Disclosure: Some of my travel, lodging, meals, and activities that I experienced to write my Grand Rapids story were hosted by Experience Grand Rapids. I extended my trip, so some of my Grand Rapids adventures were on my own. As ALWAYS all opinions in this story are my own.

Before I dive in, I wanted to share a little back story. In the past decade, Michigan is a state that has been woven into my life in numerous ways. I was completely blown away by my first visit, a trip to Detroit for my ExperienceBuick project in 2015. Falling head over heels with this Midwestern mecca in January should tell you something about this place!

At the same time, I had 2 fantastic colleagues while working at Dolby – both from Michigan. And both two of the kindest, funniest, most generous people I have ever met. It stirred the embers for wanting to see Michigan as I had heard about it many times through their eyes.

Michelle was a talented writer, who rock-climbed and spent every extra minute doing 2 things: knitting and volunteering at the animal shelter. She sat across from me and was smart and witty and she added real joy to my workday. At one point, she went off on vacation to Italy, where she ended up getting engaged, she brought me back a beautiful red scarf that I cherish.

And Derek. Well, Derek was my partner in crime, confidant, and friend. We worked many events together while at Dolby. We blogged on each other's sites (Yosemite and San Francisco's Sunset District). We ate out at many restaurants. And we supported each other's career moves. When I decided to go on sabbatical to travel the US by RV, he was a huge supporter. In the end, I even inspired him to take off on his own year-long+ trip to travel the world.

I could not believe my luck when it turned out that during my few days exploring all the fun things to do in Grand Rapids, Derek was in town visiting family and preparing for round 2 of his trip. This allowed me to catch up with him in person (more on that later).

So why the long backstory? Because I had expectations for Michigan. I had expectations for Grand Rapids. It was more than just visiting a city on a sponsored trip. To me, it was personal. I was finally getting a chance to see a place where two significant people in my life had grown up. And where the Midwestern values and state pride emanated from. And you know what?

Grand Rapids delivered!

Things to do in Grand Rapids outdoors

I've always been one for outdoor adventure. But most of the time those experiences occurred in a box. Mr. Misadventures and I would spend a weekend hiking, or 4x4ing, etc. On another trip, we would stick to urban environments and do museums, restaurants, etc.

Grand Rapids taught me that I can very easily combine both. In fact, with the personal lifestyle changes that I undertook last year like a focus on a low-carb eating and adding more fitness into my daily routine, this is how I want all my future travel to be. In Grand Rapids, it's easy!

Hiking near Grand Rapids, Michigan

There are many places to hike in and around Grand Rapids. Spots like Provin Trails Park, Seidman Park, and the popular PJ Hoffmaster State Park. For our (I was on the trip with my online friend Lauren of The Down Lo who has been a Traveler Tuesday interviewee and a guest-poster on her hometown of Denver and new friends and talented photographers Emily of Emily Sierra and Isaac of From Texas and Beyond) hiking adventures we set off to Rosy Mound on Lake Michigan.

We were treated to a trail that had all the elements a hiker could want: a gorgeous forest path leading to sand dunes and boardwalks, and finally Lake Michigan.

My experiences with the Great Lakes have been limited. A patch of Lake Michigan on trips to Chicago for conferences and a tiny view of Lake Erie in Detroit. I know this isn't enough and my morning at Lake Michigan proved it.

It is fascinating to be at a lake where the waves are crashing onto a beach like the ocean! I've got to explore more! Since I returned from my trip I've been bending Mr. Misadventures' ear off about returning to Grand Rapids next summer and exploring more of the Great Lakes!

Kayaking on the Grand River

Grand Rapids origins are in furniture making. Furniture factories used to line both sides of the Grand River where they could easily access the raw materials, wood transported from the surrounding forests, at their “doorstep.” The Grand River once had a set of rapids and ships could navigate in and out of the city bringing goods in and out.

There aren't a lot of rapids anymore, a few sections here and there, but the city of Grand Rapids is working on a fantastic project to bring them back!

The Grand River is the heart of the city. There are nice parks and good fishing. I spent some time watching a fly fisher bring in a gorgeous catfish.

One of the best ways to enjoy the river and see the city is to kayak on it. We met up with the wonderful husband and wife team (Jeff and Rita) of GR Paddling for a sunset kayaking trip. They picked us up at our hotel, a service they provide to all their guests, and we headed to Riverside Park. After thorough instruction on do's and don'ts, and what to expect, we hit the water and began our journey down the river.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous. My prior kayaking experiences have not been wonderful. I had been traumatized by an 8-hour REI class on the San Francisco Bay. We graduated by purposely rolling our kayak and getting back in, which was very scary in the ocean – at least to me! I totally get that this is a skill a person needs to have, but I kind of think the fun in kayaking is the not getting wet!

Anyway, I shouldn't have worried because it was a wonderfully calm experience. Our little group paddled along slowly. Sometimes we would hang out together and at other times we went off on our own and enjoyed nature, it was pretty zen-like.

But it wouldn't be a true adventure without a misadventure, right?! You know that fishing I mentioned? One thing that is really good for those fishermen is hatching mayflies. Jeff had explained that we may “run” into some, but he couldn't guarantee one way or the other given their hatchings are very random. Well wouldn't you know it, about 3-quarters into our trip we paddled into a big cloud of them.

It was kind of hilarious, like end-of-the-world with locusts. Okay, yes I am being dramatic. And in typical girl fashion, I was squirming and swatting. When I swatted just a little too aggressively, the kayak tipped and I immediately made the decision that I would rather deal with the bugs than end up in the river.

In reality, it only lasted a few minutes and it couldn't dampen our spirits. The sunset was lovely, the gorgeous full moon we had experienced was beautiful and the tranquility of being one with nature and having the city at our bow was irreplaceable. It was definitely one of the more magical things to do in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Biking in Grand Rapids

I like biking. Truth be told, I haven't done a lot of bicycling in the city. I am always nervous about cars. But then again, I've spent my last couple of decades in San Francisco where you have to be a little crazy to bike in the city.

Grand Rapids is a completely different scene. It's a very bikeable city with nice bike routes and bike paths. There is a wonderful little business called Grand Rapids Bike Rentals located in downtown Grand Rapids, where you can rent a bike for just $20 a day, helmet and lock included!

And that's exactly what we did. What better way to check out some of the city's sites (and breweries) than on two wheels!

We biked down to Riverside Park area, then into downtown Grand Rapids, then onto the Blue Bridge, a pedestrian bridge that used to be the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad truss bridge. Biking is a great way to see the city and to work off some calories!

Visiting the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids

I love parks. While traveling, there's nothing I like better than to visit a national, state, or county park. I haven't been to a lot of parks within cities and I can see where that may have been a mistake. I have fallen deeply, head over heels in love with the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. This park is a destination in and of itself.

It's a 158-acre botanical garden and outdoor sculpture park. That's right. 158 acres!

I couldn't get over it. I was gawking the whole time. As we moved from one incredible sculpture to another, I was mentally calculating how Mr. Misadventures would love to photograph the different angles. How one park couldn't possibly have so many fantastic pieces in one spot. About all the different parts and pieces. About what it must look like during the year's different seasons. Incredible. My mind was buzzing.

