Bars and restaurants are relying on outdoor seating to compensate for indoor dining restrictions during the pandemic. | Gerard + Belevender
Stay home this Thanksgiving
Taking an extremely serious tone to match the grim outlook of Michigan’s COVID-19 numbers, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took to the pulpit on Thursday, November 12 to implore people to stay home this Thanksgiving.
With the seven-day average positivity rates across the state pushing 11 percent as of last week and ICU beds filling rapidly with COVID-19 patients, the governor and Dr. Joneigh Khaldun of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) called on residents to batten down the hatches and prepare for a potentially harrowing winter.
The governor’s office is recommending that Michiganders redouble their efforts to limit community spread by washing their hands and wearing a mask whenever unable to maintain six feet of distance from another individual outside of one’s household. Whitmer and Khaldun also advised limiting visits to public spaces like grocery stores, self-isolating for two weeks after coming in contact with someone with COVID-19 symptoms, and avoiding any social gatherings. “Thanksgiving is going to look different this year. It just has to,” Whitmer says. “We cannot afford for people to head to a family member or loved one’s house for Thanksgiving.”
Khaldun cited a rising number of reported outbreaks at restaurants and bars in addition to social gatherings. Neither Khaldun nor Whitmer directly addressed indoor dining — something that’s allowed under current MDHHS epidemic orders — but they did state that any indoor activity where people remove masks and share space with people outside of their household is considered dangerous. That would include activities like indoor dining. “There is no safe indoor, multiple-household experience right now” Whitmer says. Khaldun had previously urged residents to avoid indoor dining.
Whitmer warned that her administration may not be able to wait to enact new measures in the absence of action by the state legislature, which is not currently in session. Any new actions would likely come through the MDHHS epidemic orders, which were established during the 1918 flu pandemic and isn’t impacted by the Supreme Court ruling that struck down Gov. Whitmer’s executive orders in October.
Bars and restaurants are relying on outdoor seating to compensate for indoor dining restrictions during the pandemic. | Gerard + Belevender
Stay home this Thanksgiving
Taking an extremely serious tone to match the grim outlook of Michigan’s COVID-19 numbers, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took to the pulpit on Thursday, November 12 to implore people to stay home this Thanksgiving.
With the seven-day average positivity rates across the state pushing 11 percent as of last week and ICU beds filling rapidly with COVID-19 patients, the governor and Dr. Joneigh Khaldun of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) called on residents to batten down the hatches and prepare for a potentially harrowing winter.
The governor’s office is recommending that Michiganders redouble their efforts to limit community spread by washing their hands and wearing a mask whenever unable to maintain six feet of distance from another individual outside of one’s household. Whitmer and Khaldun also advised limiting visits to public spaces like grocery stores, self-isolating for two weeks after coming in contact with someone with COVID-19 symptoms, and avoiding any social gatherings. “Thanksgiving is going to look different this year. It just has to,” Whitmer says. “We cannot afford for people to head to a family member or loved one’s house for Thanksgiving.”
Khaldun cited a rising number of reported outbreaks at restaurants and bars in addition to social gatherings. Neither Khaldun nor Whitmer directly addressed indoor dining — something that’s allowed under current MDHHS epidemic orders — but they did state that any indoor activity where people remove masks and share space with people outside of their household is considered dangerous. That would include activities like indoor dining. “There is no safe indoor, multiple-household experience right now” Whitmer says. Khaldun had previously urged residents to avoid indoor dining.
Whitmer warned that her administration may not be able to wait to enact new measures in the absence of action by the state legislature, which is not currently in session. Any new actions would likely come through the MDHHS epidemic orders, which were established during the 1918 flu pandemic and isn’t impacted by the Supreme Court ruling that struck down Gov. Whitmer’s executive orders in October.
The holiday season is here. Add a new tradition or carry on an old one with your family in November and December by heading out to one of these fun holiday displays and tree lightings in metro Detroit and Ann Arbor that are sure to illuminate the spirit.
Metro Parent has gathered a list of some of the most merry and bright tree and menorah lightings, along with lots of other joyful jollies here in southeast Michigan – from Detroit to Ann Arbor and beyond.
