Almost October

The Silence of Nature

Ya, one after another....although I will admit that jets aren't as loud as they used to be but still.....where is the bird song, the crickets, the wind blowing through the trees?

Let's get outta here...

 After being cooped up for the last few weeks because of the heat, I felt the need to get out of the house. I was sitting here about 4pm and jumped up and said, "I've got to get out of here". The temperature had dropped significantly and the sun was shining. I drove over to Lower Huron but instead of walking, I found a nice picnic table and just sat. It was lovely.

People Mover

 The Detroit People Mover was built in the 80's and doesn't really go anywhere but around and around. It's one of those things that you take your out of town visitors to see (and ride) It's pretty cool especially on the side of Joe Louis Arena by the river. It was built before Comerica Park and Ford Field so there are no stations in the area, which is too bad. We used to park in Greektown and take the People Mover to The Joe or Cobo for a concert then eat afterward at a Greektown restaurant. Now, it looks like a moving billboard. I think that there is one station that is close to the new Qline.

Chrysanthemum

 Wow, no wonder that they call them Mums....I had to look up the spelling on that one.When I was in high school it was tradition that a boy bought his girlfriend a mum for homecoming. The mum was a big white snowball mum and the blue letter H (for Hubbard High School) was placed in the middle with blue and white streamer ribbons hanging down.  Since I was in marching band, I wore the mum proudly on my uniform jacket. Thanks to Jim Slifko (now deceased) for those mums. One of my wonderful memories of my high school years.

The Belt

 The Belt is a long alley next to the Z Garage. It is pretty cool with art on a lot of the walls. The Belt connects Grand River and Gratiot Ave. and was named due to it's physical orientation to a former garment district. Plans are in the works for bars and restaurants and changing art installations. Definitely worth a look if you are downtown.

 Stairs to nowhere.

 I think that these parked bikes are a work of art in their own right.

One of my granddaughter Emma's graduation photo taken in The Belt......photographer Liz Nyquist.

Woodward Ave.

The Qline

 The fabulous Whitney

 One entrance to the new arena right off of Woodward

This shop seems to be included in the arena....not sure what the Kid is selling in there.

Right back where we started....those silver birds are an art installation in the median of Woodward.

You know in my other posting about the Qline, I said that Woodward went north....well, it doesn't. The river flows north to south and Woodward goes east and west. Seems it must go north to hit 8 mile. I'm just confused!

Grand Opening

 Whoever did the marketing on this Kroger grand opening did a grand job. So colorful and so fall-like. The place was mobbed....will go on a weekday when things calm down a bit. Loved this display of color.

Pumpkins for sale...

Happy First Day of Autumn

In the midst of all...

the new development there are still ruins waiting to be resurrected.

Did you notice the leaded glass window over the old door?

The Qline

Come with us as we ride north on Woodward on the Qline. The first stop closest to the riverfront is Congress and that's where we got on. Getting the ticket was a very complicated deal and we had the help of a woman who seemed to know all about it....even though it was her first time on the line. $1.50 for 3 hours.

Detroit skyline with Rencen in the background.
FYI: the voice that does all the announcements on the Qline is non other than Carman Harlen.

Across the street from the Guardian Building is this pub where, after we got off. we stopped and had a fabulous hamburger!

The Z.... the garage that we parked in for a mere $20 for about 2hours....Yikes!

Comerica Park....a game that day...so sad that our Tigers are having a very bad season.

 Don't know what this building is but it looks like it may have been a private residence (mansion) at one time.

 We went by the Detroit Medical Center and the DIA as well as the Wayne State campus area.

 The Majestic.

The Fisher building.

The line ends in The New Center area at East Grand Blvd. We had to get off here and take the train going south.....next up.

Iconic Kerns Clock

Detroit

Public Transportation, Then and Now