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| Feeding Jabari the Giraffe at the Detroit Zoo |
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| Making my own Buddy's Pizza |
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| Behind the scenes at the Detroit Grand Prix |
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| Dining at Brizola at Greektown Hotel and Casino |
If you have read my blog for any amount of time, I hope that you have discovered that I love Detroit just as much as I love FREE. One reader once commented in an email to me that she thinks my blog is a "Love Letter to Detroit, wrapped in a layer of Freebies". Well, I agree with that analogy because I love to feature all the cool things that are happening in Detroit, especially the free ones.
So when the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (aka VisitDetroit) invited me to be part of a blogger outing that featured visits to many of Detroit's treasured institutions, I jumped at the chance to be part of "A Day in the D."
The day was all about getting a behind the scenes, Detroit VIP experience like we had never had before, and that is just what we got - and more.
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| Dan Fuoco from the Metro Detroit Convention & Tours Bureau in front of our party bus |
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| I could no believe all the awesome photos that I took at the Detroit Zoo |
Our tour began at the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak, MI where we fed Jabari the Giraffe (what a cutie), watched the Polar Bears in the Arctic Ring of Life, and walked in the Australian Outback Adventure exhibit with the many Red Kangaroos.
The Detroit Zoo sits on 125 acres and is the largest paid family attraction in Michigan with more than one million visitors annually. The Detroit Zoo is home to more than 3,300 animals of 280 species.
FUN ZOO FACT!!!
One fun fact that I learned on our tour is that Polar Bear hair is colorless - it appears white in the sun. And a Polar Bear's skin is actually black!!!
Detroit Zoo is open 362 days a year and only closes for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. So come on down and say hello to Jabari the Giraffe and all the other animals. Just make sure you follow the directions of the trained professional zoo guides so you will stay safe.
Detroit Zoo
8450 W. 10 Mile Rd.
Royal Oak, MI 48067
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| I spy the J.L. Hudsons building behind this Parade Company Big Head |
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| Part of the new Detroit Women in Innovation exhibit at the Historical Museum |
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| The NEW Kid Rock Music Lab follows the musical history of Detroit |
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| An old favorite is still there on the museum lower level - The Glancy Trains!!! |
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| I love this addition of the Uniroyal Tire Ferris Wheel in the Glancy Train exhibit |
Next we boarded our party bus to leave Royal Oak and travel back to Downtown Detroit to visit the Detroit Historical Museum. When you want to visit of slice of Detroit from an earlier era, the Detroit Historical Museum is where you must go.
I had not been to the Detroit Historical Museum since it has undergone it's most recent make over. So I was very pleasantly surprised by all the changes. Everywhere that you turn in the museum, there is something to see or do.
From Detroit's Music History in the Kid Rock Music Lab, to the Women in Innovation exhibit featuring Detroit's 1st African American City Council President Erma Henderson, to the Sanders confectionery store that has been added to the Streets of Old Detroit exhibit, to the Uniroyal Tire Ferris Wheel that is the Glancy Tires display, you will not want to miss one moment of your visit to the Detroit Historical Museum. So carve out an afternoon and come on down.
FUN FACT!!!
Did you know that admission to the Detroit Historical Museum is TOTALLY FREE!!!
Detroit Historical Museum
5401 Woodward Ave Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 833-1805
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| The original Buddy's Pizza location on Six Mile & Conant |
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| I got to make my own Buddy's Pizza! |
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| It was yummy!!! |
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| Buddy's"Born & Bred" in Detroit t-shirts are sold in Pizza boxes! |
For lunch, we had the wonderful experience of going to the original Buddy's Pizza on Six Mile and Conant to make our own pizzas. The place was packed with customers who were chowing down on Buddy's yummy pizza and I could not wait to make my own.
We were all given the choice of making one of three Buddy's Pizzas -
- The Detroiter - Brick Cheese, Pepperoni on Top, Topped with Shaved Parmesan Cheese and Buddy's Sicilian Spice Blend with Buddy's Tomato Basil Sauce.
-Gourmet Veggie - Brick Cheese, Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Carrots and Diced Tomato with Buddy's Original Pizza Sauce.
-Chicken Fajita - Brick/Cheddar Cheese Blend, Southwest Seasoned Chicken, Chunky Picante Sauce, Roasted Peppers, Onions and Diced Tomato, Served with a side of Sour Cream.
Longtime Buddy's employees walked us through how to make the pizzas and then it was our turn. All three Buddy's Pizzas sounded great, but I chose to make my favorite - The Detroiter, which turned out delicious.
Before we left, I had to buy my son one of Buddy's Detroit themed t-shirts. For $15, I bought a Black "Born & Bred in Detroit" t-shirt, which Buddy's sells in a pizza box!
FUN FACT!!!
Buddy's will be celebrating their 67th anniversary of making great pizza on June 23, 2013. I know this because I was at the ceremony two years ago marking Buddy's 65th anniversary.
Buddy's Pizza is definitely one of the most beloved institutions in Metro Detroit.
Buddy's Pizza
17125 Conant St
Detroit, MI 48212
313-892-9001
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| Hitsville USA - Motown Museum on West Grand Blvd. |
After lunch at Buddy's Pizza, we were scheduled to take a segway tour of Downtown Detroit with Segways2U Tours. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side. Since rain and segways just don't mix, our party bus made a detour onto West Grand Blvd. so we could instead take a tour of the Motown Museum.
