Fat Tuesday is Paczki Day but also beignets

Posted on by farlane
Beignet Pistachio at Canelle by Andrew McFarlane

Beignet Pistachio at Canelle by Andrew McFarlane

Fat Tuesday is the traditional feast before Lent begins. Polish-Americans brought their tradition of Tłusty Czwartek (Fat Thursday) to Polish enclaves like Hantramck in Detroit as Pączki Day. The Freep shares some facts about these Polish pastries:

  1. The paczki is thought of as a way to use up fatty ingredients like lard and butter, as well as sugar, eggs, and fruit before Lenten fasting begins.
  2. Don’t call paczki jelly doughnuts. They have a much richer flavor because the yeasty dough is made with more eggs. They are also bigger and plumper; the shape is more like a sphere.
  3. In Poland, the last Thursday before Lent begins is called Fat Thursday. So the splurge day was Feb. 27.
  4. A small amount of grain alcohol is added to the paczki dough before cooking. As the alcohol evaporates, it prevents the absorption of oil deep into the dough so the pastry is not greasy.
  5. Calories and fat? Brace yourself. Depending on the size, paczki can have as many as 400 calories and more than 20 grams of fat.
  6. The name paczki translates to “little packages.” Paczki is pronounced POONCH-key and is plural; one pastry is a paczek (POON-check).

I took the picture above yesterday at Canelle in downtown Detroit on the corner of Grand River & Griswold. For my money – which is backed by a French teacher mom – Canelle has the best beignet in town! Here are some pics from Paczki Day 2024 at New Palace Bakery in Hamtramck along with a shot of their 2025 Paczki: Cookie butter flavored buttercream with cookie crunch on the side/top, covered with powdered sugar!

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

Happy Birthday Joel!

Posted on by farlane
Michigan & Trtumbull by Joel Dinda

Michigan & Trumbull by Joel Dinda

Today is longtime Michigan in Pictures photographer & supporter Joel Dinda’s birthday so be sure to wish him a happy one! When I looked through the many photos from Joel I featured over the years, I found two that I used to wish a happy birthday to St Helena Lighthouse in the Straits of Mackinac & also from my post celebrating 100 years of Tiger Stadium. While the article I link to is gone, you can check it out on the Wayback Machine!

See the latest from Joel on his Flickr and also in our Michigan in Pictures Facebook group!

St Helena Light by Joel Dinda

St Helena Light by Joel Dinda

Detroit River Lighthouse

Posted on by farlane
Detroit River Lighthouse by James Marvin Phelps

Detroit River Lighthouse by James Marvin Phelps

Yesterday on his excellent photography blog James shared some photos & information about the Detroit River Lighthouse:

…also known as the Bar Point Shoal Light, has guided vessels navigating the treacherous waters between Lake Erie and the Detroit River since its completion in 1885. Located about a mile offshore near the mouth of the river, the lighthouse replaced a series of ineffective lightships that had struggled to withstand the region’s harsh conditions. Constructed of steel and concrete, the tower was built to endure strong currents and ice floes, making it one of the most resilient navigational beacons in the Great Lakes. Over the years, the lighthouse transitioned from a manually operated station to an automated one in 1979, eliminating the need for resident keepers. Despite its automation, the Detroit River Light remains an important part of Great Lakes maritime history, symbolizing the rich heritage of shipping and navigation in the region.

Here’s a couple more shots of the light by James. See the latest & view and purchase his work at: https://www.jamesmarvinphelps.com/

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

It’s time for the 2025 Detroit Auto Show!

Posted on by farlane
Here it comes by Detroit Auto Show

Here it comes by Detroit Auto Show

The Detroit Auto Show starts today and runs through January 20th. The Freep shares that in addition to no longer putting on airs as the North American International Auto Show, there won’t be any concept cars or earth-shaking demos. Instead, the show will include more than 30 car brands showcasing their vehicles. Luxury cars will be returning to the floor, and there will be test tracks, charity drives and engineering exhibits.

Being a place for buyers to meet sellers & see the range of cars in the market is for sure cool, but can we just have just a couple concept cars? For science?? Here’s two from past Michpics posts…

1938 Phantom Corsair by Alden Jewell

Speed Racer by Michael Doyle

Speed Racer by Michael Doyle

“Without Detroit, cars wouldn’t be cars, culture wouldn’t be culture, and music wouldn’t be music. My family wouldn’t be what it is without this city.”

