Cityscape

You Don't Know What You've Got in Detroit 'Til You're Gone, Ex-Pats Say

August 28, 2014, 6:21 AM

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
‘Til it's gone

-- Joni Mitchell, "Big Yellow Taxi," 1970

Joni probably never ate at Bucharest Grill or New Yasmeen Bakery, but her ageless lyrics describe how some people feel now that their time living in Detroit is gone.

"What I miss most" memories posted Wednesday atop Thrillist's Detroit page include those food destinations, Eastern Market, John K. King Books, Bell's Brewery and people who are "really invested in the city."

The list by Ann Arbor writer Jeff Waraniak, an associate editor at Hour Detroit and 2013 University of Michigan graduate, has a statewide scope. Detroit items are mainly from a Facebook solicitation three weeks ago by Nicole Rupersburg, who left the city for Las Vegas last January and who asked other ex-pats for suggestions. Here are some of those posts:

Urban pride: I miss pride in my city. Detroiters have so much pride for Detroit. No one has pride for LA. Most people hate it or just complain about it all the time. No one is really invested in the city, at least not like they are in Detroit. -- Amy Rudd, senior producer at Los Angeles digital marketing agency 

• "Decent corned beef:" I miss the Eastern Market -- the sights, sounds and smells! I REALLY miss decent corned beef! -- Jenn Bourgeault, Traverse City

• Shawarma and gyros: There is no shwarma here in Minnesota, and the fact that Detroit has attracted so many different immigrant populations over the years has given it more variety than we realized. . . . I do miss the fact that you could get a gyro and lemon rice soup at ANY diner in the metro region.-- Hannah Pritchard, Minneapolis engineer

 

"Best bookstore:" I miss John K. King Books, which I'm pretty sure is the best bookstore on the planet. -- John Carlos Cruz, Montreal  

Yasmeen Bakery: The Arabic pita bread is not the same in LA. I have yet to see pita bread like the stuff from Yasmeen Bakery [of Dearborn] that can be found everywhere in Detroit. -- Alicia Butler, Los Angeles

 Ethnic deli items: The fact that almost every grocery store deli has freshly prepared hummus and grape leaves and garlic dip and such. People in Illinois have no idea what hummus is actually supposed to taste like. -- Jessica Oakes, Batavia, Ill.

Good drivers: I miss live blues bands, Detroit drivers (they know how to drive, unlike the idiots in Vegas), bars that aren't sports bars, ethnic diversity, going "Up North" for the weekend, Bell's beer. -- Jenna Dosch, Las Vegas 

• "Gritty, artistic weirdos:" Detroit has the best collection of weirdos. I miss that culture. Within a social scene, Detroit formed a band of sisters and brothers that nowhere else can battle. Yeah, I'm sure they still all hiss at hipsters and pretend they aren't themselves one. But truth is, we are all gritty, artistic weirdos who are braver than most. And THE MUSIC. I miss the fucking music. And black people. I really miss black people. -- Nikole Moore, Alaska

Trinity of eateries: PizzaPapalis, El Charro and BD's Mongolian BBQ. -- Sara Gorgon, Las Vegas

• Bucharest shawarma: Slows, Bucharest schawarma, Holiday Market's beer selection, and pretty much the melting pot that is Detroit. -- Todd Parker, Fairfax, Va

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"Diversity and grit:" Moved to Phoenix this summer, Really miss the diversity and grit of Detroit, and working at the Green Garage Detroit and my pals there, and Eastern Market. -- Eric Brown, Arizona marketing executive

Steam rising on Woodward: I miss smoky/misty manholes. Always made me feel like I was Batman driving down Woodward. -- Emily Reyes, Henderson, Nev.

Easy navigation: I miss always knowing where I'm going. Roads in Jersey twist and turn all over the damn place. Give me my grids and mile roads back! -- Kevin Wojtaszek, Budd Lake, NJ Jersey

Four-week Halloween: I miss how Detroit celebrates Halloween for an entire month. -- Megan F., Mexico

Alas, two notable absences: No one waves nostalgic about RiverWalk or Belle Isle, perhaps because they left before those attractions changed for the better. 

-- Alan Stamm


Read more:  Thrillist


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