Michigan, oh Michigan, how I love thee. As I get closer and closer to moving away from my home state, my love for it continues to grow. Once upon a time, if you would have asked me where I would prefer to live, my answer would've been, "Anywhere but Michigan." But now my answer would completely change. The mitten state is not only where I was born and raised, it is also where I have learned more about myself and my history, where I have met some of the greatest people, and where I will always have roots. This state is beautiful. We have The Great Lakes, Mackinaw Island, the city that embodies Christmas year round, and delicious cherries!
Yes, Michigan's weather is confusing (what do you want? two or four seasons, man, make up your mind already!). Yes, there are things about Michigan that I'd change if I could. But there is nothing that makes me happier than saying that I am a Michigander (and better yet, a Detroiter). I'll say it loud and proud.
There are a lot of itineraries floating around when it comes to visiting cities in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula (UP). You'll find some for Munising, Grand Rapids, Mackinaw, and Houghton. I highly recommend that you check those cities out; you'll find amazing waterfalls, historical sites, camping sites, lighthouses, and more. It's a real sight to see. But there is another side of the state that is commonly forgotten about when writing about places to visit during a trip to Michigan (unless you're a huge sports fan). I'm talking about cities like Detroit, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Royal Oak, Farmington, Frankenmuth, and Lansing. So, because of the lack of guides for places such as these, I figured I would share with you all where I would take you if you were to visit Michigan. Here's my guide for Detroit, which was named #9 on the New York Times' list of places to visit in 2017. (Watch out for future guides for Metro Detroit cities!)
Detroit Riverwalk
I would take you to the Riverwalk in Downtown Detroit. It provides the perfect view of Windsor, Ontario; during the summer months, you will see a carnival, fireworks at times, and a beautiful skyline, which is pretty nice. I mean, how many other places in America can you see what's happening over in Canada while still in the US? Very few. Aside from the gorgeous view of Canada and the Detroit River, there are tons of shops, restaurants, bars, and museums nearby. The Renaissance Center (General Motor's headquarter) is also right behind the boardwalk, so it's very convenient if you have to use the restroom, are hungry (there is an entire food court available as well as some more expensive dining choices), or want to meet with Santa during the holiday season.
There are also a ton of festivals and events going on at the Riverwalk. It's really fun! There is always live music, the Detroit Princess to ride, water jetting out of the sidewalk, sometimes booths (like during a culture festival), and during RiverDays, there are boats to climb on, carnival rides, fireworks, and Husky dogs (Winter Blast). Depending on what time of year it is, Downtown Detroit provides an abundance of activities to participate in. So, if you are planning on coming to Michigan, do some research and take your pick!
Mexican Town
I love Mexican Town! This area is full of delicious food and an entirely different culture than the one found primarily in Detroit and its metropolitan areas. The part that I'd like to dwell on is the food, though. Trust. Me. If you come to Michigan, please do yourself a favor and visit Mexican Town. When you go there, I highly recommend Xochimilco as your first restaurant to eat at. It is my favorite restaurant, and I am putting it against all other restaurants, whether it's American, Chinese, Italian, or Greek. I highly recommend that you eat a bunch of their free chips and spicy salsa, and then buy the beef burritos with cheese on top and double rice. As for drinks, because I am a minor I stick to the Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri, which I absolutely love.
After you leave Xochimilco, make your way down one block (by foot) and taste your way through La Gloria Bakery. They have delicious bread and little treats that you do not want to miss out on. Yum. Then, and I apologize for having you walk so much, walk back down a block and to the antique shop next to Xochi's (Xochi's Mexican Imports). GO IN THERE. You will be able to find some really cute and unique Mexican antiques.
Now - and this is if you would like the genuine Mexican and not Americanized food that Mexican Town can provide - drive to Mexican Town bakery on Vernor's Hwy (a street over from Xochi's) and eat one of their sweets. You'll thank me. I ordered my cake from them for my 16th birthday, and I honestly had never had a cake so delicious. And if you get hungry again, try one of the most authentic and delicious Mexican restaurants down there: Taqueria El Rey. Their chicken tacos are a God-send! Plus, their tacos start at only $1.50 (corn shell - highly recommended over flour); however, they are cash-only!
Greek Town
While you are here, you definitely need to go to Astoria Pastry Shop (also available in Royal Oak, but this one is the first and best) and Pizza Papalis. They are both on the same block, so it'll be really easy to hop from one to the other (NO EXCUSES). The best order is probably Pizza Papalis and then Astoria's because the latter is a desert shop. At Pizza Papalis, I always order their lasagna with extra cheese and sauce; my sister orders their pizza, which, I cannot deny, is mouthwateringly delicious.
After you leave Pizza Papalis, head on over to your right and into the doors of Astoria, a Michigan-based pastry shop. They sell treats like Baklava, Macaroons, Danishes, Cupcakes, Cannolis, and Cookies. (Menu- note that not everything is available) Whenever I go, I head straight towards the Nutella Macaroons. Oh god. Imagine taking a bite and having your eyes roll to the back of your head from the savory taste. I'm telling you, buy that darn macaroon. You can thank me later.