Check out this list and plan your family’s holiday season kick-off.
Note: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some events may end up cancelled or may be following strict safety protocols. Check ahead.
Five million lights shine bright at the Detroit Zoo for 29 days this holiday season. LED lights illuminate trees and building, plus there’s 200 illuminated animal sculptures scattered throughout the zoo.
Four miles of twinkling lights are ready for you to drive through until New Year’s Eve. Pictures with Santa and concessions on select days provide even more Christmas magic. Don’t forget to bring your letters to Santa; you can mail them outside of Santa’s Workshop.
Tune in for a pre-recorded look at Detroit’s 16th annual signature tree lighting event. This event kicks off the opening of the skating rink for the 2020-21 season.
Address: Macomb Township Recreation Center, 20699 Macomb St., Macomb Township
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Head to Macomb Township for this annual holiday happening, complete with crafts, Santa, holiday dance performances and refreshments at multiple stations.
Address: Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn
Times: 6:30-10 p.m.
Cost: $19.24-$30
Walk the candle-lit village streets to see live entertainment, shops decked out for the holidays and Santa with his sleigh and reindeer. Plus take a horse-drawn carriage ride, go ice skating and watch the marvelous fireworks display.
Address: Wixom Community Center, 49015 Pontiac Trail, Wixom
Time: 4-8 p.m.
Cost: Free
The city lights up for the holiday season with the lighting of a giant Christmas tree; plus carols, pictures with Santa, crafts for kids, music and more.
Female service workers and people of color shouldn’t have to choose between earning a living and putting up with harassment in a service job — and yet they do on a daily basis
This isEater Voices, where chefs, restaurateurs, writers, and industry insiders share their perspectives about the food world, tackling a range of topics through the lens of personal experience.
As usual, it was a busy and bustling weeknight shift. Shoulder-to-shoulder guests meant servers squeezing through the rush of regulars to wait tables. The bar was the center of the business — figuratively and quite literally — and we servers would shimmy through in our tuxedo shirts and ties with trays full of treats: crispy bronzini, saucy sauteed perch, cobblers stacked with a mound of Ray’s ice cream. Moving through waiting regulars was like swimming with a cut in open water. The blood brought out the sharks, their eyes watching their favorite foods, cocktails clutched in hands, hoping the specials didn’t run out.
Sweat was always part of the shift.
I was on a double and buzzing from my third energy drink. Known for regularly entertaining tables with delightful conversation, I stood at table 15 chatting about whatever. As I bent to pick up one man’s empty plate, he smiled and looked up at me, wiping his mouth into his cloth napkin. “I swear, you are just so sweet!” he says. “You remind me of someone. You remind me of Aunt Jemima!” The table gasped.
By the time this nonsense occurred, I’d been in and out of the food-service industry for a total of 15 years. My first gig was at a gyro joint in a metro Detroit suburban mall back when you could smoke inside of restaurants. As I write this, I’m 35 and have been out of food service since late 2018. Even being gone, I still routinely dream about my days working in the industry. The effects of that lifestyle are forever imprinted on my brain and body.
Despite all the good times, it took me 14 years to realize that the imprint was trauma.
It’d be a lie to say I don’t attribute my business acumen to serving. I learned how to brand and market myself through working in those aforementioned restaurants. Those skills taught me how to quickly adapt to the power of networking using social media, expanding my already-existing communication skills into the evolution of my current business as a freelance writer, creative director, and curator. There are days when I find myself oscillating between joy and disgust for the industry that’s brought me to my own personal fruition as a queer and Black femme. It’s hard to not look back on aspects of my come-up without moments of shuddering terror. The restaurant industry was a beautiful, two-headed monstrosity, both toxic and rewarding. Each experience taught me that many truths can and do exist at once; I can love that which harms me and I can and did live in dissonance for a dollar to survive.
