National Hamburger Day

Today is National Hamburger Day. Today is a day set aside to celebrate one of the most American of all foods and one of the most popular food items on the planet - the hamburger.

The hamburger is both a historic piece of Americana and an economic powerhouse. The History Channel reviewed the centuries-old history of the hamburger on a bun on their website. As for the financial side of the pattie, I would simply mention that nearly 50 billion hamburgers are served in the United States every year, according to an article published in 2012 by PBS.

In Michigan alone, there are 2,783 restaurants that serve primarily hamburgers. Those eateries have almost $2.6 billion in annual sales, according to a survey of American businesses that was conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. All of this translates into roughly $155 million in sales tax revenue for the State of Michigan.

Locally, there are several places that serve a top-notched hamburger in the Warrendale neighborhood. Chilli's (5707 Southfield Rd.), Red Robin (18505 Ford Rd.), and Wendy's (18430 Ford Rd.) probably serve the most. The Ford Road Patio (18490 Ford Rd.) is a gem that gets forgotten about all too often. Chick's Bar (18550 W. Warren Ave.) and Nick's Detroit (16807 W.Warren Ave.) are both sentimental favorites.

Happy Hamburger Day, everyone!

My Aretha Franklin story

Aretha Franklin - Photo by Joe Ortuzar/Flickr

The funeral service for the Queen of Soul herself Aretha Franklin was on the television when I went to lunch today. There was an elderly gentleman in the diner who spent his time complaining about how Aretha Franklin wasn't that great of a person.

The worst example that this man could think of as he struggled to make his argument had to do with a property tax dispute Aretha Franklin was involved with back in 2015. That was it. A property tax dispute.

I mention this because if - at the end of a long life - the worst thing your harshest critic can think to say about you is a property tax dispute then - as far as I'm concerned - you are a wonderful person who lived an amazing life. I hope and pray that Aretha Franklin was able to hear his rant from Heaven and was laughing her butt off.

Warrendale celebrates National Margarita Day

National Margarita Day - Stock photo from Max Pixel

Today is National Margarita Day, a special moment to celebrate one of the most popular cocktails in the world. Millions of people enjoy this blend of tequila, triple sec, and lime every day. There's even a page on Facebook that is devoted in large part to numerous different variations on the margarita recipe.

To celebrate National Margarita Day, the Chili's Bar & Grille (5707 Southfield Rd.) at Ford Road and the Southfield Freeway has margarita specials today. Several other bars and restaurants in the area have good options for them as well.

My personal favorite, though, is the food and margaritas at Tijuana's Mexican Kitchen (18950 Ford Rd.) I cannot say enough good things about them.

For those who read this from outside of the Warrendale neighborhood, WDIV-TV has a list places across the Detroit area who have specials for National Margarita Day on their website. USA Today information about specials and other events across the country today over on their website.

National Margarita Day is one of those great unofficial holidays. It was founded by Todd McCalla to celebrate his personal love for this classic cocktail as well as the good times, special friends, and warm memories that the drink inspires. His idea has spread from there across social media.

I hope everyone has a chance to enjoy National Margarita Day. Please drink responsibly, though.

My final visit to Gracie See Pizzeria

Last time at Gracie See from Frank Nemecek on Vimeo.
Gracie See Pizzeria has been an institution in the Warrendale neighborhood since they opened in 1969. For almost half a century have been what sociologists like Ray Oldenburg call "the third space" - places that are neither work nor home; places where neighbors can gather to catch up on each other's lives and share stories.

Places like this are part of what makes Detroit - or any other city - a truly livable community. For the past few years, it has been an honor to have Gracie See Pizzeria as a sponsor of this blog and a joy to host a monthly pizza party there.

It was with no small amount of sadness, therefore, that I walked into Gracie See Pizzeria for the final time before they closed. I will miss them. I will miss every single one of the people who made it a special place for decades.

While it doesn't diminish my sadness about losing Gracie's, I also remain thankful for Chick's Bar, Tijuana's Mexican Kitchen, Nick's and the dozens of other such places that remain in the Warrendale neighborhood.

The Warrendale (Detroit) Blog will return in earnest on Monday, February 1.

Last Party at Gracie's EVER

Pizza party at Gracie See Pizzeria - Photo by Frank Nemecek

I have hosted monthly pizza parties at Gracie See Pizzeria (6889 Greenfield Rd.) since 2008. They've been a great opportunity for friends and neighbors to come together to talk and share our lives. Unfortunately, they will soon come to an end.