There is an entire Japanese garden that you could pick up and transport to Kyoto or anywhere else in Japan and it would be in perfect harmony with any other garden there. I really enjoyed walking through there and every step evoked memories of my own trips to Japan.

Oh, and the francophile in me loved the Rodan! A sculpture of Eve in perfect composition with the surrounding garden.

And after spending two hours walking around, I never got to the indoor parts! This park is a must-see. A must-do. A must return to!

Amazing murals and street art in Grand Rapids

During my time in Grand Rapids, no matter where I went I ran into cool murals and street art. There is an international art competition and festival that takes place in September every year in Grand Rapids called Art Prize. A lot of the murals in Grand Rapids are an extension of that event.

The city is very supportive of local artists expressing themselves on the buildings and structures. So after hiking, biking and kayaking, I said goodbye to Lauren, Isaac, and Emily, got cleaned up, and headed back to the Blue Bridge to meet local photographer Abby Fox.

I teamed up with Abby to get some photos that showed off some of the murals. And to demonstrate the fact that I can put on make-up and wear a dress when the occasion calls for it!

Before heading out to the murals we took some photos on the Blue Bridge. This is such a great spot in downtown Grand Rapids. During my time in the area, I walked across it a few times, biked across it, watched a wedding from it. I like this Blue Bridge!

After a few shots, we jumped into the car and headed to an area that had several yards of murals in different colors and textures.

Much like my experience at Catch Me at Luxe, Abby was really good at getting me to smile and laugh without a lot of effort. She was warm and encouraging.

She didn't laugh when I tried to channel my inner Kristin for the photo above! This spot is great for big groups or for getting a lot of different colors and shapes in a short period of time.

It was a lot of fun working with Abby and if you are looking for a wedding or portrait photographer in the Grand Rapids area, check her out!

Great restaurants in Grand Rapids

I know. It's unusual for me to not write about the food first. I always travel via my stomach. But I had so much fun doing all the outdoor stuff I had to share it first. However don't let my enthusiasm for all the outdoor things to do in Grand Rapids fool you – there are some fantastic restaurants in Grand Rapids as well! The good thing is I could enjoy it more because I was also exercising in between stuffing my face.

Here are the highlights:

Tuna Tartare from Wolfgang Puck's The Kitchen

I'm a sucker for a good tuna tartare, poke salad or maguro. If there is raw tuna on a menu there is a good chance I'm going to order it. And I wouldn't miss an opportunity to get one from a Wolfgang Puck restaurant. I'm a big fan (and that was before I got to meet him at an Oscars event!) and I like to try his restaurants when I discover them during my travels.

I was in luck because when I checked into the Amway Grand Plaza I learned there was one in the hotel! It's called The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck and the tuna tartare with wasabi soy, cucumber and avocado is divine.

Breakfast at Little Bird

Breakfast is my favorite meal and Little Bird made it super tough to make a decision! I was in actual crisis mode. The Asian-influenced menu just hit all my triggers and I couldn't decide between the kimchee hash shown below, the chicken & rice bowl, or their popular Little Bird breakfast sandwich.

I considered heavily and in the end went with the breakfast sandwich with a fried egg, American cheese, smoked ham, and garlic mayonnaise on a Field & Fire (local bakery) bun. It was darn delicious. Having a low carb lifestyle, I don't eat a lot of bread so when I do “cheat” and it's out-of-this-world like this bun was, it makes it so much more worth it!

Drinks & Dinner at Terra

The last part of July is the beginning of beet season in Michigan (it runs through September). There was no better place to enjoy beet-forward specialties than Terra, a truly farm-to-table restaurant in Grand Rapids.

Yeah, I know. Everyone says farm to table. But these guys really mean it! The chef is notorious for pulling stuff off the menu if it is not local or out of season. The names of the local farms they source from are on all the menus and on their wall.

Our first taste of beets was in a margarita. Terra is well known for their craft cocktails and this concoction of Sauza Blanco tequila, new holland clockwork orange, pickled beet juice, lemon, and lime juice was dangerous! I wanted a second, the lightweight in me knew better! And…it was so pretty!

Next up was beet hummus served simply with extra virgin olive oil and vegetable crudites and smoked salmon with pickled vegetables. Coho and King salmon run on the Grand River and you can even watch them climbing the river in ladders during spawning season.

For my main entree, I had the banh mi. Grand Rapids is serious about their sandwiches, they have an annual competition called Grandwich, and Terra's banh mi placed in that competition. I have to say that the crispy pork belly inside the sandwich was the best I've ever had! Absolutely putting Terra on my list of best restaurants in Grand Rapids.

Ice Cream Flight at Love's in the Downtown Market

I love food markets, so nobody had to twist my arm when on a break from our hiking, biking, and kayaking it was suggested we check out Downtown Market. Thank goodness we did, otherwise, I might have missed Love's Ice Cream, where you can get ice cream flights (or the mitten).

I would have also missed the pie at Sweetie-licious Bake Shoppe, or the bubble tea from Rák Thai. There are food shops and food stands on the bottom level of this market and food classes and event space on the top.

It's a beautiful building, but above and beyond being a great space, Downtown Market is doing good things in the food space. They serve as an incubator for small businesses trying to make their way in the food business. Many of the restaurants and food shops you find around town started inside Downtown Market. I love that aspect of giving people who love food a chance to get their businesses off the ground!

After all that food talk, you're probably wondering, “didn't you eat lunch?” And shame on you. You know I would never skip a meal! But lunch and post-breakfast-not-quite-lunch meals were at the breweries…because…

Grand Rapids is Beer City USA

Best surprise ever. I had absolutely no idea that Grand Rapids had been voted Beer City USA and to what extent Grand Rapids breweries are part of their culture. And it's fabulous!

I like beer. But I'm 5'0″ and a lightweight so it's not like I can have 10 of them and still be standing. But that's not really the point. Grand Rapids breweries have some of the best food, are very family-friendly, and best of all, they serve flights! Or samplers (usually around 3-5 ounces) which allowed me to try out more than one without falling on my face!

Michigan is also the 3rd largest producer of apples, so hello great ciders! It's the largest producing region in the world for the Montmorency tart cherries (a cherry grown in Canada, France, and the US) – hello cherry ciders and cherry-flavored beer! And they make great kombucha. What is not to like?

There are over 80+ breweries in Grand Rapids, so obviously we couldn't get to them all, but here are the highlights:

CityBuilt Brewery

Yes. We ordered all of those beers and ciders and kombuchas! But hey! There were 5 of us! And we had just ridden our bikes from downtown. That's thirsty work. And darn it! It's hard to choose!

They sure are pretty, aren't they? I tried a delicious cucumber cider, a strawberry ginger kombucha, peach mead, and several beers.

Of course, as I mentioned some of the best food in town is in the Grand Rapids breweries and I'm not talking bar food! At CityBuilt Brewery, there is a great Puerto Rican menu. We had some spiced ground beef pastelillos (like empanadas) and Bori balls, traditional rice croquettas with bacon, and spiced beef.

