Urban Prairie Exploration

So the other day I drove down to Royal Oak for my monthly "Jake-time". Jake and I were roommates back in '99-'00, when we were both first-time seniors at MSU (I made it through school with two senior years, Jake three). Jake and I have a ton of common interests and projects, and even though our minds work in entirely different ways, we always make a point to get together and hang out at least once a month. This trip was supposed to be about getting out in Hamtramck to hear some techno at a sorta underground coffeehouse/bar called Trowbridge House of Coffee, or THC. A group of twenty-something techno fans have put themselves together as producers, and the outfit is called Proper Modulation. A little bit pretentious, but otherwise, good stuff.

So after our techno night, we decided to cruise around Detroit the next day, and test out my new camera. We started downtown on the riverfront near the Renaissance Center - not too interesting. We then headed over to Corktown to check out Tiger Stadium - or at least what's left of it. On the way over, we stopped at Michigan Central Station and as we stood there gawking at the once-magnificent building, Jake said something about how the Detroit scene reminds him of a post-apocalyptic world. We eventually made our way up Trumbull to the New Center and east towards GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly. It was in this area of the city that I was truly amazed. Witnessing first-hand the emptiness of enormous warehouses and decaying manufacturing facilities, coupled with the edgy graffiti art and urban sculture was enough to make my weekend trip worthwhile.