honor & folly - detroit, mi
It was a special treat to finally stay in this lovely b&b in the heart of Detroit. I love this city. I came of age in this city. I am proud of this city. Yes, it has experienced undeniable hardship, but there are people who care and who continuously honor it. And it continues to flourish in so many ways despite the troubles.
Honor & Folly is located in the oldest neighborhood of Detroit called Corktown, amidst a stretch of colorful workers row houses. It sits above restaurants and pubs with a birds eye view of thriving Michigan Avenue and even the beautiful Beaux-Arts Michigan Train Station. There's something so cool about the old-style inn above the town restaurant or pub. In Corktown there are plenty of choices for food and libations, including my personal favorite amongst them, the Sugar house, mixing up the best cocktails in town.
The owner is a proud Detroiter, a professional writer and designer who has made it feel like the little pad you wished you could call your own. There is soul to the b&b, appropriate in a city with endless depths of soul. It's decorated with goods from Detroit and Midwestern artisans. Should you wrap yourself in a blanket that you'd love to take home, chances are it's available for you to purchase your own from the owner's stash, just add it to your bill. There are two bedrooms and a little loft sleeping area that is perfect for kids. There's also a full kitchen with barstools at the concrete counter for you and your crew to gather around.
I was honored to spend time at honor & folly with both my Detroit family and my California family. We stood up high over the avenue, telling tales of our youth, sharing hopes for the future of Motown and the slight possibility that we could book it to take in the St. Patrick's Day parade in style!
food & libations: Sugar House (incredible cocktails), Slows BBQ, Mercury Bar, Astro Coffee
cool for kids: loft "hideaway", milkshakes at Mercury Bar
must visit: what's left of the former Tiger Stadium (for the nostalgia factor, if it so moves you), the Detroit Institute of Arts, Heidelberg Project, Hitsville U.S.A. (Motown Museum)