Founder's Brewery

We had lunch at Founders Brewery, a business that has been through a lot, but who has come out the other side stronger and with a handle on how to do things in their own style, hence their #BrewedForUs motto.

People come for several beers including the all-day IPA and the dirty bastard. They also come for the sandwiches which are delicious and inventive. However, before you hit those, you can't miss the beer cheese.

Lots of breweries in town offer beer cheese, but Founders is supposed to have one of the best. Their version is made with smoked gouda, cream cheese, chopped fresh garlic, red peppers, spinach, and a blend of Centennial IPA and Red’s Rye IPA. I tried it (without the bread) and I agree it is pretty tasty, but I think I need to do more “research” around town before declaring a winner!

I'm pretty sure there aren't a lot of people out there in the world who have uttered the words that a brewery makes a great salad, but in this case, it's the truth. In an effort to balance the carbs I was eating, and heck, let's face it, drinking, I chose the Caprese salad. I wasn't expecting much. Boy, was I wrong! Fresh greens, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil – what's not to like? Emily did have the Caprese sandwich and claimed it was equally as good.

Jolly Pumpkin Brewery

Jolly Pumpkin is known for two things: sours and pizza. Of course, they have a lot more to offer in terms of artisanal ales, but the sours are what people come for.

I had actually never heard the term sour before. I learned that they are intentionally acidic, tart, or sour-tasting ales. And that the most common sour beers are from Belgium: lambics, gueuze, and Flanders red ale. I guess when I am visiting France and order a Belgian beer with my mussels, I've likely had one, but they weren't called a “sour” in French so on my next trip to Paris I am going to figure that out!

In any case, I had a delicious cherry beer (not a sour – they were out) and a slice of Margherita pizza. I'm not a big pizza eater, but when I do partake I like thin crust and fresh ingredients which was exactly the way Jolly Pumpkin made it. The gang also had some truffle fries. Given we arrived via bike, I didn't too feel guilty!

Grand Rapids has great people

It's what it all comes back to, right? Locations are very memorable. Food is (very) memorable. But people? People make the place.

My experience with people from Michigan, and from Grand Rapids proper, had left a mark on me before I ever stepped foot into the city. I can tell you that the people of Grand Rapids lived up to the hype. Every person I encountered was good-hearted, good-natured, just plain nice.

Like my Runabouts drivers, to and from the airport. Runabouts is a small regional service with just a few cars and great drivers. By the time I got to the hotel, I was fast friends with Laura. At 4:00 a.m. on the way back to the airport, Carrie was a breath of fresh air. And in a strange coincidence, that very weekend the owner, Jon moved to Phoenix to start the service in my adopted hometown. Looking forward to trying that out!

Or like Stephanie:

…our Experience Grand Rapids guide, who not only planned an exceptional experience but also did little things like, lend me her bike when the rental bike was just a tiny bit too tall. I would have been okay, but I was far more comfortable with hers.

Like Abby, who drove me from the Blue Bridge to our murals, and when all was said and done, she drove me back to my hotel so I wouldn't have to call a cab or other transportation!

And like Derek. We hadn't seen each other in 3 years but it didn't matter.

We spent a wonderful day in his hometown, brunching at Linear, getting educated, and being silly at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum (visit here, it is fantastic!), and walking around just catching up. No strings attached, no drama, all friendship.

It is warm, kind-hearted, generous people like Stephanie, Abby, and Derek that make Grand Rapids great. And if that isn't enough to tempt you to visit, there are amazing outdoor recreation, good food, and great beer!

How about you? Have you been to Grand Rapids? Would you consider a trip? If you've been, what are your favorite things to do in Grand Rapids, Michigan? I'm heading back, so do you have any recommendations? Do share! Do tell!

Thanks again to Experience Grand Rapids for hosting (most of) my trip. As always all opinions are my own.

If there is no photo credit, it means I took the photo with either my Fuji or my iPhone.

For a visual summary of this post, check out my Grand Rapids web story!

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We’re supposed to discourage stereotypes but darn it, sometimes they are so accurate you can’t help but repeat them. When they say people from the Midwest are nice, they aren’t kidding! My first experience was when I had the honor to visit Detroit as a Buick ambassador in early 2015.

I fell in love with the innovation and resilience of the people of this city. Despite the fact that I was visiting under freezing conditions they had hearts so generous that their smiles warmed us through.

Then I experienced Indianapolis.

I visited Indianapolis for the first time also as a Buick ambassador when I was invited to the NCAA basketball tournament finals in 2015. And while I was there for a sporting event, and a crowded one at that, every place we went to was as warm and as welcoming as can be. We ate our way through the Indianapolis City Market, had amazing bespoke cocktails at a restaurant downtown, and checked out hometown cooking at Shoefly Public House.

That was above and beyond the basketball games, both the semi-finals and finals along with a behind-the-scenes tour of Lucas Oil Stadium. Our schedule was frenetic but in the middle of the storm of activities, I felt at ease. Like I was at home.

Indianapolis…you are SO awesome!

So, when LL Media announced that this year's BlogHouse was taking place in Indianapolis, I ran to my computer to apply. Again. I had applied for previous BlogHouses, but was not selected. And I had actually completely forgotten about this

I had actually completely forgotten about this year's until this past April when the BlogHouse lead, Lisa Lubin, reached out to inform me I had been selected and was going to Indy!

Woohoo!

Okay, so what is BlogHouse? According to Google, it's the “Opportunity for travel bloggers to immerse, work and learn in a group environment with experienced mentors & peers.”

I just define it as amazing.

Even nine years into this whole blogging thing I never stop learning. Not only did I learn from the mentors, but also from other attendees. With only 15 bloggers in attendance, there is nothing quite like it. There is group time, mentor time, one-on-one time, and plenty of opportunities to learn, share, and garner insights. The mentors are talented and generous and the attendees are open and encouraging.

You could say that you can hold a BlogHouse at any hotel in any city like a lot of conferences out there, but you would be wrong. An important component of BlogHouse is the integration of the host city into the mix. This year, were hosted by the exuberant Visit Indy team who showed us the best of their city with the most gracious hearts and contagious enthusiasm, it's no wonder I left Indianapolis already planning my next trip.

And if I thought the Visit Indy team was dynamic, I was equally impressed with the conference's other sponsor Visit Indiana. We met with the marketing team and enjoyed a presentation on just some of the highlights the rest of Indiana has to offer. I took 6 pages of notes! I'm telling you, Honest to Goodness Indiana is only the half of it.

So why is Indianapolis so cool?

When you are the amateur sports capital of the world with great teams and great venues, you might be a little competitive, but the city’s sporting nature is all upside for visitors!

For instance, it was pouring down rain on Friday morning. As I sat in the meeting room in the JW Marriott the second morning of BlogHouse looking out the window at the fabulous Indians baseball park (I'm coming back for a game!), I wondered just how we were going to get to Napolese Pizzeria for lunch without getting soaked.

