BLOG ENRTY #44 Monday July 28

 The weather in Detroit was borderline crappy since I got here.  Warm and muggy with a chance of thunderstorms all three days.  Today we finally got the storms.  I timed it right and was inside the public library.  Almost didn't time it right , though.  The library closes at 6 PM.  The worst of the thunderstorm was over at about 5.

Detroit's main library is in an old looking building but it is nice.  There is a nice amount of room to spread out.  And they have working wifi.

Before hitting the library, I had brunch at Joe Louis Country Kitchen.  This time, I had the catfish to go along with the breakfast biscuit.  No grits.

For dinner, I tried a new place called The Eagle.  At first, I thought this was a sports bar.  Turns out The Eagle is run by a mostly Black staff.  The waiter told me that they were known for their fried chicken (again) and for the food on their menu being served ala carte.  The chicken was great.  I also ordered the burnt tips (basically pieces of pork) and the best corn bread I ever had in my life.  It's served in one of those black metal  frying pans people in the 1950s had.  I paid less than $25 for the entire meal.  The atmosphere was awesome and the staff very friendly.  I spent my last full day in Detroit eating well

BLOG ENTRY #43 Sunday, JULY 27...despite this I still like Detroit

 Public transportation in Detroit is bad.  I made the mistake of walking from a downtown restaurant last year and strolled through a homeless camp on East Jefferson.  People were all over the place and I happened across a large woman relieving herself on some steps.  From that moment I started taking the bus everywhere.

Problem is, they run on a schedule they don't keep.  And on occasion their transit police either ride the bus or trail it in their cruisers because like in other cities in the country, people don't want to pay their fare.

Detroit also has a free streetcar called the Q-Line which runs up and down Woodward Street.  The times I rode it, the ridership was mostly homeless people.   Riding it made me realize that New York is not the only city with a major homeless problem.    To this city's credit though the Q-Line is, as I mentioned, free.  It runs every 20 minutes, but it will get you to downtown Detroit.

Today, I ate trash.  Almost literally.  I ordered from a new restaurant called URBAN FIXINS and was disappointed.  I ordered the fried chicken, potato salad and macaroni and cheese.  The chicken was fair but the Mac and cheese was bitter and the potato salad tasteless.  I didn't bother rating it.

Since I didn't finish that food, I ordered Church's Texas Chicken.  Greasy, but better than Urban Fixins.  Realistically, I just like the biscuits.  I liked those since it was just CHURCH'S.

Today, I found out the laundry facility at the hotel was unavailable.  According to the hotel worker, the machine was broken.  I was told that I could take my clothes to Lafayette Street (where I ate yesterday) and wash my clothes.  Now.....I choose hotels nowadays based in part them having a laundry.  It means I don't have to pack as many clothes.  That, and being on a lower floor, are my deal breakers.  It was bad enough I found out the elevator was broken.  Fortunately for me, that didn't matter since I don't use the elevator and I was on the second floor.  Had my parents or older family members been with me it would be a problem.

I still like Detroit though.  Next year, I explore other neighborhoods.

BLOG ENTRY #42 Saturday, July 26

I messed around last night  and went to a nearly empty Wendy's in the area and woke up at 2 AM with the shits.

Originally, the plan was to go to a restaurant in the downtown area or to go to Blimpies (I wanted to try one from a different state).  Trouble is, I waited for one Detroit city bus for over a half hour.  The transit app kept showing eight minutes, then back to twenty.  The second bus took even longer, so I gave up and went to the fast food chain, which was a mile from the hotel.  Except for one couple sitting together, the place was empty.  That is usually a red flag for me, but ....I was hungry.  I got my double cheeseburger and nuggets, then went home and have midnight regrets.

I eventually was able to leave the hotel and I found Blimpies.  There were so many of them in New York years ago and now, there are only about four remaining.  This Blimpies was good because it was clean and you could sit and eat.  I have only been to one Blimpies in NYC where I can sit down and enjoy my sandwich.  The manager/owner was very friendly  too.

