I used to come here more often. Do not get me wrong, this is still a great city. I love the…read morewalkability of it, the many parks, the great theaters and restaurants, the fun carnivals and art fairs, but I have seen a downside in more recent years. There is so much construction that has closed so many streets, so many lost businesses, and the overpriced restaurants that do not offer enough value, I have been coming a bit less than usual. I know it is a tough time for businesses and restaurants, but so many of my favorites have closed. Plus, a lot of times, walking around the city, there needs to be a bit more tree cover and shade, it gets hot getting around on foot. I will still continue to be your tourist and customer, and I still do enjoy a day over here.

BHam is a stones throw away. It's a great city for nightlife, parking is as much of a headache here…read moreas it is in any downtown area. Luckily they offer their first couple of hours free in the structures. There's so many of my favorite places to eat here. I like Market place, adachi, social kitchen, Raw eats, Vinsetta (formerly transplanted from Royal Oak), Churchill's, Mitchell's, streetside, Tallulah and the list goes on and on. There are so many fun shops and stores here too. Papyrus, West Elm, Caruso Caruso, Anthropologie, Harp's lingerie, Paper source, Claymore shop, Lucido jewelers, La Croix, Suhm-thing, etc.

Hamtramck ain't really the best neighborhood. Nonetheless, it's an opportunity for folks to learn…read moremore. They've got the Disneyland art installation that's def worth seeing. My GPS led me right in front of the house. Head out back. It stretches only across two backyards. You'll see lots of random things, like an old TV, the top half of a mannequin, paintings, an airplane, etc. Not sure what it all means. At the end of the day, we could invest more in neighborhoods like this.

Honestly thought this place was going to be interesting and fun but it was very small located in…read morethe heart of Hamtramck and very unique but could tell they had kind of let the place fall apart. But still a experience at least stop by and see for yourself. Does have a strong artistic vibe.

Hamtramck Banksy Authenticated…read more (Posted on April 1, 2014 by Hillary) A stencil on the corner of Sobieski and Commor in Hamtramck was painted by none other than British street artist Banksy. This work is based on an earlier piece, "Laugh Now", commissioned for a Brighton night club in 2002. The new message can only be a reference to the 555 Gallery and their intention to sell part of a wall taken from the Packard Plant in Detroit. We couldn't believe it either, but when we heard from a friend of a friend that Banksy had again visited Detroit to make a statement about "commercialism, capitalism and the mechanics of the art market", we sent a request to Pest Control, a service that issues certificates on behalf of the artist. Despite their promise of a "lengthy and challenging process", they were quick to reply in this case. "Graffiti art has a hard enough life as it is - with council workers wanting to remove it and kids wanting to draw moustaches on it, before you add hedge-fund managers wanting to chop it out and hang it over the fireplace." "For the sake of keeping all street art where it belongs I'd encourage people not to buy anything by anybody unless it was created for sale in the first place." This entry was posted in Hamtramck by Hillary. This proved to be an April Fool's joke, but we had tons of fun visiting and discussing Albert Kahn, the Packard Plant, Banksy, the Packard Banksy, the 555 Gallery, and this "Banksy".

Parshallville Grist Mill & Cider Mill is one of my favorite places to visit in the fall. The donuts…read moreand cider are delicious. The cider is naturally sweet but not overwhelmingly so. Like everything else in 2022, prices have increased but are on par with other cider mills I've visited this year. A dozen donuts are $10 and a gallon of cider is $10. The people who run the cider mill are friendly. I believe the owner came outside to say hello to us as we were leaving. The building is historic and there is a nice area around the side of the building to sit and eat and take photos.

Donuts are great, even when it's crowded the wait is never bad. Interior is clean and has a great…read moreselection of food stuff and little items. It is close to 23 and is a nice stop for the family. We like the running water and are ours at the waters edge on the benches there.

