I wasn’t doing anything today and the SUN WAS SHINING so we – my daughter and I – headed to Midtown for lunch and some shopping. Actually lunch and some browsing because who can afford to buy anything?

There’s just something about Spring in Detroit.

Look at that sky!

First stop, shopping at Shinola.

Browsing at Shinola, but shopping at Shinola sounds better.

A few more stores and then lunch.

There are lots of hip new restaurants in Detroit which are getting good press, but we opted for a golden oldie, a tried and true favorite. Plus, it’s right next to Shinola and the cluster of other hip little shops and we were HUNGRY.

Traffic Jam & Snug’s garden – with a fountain made of an old tub and sink.

As soon as we settled into our booth I heard the voice of a child coming from the booth behind me: “The best Republican by far,” he declared, “was Abraham Lincoln.”

“You don’t hear much good about Republicans,” he continued, “but I like them.”

Apparently he and his mom are visiting from Manhattan. It was impossible to not hear their conversation.

On the way out of the restaurant he reminded his grandma that she owes him $10, “because I won the poker game.”

He looked eight.

Eight-year-olds make the best lunch companions.

When the hub walked in the back door after work, he asked the beagle if she had been a good girl. Then he asked me if I had been a good girl.

“No.”

“No?”

“We split a piece of four layer chocolate Kahlua cake with coffee ice cream.”

Speaking of cake. The waiter. Cordial and really handsome. I only mention it because he seemed like the icing on a perfectly lovely day.

We didn’t have the customary cup of decaf to go with our cake because we wanted to try one of the many groovy new Detroit coffeehouses.

We decided on this one.  Lavender lattes. Yum.

Then we walked a couple of blocks in the bright sunny air to Will Leather Goods.

Will donates really nice backpacks to area school children. There’s a couple of walls worth of thank you notes. This one is classic.

“We liked the inside part and the outside part… Your best friend. Karla”

Will Leather Goods from the back.

There’s something reassuring about men working.

Especially in the Spring when everyone seems happy to be out there.

Spring in the D. It was a good, shiny day.