It had been years since I last visited the Motown Museum and we had the most wonderful guide who brought the magic of Motown alive to the entire group.
We learned that Barry Gordy was loaned $800 by his family to start Motown. Motown was actually one of more than 30 record labels that Barry Gordy owned. Owning multiple labels was a marketing tactic since at that the time, DJ's were only allowed to play 2 artists from a record label every hour. We learned about the echo chamber that was used to make the music more full bodied and we got to sing the Temptation's "Ain't to Proud to Beg" to try out the echo chamber for ourselves.
FUN FACT!!!
We also learned that Barry Gordy bought this particular house on Grand Blvd. because it was the only one in the neighborhood that had an attached garage. And that garage was turned into the single recording studio where all the Motown hits were made.
We saw all the group photos, gold records and even Michael Jackson's sequined glove from Motown 25. I know you must be wondering where all the photos are of all the amazing things we saw. Well, the Motown Museum does not allow photography inside the building. So when you go, bring all your Motown questions. But leave your camera in the car.
Motown Museum
2648 W Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48208
Phone: (313) 875-2264
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| Charles H. Wright Museum in Midtown |
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| My tour guide giving us the history of the museum |
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| Bust of museum founder Dr. Charles H. Wright. |
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| Happy museum volunteers |
After we left the Motown Museum, our party bus made a surprise stop in the Midtown District of Detroit at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. This is another museum that I have been to times in the past, but never get tired of visiting.
Our tour guide gave us a little history of the museum, which was founded in 1965 by Detroit obstetrician Dr. Charles H. Wright. The museum moved to its current 125,000 square foot location in 1997.
We visited the museum's permanent exhibit - 'And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture" which charts the American American's journey from the continent of Africa, through the slave trade, the Middle Passage, to slavery, to Detroit's involvement in the Underground Railroad, Emancipation, to the Exodus from the South to Detroit for jobs, to the rise of the African American businesses in Detroit's Black Bottom and Paradise Valley areas, and up to present time.
FUN FACT!!!
Students can get a 1 year membership to the Charles Wright Museum of African American History for only $5!
Like the Motown Museum, the Charles Wright Museum also does not allow photography inside the exhibits.
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
315 E Warren Ave, Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 494-5800
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| Touring the Grand Prix media center in the Belle Isle Casino |
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| We took the Party Bus on for spin on the track |
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| We had fun touring the Detroit Grand Prix, even in the rain |
Just like drivers on race day, the rain was not going to stop us from taking a tour of the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
We were given a tour of the media center that was set up in the Belle Isle Casino. And it really does take a village to take care of the media, drivers, cars and all that goes with putting on an event the size of the Detroit Grand Prix.
From this Friday's FREE Prix Day with a FREE performance by Dwele to the rest of the weekend events, the Detroit Grand Prix is a huge undertaking for which the changes to Belle Isle started back in March!
The Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix returns to the Motor City today through Sunday, June 2, 2013. The event will feature the cars of the IZOD IndyCar Series, the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the Pirelli World Challenge Championship Series.
FUN FACT!!!
From the races to the entertainment, there is lots to do at the Detroit Grand Prix. There is even a social media challenge called #TheInsideTrack, which includes prizes, by downloading the Q-ItUp app for Android and Apple.
Whether you watch it on TV or in person, make sure to check out the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix this weekend.
Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix
Belle Isle Park
6925 E Jefferson Ave
Detroit, MI 48218
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| Brizola's menus are iPads!!! |
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| Group shot at our dinner table |
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| We are ready for some fabulous food! |
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| My "Goddess of the Hunt" cocktail - delicious!!! |
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| My pork chops were excellent! Brizola gets an A++++ |
We ended our fabulous "Day in the D" event with dinner at Brizola in the Greektown Hotel and Casino. Brizola is located just off the casino floor and our table had a perfect view overlooking the main stretch of Greektown.
When you go to Brizola, bring your appetite (or get a doggy bag) because the food is delicious and there is plenty of it for your money.
The Snake River Farms Pork Chops with roasted lady apple and honey comb mustard glaze was wonderful! I like my meat well done and they cooked my chops perfectly through, but they were still tender. And the Brizola Twice Baked Potato is big enough to feed three to four people. Not only did I need a doggie bag, but I had enough for two more meals to eat at home.
We ended our meal with dessert and I throughly enjoyed the Lemon Tart with lemon custard, marshmallow meringue and berry coulis.
FUN FACT!!!
Reservations for Brizola can be made online through Open Table (www.opentable.com).
There is nothing like good food, a good view and good company. Brizola was the exclamation point on the end of a wonderful day. My "Day in the D" could not have been any better!
Greektown Hotel & Casino
555 E Lafayette St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 961-2961
Here's to Detroit!
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Disclosure: Event transportation, tours and meals were covered by the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Special thanks to Verizon Wireless for loaning me a Verizon 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Camera to document the day's events with awesome photos made possible with the camera's 21x zoom lens and Verizon's super fast 4G LTE upload to my social media accounts. See all of my "Day in the D" photos on the Free Is My Life Flickr Account.
All opinions are my own.
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