Gracie See Pizzeria has been sold. The business will close on January 31. That location as well as the vacant liquor store north of there will be demolished for a new strip mall.

While it's sad to see an institution like this come to end, I feel it appropriate for us to gather one last time. My final pizza party at Gracie See Pizzeria will be on Wednesday, January 27 at 6:30.

I expect a large crowd for this one. Many former residents of the neighborhood have indicated that they will travel many miles for one last visit to the place that has been a Warrendale institution for nearly half a century.

RSVPs to the Facebook page are appreciated, but by no means necessary. I hope to see as many readers of this blog there as possible.

The Warrendale (Detroit) Blog will return in earnest on Monday, February 1.

Champps to host benefit for Beaumont Children's Hospital

As part of this blog's Friday Focus series, Champps in West Bloomfield is teaming up with the Student Heart Check program at Beaumont Children’s Hospital  to support free heart checks for high school students.  Champps, located at 7410 Orchard Lake Road, will host a celebration to benefit Beaumont Student Heart Check on Thursday, February 26.

Champps will donate 10% of sales for the entire day and night of Thursday, February 26 to the Beaumont Student Heart Check program, which offers free heart checks to high school students to help detect young people who may be at risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

The party begins at 6 p.m., when guests are invited to enjoy a complimentary sampling of Champps’ signature dishes, including Champps Americana Chopped Salad, Chipotle Burger, Pepper Seared Ahi Tuna Tacos and Calamari Fritti.

Featured signature cocktails include Grand Sangria, Island Rum Punch and Champps Long Island Tea for $4 each; draft beer will be available for $2 each. In addition, Michigan’s own Latitude 42 Brewing Company will be hosting a “Tap Takeover,” where they will feature six of their beers on tap, including favorites Schoolhouse Honey Amber Ale and Lucifer's Cuvee-Double Chocolate Rye Stout.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Champps for their celebration event and are so grateful they have chosen to support our efforts,” said Jennifer Shea, Event Coordinator for Beaumont’s Student Heart Check program.  “We are looking forward to a fun and festive event.  We invite everyone to come and join us on February 26!"

Champps in West Bloomfield offers 31 High Definition TVs; nearly 50 kinds of beer, including 24 beers on tap, 15 of which are craft and 11 of which are local; and a deliciously crafted menu for sharing, snacking and dining.

Champps in West Bloomfield is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday – Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday – Saturday.   For more information, reservations or to book a private event, call Champps at (248) 538-6333, or visit us at www.champps.com on Facebook and Twitter.

The Friday Focus is an occasional feature to draw attention to stories outside of the Warrendale neighborhood that the publisher believes is worthy of an extra dose of attention.

Halloween parties in Warrendale

Halloween party - Illustration from Open Clip Art

There will be a couple of amazing parties in the Warrendale neighborhood this weekend. This includes celebrations at both Gracie See Pizzeria at the eastern edge of Warrendale and the Toy Chest Bar at the southern end of the neighborhood.

Gracie See Pizzeria & Sports Bar (6889 Greenfield Rd.) will host an amazing party on Saturday. It will start at 8 p.m. and feature a contest for the best costume as well as:

• Free haunted raffle every hour;
• Pizza eating contest;
• Children of the Corn toss; and
• Beer pong of the dead.

They will also have drink specials from Hell as well as music, dancing, and monster mashing.

Not to be outdone, the Toy Chest Bar (18728 Ford Rd.) will throw a Halloween party that lasts for two days, starting this evening at 7 p.m.

The Toy Chest party won't have any tricks, just treats. It will feature a costume contest for their dancers. They will also bottle, bucket, and food specials both nights for patrons.

Halloween is always a great time to celebrate in the Warrendale neighborhood.

Pizza party this Wednesday

The September pizza party for the Warrendale (Detroit) Blog will happen this coming Wednesday, September 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Gracie See Pizzeria (6889 Greenfield Rd.) As always, the first pizza is on me.

After that, we simply order from the menu and split the check when it arrives.

Everyone is welcome to join us.

Kristen Renton in Warrendale

I posted last week that Kristen Renton, who plays Ima on Sons of Anarchy, would be making a special appearance at the Toy Chest Bar (18728 Ford Rd.). The bar, of course, is at the southern end of Detroit's Warrendale neighborhood.

My original post about Kristen Renton's special appearance is available here. She was in town to celebrate her birthday Detroit-style.

I was able to go and had a chance to meet her. I have to say I was impressed with how warm and approachable Kristen Renton was.




