Reunion Tour

I'll tell you what will turn Detroit's fortunes around...hosting former Detroiters and reintroducing them to what makes this city such a hot bed of creativity that's what. We have squired around two former Detroiters recently who had forgotten just how amazing the architecture and art scene is here. The Lafayette Building is coming down and CCS alum Greg Simons visiting from Portland got the inside tour with me and the wrecking crew as we surveyed what might be salvaged from the remains of this 1920's building. The rooftop terracotta and graffitied windows should not be left to the landfill. We've got a week to find enough interested parties to purchase some or all of it or down it comes and the 150' drop is not gonna be kind. Greg use to work for Richard Gage Design Studio and he flew in to show his sculptural work with reclaimed plywood at the studio's inhouse gallery/practical art school http://www.tank425.com/ Don't let the small venue in the Hazel Park warehouse fool you, he sold very well and was reminded just how loyal and supportive Detroiters are to their artists. Meanwhile, my high school pal Jennifer and her son Jagger flew in for a weekend from Miami to see her old stomping grounds and the fall color. She was ready to buy a house in the Boston-Edison district after I took her to an Estate Sale in one of the still beautiful and intact mansions down there. We stopped for provisions at the Eastern Market htt:://www.detroiteasternmarket.com and yummy Supino's Pizza, took our boys to the Henry Ford Museum http://www.hfmgv.org/ and marvelled at the minds and machines that made the city so great. Last but not least, we had to go to the old neighborhood, drive by the houses where we grew up and have cider and donuts at Yates Cider Mill http://www.yatescidermill.com/. It was the most perfect fall day ever and the grounds have been expanded since we were kids with a path along the river, all well-maintained. I hadn't been out there in years, and of course you never do these things if you don't have guests. So here's my challenge, invite a friend to visit you in Detroit, take them around to your favorite haunts, help them spend their tourist dollars here, say nice things about Detroit.