No need to worry, in fact, I should have been more worried about resisting the amazing pizzas with locally sourced ingredients while on a low-carb diet. We walked more than a mile indoors from the hotel to just about 20 feet from the restaurant’s front door.

Our path took us through hallways, connectors, and walkways. Indianapolis competes with Minneapolis on a yearly basis to be the most connected city in the United States. When it is snowy, raining, or a little too humid you can still comfortably walk for miles inside.

I love that!

And we loved the meal we had at Napolese. Bruschettas, hummus, killer pizzas, and salads – we sampled them all and cleaned every dish. With all ingredients coming from 100 miles or less, you can taste the freshness!

After a killer afternoon of BlogHouse sessions, we headed to the Indianapolis Zoo. The morning’s rain had vanished leaving a spectacular sky and balmy evening perfect for getting a behind-the-scenes peek at the dolphin family that makes their home at this zoo.

This zoo is keenly focused on animal conservation. They literally put their money where their mouth is each year when they seek out and award half a million dollars to an individual or organization that is advancing conservation causes.

We partook in the summertime Zoolapalooza concert series, enjoying the good food, wine, beer, and music. As we meandered back along the Canal Walk inside White River State Park, our third conference sponsor, W Marriott, was a beautiful beacon lighting the way and reflecting the clouds.

I could say that I was sad to end the evening since it was one of those wonderful summer nights that you want to last forever, but the beds were so comfortable at the JW Marriott that I couldn't wait to sink into it!

For lunch on Saturday we headed to the Mass Ave. A hip trendy area with lots of history, restaurants, bars, and boutique shopping. We had a delicious meal at Mesh on Mass. It was the second time I had been there in as many trips so you can tell it's well-liked by the locals. They've got a great menu and a hearty brunch on the weekends.

Instead of driving back to the hotel to start the afternoon session, we did a photo walk led by the Visit Indy team. It allowed us to practice some photography tips that we bloggers had received the day before and to learn a little more about the history of Indianapolis.

For starters, there's this guy.

Mr. Kurt Vonnegut a celebrated author and son of Kurt Vonnegut Sr. Vonnegut senior was a renowned architect who heavily influenced Indianapolis inside and out, most notably with his Art Deco style. The people of Indianapolis celebrate the legacy of both these men. There are novels displayed in hotels, restaurants, and shops and even the names of many places are taken from titles of novels or characters.

Mass Avenue is an eclectic area of the town and is the perfect example of just how accessible Indianapolis is.

You can walk everywhere, and bike everywhere, including a fantastic cultural trail that covers tons of history and notable events throughout the city. They took out a whole lane of traffic to create a bike and walking path and I really enjoyed strolling the route and taking in the sights.

Only in Washington DC can you find more monuments than Indianapolis. We walked by quite a few of them as we made our way to Monument Circle on the way back to the hotel. I had visited this spot on my first trip and it is a great photo spot.

A new addition to Monument Circle since the last time I was there is a really cool public library-sharing station in the form of kiosks. It is a public literacy and art project to raise awareness about illiteracy in a fun and quirky architectural expression. There are 8 stations in Indianapolis and we ran into two during our time there. Of course, we couldn't resist staging a scene that included a book on travel, we are bloggers after all!

On Saturday evening after a productive afternoon at BlogHouse, we made our way to the Children's Museum. Continuing the tradition of greatness and competitiveness, this museum is the largest children in the world. Not just the United States, but the world! And if it hadn't been for BlogHouse and Visit Indy, I probably would have never seen it. And that would have been a huge mistake. Because this place is awesome (I know. I know. I'm using that word a lot!)

We spent 2 hours in the museum and barely scratched the surface, in fact, I don't even know where to start in terms of explaining it. I keep wishing I videotaped my way through and then created a time-lapse it because we covered a lot of ground.

This is just a tiny sampling of what I saw: Bumblebee (from Transformers, I'm a total fan girl!); a Chihuly glass installation; a NASA space station; an Anne Frank exhibit; a Chinese hutong; pop culture paraphernalia and real dinosaur bones.

Whew! Are you still with me?

And the museum is just getting started. Opening in March of 2018 is a 7.5-acre expansion focused on sports. (Just making Indianapolis that much more awesome for sports fans!) The building intends to get families moving. There is a concern about obesity and this sports legend's experience will be a national model for health and fitness, particularly in the winter months when people don't move around as much. I absolutely cannot wait to check it out.

The highlight of the trip (besides all the blogging tips!) was what I did after the museum visit. A drink at one of the hottest bars in the city followed by dinner at the hottest table in town.

Bluebeard (another Vonnegut novel) doesn't take reservations and is very popular so to fill up our hour+ wait time, we drank at Hotel Tango Distillery across the street. The distillery is unique. A celebrity cat lives there and its owners are the first service-disabled, combat veteran-owned distillery in America.

And while everyone else had some of their fancy and original cocktails from their very creative menu, I went with straight-up whiskey distilled on-site, also known as the Dwayne Johnson because it is served with a big rock!

Rock or no rock, it was darn good!

After drinks, we walked back over to enjoy the best meal I've had in a very long time. Even while being on a low-carb diet, I ate heartily. There were seven of us so we ordered a sampling of starters, entrees, and desserts and scarfed down everything. Each dish was very distinct, simple yet complex with layers of flavors that had us going in for seconds and thirds.

I'm not sure if it was our enthusiasm made known by the approving sounds emanating from our table or whether Visit Indy tipped off the restaurant, but the manager invited us for a tour of the kitchen and associated bakery.

The bread is so good (and remember I'm a francophile who definitely knows her bread) that people began walking off the street just to buy it, so the owners decided to open a bakery adjoining the restaurant!

I can tell you, the biggest regret I have about the entire trip was not eating that bread. I'm going back to Indy post-diet just to eat a slice or five!

Foodies and those interested in culinary travel will be immensely satisfied in Indianapolis. The restaurant, bar, brewery, and distillery scene is growing like crazy attracting very talented chefs and new explorations of cuisines and ingredients that are right at any Midwesterner's fingertips.

And of course the rest of Indiana will not be beat. I told you they were competitive. There are 19 Food trails. Yes, 19.

Personally, I think the best way to celebrate reaching my weight loss goal (besides bread from Bluebeard!) will be hitting the pie trail! I’ll start with the sugar cream, Indiana’s state pie, and follow that up with a huge slice of apple! But hey, you can get started without me. Like maybe the Tenderloin Trail or the BBQ Trail, I'll let you decide, just hold the pie until I get there!

Extremely nice people, really good food (and drinks), great sports and activities, accessible, and approachable. All these things and more make Indianapolis an idyllic city for your first exploration of the Midwest or to inspire you to return for a second helping. It's an easy drive or flight from practically anywhere and I definitely recommend that you Visit Indy!

And of course, BlogHouse was brilliant. My creative well was running a bit dry and this experience invigorated me on the blog front. I was thrilled to connect with others who are trying to take their blog to the next level and beyond.

Thanks to the BlogHouse mentors Lisa Lubin, Amanda Williams, Keryn Means, Ryan Erwin, and Anne Lowrey for bringing their A-game and sharing it so generously! And thanks for selecting Indianapolis!

