So despite the fact that I haven't yet found a craft that I can do myself, I can always enjoy the fine skills of others. Particularly creative and talented Metro Detroiters selling awesome Detroit things and handmade goods, from gorgeous photographs to eclectic jewelry made from recycled metals to way cool tees and witty buttons to...yarn mustaches? ... in brooch form. naturally. (I'll have to do some further investigation on this phenomena tomorrow, because it's absolutely absurd and hilarious. Heaven forbid I jump on the mustache bandwagon tomorrow. I won't tell you if that happens....)
The Venue
So Aimee and I ventured out to day 2 of the DIY Street Fair in Ferndale. A fantastic atmosphere. Easily accessible. We got an amazing parking spot right on nine mile and walked right into the fair from there.
The only issue we immediately ran into was the stinking flying ants that we in the middle of some kind of molting season wherein they felt the need to swarm the premises and land all over the booths and in people's hair ... WHEREIN they proceeded to shed their wings all over everything. Impressive, guys, really. I didn't even notice this before in my past 23 years of life living around ants. Gross, but tolerable. Built a bit of camaraderie between festival participants as we battled our way through the swarms.
The Merch
Being poor, I had limited funds on me today and was determined to get the most out of them. I wish I didn't fall in love with everything I saw. Aimee and I decided on matching Detroit Lives! t-shirts ($20 bucks a pop)...
(I got the red on white, and hers is a bright blue with purple print.) We were also entranced by Detroit Manufacturing's "Little Miss Detroit" tees and Division Street Boutique's "Detroit Hustles Harder" in all colors of the rainbow. Maybe another day. Also picked up a couple of buttons from Barrel of Monkeys.
The Food (and beer!)After an intense two hours of browsing (and the hours blew by), it was time to eat in preparation for samples at the Beer Garden. ($5 per beer or 5 for $20) I had the Livery's Oktoberfest (mm!) and Kuhnhenn's Loonie Kuhnie (A very citrusy pale ale, which I had not been prepared for. Should have tried it out before going for the whole beer.) We decided on the Fly Trap's Spicy Fried Rice with Grilled Chicken slathered in Green Hornet sauce.
Yes. Brown rice with snap peas, baby corn, peppers, sprouts, mushrooms, and grilled chicken heaven in a chinese takeout container. All for $6.
Approval. I'll give you four stars out of four for the convenience, speed of delivery, and - with all the veggies and brown rice - health factor.
...a health factor that was quickly negated by dessert. :(
Mudslide cookies with hazelnut chips from Treat Dreams in Ferndale. $2. Two delicious dollars.
By the time we'd finished our food, beers, and run out of money, the streets were getting darker and more crowded. Lights were going up - should have planned for a nighttime excursion, oh well. We still had a great time. Overall, this was a fantastic experience for Day 2. I'm looking forward to Day 3 tomorrow. American Mars @ 4PM!
Today, my Grandpa took me out to the Rochester Mills Beer Company in downtown Rochester. Located off of Rochester Road, this site is the historically preserved Western Knitting Mill constructed in 1844.
reasonable prices. The atmosphere is great for families, after-work chill spot, or casual dinner date with larger tables, a bar, and outdoor seating. There are flat screen TVs to watch your sports games, pool tables, and live music at night.