The harsh reality is the industry is rife with all kinds of oppressive behavior — from the back of house and from the front, and from guests just as much as coworkers. Sexual harassment, blatant racism, and sexism were just a few of the evils I dealt with everyday I tied my apron on and hit the floor. My intersections forced me to handle regular, everyday, standard anti-Blackness blended with misogynoir (a term created by Black feminist author Moya Bailey to describe the anti-Black racist misogyny that Black women experience), all while wearing a smile because if I didn’t, it fucked my with money.
It’s impossible to detail every single instance of offense, though some have stuck in my mind like gum accumulated under a table:
There were guests who didn’t want to sit in my section, regularly choosing to sit in the section of someone white.
Once, a man came and sat at my bar right after his wife had given birth. He showed me a picture of his newborn daughter, so I showed him a picture of my then-7-year-old daughter. I said his kid looked like, “an angel.” He said he couldn’t wait till my kid was 18 so he could take her on a “date.” It took every bit of control to not throw the empty plates I was holding directly in his face. Instead, through a gritted smile, I told him, “You ever talk about my daughter again like that, I’ll kill you.” Yes, I meant it.
Another time, I filled in for a night bartender whose regulars definitely didn’t appreciate any kind of change to their routines. Two cis-gay white men walked in and saw me. Apprehensively, they sat at the bar, proceeding to “berate me” as they became more drunk with every perfect cosmopolitan I made them. Even though the bar was packed, they demanded my constant attention. Nothing I did was good enough or fast enough. They ended up leaving a complaint to the manager on duty because “I’d made them wait too long” while I served other guests.
As a manager, when guests had complaints, I’d stroll out to discuss the issue. Nine times out of 10, if the table was non-Black, there was no respect to my literal authority. Most didn’t believe I was the front-of-house manager. Why wouldn’t they be suspicious when, in fact, I was the first Black front-of-house manager ever in that facility? The reality didn’t match the expectations set by hiring standards used for years by that establishment.
In the back of the house, I was loved and hated, depending on the day and depending on who was working the line. The love came at a price, generally, always hinging on my subservience and always in the form of my acceptance of some kind of harassment. A little-too-friendly grab from the fry cook, a little unwanted sexual advance from someone in pastry. The hate came in waves, especially once I made it very clear I wasn’t tolerating abuse further. At one point, I defended another woman server about the harassment she experienced in the back of house. As unspoken punishment, my orders lagged and I wasn’t communicated to or looked at by the line for almost a month.
Being in the industry so long, I accepted abuse as the standard.
One final service job brought me to the decision to leave restaurants and leave them for good. After changing roles for years, I’d found myself very comfortable as a bartender. It was a fast-paced and exciting position. I absolutely loved making new cocktails. I loved making people smile with what I created. I loved the satisfaction I could bring to people and the money was divine. When one of the bartenders left for maternity leave, I took on her role with the promise of full-time positions available to both of us when she returned. The restaurant group itself boasted six locations, so I wasn’t too concerned about maintaining my spot.
Time passed. She returned. My shifts were cut in half and I was offered a spot back on the floor as a server.
The proprietor came between my double shift to tell me there was “no space anywhere” for me, in any of the six establishments he owned. The rejection ripped me apart, but I sat there listening, unmoved. There were no tears in front of him, though I sobbed between shifts. After wiping away tears, I was back out on the floor, and that night at dinner that customer called me Aunt Jemima. No manager helped, though I asked to switch out the table. That night in November I knew I was done.
My story isn’t an isolated one. People often wonder why workers stay in service-industry jobs where they’re exposed to harassment and abuse — how a style of management or bad behavior pervades a certain restaurant for years without someone speaking out. To that, I say that in America, working for tips essentially makes a person ignore their own exploitation.
I made decent money and supported myself and my kid working in the service industry, and told myself while I was in it that the interesting people I met from every kind of background imaginable and the fulfillment I got from being good at my job outweighed the bad. It made me feel incredible and necessary. And no matter how much the abuse stung, the money always made it better. But the reality was that I experienced harm physically, mentally, and emotionally. I learned the horrifying truth that some people enter the industry knowing they can be abusive and maintain their jobs. I learned that no matter how great I thought I was, it wasn’t enough to provide me the respect or income I deserved. Being a great server wouldn’t change the fact that I am Black, queer, femme, and living in the United States. Subconsciously or not, power dynamics don’t generally favor people like me.