How about you? Have you been to Indianapolis (or perhaps a BlogHouse)? What was your favorite part, favorite meal, or favorite drink? Do share? Has my post inspired you to consider visiting Indianapolis? Do tell!

Check out what other BlogHouse bloggers had to say about the trip:

From Global Gaz: Indianapolis War Memorials

From The Kittchen: What to do in Indianapolis

From Walking on Travels: Steller Indianapolis Restaurants You Don’t Want to Miss and 5 Reasons YOU need to go to Indianapolis with kids

From 10 Miles Behind Me: The 10 Types of Travelers Who Should Visit Indianapolis and A Small Town Girl in Hendricks County and The Best of the Indiana Foodways in Lafayette-West Lafayette

From LL World Tour: Three Reasons to Visit Indianapolis

From Coleman Concierge: 10 Things You Can’t Miss in Indy and High Adventure in Hamilton County

From It's Five O'Clock Here: How to Fall in Love with Indianapolis in 10 Easy Steps

From Archives of Adventure: Indulging in Indy: A Self-Guided Indianapolis Sweets Tour

From Speck on the Globe: Eco Indy: Indiana’s Sustainable City and An Indianapolis Can’t Miss Weekend

From A Dangerous Business: 5 Reasons You Didn’t Know You Need to Go to Indianapolis

From The Traveling Spud: 9 Fun Things to Do in Indianapolis as a 20-Something

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, the 3 sponsors I mention above are conference sponsors, and I paid for my travel and accommodations.

Indianapolis is a wonderful state to road trip in! I recommend you head west and keep on going because Ohio is pretty awesome too!

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The post An Inspirational Trip to Idyllic Indianapolis appeared first on Misadventures with Andi.

But you know me. I am all about the food. We had really great meals throughout the weekend, but I wanted to highlight one meal in particular because it was exceptional.

I am not a huge fan of hotel restaurants. There are exceptions (hello Georges V…). So often they are over-priced, with rude staff (always dealing with non-locals) and the menu descriptions don't live up to their witty wording.

Spoke & Steele inside Le Meridien hotel (you know how I love my Starwood Hotels!) is one of the good guys. Absolutely stunning on the inside. Exceptionally friendly staff, clever cocktails, and food that will make you want to return to Indianapolis just for a meal.

They are a new restaurant, and if they are experiencing jitters, hiccups, or rookie mistakes, I did not catch anything awry. Service was impeccable, something that can get harry with a large group (something we experienced at other spots during our weekend), and the staff kept up with our every need.

We were welcomed with a custom made cocktail – instead of bottle service, we had barrel service in a Buick-branded barrel. “Down the barrel' was an extremely smooth mixture of white whiskey, sweet vermouth, Grand Marnier, Fernet Branca.

Generally speaking, I can only have 2-3 alcoholic drinks (inheriting a bit of my parent's alcohol intolerance has kept me out of a lot of trouble in my life!) but for some reason, I was able to drink nearly 4 of these without any negative impact.

As we toasted the evening a round of appetizers hit the beautiful wood table – a charcuterie plate made up of delicious meats and sausages, fruits, nuts and berries, and regional cheeses. I could have eaten this as a meal on my own and I suspect a couple would be highly satisfied with a bottle of wine and a charcuterie plate at the bar.

We also had meatloaf nubs. Still not quite sure what a nub is other than tasty.

Lastly was one of the stars of the evening, the Mormon Funeral Potatoes, a family recipe that the restaurant's chef Tyson Peterson brought with him. Based on comments on my Instagram feed, some people have dropped “funeral” in favor of Mormon Party Potatoes due to the sad connotation that comes with the word funeral. Whatever its name, I have never tasted anything like it and it was awesome!

You've got hash-browned potatoes, mushroom creme, baked in a skillet with pickled scallions – and then, then you add corn flakes? Brilliant! Creamy, salty, crunchy, I'll take it!

The menu at Spoke and Steel consists of small plates, of which we sampled the three, large plates, and simple protein plates. Simple proteins allow you to select meat choice and add any number of sides.

I split the 24-ounce Tomahawk steak with a fellow diner and then we shared Brussel sprouts and corn pudding. I had not had corn pudding in years and then just in the last two weeks I have had it twice! This version was exceptional, just the right amount of sweetness and a few whole kernels here and there.

There were 12 of us so we had the opportunity to sample many of the mains: a Wagyu beef hamburger, ahi tuna, a pork chop, and short ribs. Everyone unanimously agreed that it was the best meal of the weekend. I definitely have to agree!

We should have not had room for dessert but that didn't stop us! We ordered a trio of pots – chocolate, lemon, and salted caramel, plus a cheesecake to share. While we ate all the pots, we all agreed the cheesecake was the star of the dessert round. The chocolate pot de creme was not chocolatey enough, that needs to be worked on.

It was a very memorable meal, at a very memorable place, with very memorable people. I see big success for this new restaurant!

If you are heading to Indy, check out Spoke and Steele inside the Le Meridien Hotel located at 123 S Illinois Street in Indianapolis. Ask for Tory, she will treat you right! Follow them on Instagram (beware they will make you hungry) on Twitter or Facebook.

This meal was part of my NCAA weekend with the #ExperienceBuick project. Despite the fact that my meal was paid for, all opinions are my own. You know how serious I am about my food!

How about you? Got a favorite Indianapolis restaurant? Think you might check out Spoke & Steele on your next visit?

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The post Indianapolis Restaurant Highlight – Spoke & Steele appeared first on Misadventures with Andi.

This sponsored post is part of my ongoing project #ExperienceBuick. Throughout 2015, I will be experiencing Buick through a series of events and initiatives that reinforce what this American car manufacturer brand is all about. My trip to Indianapolis including all activities was paid for, but as ALWAYS, all opinions are my own.

According to the NCAA: All roads lead to Indy. After my experience, on this point, I have to agree!

I didn't know what to expect when I arrived in Indianapolis. The previous two days before I departed for the NCAA basketball semi-finals and championships were filled with stories and questions about boycotting Indiana due to the passage of their religious freedom law – one that allowed businesses to basically discriminate against the LGBT community.

Coming from San Francisco that was hardly something I could support so I was uncertain what my trip was going to be like. While the law has already been modified and there will be a fight to get it reversed/removed, I can tell you that the people of Indianapolis are welcoming, kind, and amazing.

Throughout the four days, I was there, wherever we went there were signs and buttons and personal demonstrations that attest to the fact that the people of the city welcome all.

As I mentioned previously, Buick, who is under the GM umbrella fully supports all families and provides full health benefits for same-sex couples. As I learn more and more about the company, this definitely comes as no surprise.

Buick has been a proud sponsor of the NCAA program for the last five years and gathers around events like the basketball tournament to teach people about the value of the Buick as a brand and introduce them to their line of vehicles. As Buick is a luxury brand, their focus is connecting with the large alumni demographic, which is the largest slice of tournament attendees.

Having gone to the semi-finals and finals I can attest to the strength of the alumni community – boy do they love their alma maters! And they teach the next generations to do the same!

