You know I’m not going to feature the usual tour suspects here – The Detroit Institute Of Art, The Detroit Historical Society or the new or restored buildings that represent the best of the renewal of Detroit.. All completely beautiful or historic but my mission on this trip was to see the spirit of the city as evidenced by how people express themselves via their homes, lawns and businesses. I’ve long believed that one’s immediate environment is a canvas for self expression. Most of these places would be off the beaten track of any normal tour of the city. But their vintage and/or kitsch aspects were just what my eyeballs wanted to see.

By no means is this a comprehensive compilation. It’s only places I passed on the way to meetings and engagements between April 4 and 10, 2011.