I had a great time celebrating Kristen Renton's birthday with her. I'll keep my fingers crossed that she comes back to Detroit some time soon.

Update @ 7:44 p.m.
In addition to the photo that I posted above, the crew at the Toy Chest Bar posted a total of 66 photos from Kristen Renton's visit to their establishment on their Facebook page. Those photos are available here.

Kristen Renton comes to Warrendale

Kristen Renton - Photo by Jeff Xander

Hollywood will come to Detroit's Warrendale neighborhood this Saturday when Kristen Renton, who is best known for playing Ima on FX's Sons of Anarchy, makes a special appearance at the Toy Chest Bar (18728 Ford Rd.). She will be there this Saturday to sign autographs, pose for photos with her fans, and celebrate her birthday.

While Kristen Renton is perhaps best known for playing Ima on Sons of Anarchy as well as Morgan Hollingswoth on Days of Our Lives, she has a total of 21 acting credits to her name. She has also appeared on CSI: Miami, The Andy Dick Show, and several other television shows as well as in four different motion pictures.

In addition her acting and volunteer work, according to her biography, Kristen Renton is enrolled in Pennsylvania State University where she is majoring in psychology and maintains a 4.0 grade point average. Penn State, by the way, is also her parents' alma mater.

I look forward to seeing Kristen Renton at the Toy Chest Bar tomorrow night. It should be another fun night in the neighborhood.

Open Letter to Jim Diamond (and everyone else downtown)

Downtown and Midtown Detroit are becoming expensive. They are becoming so expensive, in fact that Jim Diamond of Ghetto Recorders can no longer afford to operate there and is considering a move to the suburbs.

An article about this fact, by the way, is available from The Detroit News here.

That's a little sad because he is one of the creative pioneers who helped to make the rebirth of downtown possible.

However, if Jim Diamond or anyone else is interested, I can show them a bunch of really cool spaces in Detroit's Warrendale neighborhood on the far west side that would be a great spot for you.

Plus, you'll be closer to Gracie See Pizzeria, named the best traditional pizza in North America at the International Pizza Expo, as well as Tijuana's Mexican Kitchen, which is one of the best Mexican restaurants in town. You'll also be closer to some shawarma that makes the stuff served downtown seem like left-over Chef Boyardee.

And when you need to burn off all of those calories, you'll also be closer to the largest park in Detroit - one that's bigger than Belle Isle, Campus Martius, Grand Circus, and Hart Plaza combined.

Man shot in Wendy's parking lot

WXYZ-TV is reporting that a 34-year old man was shot in the abdomen in the parking lot of a Wendy's (18430 Ford Rd.) at the southern end of the Warrendale neighborhood in Detroit. The victim is reportedly in serious condition at Sinai-Grace Hospital, where he will likely require surgery. The shooter, according to witnesses, fled the scene on foot.

It's not clear what the motive for this shooting was. The Detroit Police Department along with officers from the Dearborn Police Department since this happened on the border. Detroit police will continue to investigate this matter.

Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. There may be a reward available if your information leads to an arrest.

Tailgating Party at Chick's Bar Tomorrow Afternoon

Chick's Bar - Photo by Frank Nemecek

Chick's Bar (18550 W. Warren Ave.) will host a tailgating party starting at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. This is the perfect way to get ready for the big game between the University of Michigan Wolverines and the scum sucking toads from Ohio.

This party, according to bar owner Pete Bidolli, will feature lots of good food, a bonfire, some music, and lots of drinks for both adults and children. Plus, since this is Chick's Bar, you can also count on seeing a lot of really great people.

The Warrendale Bar Guide

Tonight is Thanksgiving Eve, which is the biggest bar night of the year. In case you don't already have plans for the evening, here is a rundown of what is happening at the various bars in Detroit's Warrendale neighborhood.

Photo by Dorn Zurawki

Last Call Bar (19432 W. Warren Ave.) re-opened under new management recently. My review from their soft opening is available here. In the short time since then, they have continued to ramp up as a great neighborhood bar. Besides friendly service and cheap booze, they also offer free pool and Karaoke.

Last Call Bar is quickly emerging as one of those places that people travel from all around the Detroit area to come to. This makes it a great place to hang out at and spend some time.

Parking is available at the rear of their property.

Photo by Frank Nemecek

While Last Call Bar is the new kid on Warrendale's bar scene, Chick's Bar (18550 W. Warren Ave.) remains a legendary neighborhood establishment. Every Wednesday evening is ladies night at Chick's Bar, which means 1/2 off drinks for ladies from 8 p.m. until close. Plus, rumor has it some awesome Detroiters are having a birthday party there this evening.

