An Australian’s Detroit diary is gorgeous and gritty
Journalists from as far away as Australia are being sent to cover what’s happening in our city. Paul Toohey saw the good and the grim of Detroit while he visited Michigan this winter. But as far as tour guides go, Paul Toohey’s tour of the D is clearly superior — he saw the city with Lowell Boileau, the founder of the Detroit Yes! online forum. His read on Detroit is realistic and touching.
Excerpt:
night crowds dwindle over the years from three-deep at the bar to just a
handful of locals. Owned by a family of Albanian-Mexican heritage, the
way they see it is that they’ve been down so far the only way is up.
Recovery is possible; life will go on. The
people who drink at this bar are different to us wait-back-and-see
Australians. They do not wait for polite introductions. They address you
directly, ask your story, engage in raging political debates, and
insist you share their food. There is good in this town, which, as
Eminem said, has been to hell and back. It has a story to tell.
Read the rest of the story here.
Related Articles
With a $20 million partnership, orsa Music Hall is set to continue leadership in Detroit’s creative future
Beyond naming the expansion orsa Music Hall, the partnership will support programming, education, and community engagement.
Dancing in the new year
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago will have two performances presented by Dance @ Detroit Opera on Jan. 24 and 25.
Double bill: Detroit Opera to present William Grant Still’s ‘Highway 1, USA’ and Kurt Weill’s ‘Down in the Valley’
The double bill features an all Black cast and several returning artists. Director Kaneza Schaal — winner of a 2025 Doris Duke Artist Award — returns to direct both operas.