The only thing that can save this industry is a complete overhaul of hierarchies cemented in place. Greed and power make otherwise decent people into living monsters, and capitalism fuels the neverending need for dominance and control. Workers of every orientation should seriously consider radicalizing by unionizing and demanding policy change, starting with an equitable payment plan. They should demand better health care and child care. They should demand that a personal and professional commitment to dismantle anti-Black- and brownness is a bare minimum requirement of folks employed. Working-class people are the majority of this nation’s population and have this perfect opportunity to come together and say, “No more abuse. No more anti-Blackness. No more harm. No more.”
Since I left the restaurant industry, I’ve found new opportunities. In early 2019, I was hired to work for a startup tech company, something totally outside of anything I’d ever done. That position afforded me the skills necessary to launch my own passion projects. After one year, I left that industry. I am proud (and terrified) to say that somehow Bad Future LLC, my company, was founded in 2020. My work sits within a pretty diverse spectrum of media. I produce, write, and co-star in a podcast called The Hard R’s and consult with upcoming podcasters and artists for their passion projects. I also freelance as a writer, creative director, model, and photographer.
It’s impossible for me to articulate what it feels like to be starting a new career at this point in my life. I can guarantee, however, that it will never, ever touch the pain of smiling through abuse and accepting the absurdity of being compared to a fictional Black pancake woman.
Asia Mockis a decolonizing and queer Black artist, creative director, and aspiring author living in majority Black Detroit, Michigan. The weirdest flex. The ashiest fade. Daisy is avisual artistborn and raised on Detroit’s westside, currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work aims to humanize the Black body by highlighting the wonders and the struggles of the Black experience.
Have an idea for Eater Voices? First-time writer? Don’t worry, we’ll pair you with an editor to make sure your piece hits the mark. If you want to write an Eater Voices essay, please send us a couple paragraphs explaining what you want to write about and why you are the person to write it tovoices@eater.com.
Female service workers and people of color shouldn’t have to choose between earning a living and putting up with harassment in a service job — and yet they do on a daily basis
This isEater Voices, where chefs, restaurateurs, writers, and industry insiders share their perspectives about the food world, tackling a range of topics through the lens of personal experience.
As usual, it was a busy and bustling weeknight shift. Shoulder-to-shoulder guests meant servers squeezing through the rush of regulars to wait tables. The bar was the center of the business — figuratively and quite literally — and we servers would shimmy through in our tuxedo shirts and ties with trays full of treats: crispy bronzini, saucy sauteed perch, cobblers stacked with a mound of Ray’s ice cream. Moving through waiting regulars was like swimming with a cut in open water. The blood brought out the sharks, their eyes watching their favorite foods, cocktails clutched in hands, hoping the specials didn’t run out.
Sweat was always part of the shift.
I was on a double and buzzing from my third energy drink. Known for regularly entertaining tables with delightful conversation, I stood at table 15 chatting about whatever. As I bent to pick up one man’s empty plate, he smiled and looked up at me, wiping his mouth into his cloth napkin. “I swear, you are just so sweet!” he says. “You remind me of someone. You remind me of Aunt Jemima!” The table gasped.
By the time this nonsense occurred, I’d been in and out of the food-service industry for a total of 15 years. My first gig was at a gyro joint in a metro Detroit suburban mall back when you could smoke inside of restaurants. As I write this, I’m 35 and have been out of food service since late 2018. Even being gone, I still routinely dream about my days working in the industry. The effects of that lifestyle are forever imprinted on my brain and body.
Despite all the good times, it took me 14 years to realize that the imprint was trauma.
It’d be a lie to say I don’t attribute my business acumen to serving. I learned how to brand and market myself through working in those aforementioned restaurants. Those skills taught me how to quickly adapt to the power of networking using social media, expanding my already-existing communication skills into the evolution of my current business as a freelance writer, creative director, and curator. There are days when I find myself oscillating between joy and disgust for the industry that’s brought me to my own personal fruition as a queer and Black femme. It’s hard to not look back on aspects of my come-up without moments of shuddering terror. The restaurant industry was a beautiful, two-headed monstrosity, both toxic and rewarding. Each experience taught me that many truths can and do exist at once; I can love that which harms me and I can and did live in dissonance for a dollar to survive.
