, there's waaay more white people there because more white people are downtown period, but when it's just a "normal" [[aka non-game night) evening in Detroit, the makeup reflects the city for the most part [[at least in my experience - I'm not on the RW every night). And it still stays busy.

CM during the day is definitely whiter, because that's the makeup of downtown Detroit during the day. Sunday evening, it was majority black. Midtown is pretty mixed depending on where you go.

**Baselinepunk** · June-17-13, 11:05 AM

"Can we all acknowledge, that yes there are some things to do and the CBD has seen a lot of improvement, but to someone that is used to Manhattan, it's probably a far cry than what they are used to?

Having lived in and very near Detroit my whole life; Detroit is so much better in a lot of ways than it was when I was growing up. Downtown has so much more now.

I appreciate what we have; it's come a very long way.

**TexasT** · June-17-13, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Baselinepunk

"Can we all acknowledge, that yes there are some things to do and the CBD has seen a lot of improvement, but to someone that is used to Manhattan, it's probably a far cry than what they are used to?

Having lived in and very near Detroit my whole life; Detroit is so much better in a lot of ways than it was when I was growing up. Downtown has so much more now.

I appreciate what we have; it's come a very long way.

I thought I'd be bored coming from Chicago, especially living in Wicker Park, which is always lively. Detroit is not Chicago, not by any means, but I've yet to lack something fun to do every night between all the art, theater, professional happy hours, sports, music, cultural events, etc. I don't have 10-20+ options a night like I did in Chicago, but 2-4 options a night works for me, in exchange for a mortgage lower than my car note.

**illwill** · June-17-13, 01:03 PM

I think people should take this ladies comments with a grain of salt. Relax already! She basically said in the article that living in Birmingham is a totally different environment than what it was like living in Manhattan. I think she took a slight jab at the personalities of the residents of B-ham but it wasn't meant to be overtly rude, just a light-hearted joke. People have to stop being so sensitive in Michigan. Remember, she is originally from here anyways. No different from Steven Colbert joking about his hometown of South Carolina.

Her comments were not meant to be condescending.

**Honky Tonk** · June-17-13, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by TexasT

Is there some wall preventing Detroiters from coming downtown? I don't live downtown and yet, there I was yesterday evening. The majority of people I saw on the river walk last night had children with them so I doubt most of them live downtown. Yet, there they were.

Some ppeople's minds naturally set up walls.