Reasons I love Detroit, part 3

Canine to Five. While in Florida I had a lot of options for doggie day care, training and boarding. I didn't feel like those options were as available when we were living in the Detroit suburbs. Then I found Liz Blondy of Canine to Five. She has set up a huge doggie day care business in the heart of Detroit, bringing a great business to the Cass Corridor.

My dogs love to go there! Annie absolutely looses her gourd when she figures out that it is day care day. Even Duke, who hates the care more than anything, will jump in when he sees Annie's excitement. He manages to find a girlfriend there every time.

And of course, Liz is the one who gave us Duke. She's the one who let me adopt that cute, skinny little puppy who is now a big strong baby who still needs hugs.

Reasons I love Detroit, part two

Another reason to love Detroit... baseball.

Although I will always be a Red Sox fan, if I can't be in Boston, it's nice to be somewhere with a great team, a great park and a strong fan base. Comerica park is really beautiful and while the issue of what to do with the old Tigers stadium has lingered much too long, the new ball park has done a lot for the Foxtown area.

The Tigers originally played at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull, first at Bennett Park and then after 1912 in Tiger Stadium. Coincidentally, Tiger stadium and Fenway Park both opened on April 20, 1912. The Tigers moved to Comerica for their 2000 series, citing the lack of premium seating and it's impact on revenue as reasons for the move.

As a fan of Fenway, I can certainly understand Tigers' fans sadness at the move to the new ballpark, but as a fan of baseball and downtown Detroit, I am thrilled at the new park. It has that retro feel that is the hallmark of recent stadiums such as Camden Yards, and is located closer to the center of Detroit. Yet 8 years later Tigers stadium still languishes, sitting empty and stripped of all items of value, a blight for Corktown. Perhaps someday Kwame Kilpatrick will live up to his promises and do something with the old park.