The harsh reality is the industry is rife with all kinds of oppressive behavior — from the back of house and from the front, and from guests just as much as coworkers. Sexual harassment, blatant racism, and sexism were just a few of the evils I dealt with everyday I tied my apron on and hit the floor. My intersections forced me to handle regular, everyday, standard anti-Blackness blended with misogynoir (a term created by Black feminist author Moya Bailey to describe the anti-Black racist misogyny that Black women experience), all while wearing a smile because if I didn’t, it fucked my with money.
It’s impossible to detail every single instance of offense, though some have stuck in my mind like gum accumulated under a table:
There were guests who didn’t want to sit in my section, regularly choosing to sit in the section of someone white.
Once, a man came and sat at my bar right after his wife had given birth. He showed me a picture of his newborn daughter, so I showed him a picture of my then-7-year-old daughter. I said his kid looked like, “an angel.” He said he couldn’t wait till my kid was 18 so he could take her on a “date.” It took every bit of control to not throw the empty plates I was holding directly in his face. Instead, through a gritted smile, I told him, “You ever talk about my daughter again like that, I’ll kill you.” Yes, I meant it.
Another time, I filled in for a night bartender whose regulars definitely didn’t appreciate any kind of change to their routines. Two cis-gay white men walked in and saw me. Apprehensively, they sat at the bar, proceeding to “berate me” as they became more drunk with every perfect cosmopolitan I made them. Even though the bar was packed, they demanded my constant attention. Nothing I did was good enough or fast enough. They ended up leaving a complaint to the manager on duty because “I’d made them wait too long” while I served other guests.
As a manager, when guests had complaints, I’d stroll out to discuss the issue. Nine times out of 10, if the table was non-Black, there was no respect to my literal authority. Most didn’t believe I was the front-of-house manager. Why wouldn’t they be suspicious when, in fact, I was the first Black front-of-house manager ever in that facility? The reality didn’t match the expectations set by hiring standards used for years by that establishment.
In the back of the house, I was loved and hated, depending on the day and depending on who was working the line. The love came at a price, generally, always hinging on my subservience and always in the form of my acceptance of some kind of harassment. A little-too-friendly grab from the fry cook, a little unwanted sexual advance from someone in pastry. The hate came in waves, especially once I made it very clear I wasn’t tolerating abuse further. At one point, I defended another woman server about the harassment she experienced in the back of house. As unspoken punishment, my orders lagged and I wasn’t communicated to or looked at by the line for almost a month.
Being in the industry so long, I accepted abuse as the standard.
One final service job brought me to the decision to leave restaurants and leave them for good. After changing roles for years, I’d found myself very comfortable as a bartender. It was a fast-paced and exciting position. I absolutely loved making new cocktails. I loved making people smile with what I created. I loved the satisfaction I could bring to people and the money was divine. When one of the bartenders left for maternity leave, I took on her role with the promise of full-time positions available to both of us when she returned. The restaurant group itself boasted six locations, so I wasn’t too concerned about maintaining my spot.
Time passed. She returned. My shifts were cut in half and I was offered a spot back on the floor as a server.
The proprietor came between my double shift to tell me there was “no space anywhere” for me, in any of the six establishments he owned. The rejection ripped me apart, but I sat there listening, unmoved. There were no tears in front of him, though I sobbed between shifts. After wiping away tears, I was back out on the floor, and that night at dinner that customer called me Aunt Jemima. No manager helped, though I asked to switch out the table. That night in November I knew I was done.
My story isn’t an isolated one. People often wonder why workers stay in service-industry jobs where they’re exposed to harassment and abuse — how a style of management or bad behavior pervades a certain restaurant for years without someone speaking out. To that, I say that in America, working for tips essentially makes a person ignore their own exploitation.