Their kitchen is also open, serving good reasonably priced food. Tonight, in addition to everything else, my sources tell me that their potato and ham soup is on the menu, which is really good one.

Lighted parking for Chick's Bar is available in their lot on the east side of the building.

Photo by Frank Nemecek

While they are primarily known for their award-winning pizza and subs, Gracie See Pizzeria (6889 Greenfield Rd.) is also hosting a beer pong championship this evening. Several fraternity members from the University of Michigan - Dearborn are expected to compete. Anyone who is at least 21 years of age is welcome to join in their competition.

They also have a pool table and a Wii entertainment system if beer pong isn't your preferred source of entertainment. All of this, of course, is in addition to the pizza that has made Gracie See Pizzeria famous since 1967.

Lighted parking for Gracie See Pizzeria is available in their lot, which is on the north side of the building.

Photo by Frank Nemecek

For those who feel merely an abundance of alcohol doesn't offer quite enough debauchery for one evening, there is also the Toy Chest Bar (18728 Ford Rd.). As far as strip clubs go, they were named one of the best small clubs in the Midwest.

They have specials every night. This evening, they will offer $15 buckets of ice cold Miller. They will also have 1 liter bottles of Grey Goose for only $99.

All of these are great options for Thanksgiving Eve. Plus, there are many more  establishments throughout the Warrendale neighborhood.

Behind the Scenes at Gracie See Pizzeria

Gracie See Pizzeria has been in business at the same location in Detroit's Warrendale neighborhood for more than 40 years. Their food was named "Best Traditional Pizza in North America" at the 2008 International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

Their legendary owner, Gracie, takes us on a behind the scenes look at this landmark within the neighborhood.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo photo by Sarah Dawn Nichols

Happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone in the Warrendale neighborhood and beyond. For those who aren't sure how to celebrate today, here is a quick rundown of your options.

Chick's Bar (18550 W. Warren Ave.) will have Cinco de Mayo specials all day long. Corona and Corona Light will be available for only $2. All tequila is half off. Plus, they are offering free homemade chips and salsa.

Tijuana's Mexican Kitchen (18950 Ford Rd.) will serve great Mexican food and beverages all day long, just like they always do.

Plus, D.J. Tony Toca will spin all of your Latin favorites tonight at J.S. Field's Pub & Grille (18940 Ford Rd.). You can expect lots of great merenge, bachata, salsa, and Latin freestyle with no cover all night long.

Caesars Coney Island is Hiring a Waitress

Ceasars Coney Island (15621 W. Warren Ave.) is hiring a waitress. Apply at the restaurant, if you're interested.

Tijuana's Mexican Kitchen to Appear on Fox 2 Morning News

Tijuana's Mexican Kitchen in Warrendale

Tijuana's Mexican Kitchen (18950 Ford Rd.) will appear on Fox 2 Morning News as part of the show's Fox 2 Cooking School. This segment is scheduled to air at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, April 29.

Please tune in this coming Sunday to watch another great institution from the Warrendale neighborhood make their television debut.

Featured Business: Pizza & Fish Express

Pizza & Fish Express (6540 Evergreen) opened earlier this week, taking over in place of the short lived Pizza - A - Go-Go. Hasan Harb is the owner of the newest Warrendale eatery, which also features a mini-mart.

Pizza & Fish Express - Photo credit: David L. Malhalab (MNS Photo)

Pizza & Fish is offering great take out food and mini mart. They hope to have a long relationship with the Warrendale neighborhood. Mr. Harb and his family own other Pizza & Fish outlets in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Los Angeles, and Kalamazoo.

Pizza & Fish is the Featured Business for this week. I think it great that the Warrendale neighborhood can attract a replacement business to that location as quickly as we did.

Tip of the Week: Chili's Donates Profits Today

The Chili's Grill & Bar (5707 Southfield Fwy.) in Warrendale is joining thousands of other participating Chili's restaurants across the United States and donating 100% of their profits for today to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to help fight childhood cancer.

To date, participating Chili's restaurants have raised more than $30 million for St. Jude, moving the brand beyond the halfway point of its 10-year goal of $50 million. Once completed, Chili's contribution will be the largest donation from a single partner campaign in St. Jude history.

Eat at Chili's and help fight childhood cancer. It's your Warrendale Tip of the Week.