The games were electrifying to watch and I was on the edge of my seat most of the time! I like a good game and didn't necessarily have a horse in the fight so I found myself rooting constantly for good plays, no matter who completed them!

I can't thank Buick enough for the experience of attending these games. I don't necessarily have a bucket list of things I want to do in my life, but this goes down as another amazing experience. I have been blessed to attend the Grammy's rehearsals, watch the Oscars red carpet, and interview celebrities. I have attended a World Series game, seen an NBA tournament game, a football playoff game, and now this.

Besides the incredible games, we had the opportunity to visit a locker room, and the media room, and play on the court – we even got to touch the championship trophy!

An essential part of the success of this weekend was the people. Buick has brought together an AMAZING group of bloggers and I can tell you that some deep friendships have begun to form. And the Buick team is fantastic, everyone I meet is awesome!

When it comes down to it, life is a collection of moments, of experiences and I have begun to understand why and how Buick wants to make car driving an experience as well. We spend so much time in our cars they begin to feel a part of us, and I can tell with the amount of time people spend in their cars in California, you want it to be an experience!

I was driven around throughout the weekend in various Buick models, but I have yet to drive one myself. I will be taking out at least two models during 2015 and will be sharing my thoughts on my own experiences with Buick.

Thank you to all the restaurants that served us incredible meals!

Everyone sees life in a different shade, so here are posts from fellow Buick Bloggers, check out what they have to say:

my #thatsabuick moments at the final four from Lois of Midlife at the Oasis
Beer, Basketball, and Buick: Welcome to the Final Four in Indianapolis from Nyssa at The Cultureur
Experience Buick NCAA Championship Weekend from Mike at GottaHaveGadget.
Style & Times: NCAA Final Four with Buick from Maro of The Apparatus Mag
Road Trip: Indianapolis Final Four from Laurie Leopold of Clementine Daily

How about you? Have you been to Indy? What was your favorite part? How about a basketball tournament? Have any stories to tell?

The post All Roads Lead to Indy with #ExperienceBuick appeared first on Misadventures with Andi.

But when I get an opportunity to go to a game or games, like I recently did when I headed to Phoenix for spring training, I definitely take advantage of it and soak up every ounce of enjoyment!

That is why the last couple of weeks my excitement is practically visible palpitating as vibration under my skin…

I am heading to the NCAA Final Four and the Championship in Indianapolis!!!!! [That's college basketball for anyone who needs a translation.]

That's not me in the photo above (it's Marcy Kellar doing a jump in front of the NCAA Headquarters), but that IS totally how I feel about heading to Indy!

The #ExperienceBuick bloggers are gathering once again to celebrate the brand, the business, and the experience of Buick. Buick has been a proud sponsor of NCAA college sports for years.

For me, it is an opportunity to visit a new city, one that I have actually wanted to visit for quite a while. It is for purely nostalgic reasons, but what can I say? I have worked in the corporate world for over 25 years and my first office job was at the age of 19. I was hired by my [now] best friend to work 20 hours a week and I loved it.

I loved everything about corporate life and very quickly moved from part-time to full-time. The company was headquartered in Indianapolis and from that time I have wanted to visit the city where some of the first executives I was exposed to came from.

And now here we are! An impending trip to Indy and a weekend full of basketball with a new group of friends. I will be online (of course!) reporting throughout the weekend [mainly] on Instagram and Twitter so be sure to follow along and look for the #mwa_ncaa, #mwa_indy, and #experiencebuick hashtags.

If you are checking out the games during office hours, Buick has brought back their “Boss Button” which allows you to very quickly change your computer screen to a definitely-not-basketball-related presentation!

Go to the NCAA Live website to watch the games and activate your Boss Button when needed!

And what is March Madness without a little external competition? The #BuickExperience bloggers are competing in our own bracket competition where things are heating up! I am absolutely not going to brag (and with a serious knock on wood) look who is in the first place (for the moment)!

In addition to seeing all the college hot shots making some, well….hot shots, Buick is hosting a bracket challenge of their own with 16 skilled basketball fans showing off their own sweet trick-shot skills. Their bracket challenge is live on the Buick.com website.  Each week, website viewers vote on their favorite trick shot from the match-ups – and each week trick shots will be eliminated until they have a winner.

How about you? Are you watching the games? Will you be checking out the finals? Have you been to Indianapolis? Have any tips?

This post was written in conjunction with the #ExperienceBuick project I am participating in with Buick throughout 2015. Despite the compensation, all opinions – as always, are my own.

The post NCAA Finals with #ExperienceBuick appeared first on Misadventures with Andi.

After an amazing first day getting to know Detroit a little better I was raring to go for day 2! We regrouped bright and early to head to a very special place for breakfast. Our day would be book-ended at the vibrant Eastern Market, a six-block public market that has been open since 1891. It is the largest open-air market in the United States. Close to 50,000 people flow through every Saturday even in the middle of the winter!

Thankfully, we weren't eating breakfast outdoors! Instead, we headed to an amazing letterpress studio called Salt & Cedar, located in a converted abattoir for poultry in the market. Not only is it a letterpress studio, but it is also a gallery (with works by co-owner Leon Johnson, an awarding-winning artist as well as others), a pop-up cinema, and food events space where they use fresh ingredients from Eastern Market. They also offer workshops on bookbinding (and more) which is why we were visiting.

We were greeted by Leon's wife and co-owner, Megan O'Connell also an internationally-recognized artist, designer, and teacher as well as their son, Leander who immediately served us a welcome drink called Part & Parcel using Detroit City Distillery spirits (they happen to be Salt & Cedar's neighbor!). The studio is absolutely stunning and we all tried to capture it in photos but the beautiful ambient lighting, the sheer volume of items in the room made it was impossible to capture in its entirety. I have one photo from a new friend I met on the trip, Stella B, a blogger for the online magazine Clementine Daily.

Any photo really can't do the room justice! It is dark and wonderfully homey in there. And the meal we were served was deliciously comforting. Fresh ingredients went into the creation of a wonderful frittata, several salads, a sweet potato hash, and warm crusty bread. I was in seven heaven! Bellies full and heads slightly buzzing from mimosas and ‘part and parcels,' the table was cleared and Leon took over. We spent the next hour or so creating our own monastery journals.

I was completely fascinated by the process, not the actual tactile creation of my own journal, I suck at this type of thing, but the history that Leon shared about every piece and part of what went into the creation of a book. I could have listened to him for hours. Happily, there is an all-day workshop to do book-binding that Salt & Cedar offers and I would absolutely love to do that just to hear more!

As I said the room was very dark, but I found a great photo of Leon and his son that basically mimics our set-up:

Megan had prepared beautiful paper and lint covers, we each had a board to work on with a brick, glue, and thread and needle. We followed Leon's instructions and in the end, we all had our own journals to take out into the world to fill with whatever our heart's desire. Here's mine. I had had it sitting on the top of our wine fridge. When I grab a glass of wine and look out the back window I think about how I am going to do this little journal justice, what secrets will it hold, what dreams will it carry…

We said a fond farewell to Leon and Megan and headed back to Canfield Road to do a little shopping at a few local spots like Shinola, RUNDetroit, and City Bird. We had a quick lunch plus ice cream – yep, I know it was January in Detroit, but when you are sitting in the state's smallest dairy, you can't miss out! We then headed back to our hotel for a few hours of rest before the big event in the evening.

