Great Lakes Guru

Visit Grand Rapids, "Beer City USA" | VIDEO

2013-06-11T15:33:00.003-04:00

Prince Fielder Plays for Detroit | MLB Video

2013-06-07T11:50:00.000-04:00

Your browser does not support iframes.

Google Glass Explorer Story from Grand Rapids

2013-05-13T09:45:00.000-04:00

Why Should Detroit Host the X Games?

2013-04-03T14:10:00.002-04:00

X Games Detroit Film TRAILER from XGamesDetroit on Vimeo.

Summer Coming Down the Bottling Line

2013-03-23T11:43:00.003-04:00

Google Maps 360° Interior Tour of Whitehall's Howmet Playhouse

2013-03-05T14:06:00.000-05:00

View Larger Map Via

Check out this great 360° tour of the Howmet Playhouse in Whitehall, MI. Google street view goes indoors! goo.gl/maps/vSeLv
— Andrew Trzaska (@Trzaska) March 5, 2013

Governor Snyder Determines Detroit in Financial Emergency

2013-03-01T13:27:00.004-05:00

Ponyride Video: Rebuilding Detroit

2013-02-14T11:03:00.001-05:00

More at Fast Company: "MEET THE MAKERS: REBUILDING DETROIT BY HAND"

Charlie LeDuff’s New Book and NPR Interview on Detroit

2013-02-11T15:56:00.000-05:00

If you live in Detroit or care about the city, check out Charlie LeDuff’s Detroit: An American Autopsy and listen to his interview on NPR Fresh Air. Whatever you think about his public personality, he’s kicking ass and speaking some much needed truth about the city of Detroit. Plus, great insights into life, race, journalism and writing.

NPR: An 'Autopsy' Of Detroit Finds Resilience In A Struggling City

Google Books: Detroit: An American Autopsy

Miguel Cabrera's Telenovela Debut

2013-01-31T13:25:00.001-05:00

Your browser does not support iframes. I feel this didn't get the attention it deserved.

Movie Recommendation: "Searching for Sugar Man"

2013-01-28T11:57:00.001-05:00

Last night I finally watched the documentary film on Rodriguez. Great stuff. Now I want to visit South Africa.

Detroit Street-Cars are Fools Gold

2013-01-19T10:30:00.000-05:00

Augustus Woodward’s plan for Detroit was to build a city grid with wide avenues fanning out from the river to effectively transport goods from shipping docks throughout the city. Woodward’s plan was a noble one. But city plans, after too many years, lose funding or public will, and are tossed aside like an old tire. The spokes rust and break, and the next thing you know you’re in the market for a new set of wheels while still paying the bank for your old broken-down ride. Ah, the best laid plans.

The M-1 street-car project has big plans, admirable plans, even; plans with financial backing and, I concede, a chance at success. I admire the vision, but I think we’re missing the boat on the conversation.

Let’s admit a couple things to ourselves:

Street-cars that run from downtown to New Center do not service the city of Detroit, not even close. Street cars that run to New Center are a symbol of intent to become a modern city, not a working solution to Detroit’s transportation problems.

If street-cars eventually run farther up Woodward to Royal Oak or Birmingham, let’s also admit that they will be little more than drunk carts. Part of the draw is to take the line downtown for a Tigers game, drink seven or eight beers, and have a safe trip home. This, to be clear, is as noble a reason as any to take public transportation—to avoid drunk driving.

Of course, there’s another kind of transportation—the fun, functional kind of transportation that Detroit is quite good at. Detroit’s infrastructure is designed for the automobile, and as an added bonus, Detroit’s infrastructure is perfectly suited for any vehicle with inflatable tires. There’s plenty of space for buses, cars, and bicycles on the wide, now relatively empty avenues. With reduced automobile traffic in past few decades, extra lanes can and are being used by Detroit’s thriving community of bikers.

What Detroit needs more than anything is a functioning bus system, for the people who actually live in the city. Unfortunately, it looks like we’re going to end up with a Frankenstein system: People Mover (which I happen to love, by the way), some street-cars, an anemic bus system, high speed trains (someday, maybe), and all with the axe of federal funding constantly over our necks. When federal funds are gone, we’re left with a rusting project we can’t maintain. Are we ready to wrestle with that monster?