– @stephen_mcgee, Filmmaker, 2x Emmy Award Winner, Photographer MY DRIVE. MY CITY. MY SHOW.™

The Auto Show had a cool series of photos last fall showing notable Detroiters & their rides. I’ve featured Stephen McGee’s pics here so I thought it would be nice to share this one his daughter took of him. Follow him on Instagram & get lots more Detroit Auto Show goodness on Michigan in Pictures!

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

Detroit Lions secure top playoff spot

Posted on by farlane
Spirit of Detroit Number One Playoff Seed Edition by Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions

Spirit of Detroit Number One Playoff Seed Edition by Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions

Last night the city of Detroit erupted in celebration after the 14-2 Detroit Lions destroyed the also 14-2 Minnesota Vikings last night for their 15th win & top seed in the NFC. It’s an absolutely incredible moment for the long suffering franchise & Lions fans everywhere!

Jahmyr Gibbs by Detroit Lions

Jahmyr Gibbs by Detroit Lions

The Lions running back lived up to his Sonic nickname with 139 yards on the ground, another 31 through the air, and FOUR touchdowns. Gibbs became the first Lions player to lead the NFL in scrimmage touchdowns (20) since Sanders in 1991 (17) while setting a single-season franchise record for TDs!!

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

How about Michigan as Canada’s 11th Province? 🤔

Posted on by farlane
2Nations by James Devlin

2Nations by James Devlin

There’s been some honestly crazy talk about Canada becoming our 51st state in the news. Leaving aside the fact that Canada is actually bigger than the US, only 13% of Canadians actually want this. David Olive of the Toronto Star thinks it’s funny because many Canadians think of Michigan as Canada’s 11th province. He makes some humorous points but concludes with some compelling facts:

Canada is Michigan’s biggest trading partner, accounting for about 41 per cent of Michigan’s exports, or approximately $40 billion per year. And so, at its own expense Canada is nearing completion on a $6.4-billion second bridge across the Detroit River, named for Red Wings legend Gordie Howe.

Thousands of people commute each day from their homes in Michigan to their work in Canada and vice versa. Let’s join Michigan to Canada so that those nurses, engineers, municipal workers and computer programmers can more easily travel within the same country. The pandemic played havoc with those commuters, when the international crossing was closed.

Let’s scrap that border before the next pandemic.

As someone who has regularly visited Canada all my life; vacationing on Sugar Island & St Joseph Island, skiing in Searchmont, enjoying music in Toronto, and zipping across to Windsor with just my enhanced Michigan license whenever the mood strikes me, I’m giving that a big amen!

James shared the photo of the Ambassador Bridge back in February of 2018 writing: Fog covers the cities of Windsor, ONT and Detroit, MI. The Ambassador Bridge connects the two cities. 5 shot panorama stitched in Lightroom. Shot from Detroit Riverside Park.

There’s more pics in his Detroit gallery on Flickr including the photo of the two nations looking downriver.

Overall, the report found 82% of Canadians do not want to become the 51st state with only 13% saying they would.

Detroit by James Devlin

Detroit by James Devlin

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

Farlane Friday: Not Your Grandma’s Hudson’s

Posted on by farlane
Not your grandma's Hudson's

Not your grandma’s Hudson’s by Andrew McFarlane

On December 31st, I will begin my 20th year of doing Michigan-focused photo blog Michigan in Pictures!! I’m going to try some new things this year to keep things fresh & fun for Michigan in Pictures regulars including yours truly like featuring more of my photos from the present day & my surprisingly extensive archives. As with today’s entry, a lot of them will be from Detroit where I live.

My first “Farlane Friday” is the brand new building at the new Hudson’s building in downtown Detroit which I am honestly a big fan of. I wasn’t alone, because this photo blew up when I shared it in the Detroit Photography group on Facebook. Hudson’s was Detroit’s signature department store and the place where I – like many Detroiters – unquestionably got my first picture taken with Santa. I also spent more than one Saturday reading dinosaur books at the lunch counter while my Grandma shopped with her friends. You can head over to Hudson’s Detroit for lots more about this new addition to Detroit’s skyline & for sure check out this post about the history of Hudson’s on Michigan in Pictures.