I made decent money and supported myself and my kid working in the service industry, and told myself while I was in it that the interesting people I met from every kind of background imaginable and the fulfillment I got from being good at my job outweighed the bad. It made me feel incredible and necessary. And no matter how much the abuse stung, the money always made it better. But the reality was that I experienced harm physically, mentally, and emotionally. I learned the horrifying truth that some people enter the industry knowing they can be abusive and maintain their jobs. I learned that no matter how great I thought I was, it wasn’t enough to provide me the respect or income I deserved. Being a great server wouldn’t change the fact that I am Black, queer, femme, and living in the United States. Subconsciously or not, power dynamics don’t generally favor people like me.
The only thing that can save this industry is a complete overhaul of hierarchies cemented in place. Greed and power make otherwise decent people into living monsters, and capitalism fuels the neverending need for dominance and control. Workers of every orientation should seriously consider radicalizing by unionizing and demanding policy change, starting with an equitable payment plan. They should demand better health care and child care. They should demand that a personal and professional commitment to dismantle anti-Black- and brownness is a bare minimum requirement of folks employed. Working-class people are the majority of this nation’s population and have this perfect opportunity to come together and say, “No more abuse. No more anti-Blackness. No more harm. No more.”
Since I left the restaurant industry, I’ve found new opportunities. In early 2019, I was hired to work for a startup tech company, something totally outside of anything I’d ever done. That position afforded me the skills necessary to launch my own passion projects. After one year, I left that industry. I am proud (and terrified) to say that somehow Bad Future LLC, my company, was founded in 2020. My work sits within a pretty diverse spectrum of media. I produce, write, and co-star in a podcast called The Hard R’s and consult with upcoming podcasters and artists for their passion projects. I also freelance as a writer, creative director, model, and photographer.
It’s impossible for me to articulate what it feels like to be starting a new career at this point in my life. I can guarantee, however, that it will never, ever touch the pain of smiling through abuse and accepting the absurdity of being compared to a fictional Black pancake woman.
Asia Mockis a decolonizing and queer Black artist, creative director, and aspiring author living in majority Black Detroit, Michigan. The weirdest flex. The ashiest fade. Daisy is avisual artistborn and raised on Detroit’s westside, currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work aims to humanize the Black body by highlighting the wonders and the struggles of the Black experience.
Have an idea for Eater Voices? First-time writer? Don’t worry, we’ll pair you with an editor to make sure your piece hits the mark. If you want to write an Eater Voices essay, please send us a couple paragraphs explaining what you want to write about and why you are the person to write it tovoices@eater.com.
Some high school students have a crystal clear idea of where they want to go and what they want to be in life. But others — beyond knowing that they will need additional education after graduation — are far less certain about their future path.
“What is the purpose of higher education? It’s to be prepared to get a future job or career. But a lot of students are going on to college without that kind of direction,” says Cyndi Millns, department chair of Computer Science and Information Technologies at Washtenaw Community College.
Even while still in high school, students can take advantage of Washtenaw Community College to learn skills, engage in immersive activities and even earn credit or credentials, all while gaining a much clearer idea of where they want to go in their future careers.
Diving into STEM through cybersecurity
Millns works with high school students in Livingston County who are interested in learning cybersecurity skills. Through CyberPatriot, a national youth cyber education program run by the U.S. Air Force, middle and high school students learn how to fix open vulnerabilities in computer programs. And, through co-curricular programming, they join students from Washtenaw Community College for afterschool cyber competitions.
“What I love about this is we have college students and high school students working together,” Millns says. “It’s a great confidence builder for students in these situations, competing with and against college students and doing it well.”
Here in Michigan and across the country, technical skills are — and will continue to be — in very high demand, says Millns, who points to a statistic on the website CyberSeek indicating a current 46,000-person talent shortfall of cybersecurity analysts, just one of the cyber jobs most in demand today. Automotive, including transportation systems and mobility, are one sector, but fields such as health care and manufacturing also need workers with skills in cybersecurity and IT, she says.
Washtenaw Community College offers five specific courses in cyber security, an associate degree and two certificates, one of which is specific to automotive cyber security.
