St Clair Shores, Michigan – Our annual trip to Michigan is always the last hurrah of summer. For two weeks, we escape from the city and bask in the attentions of the grandparents. There’s always a trip to the Henry…
Heidelberg Project
Detroit, Michigan – Sometimes, out of poverty and desperation comes creativity and inspiration. This idea is at the foundation of the revitalization of Detroit. And no place embodies it more than Heidelberg, a devastated street on the city’s east side.…
Dequindre Cut
Detroit, Michigan – In case you haven’t heard, Detroit is experiencing something of a revival. This is my hometown, and I feel like Detroit’s imminent comeback was supposed to happen throughout my entire childhood. (Ie, since the construction of the…
America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Detroit, Michigan – You probably thought America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was in New York, didn’t you? Well, you were wrong, it’s right here in the Motor City. The Thanksgiving Day parade in Detroit started in 1924 — the same year…
A Day at the Henry Ford
Detroit, Michigan – We have the luxury of spending a whole week with the grandparents in Michigan during Thanksgiving week. Sounds nice, right? It also means we have the burden of entertaining two rambunctious six-year-olds for a whole week – with no school or…
The Best Things in Life are Free
It’s true when they say that the best things in life are free. (Especially when you’re a kid! But that’s a topic for a different post.) Check out the NEW ultimate money-saving travel guide. My contributions are the sections on the…
Eastland Mall
Detroit, Michigan – When the twins were two, for various reasons we spent a lot of time visiting the grandparents, including during winter months. Michigan winter gave us plenty of opportunities to explore the indoor play spaces of the East…
Belle Isle
Detroit, Michigan – Imagine a nearly 1000-acre island park, an idyllic green space designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and packed with recreational facilities, but easily accessible to city dwellers. Cover it with wetlands, beaches and manicured spaces, replete with picnic areas…
PuppetART Detroit Puppet Theater
Detroit, Michigan – Apparently, Detroit has the second-largest theater district in the country (after Broadway). Who knew? In the heart of it all, there is a tiny little theater devoted to the art of puppetry: PuppetART The place was founded by…