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

Hudson’s & the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade

Posted on by farlane
Hudson's Santa at the Detroit Thanksgiving Parade

Hudson’s Santa at the Detroit Thanksgiving Parade

Happy Black Friday! It’s an especially happy one for many since for the first time in eight years, we aren’t mourning a Lions Thanksgiving loss!! Yesterday Detroit also hosted another successful Thanksgiving Day Parade on Woodward Avenue (click for some video highlights) which got me thinking about the roots of this holiday tradition.

Thanksgiving parades were created in the early 20th Century by big department store chains to signal consumers that it was time to start thinking about Christmas shopping. The Holidays at Hudson’s video on Detroit PBS explains that the Motor City was no exception. Hudson’s Department Store provided the staff, resources to help launch the annual parade in 1924. A century later, the Parade remains one of the largest in the country.

While you have to donate to view the whole video, the trailer for Holidays at Hudson’s has some great pics & info. One cool fact is that at its apex when a quarter of a million children a year would visit Santa every year at Hudson’s, they were one of the first stores in the country to offer a choice of Caucasian, Black, Hispanic or other Santas. I’ve got a some old pics, a couple parade photos & a video of the Big Heads below!

Hudson’s Float in front of the new Hudson’s by Andrew McFarlane

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

Bedrock & GM announce Renaissance Center Redesign

Posted on by farlane

GlooM Headquarters by Camera Jesus

Yesterday Bedrock and General Motors announced a conceptual plan to redevelop the Renaissance Center (RenCen) and 27 acres along the Detroit riverfront. They say that the plan “preserves the essence of Detroit’s skyline, ‘right sizes’ the RenCen’s footprint, and connects the site to the heart of downtown. The surrounding entertainment district would become a vibrant waterfront destination, drawing international visitors and featuring restaurants, hospitality, residential and market space—complementing Detroit’s award-winning Riverwalk, which draws more than 3.5 million annual visitors to the city.”

Check out the renderings & Detroit News excerpt below for an idea of what’s in store & please share your thoughts. Personally, I’m glad that they’re preserving some of this truly iconic structure but honestly worried that it could end up being a terrifying albatross in the event of an economic downturn. Much more about the Renaissance Center on Michigan in Pictures.

It’s been a minute since I’ve featured a photo by the amazing Joe Gall aka Camera Jesus. He shared this back in January of 2023. Follow him on Facebook & Instagram for the latest and for sure head over to CameraJesus.com to view & purchase his photos including this beauty of a supermoon rising over the Ren Cen!!

Renaissance Center Conceptual Renderings by Bedrock

The Detroit News shares (in part):

The Renaissance Center would shrink to three towers with residential, office and hotel tenancy to create space for a six-acre riverfront park in a more than $1.6 billion redevelopment plan dependent on $250 million in state support that would make billionaire mortgage mogul Dan Gilbert’s real estate firm shared owner of the complex with current owner General Motors … Gilbert is contributing $1 billion in equity and debt, and GM is providing $250 million after having invested $1.5 billion into the building during its ownership. A new entity owning the site will reflect each party’s contribution toward the redevelopment, said Dave Massaron, GM’s vice president of infrastructure and corporate citizenship.

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

For Liberty and the Union

Posted on by farlane
Soliders and Sailors Monument at Campus Martius Park by Andrew McFarlane

Soliders and Sailors Monument at Campus Martius Park by Andrew McFarlane

For this year’s Veterans Day photo, let me thank all the men & women who gave their service to this nation, especially those who gave their lives, with a couple of my photos of a powerful memorial in Detroit’s Campus Martius Park. There used to be a cool website called Panorama of Old Detroit by Jim Moran:

At the top of this 1871 monument to Civil War veterans is “a colossal personification of Michigan as a semi-civilized Indian queen menacingly brandishing a sword with her right hand and clutching a shield with the left.” (From an 1870’s Michigan History.) …

At the bottom of the granite monument roost four bronze eagles. On the next tier are four figures representing the miltary services: Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, and Marine. Bronzed medallions of Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, and Farragut are spaced between. And, just below the figure of Michigan are four allegorical figures representing Victory, Union, Emancipation, and History.

The plaque on the monument reads Erected by the people of Michigan in honor of the martyrs who fell and the heroes who fought in defence of Liberty and Union. The monument was moved several hundred feet from its original location to Campus Martius Park in 2005.

Other side of the Soliders and Sailors Monument by Andrew McFarlane

Other side of the Soliders and Sailors Monument by Andrew McFarlane

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon