StringGrrl sees the World

Located just north of the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts) in 15 Kirby you can find some good dining in the D. Wasabi is located in the ground level of the Kirby Building toward the front facing Woodward. with modest seating in the restaurant and some additional tables out in the "court" of the building this was our first foray into eating in the "Cultural Dsitrict" which has sadly been lacking culture in our book. We were pleased to find that Wasabi has an extensive menu of both Korean and Japanese dishes. The family had not had Korean for some time, so decisions were pretty easy since half of us have pretty rigid "Crutch dishes" at most Korean restaurants.  IssaK opted to mix things up by ordering from the special Ramyin (Ramen) menu. getting the spicy chicken ramyin bowl. Served with Rice and salad.  Both Fabrizio and DreyKa got the JapChae (Chap Chae). DreyKa go the veggie and Fabrizio got the beef. For those not in the know, Jap Chae ...

Converted from a classic garage, the  Vinsetta Garage , has quickly become one of the best places to eat along the Woodward corridor through Royal Oak, Berkely, and Birmingham (in our opinion). The exterior of the garage still looks much the same as I saw for years passing by the still operational auto garage. The pumps, the bay doors, and brick facade. In fact, if nobody told me and I had not read the review of the restaurant, I would still have thought it was a garage. Approach the garage and maybe you might notice that the pumps are not actually pumps, but electric car charging stations. And that the full service pump bay is not filled with tables and planters. In the door you are greeted in the room that looks exactly the same as when this was a garage, a service window, places to sit while your car was worked on, and another door into the garage.  Passed that lobby is some great Detroit cooking. It being our first visit it was not easy to decide what to eat. B...

Oakland University sits on the grounds of the beautiful former estate of the Dodge family. Meadowbrook Hall still sits on campus. Art installations are placed throughout the grounds. The cache in question is within sight of the golf course, the manor house, and the OU-INC incubator.

Night vision image captured of median on Vernier Road near Mack  Numerous wild animal sightings in the area have caught the imagination of residents. Coyote sightings often result in home owners restricting the bathroom habits of their dogs and cats. regular exposure from the Mack Avenue toward Vernier and Lochmoor CC Coyote Sighting: 2009 Detroit News Coyote blog Coyote attack in GPFarm s Attack in the Woods However, these very real events could not have prepared local residents for the arrival of Tigers in their neighborhoods. Most recently spotted near the corner of Mack Avenue and Vernier Road, the tiger(s) seem to be lurking in the cover during dusk and dawn. If the photographic evidence captured by local residents waiting for the Bus are to be taken at face value, the tiger would appear to be an adolescent possibly in the 200 pound range. As seen stalking a pedestrian near Peters Funeral Home, Mack and Vernier "I guess the thing woul...

Front and back of the beer list What do you get when you take a prohibition era speakeasy, keep it open as a bar well into the 21st century and continue to be one of the best beer joints in all of Detroit. Only answer has to be "Ye Olde Taproom", a bar with such an impressive beer list that promises to take you "Around the World in 250 beers". That promise of a world spanning beer list is true to its word. The Beer list (shown above) boasts beers of all different styles, genres, nationality, and tastes. Something for everyone here.  With such a beer list it is easy to be overwhelmed and not be able to decide. We have favored many different strategies, all of which help assure a night of beer sampling un-paralleled in Michigan. Enter the Tap Room Decide a beer genre: by nation by style by color by name For example: tonight we only drink beer whose names include the word "______" or beers starting with the letter "____". Dri...

As a purveyor of fine bars and bar games for many years, passing ones time at Le Cactus Bar in Zurich brings to bear a game most likely not known to many. Not even sure if it has a name, to tell the truth. But the rules are simple enough. First person to fully sink their nail wins.  Careful selection of initial nail placement is key The hammer is a likely a "machinist hammer" although a "Chipping" hammer is very similar. Has two ends, one has a fairly large square head with plenty of surface area for nails, the other end is narrow almost blade like and is only only as thick as the nail shank and much smaller than the head of the nail you can place the nail wherever you like in the stump, but you will start each strike from outside the perimeter of the stump. one swing per turn as big or as small as you like. Big swings are pretty ineffective, but little dinky hits get you nowhere. Follow through is the key, like you are trying to stike a spot just ...

Well at least the view would be nice if visibility was better, and the air warmer.