Progressing in the Detroit Direction

Since coming to college, I've turned into what some might call a "foodie." 

Fine. I admit it. I'm a ... foodie. 

Whew! It feels sooooo good to get that off my chest! 

I love trying new food and eating anything international really floats by boat.

Now, if you hadn't noticed, food has become a necessity when it comes to these blog posts. In fact, on some posts the food has practically taken over the entire purpose of the post...but it looks so yummy, right? ...so it's totally fine.

Anyways, my weekend trip to Detroit was no exception to this food-lovin rule. For those of you that don't know your Detroit history (shame on you!), a town called Dearborn is just west of the city and is home to the largest Muslim population outside of the Middle East. Therefore, there is an abundance of Middle Eastern cuisine to choose from at all times, along with practically any other kind of food you could ever possibly desire.

You name it, Detroit has it. Greek, Mediterranean, Chinese, American, Italian, it's basically the best city for food, in my opinion (apart from NYC of course). 

Because of that, I was determined to try as many different foods as possible, and like always, those foods were immediately Instagram-ed out to the world. 

My friends, Dan and Emily, and I arrived in the motor city after 11pm, just in time for a late night meal.

Meal #1: A turkey pita and fries at Leo's Coney Island.

Quickly, let's step away from the food for a minute...

(believe me, we'll get back to it before you know it)

But I'd like to stop and take a minute to recognize the adorable animals that I came in contact with in Detroit. First, there were the two cutest and orneriest kittens ever: Franklin and Maggie.

Kitty licks!!

Then there was Herbert the puggle, who also happened to like to take selfies.

Okay, back to the food. 

The first full day I was in Detroit we had Bastone's Brewery for lunch. 

And looking back on my meal now, I'm practically drooling...it was sooo delicious.

I savored this lobster salad sandwich. Not to mention, they bring you a pickle with it!!! And on top of it all, they serve this amazing mayonnaise dipping sauce to go with your fries. It may not have been the healthiest meal, but there was no complaining on my part.

That evening, we enjoyed some good old-fashioned Detroit pizza.

Deep dish, lots of marinara sauce, and square-shaped!

The next day, we delighted in a Mediterranean meal. 

Stuffed grape leaves, hummus, and tabouli.

Finished with a piece of baklava for dessert.

Lastly, we completed our trip with lots of shopping! Because duh, I couldn't go to a city without checking out the best they have to offer in the retail therapy department. 

Detroit certainly didn't disappoint, with several large malls to choose from including designers, outlets, and everything in between. 

The Somerset Mall in the suburb Troy, outside of Detroit.

 Also while in Detroit, I was able to visit the home of my summer internship, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

To learn more, click here. 

The museum itself is beautiful and it's very close to the public library, the Detroit Institute of Art, and the Michigan Science Center. 

This is definitely going to be a wonderful summer experience filled with culture, research, learning, music, food, and fun!

On the last night of our trip, we decided to get Chinese takeout. After we finished eating, my fortune read, "The current year will bring you much happiness." 

Seeing as how this past year has already been so wonderful and knowing my plans for the upcoming year, I can only hope that this fortune is right! 

I'll officially be back in Detroit in June for the start of my research and archives internship. See you soon, Detroit!