I haven’t been to Detroit since moving to Atlanta in 2023, and it felt great to be back! When I lived in Michigan, my parents seldom went to Detroit with me, and Alex had never been, making it extra special.

For my dad’s birthday, we went to a Red Wings hockey game and although they lost, we had a ton of fun. Little Caesars was as energetic and fun as I’d remembered, and the guys cheered with their Labatt beers before we found our seats. It was awesome to be there again.

As we marched back to the car, we had to stop in the cold and drop another Linley sticker!

As we headed north to Ferndale, it had secondhand admiration of Detroit’s architecture through Alex. He was so cute looking out the window, pointing out all the museums (including the Detroit Institute of Art) and other beautiful, historic buildings. Sometimes we take a place for granted until we see it through another’s eyes.

Near my old house is one of the best local, Detroit-style pizza places, and I knew this would be the perfect spot after a game. Como’s is a place I didn’t go to often, but every time I went it was special.

The rest of our evening was laid back and easygoing, just the way we all prefer it to be. Of course I had some flashbacks of my brother, my ex and former friends of mine, but luckily it didn’t dominate my time in Michigan. At times I wish things with my brother and former best friends were different, but I also know things happen for a reason, and I wouldn’t have ever met Alex or moved to Atlanta otherwise. I hope to return with Alex (and Linley next time!) so we can experience the beauty of Michigan in the summertime.

Media taken on Saturday, January 31, 2026 in Detroit & Ferndale, Michigan.