Flower Day at Eastern Market

From my morning at the Eastern Market.  Flower Day comes but once a year!  I, alas, have no wagon, so I just kept returning to my car, over and over again.  The kid in the final shot carried impatiens to my car, too!  He was shocked I asked to take his picture.  “That’s a first,” he said.  I’ll post pictures of my yard when things have grown in a bit.  Happy Spring!

 

More from Woodward

Welcome to the Vinsetta Garage on Woodward, where they love their old time look just as much as I do.  (Click to enlarge any of these photos.)

It’s a real working garage that’s been there since 1919, though they no longer sell gas from these old pumps.  Did you catch the license plate displayed in the window?

And does that really say 33 gallons of gas for $2.22?

Maybe it’s 3.3 gallons.  Where would one put 33 gallons of gas?

More from Woodward this afternoon below.

 

Sign of the Beefcarver

Kicking off the my Detroit signs project with this gem. (Click to enlarge any of these.)

I wanted this in my portfolio the first moment I drove past the sign last week on the way to my new job!  In a startling coincidence, later today at work, I read this facebook update from Laurel:

Laurel Taylor salivates at the thought of the 53 pounds of grass-fed beef that Evan is going to be bringing home tonight.

While not salivating, the beefcarver looks pretty pleased with himself.  Perhaps that’s what inspired his generosity, if it was he who left this little gift on the wall…

Take a closer look and you’ll see…it’s a coupon for dinner!

I just took this for a bit of perspective.  It wasn’t until I looked at it later that I began to find it hilarious.  “Mommy?  What happens to Bessy when…”

 

More pseudo-vintage photos

More photos with the new toy.  (Click to enlarge.)

 

Thrift store thrills!

I’m a little late to the game, but I have just discovered the concept of TTV photography – shooting through the viewfinder of an old twin lens camera.  This is so low-tech that even I can do it, and the results are awesome.

High-tech contraption

I’m not the kind of gal that delights in building my own softboxes and seeks out old film cameras to experiment, but even I can handle this level of DIY.  I did have to buy duct tape and an old camera.  Both were found instantly at a thrift store and a Rite Aid.  The tape was more expensive than the camera.  Cut up an old cardboard box to mask the light, and walk around with this elephantine contraption on the end of my macro lens and we’re in business.  Instant totally awesome filter!  I am going to have fun this weekend!

(Click photos to enlarge…)

 

Winterfest

It is snowing like crazy – it’s the perfect day for Winterfest on The Hill, the neighborhood fair featuring ice sculptures, cookie decorating, a pro-am chili cook-off, Coney Islands, smores, face painting, and…wait for it…sled dogs!

 

See the signs

Alexander and Polen butcher's in Grosse Pointe Woods

The Detroit metro area is rife with Signs with Character.  I need to do a whole book, but here’s just a sampling.

Cadieux cafe, home of Belgian beer and featherbowling

I don't know what Mother's used to be. Corner of Conant and Mt. Elliott in Hamtramck.

Former service station in Grosse Pointe Park

 

8 coneys with everything

Where can you tromp through the snow, past a boarded-up building or two, downtown in a major American metropolis, and climb into your choice of early-morning, late-night, semi-dives serving the famed Coney Island?  New York?  No, Detroit, of course!

What is a Coney?  It’s a chili dog.  And a source of regional pride and oneupmanship.  And it’s hot and cheap and you can get it with fries.  While you’re at it, have a swig of local fave (and America’s Oldest Soft Drink), Vernor’s.

Did we mention this was the only time we let Nicki out of the trunk on our wee outing that day?  I hope the fries were worth it.

 

Obama hustle

Man, this video just warms the cockles of my little heart.  Hustle on!

 

Steppin’ out

I ran my first Detroit race yesterday – the Grand Prix Shakedown 8k.  It took place on Belle Isle, the island park in the Detroit River and home to this weekend’s Indy and LeMans races.  Part of the course was indeed on the racetrack, which struck me as terribly narrow and dangerous (for cars, not for runners).  I brought my camera (though not on the race proper) hoping to catch some images for car-race-fan Matt, but couldn’t get back onto the track after the run to do it.  Besides, I was distracted by the free pizza, Miller Light, Faygo pop, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, and bananas.  (My $25 race fee also netted me a long-sleeved tee, a terry wristband, a blue livestrong-style wristband and a schmancy neoprene water bottle.  This was a swag-filled event.)

It also had a strange dual nature – two guys with mics had seemingly diverse agendas for the evening.  One was trying to get people to the massage tent while he blasted dance music, while the other was trying to raffle off the random prizes.  The guy with the dance music won out, in my view, and besides, when was the last time you saw something like this at your last road race?

The folks in blue are the Stone Steppers, a Detroit running group with style.  Looks like they do some other steppin’ when they’re not running.  And they run pretty fast.  Alas, I had forgotten about the camera in Jim’s pocket, so missed the best dancing (including the Cupid Shuffle), but you get the flavor.  The guy in the lead (with the paper plate and pizza in his hand) is (I believe) Coach Mike Stone, the founder after whom the group is named.