We would be attending the unveiling of Buick's newest car, the Cascada, the first convertible to be made by Buick in 25 years! There would be other surprises that evening as well and we all wanted to relax before the festivities began.

So why Buick?

Honestly, when they first reached out to me, that was my very question. My first car at age seventeen was American but I have never owned an American car since (although it turns out the Opel Zafira I had when I worked in Switzerland was a General Motors car!). American cars have never really been on my radar, my bias has been to foreign cars, my perception is that they are more reliable. I think that many people have had the same impression over the years and as a result the American car industry definitely experienced a decline, and Detroit along with it.

But American cars are back. I have seen some really nice models on the road and I have my eye on what they are doing in terms of hybrids and electric vehicles.

In truth, Buick also made it on my radar with some of their recent marketing campaigns. I am a marketer by profession, so I can't help myself. I love the “that's not a Buick” commercials.

It's great because now all the hashtags on social are #ThatsABuick! But the campaign that really caught my attention was the “blue hair” ads! I love them!

The ads turned what people think of Buick on its head! It takes guts and I like that. Much like Detroit's revival, Buick is going through its own renaissance. I can't say I have all the dots connected yet on what that means, but that is the purpose of this project over the next year, to understand where Buick is headed and why I (and you) should care. It is a quest I am looking forward to undertaking.

So many great brands have lifted themselves out of the ashes and I want to see American car companies do well so I don't have to buy a foreign car. If you have been reading this blog for any length of time you know how important buying local is to me. I would like to put my money where my mouth is for my next vehicle as well.

After a brief respite in the hotel, we all got fancied up and headed back to the Eastern Market. The evening's event was held in Shed 3, one of the indoor venues which they rent out for events. It was wonderfully industrial and a great space. It was perfect for making the cars the stars of the show!

Ahead of the unveiling, we got to sit down with Duncan Aldred, the U.S. Vice President of Buick-GMC. Mr. Aldred shared his own journey to Detroit: he came to visit for the first time last January when the city was experiencing snowpocalypse, he jokingly said he almost didn't come back. In all seriousness, he did come back and the Buick did really well last year. They had 11% growth, gained market share, and continued the tradition of their design which they are well known for. He indicated that Buick has earned the right to build the Cascada and he is really excited to see it flourish.

After meeting Mr. Aldred we also met Ed Walburn, Head of Design who spoke about the design process and the Buick brand's attributes: premium, contemporary, inspired by fashion and consumer products. He spoke about the great heritage that Buick but that they don't “do retro.” They are looking to elicit an emotional response. He was really excited for the reveal which he said was like theater. It was clear that the entire Buick team was excited about the unveiling. The previous year they didn't unveil any new models. The Buick team was also keeping another big secret that we would later learn about in a most dramatic way.

It was time for the unveiling! The CEO of GM, Mary Barra, entered the room. She is a pretty big deal. She is the first female CEO of a major global automaker and the only female CEO of a Fortune 10 company – seriously, you go girl!

Mr. Aldred was introduced and brought on stage to speak about Buick's growth and its future and then he unveiled the Cascada, a beautiful new convertible whose top goes down in 17 seconds at up to 31 mph. I think it is pretty sleek looking!

Then came an even bigger surprise! Mark Reuss, the Executive Vice President of Global Product Development took the stage. He proudly announced the curveball of the evening…a brand new concept car, the Avenir! Mr. Reuss brought Mr. Walburn up to talk about the design of this new concept, but I didn't hear much, I was caught up in staring at this gorgeous vehicle.

The Frenchie in me was loving the name (Avenir means future) and that's exactly what I felt like I was looking at, the future of beautifully designed American cars.

I did not realize until the next day how truly rare a concept car is. The next morning when we headed out [very early] to the North American International Auto Show I spent some time with some lovely Buick folks (along with my new best friend Lois). I learned that Buick has a long history of concept cars, in fact, they launched the very first one called the Buick Y-Job in 1938, but it has been nearly ten years since the Riviera reprisal concept in 2007.

So, it was all very exciting!

Just as I was soaking in the sleek design of the Avenir, beautiful voices coming from the audience distracted me. First one, then another, then another. Until there were ten. Officially ten that is.

This outstanding acapella group was the first runner-up from Season 4 of The Sing-Off. I can honestly say I haven't seen the show, but Officially Ten? I'm hooked! They are pretty amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed the set they sang to close the evening out.

The next morning I visited the car show which was fun, but tiny after many years of working the CES show in Las Vegas. All too quickly I was back on a plane heading to [a much warmer] San Francisco. During my flight, I had plenty of time to reflect on my weekend.

I am convinced that Detroit is going through a major transformation, one I am excited to keep my eye on, and for the first time in a very long time, there is a shimmer of hope for the future of American cars. I want to learn more, see more from Buick to understand the depth of their renaissance, but from what I have seen thus far, it looks like it is going to be a great year.

Thank you Buick for inviting me to be part of the Buick Bloggers and for sponsoring my trip to Detroit. Despite the compensation, all opinions – as always, are my own.

How about you? What are your experiences with the Buick brand? American cars? And Detroit! Have you ever create your own letterpress journal? Do tell!

The post Detroit and Buick: A Renaissance For All, Part 2 appeared first on Misadventures with Andi.

And I keep saying, “come in” or “do you have more than a minute? I can't tell you about it until you do. There is so much to say.”

The response: “About Detroit??”

Yes.

Detroit.

They haven't seen what I saw.

A glimmer of greatness. A peek into the passion, no the groundswell, that is eloping this once downtrodden city and turning into a mecca of where-you-want-to-be.

Yes. Detroit.

Detroit is going through an amazing metamorphosis. A renaissance of sort. And thanks to people like Jeanette and Jon of Detroit Experience Factory; Natasha and Andy of Selden Standard, Megan and Leon of Salt & Cedar, I see Detroit in a whole new light.

I can honestly say that Detroit has never been high on my list of places to visit. Or rather anywhere on the list.

I can honestly say that I was really, really wrong.

This is the Detroit most people think of or think they know.

Or this is what they remember it as.

That Detroit is gone. And in its place is one of the most explosive places I have seen in my lifetime. And I am not the only one. People are flocking to Detroit to be a part of what is going on in this reformation, an American revival. Architects, designers, urban planners, chefs, artists, and entrepreneurs are stoking the fire that is the new Detroit.

You see? I cannot say that passing by someone in the hallway. Thank God I have this blog! It took me 349 words to say that, I haven't even got started!

I have to thank Buick for being the impetus for my weekend trip to the Motor City. Don't worry, I am not going to start hawking cars. But I am participating in the #ExperienceBuick Project over the next year. A project where I will be taking a journey to learn more about what the Buick brand is and where it's going.