Earning college credit while still in high school
In addition to pursuing high school-level courses in career and technical education, many students can join Early/Middle College, a program that allows them to take courses at community college as part of their high school curriculum, then graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree with just one extra year of school. This positions them to enter the workforce directly or to go on to college with plenty of credits already completed.
Even if students don’t enter Early/Middle College, they can participate in dual enrollment courses at Washtenaw Community College, gaining college credit they can take with them after they graduate to community college or to one of many Michigan colleges and universities through the Michigan Transfer Agreement.
In many cases, public school dollars can be used to pay for dual enrollment credits. “If not, the costs are minimal — a fraction of the cost at a big university,” says Millns. [Mi1] And, while many community colleges are offering courses online due to COVID-19, high school students have even more flexibility in earning credits early on.
With Washtenaw Community College as a local resource, many students are able to enrich their high school educational experiences and take on challenges they wouldn’t otherwise find. For some kids, Millns says, this is just the direction they need.
“A number of high school students are ready for that next level, and this provides the next step in their life,” Millns says.
Since 1999, 12,524 students have taken advantage of dual enrollment through Washtenaw Community College. Currently, there are 1,171 dual enrolled high school students for the Fall semester.
Boston cream, glazed, chocolate dipped, chocolate with sprinkles, cinnamon rolls and more – doughnuts are delightful!
If you’ve got a sweet tooth and are looking to satisfy it, look no further than our list of top doughnut shops in metro Detroit. Some, like Dunkin’ Donuts, are super well known, while others are community gems.
Whether you’re in Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw or Wayne, there is a doughnut shop waiting for your taste buds.
Fair warning: This roundup will make you hungry. Be sure to check out some doughnut recipes, too, if you want to try making your own doughnuts at home.
Note: Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, many shops may have shortened hours or may be temporarily closed. Call ahead before heading out.
The name says it all! If you love apple fritters, this Ferndale spot is the place to get them. They offer nearly 50 varieties of doughnuts, along with pastries and muffins.
Family-owned for over 30 years, this doughnut shop specializes in making ’em “the old fashioned way.” Doughnuts are fried in 100 percent vegetable oil and have zero trans fat.
Benny’s Bakery serves up freshly made doughnuts, pastries, cakes, cookies, breads, pies and more. Visit on Saturday to try freshly made famous soft pretzels.
Located in the New Center One building, Detroit Donuts has loyal customers who constantly return for the amazing fritters and doughnuts that can only be found in Detroit.
Originally known as Amy Joy Donuts and then Donut’s Time, the doughnut shop has been around since 1973. It has expanded to include a pretty extensive menu of breakfast and sandwich items, but the doughnuts are still king.
This bakery offers a wide selection of classics – old-fashioned glazed, Boston cream and powdered sugar. Since it is open 24 hours, it’s a great place to grab a late-night doughnut. Apple fritters are a must here, too!
This doughnut shop prides itself on its unique and innovative doughnuts, like the Fruity Pebble, banana split and cherry amaretto cheesecake. You can make a letter doughnut, enjoy a one of their vegan options or have your treats delivered with Uber Eats.
Choose from flavors like Cherry Cake or Old Fashioned. They also offer jelly, lemon and custard-filled donuts along with powdered and chocolate covered. Find bagel sandwiches, too.
If you happen to find yourself in Mexicantown stop by Donut Villa. Fun fact: it was known as the “Home of the Original Nickelnut,” which is a doughnut hole that is so delectable. You can still buy a variation of them for just 10 cents each! Try an old-fashioned custard-filled Boston Crunch, too. It’s topped with toasted coconut and sugary glaze.
Donutville U.S.A has been serving up fluffy doughnuts since 1966. Grab a blueberry or red velvet glazed with a cup of Colombian coffee any time – day or night. Ever thought of getting a doughnut cake? Donutville U.S.A has a Chocolate Iced King doughnut that can be made for special order.
Locations: Various locales throughout southeast Michigan
This doughnut chain has been around since 1950 and serves up tons of doughnut flavors, along with a full menu of sandwiches and coffee options. It’s a fan favorite – and you can find one in nearly every city.
