Travel // Detroit, MI
The first response I got, almost every time after I excitedly told a friend I’d be visiting Detroit, MI, for a job was, “What’s out there? It’s not the safest place, don’t go out at night or walk anywhere by yourself.” For some reason, that didn’t scare me. What scared me was when my brother told me how cold it’d be out there during January. I guess I’m spoiled by our L.A. weather.
I knew nothing about Detroit when I arrived, but I fell in love with it by the end of the day (I was there for a day only). It’s certainly sad to see a city in decay, but it’s so beautiful to find how passionate the people are for their city. Everyone there was so nice. So nice. They were eager to share their stories, their favorite places I should check out, the history behind an architecture… It’s also beautiful to see new lives in Detroit – cafes, restaurants and shops.
I got up at dawn, drove around in and out of the city for a bit. I have read about a coffee shop, Chez Zara, with really good nutella latte, so I had to stop by. Now, don’t scream “WHAT?!” at me, but I am not a fan of nutella. However, this drink was quite good. It was creamy and smooth, very comforting for a cold morning. By 9am, my client took me to Avalon International Breads for breakfast. I chose sticky bun, which was huge and not too sweet. For the next few hours my client showed me around town, visited Eastern Market, Michigan Central Station, The Detroit Mercantile Co., Great Lakes Coffee, Guardian Building… For lunch, we went to Slows Bar-B-Q. mmm… Pulled Pork…
After work (thanks to a tweet from Molly), I went to visit Signal Return, a letterpress print shop/workshop. The shop was closed that day, but Joel was so nice to let me in and showed me around. The space was amazing! If only L.A. has something similar. After I finished shooting the space, Joel took time out and took me to Belle Isle, an island park in the Detroit River. My favorite spots there are the aquarium and the conservatory. Sadly, they were closed by the time we got there. :(
Overall, Detroit reminds me a lot of Portland, I would definitely visit again. And I think the city deserves a second chance and to be seen with fresh eyes because it is going toward a new and very good direction.
Chez Zara
1555 Broadway
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 962-9272
Avalon International Breads
422 W Willis St
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 832-0008
Great Lakes Coffee
3965 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 831-9627
The Detroit Mercantile Co.
3434 Russell, Unit 109
Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 831-9000
Signal Return
1345 Division St., Ste 102
Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 567-8970
Belle Isle
6925 E Jefferson Ave
Detroit, MI 48218
(313) 628-2081
Loved spending the day with you Bonnie! Can’t wait to do it again!
So enjoyed that day Bonne, thanks. Talk soon.
My family is all from Detroit. It brought joy to see the love you found for my summer childhood memories. Thanks for sharing what you saw.
With a little spit-shine and elbow grease, you’ve shown us the charm and character of such an interesting city. So nice.
Beautiful photos. Thank you for seeing Detroit how we see it and focusing on the people, not the decay. You covered a lot in just a day!
Beautiful! I just love the way you see and show things. You and your work is so inspiring to me, thank you for sharing.
Beautiful images. You really captured the heart & soul of the city.
Beautifully real photographs.
gorgeous photos, as always Bonnie! really love that first black and white shot, and the photo of the piano is so lovely.
Oh, wow. Soo much wonderful imagery of the city! I have never been so I really enjoyed this. I especially loved the coffee shops & cafes you went to. :)
Gorgeous, Bonnie. It’s been years since I’ve been to Detroit, but you captured it much as I remember it. I’ve always thought of Detroit as the most depressed city in the country, but it looks like it’s starting to blossom again! xo
Beautiful photos, thank you for sharing
These pictures are beautiful! I have never visited Detroit, but loved getting a sense of it through these photographs.
Lovely! It’s so great to see places I know and love in your blog post. Good choice on the Avalon sticky bun! Did you get it heated up? They are the best when gooey and warm.
Oh. My. Goodness. These are amazing.
Only in one day you created these beautiful images. Breath taking.
I live across the border in London, Ontario, Canada (a two hour drive from Detroit) and I have yet to visit Detroit. You have sold me! It looks like an interesting place to explore!
Beautiful Captures! !!
Your work is just so full of life. .. Every pic is so alive
A nice, honest, and balanced photo essay of my home town depiciting the people as well as the city scapes. And thanks for not doing yet another offering of “ruin porn”.
Thanks so much for showing the love to my hometown – this was a pleasure to see!
Such lovely photographs! Great use of that gorgeous winter light – well done. I went to see a Tigers game in Detroit in the summer of 1990 when I was a teenager visiting from Ireland and all I saw of the city was from the back of the old Cadillac I was a passenger in. Your shots make me yearn to visit again.
Beautiful pictures. This makes me want to cross the ocean and discover another side of the US. A trip to a less-common-place-to-take-a-citytrip to… Thanks for the insight
Love the photos. I lived in Detroit for a couple of years and so enjoyed many aspects of it (I could NOT handle the winter and winter driving… stressed me out!). The farmers market – especially in the summer at its height – is one of the most fun experiences and best farmers markets I have encountered to date in the U.S. The atmosphere, food and specialty shops are uniquely Detroit, in a very good way.
Bonnie, these photographs are simply amazing. Detroit has so much potential… I often think of moving back. Thank you for sharing.
Detroit is a beautiful city with such great history and character! I too fell in love with the city, and the whole state of Michigan for that matter, the first time I visited. There is no other place like it and I can’t wait to move there! Thank you for the pictures and for portraying the city in the way that it deserves. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself while you were visiting!
Bonnie. Your photographs are absolutely beautiful. My family is from Detroit. I don’t get back there often enough. Thank you for showing the world a little bit of its character.
Amazing Bonnie, you are so talented, but more than that you capture the flavour of a place. Detroit is on my one day list.
Your photographs are stunning!
These are such beautiful images! What camera do you use?
Thanks for showcasing our little shop – The Detroit Mercantile Co – like most Detroiters, we love showing off our city to visitors. Hope to see you back soon
Very, very nice. My favorite batch yet – the photos, not necessarily the food in them… although that looked tantalizing as well.
ciao! great shots.
thebestdressup
This honestly just brought tears to my eyes, to read the wonderful things you wrote about my hometown. It kills me that a lot of people write this place off without even giving it a chance, and you did just the opposite! Beautiful photos, and beautiful words. Thank you, Bonnie!
Wow! These photographs are so mind blowing.
Your photos of this City are moving. Thank you
I love seeing these photos! My husband is in Detroit for work this week, and I keep getting him to text me pictures because I’m so curious about what it’s like. You captured the city so well here, and it makes me want to visit.
I live in France. I’ll probably never go to Detroit, but thanks to your pictures I can imagine this city. Thank you for this travel, all your pics are beautiful !