Got up before the sun to get Dan to the airport. The highways were chill and side streets quiet as I drove home with the sun rising. I go through phases and currently lean night owl, but I should shake things up. It was lovely.
Edie, glad we’re back
Pioneer Sugar
The quick trip to Detroit has commenced and the drive home was a bit gray and chill. I took exactly two photos and they were both of the Pioneer Sugar silos off the highway in Findlay.
Detroit People Mover
I’ve done the quick loop on the Detroit People Mover once before, and I will do it again every single time I visit Detroit. The views are neato, even on a gray day. (Previously, on a sunnier day)
The Henry Ford
Made another visit to The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation (previously: the House Industries show). I was hoping to catch the Scooby Doo exhibit but it had ended earlier in the month to be replaced by a Julia Child one.
One of the first things we checked out was the Mathematica exhibit that Dan knew from his childhood. Turns out it was designed by Ray and Charles Eames and it really deserves a movie or coffee table book (or both). Here’s a short video clip from the museum.
We popped around to different parts of the museum but barely scratched the surface. The Future section seemed to end with the iMac, probably time for an update there.
And between the cars and Swatch watches you’ve got things like a table and chair from Abraham Lincoln.
The last room I wanted to visit housed A Journey Through Hallmark® Keepsake Ornaments. There were 7,000 ornaments made between 1973 and 2009! This is just a snapshot of some of the miniature ones. Again, I could spent an entire day looking at all these.
10000 Gecs Tour 2
Drove up to Detroit to catch 100 gecs at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. Fairly certain we were among the elders.
Machine Girl (machin3gir1) opened with oodles of energy, some moshing and crowd surfing.
100 gecs did a good run when they came on stage, though they might’ve been a little worn from the 4/20 show in Chicago the night prior. It didn’t detract much from the density of their mostly pre-tracked hyperpop.
Loved the venue and crowd.
I have faith in the youth
Grand Valley Nature Preserve
Tucked away in Camp Dennison at a former gravel excavation site is a 379 acre preserve to restore wildlife and serve as a water system for neighboring communities. Entrance is limited to residential customers of Indian Hill Water Works. Luckily our guest’s friend is just that and we spent the morning on a leisurely stroll around one of the lakes.
As we’d round a bend, bales of turtles on the shore would enter the water en masse, making a noise like small tumbling boulders and then float with their heads popping out. (Thanks to the internet and Dan’s friend, I learned a group of turtles is called a bale — sea turtles are a flotilla.)
I want to go back and see all the seasons here! I tip my hat to Ryan for taking us along.
Mita’s
Common question through the pandemic: When things ease up… where would you go out to eat?
My first thought was always Benihana!
I hold this hibachi grill in the highest regard. I can’t explain why IT JUST IS. (Also? They have those grill vents that essentially suck up all the air in the room — a health feature!)
Right after Benihana were places like Sotto, The Precinct, Mama’s on Main, Libby’s Southern Comfort or Mita’s. (The list changed based on whim.)
We ended up breaking our streak at Prime before Paula Poundstone. It was lovely.
With a guest in town we ventured out again, securing a table at Mita’s.
I didn’t take any good pictures but I did pick up matches which in many ways is superior. The meal? It was excellent.
Bonus after dinner photo includes this mural with lights on the 84.51° building by Chase Melendez.
Expanded selections
Met up with an old coworker / hiking friend of Dan’s on the Rhinegeist rooftop patio. The brewery has expanded their beer selection considerably since my last visit in 2018. (And if you’re not into beer, they’ve a few cocktails on tap that are solid.)
Popped over to Pho Lang Tang for dinner afterward. They’ve also expanded their selections, particularly for dinner. I had Cơm tấm with fried chicken plus all the extras and it was one of those meals that sears into the noggin.
Pho Lang Tang has been on my recommendations list for visitors, but after this meal I’m moving it up several notches and dreaming about a return visit to try more things.
Someday
Today was my niece’s birthday and as much as I’d hoped to drive up and celebrate, the day compounded in many directions and the weather was annoying. I’m hoping we can celebrate proper someday, soon!
I spent the day jamming at work and the golden hour doing a little bit of organization here in this temporary home of my computer as our guest uses the spare bedroom that Siri refers to as the office.
Always mesmerized
Another bright spot I take every visitor to Cincinnati is the American Sign Museum. Required viewing and fun for as long or as little as you like.
Hello Jasper
Dan and Ralph had a dinner party and it was chock full of all the good things I’ve come to know by their entertaining: Lively folks, excellent cocktails*, amazing food, a great soundtrack and in this case, an introduction to the newest member of their family. His name’s Jasper.
* New to me: The Ten Spot, thanks to Mike —
1.5 oz Gin
.5 oz Aperol
.5 oz Grapefruit Juice
.5 oz Lime Juice
