'They are all loving Detroit. They all don’t want to leave.' -- Detroit Moxie post

[RealityCheck]

Becks Davis [[aka Detroit Moxie) shares a look at Detroit through the eyes of visitors relaxing yesterday at Nancy Whiskey’s in north Corktown, including four from the U.K.

They are all loving Detroit. They all don’t want to leave.
When I asked Greg [from the West Coast] about his experiences in Detroit, he described “a quiet noise, a rumbling.”

Yeah, a familiar echo here . . . but give the post a look for:

• An encouraging sign from Hostel Detroit.
• A salute to regulars at Nancy Whiskey's.
• A surprising treat when "we notice a party bus pull up outside and 20 people, all over 50 years old, piled out."

[Orthophonic]

I love to see that side of Detroit, too. It's not the whole story, just like crime on the River Walk is not the whole story. Detroit is too complicated to sum up in a sound bite. The next day after that blog post, 5/22, we were cruising out Michigan Ave. through Corktown and was really happy to see a lot of people outside, all ages - maybe some of the Brits there in the mix?

To sum it up...
10 am Mass at Sacred Heart - fabulous choir. If you are RC, or even if you are not, check them out on 1st/3rd/4th/5th Sundays of the month. A really tight and strong gospel choir with the Hammond organ, keyboards, drums, and soloists who give it their all. All the best to Fr. Thomas, who is undergoing double bypass surgery today, 5/24.
Rating: 10

Trip to coney:
Saw some rehabs, some derelict bldgs., some just holding on, some making it [[as usual). Freeway ramps at Livernois littered [[as usual)
Rating: 4

Coney lunch at George's on Michigan Ave - friendly service, lots of food, and it always seems cheaper than it should be. One bathroom is in noticeably better shape than the other and wish the seats with the vinyl rips would get fixed. Exterior not great but you do get a good look at the Senate marquee.
Rating: 7.5

Delray tour:
My daughter, who has been working on a project there for the past couple of weeks [[planning for bridge plaza), took us through. Delray is a mixture of depressing and, in spots, more encouraging than I had expected - we went a lot of places I had never been before. This is the first time she had spent any time in the neighborhood and I expected her to come out in a state of depression but she was really up on the whole experience. There is a real industrial stench in the air in parts of the neighborhood. Saw a beautiful '67 Coupe de Ville. Note to DWSD - the water is still running in the basement of the burned out hulk at 222 Harbaugh. Lots of people out in west Delray but not in east. A pit bull made a serious attempt to capture the big Ford E350. Too many piles of dumped material - tires, TVs, etc. Riverside Park crowded but very littered.
Rating: 4

Corktown quick tour - daughter had been impressed with Woodbridge and I took her through Corktown. Nice nbhd., but Woodbridge is still her favorite. Drive westbound on Michigan Ave., passing the continuing stream of humanity just enjoying the day. Some people out fixing up Michigan & Trumbull for ballgames.
Rating: 9
Sub-rating for the state of Michigan Central depot: 0 [[IMHO the much-hyped but yet-to-commence rehab could/should have started as soon as the current owner bought the facility, if the owner had a serious interest in doing so)

Glad the international visitors enjoyed their stay and hope they return.

[hamtown mike]

Sub-rating for the state of Michigan Central depot: 0 [[IMHO the much-hyped but yet-to-commence rehab could/should have started as soon as the current owner bought the facility, if the owner had a serious interest in doing so)

Glad the international visitors enjoyed their stay and hope they return.

Have I been under a rock? Did someone buy MCS from Unlce Matty?

[Orthophonic]

No, I meant Matty M. He has had quite a long time to get to work on MCS. The bright side is that he has in fact come out publicly saying a rehab is in the works [[or at least a stabilization) and has hired what appears to be a competent firm.

[Danny]

Those who love Detroit and its ghettohoods, STAY. That's where the action is.