The DeQuindre Cut
If you are into photography like me, then this will be your urban heaven! The DeQuindre Cut is a 1.15-mile area that is popular among photographers in the city. There are walls full of graffiti, bicycle paths, and space for the casual jogger/pedestrian. You will also find little work-out areas throughout the cut as well as some lovely greenery.
Prioritizing and keeping myself focused and on track used to be one of the most challenging things for me to do. I would get distracted by social media, television, blogs, music, and pretty much anything else. But sometime over the last two years, something in me changed. I began to organize my tasks and schedule better; I began to keep track of the most important dates and events. Instead of feeling like every little thing was attacking me at once, I began to feel like my life was in order.
Obviously, in order for all of this to happen, I had to make some changes in my life and daily schedule. I started to implement activities and organization tactics to aid me in staying organized. Below, I am sharing some of the best ways that I have prioritized certain happenings in my life and stayed focused. What are some of the best ways that you keep your life in order?
Use A Calendar
While I am more into having a calendar that is easily accessible on all of my technology, I cannot deny the great pleasure of physical calendars. I used one while I was in Germany, and I recently purchased a new one from Five Below that I am super excited to use during the school year! But since I am only now getting into using a physical calendar, let me focus on what I am a pro at using: online and mobile calendars! One of the first ones that I have ever loved was Sunrise.It was easy to integrate my Google, iTunes, and any additional accounts into one, large calendar. All of my events, deadlines, and reminders were able to sync up. One of the main attractions to this calendar was the fact that I could sync this one calendar across my Windows laptop, iPad Mini, and Android smartphone.
That attraction was, however, lost with my calendar update toSolCalendar, which is only available on android devices. Not all is lost, though! The newest calendar that I use allows me to use cute marks (from a plane to food to an A+ for school to a simple highlight) as well as color-coding for any and all events or to-dos. You can also invite others to your event as well as state whether you are available, maybe available, or not available for a certain time-frame.
In my calendar, I plan blog posts, add important information (for example, flight itineraries), and make note of tests, assignments, and upcoming breaks. . I like to have a full calendar as it makes me feel as if I am organized and know what's happening in my life.
If you are more interested in a desktop calendar, then you should download **Rainlendar. It is perfect! I actually used this religiously before I downloaded Sunrise. I still do use it, but not as frequently because it's purely desktop and I prefer one that syncs across all of my electronics. It allows for customization of your calendar as well as color coding, icons, and to-do lists!
Use a To-Do List
This is a recent addition to my organization schedule. I categorize items into Home, School, and Blog. That helps keep me more organized as everything is under their respective categories, so I know what needs to get done and for what. On those to-do lists, I add quite a bit at once (with their due dates scheduled and any additional notes), so that once I see the scratch of completion, I feel much more accomplished. (Yes! I wasn't such a lazy bum today! *fist pump*)
Schedule Posts
If you are a blogger, then you most likely understand how much time and effort it takes to write a blog post. Not multiple blog posts - just one. Yeah; it is insane. But since I do love blogging, that is just one sacrifice I have to make. Nevertheless, I can still try to make my blog preparation more efficient and be time conscious. In order to do that, I use my spare time (usually during the weekend I have hours to kill) and knock out some posts. If I realize that I do not have "spare time," I then try my best to shuffle my schedule around and schedule in time for blog things. By scheduling posts for the upcoming week (and sometimes two), I feel more organized and like I have my life on a smooth road to success. A happy blog is a happy me, right? Right? *nudges with an awkward grin*
Do The Smaller Tasks First
This goes hand-and-hand with my to-do list. I like to complete the smaller, therefore easier, tasks first. One, this allows me to quickly get them out of the way. And two, once I an finished with them, the scratch of completion motivates me to continue handling business. If I can get some of the minuscule tasks over and done with, then when it comes time to complete the larger tasks, my list will not make me feel as if I got absolutely nothing done that day.
Take Mini-Breaks
Although taking breaks every ten minutes will hardly allow you to complete tasks, a fifteen minute break every hour and a half is decent. (Or simply after you finish an entire task, if it doesn't take up that much time.) It allows you time to relax and to not stress out. I know that once I get into a task, project, or assignment, I do not want to quit until I am finished. Sometimes that is fine! Other times, it stresses me out so badly that I end up quitting for the rest of the day. What's the use of that? It does not allow progress to get done, which means I'll be stuck doing it again the next day. Nein danke. So, what I do is give myself tiny breaks to grab a snack, send a few text messages, check social media, or simply catch some brief zzzz's.
Get Rid of Distractions
Distractions are the vice of pretty much everyone. They can keep you from doing what is really important. My distractions are social media, good music, and books/blogs. To keep from being distracted by these things, I (1) tell myself that I can check social media during a break or that it will be my reward when I am finished with the task, (2) put on music that does not have any lyrics to it, and (3) don't start reading any books, which is how I can easily fall into the procrastination trap of "only one more chapter!" Whatever your distractions are, try to minimize them whenever you can! Trust me, your productivity will thank you!
I'm a twenty-something from the Midwest, who's passionate about justice, travel and everything creative. Welcome to my little space on the Internet, which I've shared my thoughts on since 2016.
