Southwest : Features

Living without a car has never been easy in Detroit. But with Zipcar’s recent launch of a fleet of 40 vehicles across the city, the car-free dream just got a little easier. Nina Ignaczak looks at how the program works, Marvin Shaouni shows us visual proof.

Southwest Detroit is where the action is this week, when neighborhood folks roll out a variety of Halloween and Dia de los Muertos activities. Great food and good times assured, say our authors, the deadly Linn siblings from City Bird and Nest. 

Everyone knows that heading to Southwest Detroit for restaurant food is a smart thing to do. But fresh produce and meats at neighborhood grocers? You bet, says Nicole Rupersburg, who profiles five of the area's best in this report. 

This year's riders surpassed last year's total by 500. Proceeds from the Tour and other biking events held by the non-profit organization support the planning and implementation of greenways across the City of Detroit. Nina Ignaczak recaps.

A dozen years after forming, the Tour de Troit has evolved from a small, leisurely group ride into an annual juggernaut attracting over 5,000 cyclists. Nina Ignaczak recaps the history and looks ahead as the organization forms a nonprofit to fund greenways.

Move over Marshall Mathers, respect to the memory of J Dilla, there is a new crop of Detroit artists and designers inspired by hip hop culture. Veronica Grandison follows the flow to meet the innovators making it happen now. 

U.S.-born residents join with immigrants and refugees in a spirit of unity across Michigan and the rest of the country for National Welcoming Week. Christine Sauvé of Welcoming Michigan teams up with Global Detroit for this report.

Literally a foot-to-the-pedal, dirt-inside-the-fingernails organization that helps keep playgrounds and other green spaces cut in Detroit, the Mower Gang is garnering national attention for its good work. DETROIT LIVES! produced the video. 

The city's savory saucy pies come in all shapes and sizes, some made from recipes originating in Sicily others inspired by the cuisine of Bangladesh. There are some mighty crazy-tasty edible creations out there, say our authors, the fabulous Linn kids. 

Meet Jeff Klein, whose business, Detroit Farm and Garden in Southwest Detroit, was opened with a mission to provide quality gardening, farming and landscape resources to the community. Matthew Lewis ties it all to the region's blue-green movement.

We asked our wet goods expert Nicole Rupersberg to dive into some choice neighborhood joints for her first roundup of classic Detroit bars. She headed southwest for her first taste and came back with some real gems. More to come, we promise.

Food reigns supreme in the city's most ethnic neighborhood, where full service restaurants, mercados and taco trucks are plentiful. Here are a few of the best recommended by our authors, the fab Linn siblings. Don't forget the hot sauce.  

One of the city's most vibrant neighborhoods, Southwest Detroit attracts people with its ethnic food options, its early 20th century residential architecture and, increasingly, for innovative learning projects. Amy Kuras reports from the classroom.