BURN IN HELL Or at…read moreleast while attached to a hearse. The man that designed this custom built bar and grill does just that at least once a year when he treks with the trailer to Hell, Michigan with his "open casket" grill. The grill, which was built over the course of 80 to 100 hours at The TechShop of Allen Park, is made out of a modified casket. The shell of the casket is mounted to a portable tow-behind trailer, so it draws onlookers when being transported behind a hearse, but with no visible tie-downs. (Video of the creator talking about the grill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0RXI8DHWgo) It contains a four-burner stainless steel grill that boasts 48,000 Btu of power. It boasts 496 square inches of cooking space, with electronic ignition and porcelain-coated, heavy-gauge wire cooking grates and a 20-pound propane tank. The other half of the casket includes a marine style waterproof radio and a 27-gallon cooler with built-in drainage features. Of course, the grill wouldn't be complete without tools that all have "Open Casket Bar and Grill" laser etched into their handles, and custom-made salt and pepper shakers. Why a hearse? Because the creator, Steven Frye, is also the founder of the Nightmare Cruisers Hearse Club for car enthusiasts. The club boasts more than 120 members, mostly from around Michigan, though some join from across the country. "We like to get together and do the cruises," Frey said. "When we do these cruises, we like to hang out with our friends, old friends and new friends. Anyone that has a hearse is welcome to join us, even if you are just a hearse enthusiast." Frey first bought his hearse to promote a product, "Dr. Frybrain's Pumpkin Embalmer," though most people thought it was just a name for his hearse, rather than an actual product. After a couple of years of explaining the product on the car, Frey grew tired of answering questions and instead just painted over the advertising. For a time, the club also held the record for most hearses assembled in a parade in 2011. Frey said the rule for any gathering of cars is that is has to be a parade; otherwise, the record would be held by the manufacturer. "We held the record for about 11 months," he said. "Then a group in the Netherlands broke the record. Almost all of them were 'in the business,' though. Only three of our hearses were owned by funeral homes.

This is awesome! I…read morehave seen this set up at the different car cruises around town, and I also saw it out at Hell Creek Ranch last year. The attention to detail is very professional. I've seen other casket grills, and none of them even compare. This one looks like it came direct from the factory. No other casket grill has a built in cooler, or on-board tunes! They normally only cook for club members, but you can generally get a casket-grilled hot dog for a donation to charity! Well done!

The St. Anne sausage festival is one of the best church festivals in Southeast Michigan. Thousands…read moreof people show up to sample the sausage kitchens and the amazing beer tent. They have plenty of carnival rides and games to keep the kids busy while you wander through the rest of the festival. They have a silent auction which has many items of interest. This year they added a twist by making the auction online. I think it was a hit. The festival is usually the third weekend in September. Put it down on the calendar, it's a great time!

Somewhat underwhelmed by the food. Small portions. Apps sharable for one or two people, sparingly…read more Menu descriptions better than execution. Bland. On the other hand, service was spectacular. Ambiance top-notch.

Great location and the ambiance is cool. Service was definitely the only reason for 3 stars. Many…read moresimple mistakes for a high end restaurant. We were sat at a table and not given any menus. Finally had to ask for menus after being seated for 15 minutes. Didn't get a cocktails until after 30 minutes of being there. Guest ordered an aperol spritz which is on the menu along with umbrellas outside with aperol written on them, however the restaurant doesn't have aperol. They brought a galliano spritz but advertise Aperol, very weird. Also always weird to me when servers have no clue who ordered what and ask the table. Maybe it's because I was a high end server in college. Beef Carpaccio was delicious. Pasta was tasty. Chicken was also nicely done, I didn't enjoy the veal and would not recommend. Big wine selection which was nice. Desserts were nice but limited menu with only 3 traditional options. Food was good enough I would consider going back but service was quite poor and most concerning is that the restaurant was only half full due to holiday weekend. If the restaurant was full, service likely would have been far worse.

This is by far one of my favorite restaurants and best Italian restaurants around metro Detroit. I…read morehave been multiple times and everytime has been amazing. Make sure you make reservations because they book up fast. The restaurant is small and intimate. Service is top notch. Food and wine is amazing! Highly recommend this spot to celebrate special occasions!

Excellent experience, as always. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. Everything…read moreis on point, from the delicious food, to the ambience, to the location. The food is consistently amazing, service is impeccable. I've sat in the bar and at a table, both are equally attentive. A must try and a solid choice, well done!

Happened to be in Ferndale, so we popped in to this cool indoor market to shop. There is a nice…read morevariety of vendors from plants to coffee to Detroit merch. We love Bon Bon Bon and they have a small stall here! One of my favorite discoveries though was The Workplace Program - selling cards made by people with disabilities - they were so unique and awesome! I ended up buying one for my brother's birthday and it was the same price you'd see at Hallmark for a nice card. Overall, the space was clean and easy to navigate - only took us about 45 minutes to browse through all the vendors. Definitely check out if you're in the area and want to support local!

Was at Rust Belt Market this weekend and genuinely couldn't believe how hot it was inside. The kind…read moreof heat where you stop browsing and start thinking about finding the nearest exit. Love a lot of the vendors there, but the overall experience was so uncomfortable that I ended up leaving early. Just completely killed the atmosphere for me.