Unlike Portland, Oregon, where residents are accustomed to multiple modes of public transportation, Metro Detroiters aren’t about to hop a bus to the street-car, wait for the street-car, ride the street-car, walk to another bus station, wait for the bus, then ride another bus. Street-cars are convenient, but they’re the icing on the cake, not the primary mode of transportation. Primary modes of transportation are singular: bike, bus, car.

Instead of redeveloping an entire infrastructure—an infrastructure, mind you, sizable enough that it can work to the benefit of cars, bikes, and buses—wouldn’t it be easier to re-imagine the conversation than to reconstruct the city? We have roads, we have parking lots, and lord knows we have cars. Remember when cars were cool? Instead of selling the same old monorail dream, sell the Detroit dream. Own a car, cruise around town, and in some cases, use the limited public transit to get to work or get home safely. What’s old is new again. Cars are cool.

The beauty of Detroit is that it’s unique, and moving forward, it should stay that way. There’s nothing wrong with owning a car. That used to be the American dream. Detroit can keep owning that dream, while also being modern and hip. Where is it written that I can’t enjoy microbrews, Internet start-up companies, slow-drip coffee, community gardens, walkable neighborhoods AND big block engines? Sometimes I want to take a bus or a street-car, sometimes I prefer to drive with the windows down and to come and go as I please.

Woodward’s vision for using Detroit’s main thoroughfares for large amounts of cargo is now the very reason that our avenues can so readily accommodate all kinds of traffic—auto, bike, pedestrian, and, yes, street-cars. Let’s not ignore the voices of history, but make the best of the roads they left behind. Street-cars will be less about function, and more a symbol of progress—a very expensive symbol. A symbol Detroit can’t afford.

From Lake Michigan to the White House: Obama with a Petoskey Stone

2013-01-18T11:44:00.000-05:00

The Michigan Beer Film Teaser

2013-01-11T10:34:00.001-05:00

The Michigan Beer Film Teaser - Rhino Media Productions from Rhino Media Productions on Vimeo.

The Size of the Great Lakes Compared to Europe

2012-12-19T10:44:00.000-05:00

Image Via:

The Great Lakes and the State of Michigan imposed over a map of Europe. Neat perspective on scale: i.imgur.com/dEy5D.jpg
— Brian Ambrozy (@primesuspect) October 18, 2012

UPDATE: Image credit goes to MostlyHarm1ess on reddit, it would appear from the comments on this post. Hopefully I’ve now given proper credit.

Interactive Great Lakes Current Flow Map

2012-12-07T15:07:00.002-05:00

NOAA/GLERL Great Lakes Depth-Averaged Currents Map

Lake Michigan Waves | Video of Great Lakes Surfers

2012-11-02T10:09:00.001-04:00

Lake Michigan Surf from Josh Tyron on Vimeo.

On Tuesday I was able to head out to Holland MI and experience some of the pure energy our great lakes can produce. Beautiful and graceful in Slow Motion. At real speed it made it made you feel small and out of control.

Phil Coke is Pretty, Pretty, Pretty Good - Pretty Good

2012-10-18T09:36:00.003-04:00

Gibby's '84 World Series Home Run... and Sparky | VIDEO

2012-10-15T10:39:00.001-04:00

I can't stop watching this video of Kirk Gibson's home run in the 1984 World Series. Sparky is fantastic here, and so is Goose's mustache. Thanks to Deadline Detroit for sharing. "He don't want to walk you."

In Response to Matthew Power’s GQ Article on ArtPrize

2012-09-28T20:30:00.000-04:00

You should read Matthew Power’s GQ article, “So You Think You Can Paint,” a critical first-hand look at ArtPrize, Grand Rapids and Rick DeVos. Power is critical of the art competition and its founder, even while he admires certain aspects of ArtPrize. I enjoyed Power’s writing, but I think he missed the boat terribly on the meaning of ArtPrize and the character of Michiganders, including DeVos himself.

Power comes to the table with two basic assumptions that color the piece. The first is that Michigan — or at least greater Grand Rapids — is populated by unsophisticated art neophytes who lack the ability or willingness to appreciate high art. The second is that Rick DeVos, because of his wealth, was born evil, remains evil and imbues ArtPrize with sinister aspirations.

