Detroit Pt. 1

  Blogging every day is a negative so far.  But when I do get here, I've been enjoying writing.
  The Motor City has been on my mind lately, which is how, I suppose, this happened.  I plan on writing more about Detroit-I love it and want to visit it again in a strange way.

  















1920's Detroit / Courtesy Detnews.com


Detroit is a beautiful city.
Don't believe what they've told you
Don't swallow what they've fed you

Don't look at the broken windows
and broken workers.

Look past the plants-those empty Leviathans
Lords of the region, where winches and bodies
Once mobile
Stand rusted still, deadened and locked.

Look past the streets-corridors draw blood
that ends in suburbs, in sewers. The asphalt
Once living,
lies drained, broken and opened

Look past the roots-these rifled branches
stood and watched this city crave an escape,
Once possible,
now missing-gone with the people.

Don't look at the broken windows
and broken workers.

Don't swallow what they've fed you
Don't believe what they've told you
Detroit is a beautiful city.

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale

Fancy beer of the night:

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale.  I got a six-pack of interesting imports from all over the world along with that sweet tall mug from my girlfriend for Valentine's Day/2-year anniversary, hence I'm drinking things I normally couldn't afford.  The foodie in me loves this sort of gift beyond all belief.

But the beer.  Ah, the beer...

I know English ales are supposed to be the more bitter counterpart to the rest of the world's.  I've had the typical mass-marketed Murphy's and Guinness, but this is my first experience with an English craft brew.

First thought Damn, it's dry.  Second thought: Too dry.  Third thought:  It's like a Negra Modelo, but dry.

After a while, though, the flavor's finally starting to come through.  I think this is one of those beers that should be had at room temp instead of chilled.  There's a little toastiness going on, a lot of yeast smell (complements the toast flavor nicely), some bitters that don't linger too long, and a nice, tangy, white wine sort of finish.

It's not a loaf of bread in a bottle (ahem Guinness), but it's not a Negra Modelo-light, Mexican sort of dark.  This is balanced, slanted a bit toward what I imagine a classic English beer would taste like.

Not bad.  I'd drink it again, but I think it would be better on a warm autumn night, instead of a frigid winter one like tonight.

I'm back.

Well, I failed on the catching up this weekend, but better late than never.

In other news, blogosphere, it's been an eventful week:

• My girlfriend and I have officially been together for two years now
• I have six sutures in my thumb from a broken metal coffee mug
•  Mubarak finally decided to give up power in Egypt...in September
•  Green Bay won the Superbowl (not that I really care)
• and Grand Rapids survived the Snowpocalypse blizzard.  

Other than that, not much to speak of.  I've got some homework to finish up tonight, but I'll be writing more in coming days.