Buick invited me along with about a dozen other digital influencers to Detroit. The weekend was intended for us to learn more about Detroit, to get introduced to the Buick brand and attend the 2015 NAIAS (North American International Auto Show).

So now that you get a sense of just how inspiring this weekend was, let me tell you about what I did, what I ate, what I saw and who I met.

I want to get one thing out of the way. It was cold. I was colder than I had been in a decade when Mr. Misadventures lived at the base of the Jura Mountains in France. Without the wind, the cold is bearable. It was cold and a little snowy on Sunday and Monday, so it was crisp and chilly. But Saturday. Saturday was cold because, with the wind, the chill factor was kind of crazy. Luckily we spent hardly any time outside, so it was for a few minutes at a time (or less). Even at my coldest moments I barely cared as I was so engrossed in what was going on around me.

Saturday morning I met the other peeps in my group, people I will be seeing every couple of months throughout the next year. We introduced ourselves and prepared to leave for our all-day tour with Jeanette of Detroit Experience Factory. I am not a religious person, but if I was to anoint someone the patron saint of Detroit, I am electing Jeanette. You see this smile:

It's permanent. And her energy and enthusiasm is infectious. And she talks fast, which I love because so do I, but mainly because there is so much to say! She is so completely versed on what is going on in Detroit you can ask her anything. She knows what the latest restaurants are and keeps updating a pdf that lists hundreds of restaurants, many of which have just popped up – for instance, there were 15 openings in December and she says there are 15 more in January! This place is exploding.

There are many urban prairies, that much has been documented by the same people who only talk about the building porn, but these prairies support over 600 community gardens, a great place for chefs to do some urban foraging for their kitchens. As it is, there is such a massive variety of farms in Michigan, that eating seasonally is exciting. We had great beet salads and kale wherever we went. Who says only Californians love beets?!

Back to Jeanette who served as our guide for the day. We started at the Taubman Campus of the College for Creative Studies where we met up with two of Buick's designers, Colin and Ali, both graduates of the school who also teach there. This design school is something else. People can attend from Middle School (yes, Middle School!) through Masters!

It is one of the best schools in the world for design, not only for transportation (or automotive) which of course makes sense with all of the companies that are in Detroit but also for product and clothing design. Companies like Nike and Motorola and many others either open up many studios inside the school or sponsor projects with the students and we got to see the amazing work going on there.

We also visited the auto design area where we met up with a student who had won an online competition and was designing a car for Volkswagen. Young-Joon Suh was modeling his car with clay. Clay is still an important aspect of automobile design. First, it is drawn then modeled in clay where the designer can see it in 3D and get a sense of every aspect of its shape and movement. Once complete, the student has to spend about 50-60 hours sanding it! They add primer, wait 24 hours and repeat the process, it's incredible.

There are a lot of cool aspects of the school we didn't get to see as it was the weekend, but one thing I definitely want to go back to see is the elevator to the rooftop where they move cars up to so that they can be seen in 100% natural light. Plus, there's a great view of the city! I'll be back!

From the school, we went to check out Shinola. I had never heard of this retail brand and was impressed by their story. The founders of Shinola chose Detroit to set-up shop and create an American watch-making business where everything is made on-sight. Besides watches, they also make bikes and leather goods.

The headquarters and watch factory are inside the College for Creative Studies (CCS) on the fifth floor of the building we had visited. We visited the retail store (and coffee house) on Canfield Road.

We spoke with the Bridget who leads Marketing and she told us a little more about their history and products. I fell in love with their watches and of course picked up one of their notebooks, it is just like a Moleskine, but it is American made which I really like!

It was also fun to see San Francisco's Dandelion chocolate in-shop as well – go SF!

Next up was Z Lot, a parking garage and art gallery. Yes, I wrote those two things side-by-side! Think about how many ugly parking garages there are in the world. Don't they make the perfect canvas for artists? Well, that is exactly what the folks from Z Lot led by Matt Eaton and a few others did with the 10-story parking structure in midtown Detroit.

Twenty-seven artists rotate through, each with a 130-feet of space to express themselves on. We visited a couple of floors, but this is when the wind chill factor diminished my enthusiasm a bit and I only took a few shots!

The alley next to the parking structure had beautiful works as well.

To warm ourselves up, we visited the interior of a very special building. According to Jeanette, most locals aren't even aware of it. The Guardian skyscraper (500 Griswold Street) is located in the Financial District (which I found interesting since I work in San Francisco's FiDi) and is a perfectly preserved example of opulence, vintage art deco and acoustic design that just quite simply stops you in your tracks. It took 7 months to make and cost 12 million dollars – hello Bay Bridge builders, what was your problem??!!

There is a coffee shop and a Motor City Detroit sweets and treats shop along with a bank that is using the space of the original Union Trust bank.

Seeing Detroit in all its glory worked up a thirst so we headed to the Two James Distillery for a cocktail and tasting of their spirits. Being so close to the Canadian border, Detroit has a long history with alcohol that stems back from the Prohibition. Several distilleries have opened up recently and are making small batch whiskeys, bourbons and vodkas. The great thing about it is that folks like the Two James team are leveraging that history in their naming and labeling. And wow, is it good tasting stuff!

Being a lightweight, I knew I could only have one drink so I studied the menu extensively and finally settled on the “24 hours from Tulsa” with Rye dog whiskey, ginger syrup, fresh lemon and orange blossom water. We were invited back into the distillery where we learned about the distilling process and tasted several of their offerings, ending with an yet-to-be-released Absinthe that was delicious.

I set my glass on one of their aging barrels and noticed that it was from Madeira, which is the island in Portugal where my grandfather immigrated to America from!

Bellies properly warmed up, it was time for an evening meal at the brand new Selden Standard. Opened for only two months, there was already a two and one-half hour wait to get in. Thankfully as a group we utilized the private dining room and enjoyed a wonderful communal meal of seasonal foods prepared by chef Andy Hollyday. Andy, who formerly worked for Michael Symon, is inspired by travels with his soon-to-be wife, Natasha.

Like this pizza oven made in the region which they spotted at a restaurant in Portland.

That same oven was used to prepare my favorite dish of the night, a grilled trout. I spoke with Andy and Natasha (I actually begged to go back to the kitchen as I wanted to take some food photos and it was so darn dark in the restaurant I couldn't see anything!) and they are genuine down-to-earth food lovers who are excited to launch their new restaurant in Detroit and to support farmers from the region. Bravo!

Can't end the evening without a nightcap! So we visited the Whitney Mansion for a drink in the Ghost Bar. The mansion is now a fine dining restaurant that also boasts a bar that is haunted. We braved the stories to enjoy a last drink before retiring for the evening.

I had spent an entire day being introduced to Detroit and I was hungry for more! I know the song is “Georgia on my mind,” but that evening as the head hit the pillow, it was literally Detroit on my mind.

Thankfully there was still DAY TWO to come!

How about you? Have you been to Detroit before? What were your impressions? If not, have I inspired you to think about visiting Detroit? Do tell!

The post Detroit: An American Revival, Part 1 appeared first on Misadventures with Andi.