The Salt Rim is the self proclaimed "World's Smallest Margarita Bar." It literally seats 2 and has…read moreenough tequila for a small army. On a recent trip to Put-in-Bay, our group was looking for a place to eat lunch, grab a quick drink, and also for a local convenience store. We came across this on our walk. Myself and one of the other group members decided it was a good way to start a trip. We each got one margarita and sat around for a little. It was definitely a cute little spot right off the main road. I couldn't even find an address or a business listing for it, but still figured it was worth mention. I give it three stars for presentation. I wouldn't recommend it for large groups seeing as how it seats two, but for a couple or small group looking for a good margarita, it is a must see. It's right across from the brewery and Hooligans.

The sign is true. They have 2 seats. It is the smallest margarita bar. It's pretty awesome though…read more Don't be discouraged if it looks crowded. They will get you a margarita in no time! An absolute must stop when visiting the island!

I still love Hingetown. I think its such a cool little stretch of Cleveland. Some of my favorite…read moreplaces are here including Urban Orchid floral, Cleveland Tea Revival and Beet Jar, though I frequent most of the businesses here and have unique love for them all. They're all owned by passionate, cool locals who believe in what they do. But mostly, this update is just to show appreciation for a few things I often forget about Hingetown- how dog-friendly every business is, the beautifully manicured living wall, and the fact that the Transformer Station (a satellite CMA location) even exists here. I mean, where else can you pet tons of good doggos, see world class art and grab lunch? Since the last time I wrote this, new businesses like Larder Delicatessen, Saucy Brew Works and Title Kickboxing have opened. I can tell the people behind Hingetown are really trying to continuously add and improve. Still 5-stars in 2018!

There are a couple cool businesses here. I go to some of them. I don't like calling it Hingetown…read more It never used to be called Hingetown until about a year ago. It feels unnatural for me to call it that. I guess that is how the Native Americans felt when they turned this land into the United States of America. This area was once Cleveland's Gaytown. It was anchored by Bounce. Other notable establishments were the Tool Shed and Man's World.

The person who wrote the previous one star review of this island must not have noticed the…read moredelightful Schlitz cocktail store. We stopped in and had a terrific time. We drank Schlitz cocktails until the last ferry call. I will go back the next time I'm in the Pelee Island area. Note: For those who do not know, a Schlitz cocktail is a can of Schlitz beer served with whipped cream and a cherry on top. You can do a Google Image search of "Schlitz cocktail" (in quotes) and you will see what it looks like.

Highly do not recommend going to this "island". I expected this to be similar to a "Mackinac…read moreIsland" or "Put In Bay". Absolutely not. We drove from Michigan to the port in Kingsville. We got onto the ferry and it was a very long, silent, and boring ride (an hour and a half!) No captain letting us know we were taking off or welcoming us, just a loud horn and the boat takes off! Once we got there, we had thought we were in the wrong place - all we saw was an empty island, almost desertlike. Unfortunately, we were in the right place. We got off of the ferry and there was NOTHING on the island, besides a long road, trees, a couple houses, 2 places to eat, and a winery. We went to the information booth and they proceeded to tell us that there were a few more restaurants and they all closed down and that the "beach" area was under water, so basically the island is in shambles - not like it seemed like there was much more to do there, before, anyways! We walked to the winery, since it wasn't worth paying $25 to rent a bike to see the whole 2 things they had to see there! We got there and it was empty. We were expecting to eat and all they had was a little window where you can order snack-like items, we ended up with a loaf of bread and store bought spinach dip (thats all we ended up eating the whole trip). They didn't have any wine tours going on and they had a sad excuse for a wine tasting, where you can taste a tiny drop of 3 different wines (in the same glass? never seen that before) (at least it was free) (such a rushed experience, as well - abt. 5 mins). There was absolutely nothing to do here, so we sat on a bench outside for an hour eating our sad, sad bread and dip. We asked the lady that worked there if there was anything else to do on the island and she honestly said no. The only other thing to do there was head to the bakery on the "island", but it was a 45 minute walk, so it was not even worth it. We walked back to the port area and got on the soonest ferry back. Dreadful ferry ride going home, felt like we were on it for days! Such a terrible experience. Not sure why anyone would go here unless they wanted to walk or bike around and look at the same trees and body of water and eat little to nothing the whole day! Truly wasted my day here and I was expecting a fun, mini trip, but it was far from that. I would not recommend anyone coming to this basically deserted island. Very, very disappointed and underwhelmed.

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.

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!

I'm a bit surprised it has taken me this long to review this museum; it is one of my favorite…read moreplaces in Michigan. I also bring out-of-town guests here, sharing the numerous exhibits with pride. American innovation is the focus of this museum, and the number of exhibits clearly demonstrates the cleverness and ingenuity of Americans. Of course, in Michigan, hundreds of vehicles were on display - from stable coaches, to the first Fords (and other nameplates), to the race cars of today. However, innovation was not limited to "things on wheels". Today, I saw the futuristic Dymaxion home designed by Buckminster Fuller. It was conceived for factory production (after WWII) and included modern kitchen appliances such as a dishwasher. What impressed me was how he designed a system to collect and then recycle rainwater for non-potable uses (washing clothes). Other home-related innovations, outside of the Dymaxion home, were home entertainment. There was also a display of chairs - I honestly don't know how they relate to innovation. I was here specifically to see the Da Vinci exhibit, the inventions from his codex, imagined in wood. Some displays (but not all) allowed guests to take a hands-on approach. It is incredible to see not only the diversity of his thinking but also how it has influenced products today. After seeing just a fraction of his thinking, I am inspired to continue reading Walter Isaacson's biography, which I really should have completed before coming here. Another exhibit of note is Mathematica, an interactive math display designed by Charles and Ray Eames (yes, those Eames). I love math, so I loved their explanation of "random walk", probability/ bell curve, and even the multiplication tables. This time, I did not spend that much time on the aircrafts nor the train - I got to save something for my next visit. Based on the throngs of people here today, I am not the only one who enjoys seeing the treasures at this museum.

During our week of training at the Dearborn Inn, our organization scheduled Tuesday night's dinner…read moreat the Henry Ford Museum of American of Innovation. The museum's displays are AWESOME! From stage coaches, locomotives, and cars; to that glass gallery that captured my attention for 30 minutes. We were there for three hours and I probably experienced half of the exhibits. By the way, the food and Servers was EXCEPTIONAL!!!

Toto, I don't think we're in Ohio anymore…read more That's always what it feels like to me when I go to Marblehead. It feels more like a seaside resort than a sleepy little town on the northcoast of Ohio! There isn't much here, but what there is is enough to keep you occupied between visits to the beach and trips out on the water. There are a few cafes scattering the main street and plenty of souvenir shops to make sure you can take that t-shirt back to your jealous friends. Don't try to drive around this village. Its not big enough. But on a sunny day, its perfect for a stroll or a bike ride.

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".

My daughters absolutely loved seeking out the fairy doors in Ann Arbor. I discovered a similar door…read moreat the Whitmore Lake post office. And at last count, there are three in the park next door to the post office. :-) Enjoy the magic!

This is my daughter's favorite pastime in Ann Arbor. She loves fairies, mythical creatures,…read morefantasy, and the entire magic of the experience. We love to seek out the tiny treasures around the streets and buildings. You can never be too old for fairies and fun. Over the years we have taken so many pictures of the kids next to the different doors. We were very inspired to purchase our own doors and fairy gardens. It really adds a bit of charm to this city and we are never tired of looking for that bit of joy hidden around the corners or tucked in the stores.