Instead of having the full Detroit Symphony Orchestra on a big stage where the base ball games are…read moreplayed while they let about 10,000 watch (tight fit and one I would only do by buying the higher price ticket that comes with a seat and a much closer parking place after doing the field seating ONCE), they had small groups set up around the village. There was also other musicians playing a range of music set up around the village. Some had seats set up, but others you had to bring their own. A few of houses and most of the crafts (glassblowing, pottery...) were open so you could learn about them. They also had a few special exhibits like 1940s home front and 1950s yard mowing. The playground and carousel was open and busy. Since the whole village was open, it didn't feel crowded until you wanted to eat. Very long lines at almost all of them even with the fact they had every one open except the Eagle Tavern. They even had a few pop up stands. While I like the idea and the fact they could still play baseball games on the 4th of July weekend, I did miss seeing the concert and the cannons being set off as part of it. I left before it got dark since I have seen lots of fireworks over the years. That is when I noticed many families that only came for the fireworks parked along the road to the Southfield freeway. Picnicking while they wait. Not sure if the management likes this, but I know those kids in those families do. I will be back next year since it's one of my new traditions so I celebrate instead of mourn. EBS and I spent the 4th at the Village.

We're at Salute to America. Too bad you can no longer bring a picnic dinner. The line for anything…read morebesides a hot dog was two hours long. We were unable to stroll through the village and listen to the various music groups. We didn't get our food int it was time for the concert to begin. I'm hoping they correct that before next year.

First time's the charm! Found this beauty on Facebook when I was looking for something new to do…read more It's a festival celebrating the lavender harvest in Milan. MI. For one day only, before the lavender is harvested, you can take pics of the fields and enjoy a small town festival, with jazz music, French crepes, handiwork, and lots of products made with lavender. From essential oils and sachets, to dried wreaths and soaps, to scones and honeys, etc. Catch it while you can!

Beautiful town! The Old Mill Museum is surrounded by water and is across a bridge which gives…read morecharming views from every corner near it. I've heard that the museum is haunted. It definitely does have the goosebumps vibes. The day we visited the town just happened to be the day that it was closed so we were not able to enter and check it out. On the side of the building there is a park and it has a pickle court and it looks like fun! The neighborhood has beautiful homes and it feels very homey. Will definitely be back!

This was a real treat as we went to Dundee just to explore the water area and the dam only to find…read morethat this was here and open to the public. It was a gold mine of local history in a great building. It had three levels and if needed the staff would allow family members to ascend/ descend the other levels if needed to keep with the social distancing. We were the only ones at the time with another group joining as we were leaving. Dundee is rich is history and many artifacts and gems are present here. I especially liked the school display area and the general store area. My favorite was the archives where me and my son looked at newspapers and yearbook dating back many years. White gloves are provided for very delicate documents and books. Henry Ford was influential in the machinery and design here also. If you love history and or have tekatives in this area, this place is for you.

What a cool experience! I like these small yet interesting museums and the Michigan Firehouse…read moreMuseum fit in my wheelhouse. This one was recommended by a firemen in the City I work and I'm glad he suggested it. If you are intrigued by loud and screaming mostly red but sometimes yellow fire trucks like I am coming here was pretty good. The building is a mix of new and old. The new part of the building is a modern looking building and contains most of the apparatus. The older portion is an old fire house that has everything from the pole the firemen came down on to the horse drawn carriages used in the beginning. There are quite a few apparatuses to look at as well as badges and patches of Michigan fire departments. Back in the corner there is a portion of the wall dedicated to the manufacturers of fire trucks (name plates) that I thought took some time and effort. Definitely worth a visit, cost was cheap.