Power talks to a few local ArtPrize critics who confirm his suspicion that DeVos comes from money and therefore naturally has ulterior motives. I’ll just reject this as irrational and paranoid. Name someone who’s had a greater positive impact on Michigan in the past ten years. I can wait... What’s odd, though, is that Power puts so much value on these insider critics, those brave enough to speak critically about ArtPrize. I guess Michigan is filled with brave souls, because ArtPrize critics are a dime a dozen. I am one myself. Hell, that’s half the fun, critiquing the art and bitching about the process. This is not new, nor are these informers somehow heroes.

But here’s where Power loses me: "There was something contagious about the excitement of the crowds, entire families of ordinary Michiganders asked perhaps for the first time in their lives to appraise a work of art." The first time in our lives? Look, I understand Michigan lacks the panache of New York City, but west Michigan has plenty of great art institutions, museums and schools: Grand Rapids Art Museum, Muskegon Museum of Art, Kendall College of Art & Design, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the pre-ArtPrize Festival of the Arts to name just a few. I would also argue that the lowest common denominator in west Michigan has an equal appreciation for the arts as their counterpart in New York. We’re not new to this; we’re just new to you.

Perhaps Power didn’t spend enough time in Grand Rapids to fully appreciate the unique cultural identity of the region. He loses me again when he paints one ArtPrize visitor as unsophisticated for her criticism of a pop can sculpture: “‘Oh boy,’ she said. ‘Looks like someone had to drink a lot of pop to make that!’” Power reads her comments as dull and uneducated. I read her reaction as a natural west Michigander reaction to a possible confrontation. This woman might critique art in private with her friends but in public she’d prefer to play down her distaste for the piece with a joke. What if she’s talking to the artist, or family of the artist? Best to be polite, avoid a fight. This awe-shucks, common-folk speak isn’t ignorance; it’s a nuance of our personality — it’s called manners.

Power’s framing mechanism of who is this dark, mysterious Rick DeVos forced the article to become a conspiracy piece and painted ArtPrize as a poorly run criminal front. Unfortunately for Power, there is no conspiracy at all. The Michigan art scene just beat New York to the punch this time, and that’s a hard pill to swallow. The only way to choke it down, apparently, is served with a giant helping of sour grapes.

Supreme Court Matters in Michigan

2012-09-13T14:18:00.002-04:00

Stand Up Paddle Board Race Around Belle Isle

2012-09-05T11:21:00.000-04:00

More on Facebook at OABI - Once Around Belle Isle - SUP Race, or contact Brian Mulloy on Twitter @MichiganEssay.

12 Lessons Detroit and Paris Can Teach Each Other

2012-08-28T07:04:00.000-04:00

Detroit, the Paris of the Midwest, meet Paris, the Detroit of Europe. French names are all over the city of Detroit, but much of the French influence on our culture has been largely lost to history. Still, the two cities have a lot in common. From the Parisian-style circular intersection at Campus Martius, to our mutual love of food and drink, to our thriving communities of artists and writers, Detroit and Paris remain connected and can learn a lot from each other.

What Detroit Can Learn From Paris

1. Food - The rumors are true about Parisian food. The cheese, charcuterie and cream sauces are fantastic, and the food is all very fresh. For a big eater like the myself, the smaller portions were a bit of a concern, but eating slower, often for hours, does a good job of controlling food intake and keeping you full enough. The most striking difference to me is the substitution of butter for sugar-based sauces. Butter just tastes better and the richness keeps you an honest eater. I believe these are what we call good calories.

2. Keep the old - Paris is much more patient than Detroit when it comes to tearing down landmarks. If a building is worth saving, Detroit should wait a few years... a lot of years. Notre Dame was under restoration on-and-off for decades, and at one point was in such a state of disrepair that it was sold to a scrap dealer. It wasn’t until Victor Hugo wrote the Hunchback of Notre Dame that the city was finally inspired to save the building, and look at it now. Detroit has a lot of Quasimodo’s, and we shouldn’t lose their dwellings to the wrecking ball.

3. Absinthe - Can we get serious about adding absinthe to our drinking culture? Detroit already knows how to hold its liquor. A nice absinthe bar would change the pace a bit, and give us a new perspective on the Motor City. If you thought the Nain Rouge was a trip, imagine chasing the Green Fairy up and down Woodward Avenue.

4. The Metro - Paris is a sprawling city, intimidating in its scope. And without a street grid it’s nearly impossible to navigate even with a map. But if you can get underground to the Metro you have a fighting chance of reaching your destination, which is precisely what public transit in Detroit needs — a fighting chance, whether it’s a streetcar, buses, regional transit authority, high-speed trains, or some combination.