Saturday evening, I went to a spot I dined in last year.  The Urban Soul Restaurant on East Lafayette.  I stayed at a different hotel last year which was a couple of blocks away.  Urban Soul was closer to where I currently stayed.  Thankfully, I don't pay strict attention to reviews.  A couple of people trashed the place.  You see, Urban Soul is not a large franchise.  It is a small place, almost like a cafeteria and fits in the not too flashy neighborhood.  It is a neighborhood spot that isn't hood.  They don't have a huge staff.  One of the complaints is that they waited a long time for a table.  Last year, I waited 45 seconds to get seated.  This year, I waited no more than 30 seconds.  The staff was polite, friendly and professional.  It worked for me.  Someone else complained about the food.  I think it was the macaroni and cheese.  I can't share the complaint.  Both times I ate here I had the fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and potato salad and both times it was on point.  The chicken was hot and the food was tasty.  The corn bread was great.  I would recommend Urban Soul to anyone visiting Detroit.

Overall, day two in Detroit was great.  Sketchy weather again, but good overall

BLOG ENTRY #41 JULY 25

My train arrived in Toledo on time, however, we had to wait nearly an hour for a second train.  The whole while I am checking the weather because we had rain and thunderstorms in the area.  In our area we had a few light showers but no lightning.   We arrived in Detroit to the same light showers.

When booking my trips to Detroit, I keep forgetting that I arrive  at least three hours earlier than I can check in.  I was booked for the Comfort Inn and their checking in is at 3 PM.  So I got brunch at Joe Louis Southern Kitchen.

In THIS visit, I ordered their breakfast biscuit (bacon, egg and cheese), cheesy grits and chicken wings.   I found Joe Louis Kitchen three visits ago by chance.  It is not in the nicest or more scenic areas of Detroit, but the restaurant itself is excellent and the food is awesome.  To me, it is more of a brunch spot because it opens at 8 AM and closes at 4 PM.

I got to the hotel just after noon and waited only a half hour to get a room.  Not bad considering.

BLOG ENTRY #40 JULY 24

 Day-One

This is my fifth or sixth visit to Detroit.  If you are traveling from New York  City and by train, the Lake Shore Limited is the best way to go.  It leaves Moynihan/Penn Station at 3:40 and heads to Toledo, Ohio, where you get an AMTRAK connecting bus to Detroit.  Arrival at Toledo is about 7:30 in the morning and you arrive in Detroit about an hour later.

I personally enjoy taking the trip.  Only bad thing for me is AMTRAK's cafe service sucks. Since a new generation got AMTRAK's ear, I have a limited selection to choose from if I want to eat.  No plain sandwiches; everything is on some multi grain bread and if you check the ingredients peanut/tree nut allergy sufferers have to look out.  Even the snacks are a bad idea.  Can't get "cheese and crackers" because the sell nuts in the same package.  No plain potato chips.  I got a sandwich from Jimmy John's. 

YOUTUBE VIDEO of CARIBANA

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/edqzxm4Ucw8?si=z432R_EzQ1xCZpfP

LAST OF CARIBANA

 

TORONTO 2025

 

MY LAST CARIBANA (part 4)

 

MY LAST CARIBANA (part 3)

 

MY LAST CARIBANA, AUGUST 2025 (part 2)

 

TORONTO AUGUST 4, 2025....MY LAST CARIBANA (part one)

This is probably my last trip for Caribana for the foreseeable future.  I thank God I made it this year, my way, and had good health and great weather.  However, now it's a "been there, done that" feeling.   Plus, I fee like, similar to the West Indian Day Parade, this festival has become less organized.  Twice, I had to wait 20 minutes for a float. Also, years ago, when I first started going to the parade, not only did you see people playing the steel drums, but people represented their island.  Whether with shirts or flags, people represented their island next to their float.  Now, everyone looks the same and the only people representing their island appear to be Jamaicans.  I am used to seeing floats repping Barbados, Trinidad, Grenada, Haiti, etc.  For awhile the floats even played music connected with their island.  

But I guess, things change.  Time to do something else. I have some beautiful footage of Caribana 2025 though.