Can I gush, just a little bit, about how well my adopted hometown does with its historical museums?…read moreIn the last few weeks, I have been bowled over by first the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Collection, followed by the Ypsilanti Historical Museum in the Asa Dow house, and now the Firehouse Museum. All three are fan-freaking-tastic, at least if you're geeky in that way, which I am. The Michigan Firehouse Museum is housed partially in what was once an Ypsilanti Firehouse, though there's a larger expansion attached to it now. The main showroom contains fire trucks from a variety of eras from all over Michigan. Most of the examples are from southeast Michigan, but I was also enchanted to find an example of a 1950s or 1960s-era firetruck that was originally used in the Upper Peninsula town of Escanaba where I was born and raised. In addition to the firetrucks, there are displays of fire men's caps, badges, and other paraphernalia. The main room also contains a collection of firehouse bells, both full sized and smaller salesmen models. You or your kids can ring them with a wooden mallet so you can hear the different tones. This brings me to the coolest aspect of the museum- there are a variety of hands-on displays. Most museums have a "Look but don't touch" policy, and while that's understandable, it's really fun to be able to touch at least some of the exhibits. The Firehouse Museum has at least four exhibits that I noticed with a hands-on component. In addition to the bells, there are a couple of places where adults or kids can try on firemen's gear, and in the basement, there's an area where kids are invited to learn to tie knots. In addition, the basement also houses one firetruck that's available for touching. You can climb right into the driver's seat if you like. Upstairs in the larger building, there are several auxiliary displays featuring firefighter kitsch, a tribute to firehouse dogs, and a small Smokey the Bear display. There's also a video on a loop and chairs if you want to see a guy explaining the various parts of the fire engines and how they work. The part of the museum that was once an old firehouse holds really old gear, including horse-drawn hose carts. Upstairs, you can see how the firefighters of old lived. There's a restored kitchen and a sleeping quarters, in addition to the firepole. Almost the entire museum is handicapped accessible. The sleeping quarters at the very top of the museum is up a short flight of stairs, but the rest of the building is accessible by elevator. As if all that wasn't enough, there's an extensive collection of firefighter and Dalmatian merchandise that can be purchased, and there's even a Brave Fireman videogame and a firefighter-themed pinball machine in the lobby. This place would be absolutely fabulous for kids. The next time I have my nieces and nephews for a day, I plan to suggest an outing here.

We love coming to the Trenton Street fair. It's a summertime tradition. We like getting all the…read moretreats to eat charm and then see what all the local artisans have to offer! It goes on for 3 days, come check it out!

I volunteered for our fourth grade class field trip. This was a field trip through history, we all…read morewill always remember. The First Congregational Church in Detroit has transformed its lower level into a living replica of the Underground Railroad. The Flight to Freedom Tour at First Congregational Church in Detroit is a time portal from 2018  to the mid-1800s on a quest for freedom.  Kids were in good hands, the conductor "Bo" has made this journey before.  "My name is Bo and I ain't never lost a passenger," he told the group. "And I ain't going to lose one today." It is a storytelling reenactment of the Underground Railroad, a network of secret tunnels and safe houses slaves traveled to free states between 1840 and 1863. We loved this whole experience and truly felt the emotions of a person who traveled in the dark with only one goal, FREEDOM!!

I've been a fan for over 50 years. I love going to the practices to see the new players and see if…read morethey're good enough to play for us. I go whenever I can. Keep up the good work guys.

The product put on the field is awful, they should be ashamed of themselves every year they put…read moretheir fans hopes up. I wouldn't spend my hard earn money on this team.

I'm a big fan of murals and graffiti so I'm sad to report The Alley Project is a shadow of it's…read moreformer self. I honestly don't even know if it's still a continuing venture. There used to be a lot more murals lining these alleys, as well as big freestanding panels on an empty lot. They used to have live painting events on the panels. I attended one and it was a lot of fun. There's a handful of top notch pieces here, a nice Virgin of Guadalupe, tributes to the late, great Tead and Teck, an Iges, but a lot of blank space, quickly scrawled gang graffiti and murals that are decaying and flaking off more with every day. Some of them weren't even good in the first place. There's what looks to be some kid assisted, naive, innocent looking murals, which although they don't rack up cool points I could at least appreciate for getting youth involved in something positive. Only now they're so deteriorated they just look depressing. And they give off a special kind of creepy you only get from something light hearted and childish that's fallen into serious disrepair. At least one is sporting crude graff over it. If you seriously like this kind of thing there's maybe 5 great photo ops but I wouldn't go out of my way just for this. And if you remember The Alley Project in it's heyday, you might not want to sour that memory with it's current state. But hey, maybe hit up a local taqueria, and hunt down some other local murals and graffiti and it might be worth your while. But be advised The Alley Project is no longer the epic concentration of color that it once was.

The Alley Project, aka TAP, is by far one of the coolest places i recently discovered around…read moreDetroit! I first visited this amazing site, which dare i say rivals the Heidelberg Project, during the Detroit Design Festival. Being a graffiti and street art afficionado, i instantly fell in love with The Alley Project! Not only does this alley feature amazing murals, graffiti, and art (using the garages as the canvas) but it's the overall mission for community involvement that makes this alley art gallery pretty damn sweet and uniquely Detroit! TAP also features graffiti competitions, art installations, and rotating murals that are def worth checking out! Take a look at some of the pics i've uploaded, which gives just a glimpse into this amazing place! p.s. it's located in the alley between Avis & Falcon, but don't park in the alley, there's plenty of street parking available. p.p.s. it's in the hood, so make sure you visit TAP during daylight hours.