5. French bulldogs - French bulldogs are everywhere. They’re beautiful and well behaved. Few dogs in Paris walk on a leash, even around heavy traffic, which is I’m guessing is why they’re allowed in restaurants and on public transportation. I don’t know how the French are training these animals, but it’s impressive. Same goes for children — a generally obedient bunch. Detroit needs more cute dogs, more dog-friendly establishments, and fewer screaming kids.

6. We have time - Detroit is in a major hurry to turn things around but there’s no magic bullet, just a steady climb. The Arc de Triomphe took 30 years to complete, due in large part to political disagreements and floundering leadership. Sound familiar? Change can take a generation, and Detroit has only just begun its triumphant return.

What Paris Can Learn from Detroit

1. Happiness - Everyone says Parisians are rude. I didn’t get this at all. I found them to be friendly, helpful and accommodating. The fact of the matter is I felt a little bad for Parisians; they seem sad. Maybe it’s because I came from Ireland, where the people, much like the people of Detroit, are generally upbeat and gregarious even in the face of economic woes and shite weather. The Parisians, it would seem, have it all but don’t know how to appreciate it. Maybe it’s because we’ve learned to live with so little that we don’t overlook the small things.

2. Green spaces - Paris, like any large city, has a lot of hard surfaces. Concrete, asphalt and cobblestone are everywhere. There are enormous parks to be sure, but there aren’t small parks scattered throughout the city. Detroit is a lot leafier. And on that note, I would dare to say the water in the Detroit River is cleaner than La Siene. I think we value nature more.

3. Food - Paris is a city with enormous diversity, and while there are plenty of ethnic restaurants, most that I visited seemed to be Parisian one-offs. Detroit is often segregated to a fault, but when it comes to food, authentic restaurants run by first- or second-generation immigrants tend to do a better job of retaining their unique cultural identity. In Paris the restaurants assimilate a little too quickly. Shout-out to Detroit for quick meals (I don’t always want a full three-course sit-down) and for poutine — killing it.

4. Smoking and Nike hi-tops - I’m not the smoking police. In fact, I almost wanted to have a cigarette in Paris just to do it. Smoking on sidewalks is fine, but smoking in the entry of a restaurant isn’t the same as actually leaving the building. Step outside a little farther, folks. And why grown men in Paris so often wear Nike hi-tops is beyond me. Weird fashion trend.

5. Wine and Beer - I might catch flack for saying this, but I think Detroit has a better handle on beer and wine. The French, of course, make and drink fantastic wine. However, the restaurants I visited served mostly Bordeaux as a red, and Heineken as a beer option. Both are great drinks, but both are widely available in Detroit and are but a small portion of our diverse drinking choices.

6. Cars and Driving - At six and a half feet tall I don’t stand a chance at riding in cars in Paris, let alone driving and pushing the clutch with my knees in the dashboard. Sometimes size does matter, and I love the size and power of American cars. And while I dig the scooters and small motorcycles as a more fuel-efficient alternative, Parisians drive motorbikes like maniacs, sometimes cutting onto the sidewalk to skip an intersection or avoid a traffic jam. If you think biking in Detroit is tough, try walking in Paris.

More photographic proof I visited Paris. Have you travelled between Detroit and Paris? What cultural differences did you find particularly surprising? What did you want to bring back to Michigan?

Detroit Bike Routes on Google Maps

2012-08-24T04:34:00.001-04:00

Read more at the official Google blog, "Mapping the Motor City with Google Map Maker."

My Top 3 Michigan Waters | Instagram Photos

2012-08-23T06:42:00.000-04:00

Michigan has so much great water it’s really impossible to pick favorites. Since I grew up on the Lakeshore, Lake Michigan will always be my number one. And since I spend a lot of time in Grayling I can’t live without Lake Margrethe or the AuSable River. So with apologies to the Two-Hearted River, Tahquamenon Falls, Grand Traverse Bay, Hamlin Lake and all the Great Lakes, here are my top three Michigan water photos from this summer, as seen through Instagram—

Lake Michigan on a stormy day. Great rip tides.

Lake Margrethe. The dog waits on the end of the dock for a boat ride.

The Holy Waters of the AuSable River — a truly religious experience.

Follow me on Instagram @TimChilcote.