Dutch Girl Donuts has proven to be a rare constant in a changing city. The shop has been serving up fresh doughnuts at fair prices since 1947. Cash only.
Elias’ is a place where “open 24 hours” still means fresh hot, fluffy doughnuts. Enjoy unique varieties that will leave you wanting more. Snag a Dutch Crumble doughnut while you’re there, along with the ever popular glazed, buttermilk, red velvet cake, Samoa (like the Girl Scout cookie), Fruit Loops, banana, cinnamon roll and more.
It doesn’t matter when your sweet craving hits because this doughnut shop is always open. Here, you can build your own doughnut. Choose a base, a glazed and then toppings to create the perfect sweet treat. Did we mention they deliver too?
Locations: Various locales throughout southeast Michigan
If the light is on, step inside for a free glazed doughnut! This famous franchise offers a variety of different flavors – both basic and specialty. Still, though, nothing beats the fluffy classic glazed.
Locations: Various locales throughout southeast Michigan
Since the famous Canadian hockey player opened his first location in the 1960s, this chain has taken off. Stop by your local location to enjoy a variety of doughnuts, breakfast foods and, of course, some “Timbits” doughnut holes.
The Donut Cutter is famous for their old-school fresh classic glaze doughnuts. Plus, the apple fritters are quite popular. The Chau family bakes at 3 a.m. so each days selection are the freshest they can be. It’s so old school it doesn’t take credit cards or checks, so bring your cash!
Don’t let the name fool you – you can pick up way more than just doughnuts here. Grab bagels, sandwiches and subs, too. Still, if you’re interested in a sweet treat, snag a delectable doughnut from this Warren spot.
The Looney Baker has been serving the Livonia area doughnut lovers since 1986. Not only to they have delicious doughnuts, but also they have doughnut cake styles. The cinnamon sugar coated cider doughnuts and custard-filled variety will have you going “looney.”
The COVID-19 is gaining traction throughout the globe once more. As the weather changes and the holidays come around again, it’s only natural to be concerned about your health at this time. This stress, however, is only compounded if you’re currently pregnant. Experts don’t know if pregnant people are more...
You’re not ready to go out, but you’re also tired of calling binge-watching another series on Netflix “date night.” From trivia nights to at-home mixology classes, schedule one of these options this holiday season and escape the monotony of quarantine.
Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunt Adventures has created the software for you to host your own, free game night, with questions at the ready. Gather your friends (who also need a date night) for trivia, charades, Pictionary and more.
Join wine makers and wine critics to uncork and taste new wines. The events are free, but you can also purchase the wine and have it sent to your house to test during the tastings.
Take a virtual tour of Ypsilanti’s 734 Brewing, then take a tasting lesson with brewery staff. You’ll receive a six-pack of beer, and for a little more toss in pretzels and a 734 Beer mug.
The Purple Rose is partnering with the Chelsea District Library to present a play reading over Zoom. Actors Matt Letscher (The Mask of Zorro, Eli Stone), Kristin Shields, Kate Thomsen, Dez Walker and Tom Whalen will read and act a new play, Human Error. After the play, viewers are encouraged to give feedback. Registration required for Zoom link.
Join Emmy award-winning actor, director, singer/song-writer Jeff Daniels for an intimate Zoom concert experience full of original songs, personal stories from his stage and movie career and an audience Q&A. All ticket costs and donations benefit The Ark in Ann Arbor.
Detroit History Tours will host a Zoom bingo game that is one part performance, one part history lesson and lots of parts prizes. Order by Nov. 20 to make sure your bingo cards arrive in your mailbox before the game.
If you’ve already exhausted your saved movies on Netflix, learn how they’re made through lectures and classes for ages 18 and older. Subjects include narrative structure, sound, editing and mise-en-scene. Viewing of classes directly benefits the Michigan Theater Foundation.
More Virtual Date Ideas
Order a special dinner
Skip dinner with the kids and plan a meal just for you two. You can order takeout from one of your favorite local restaurants. While you’re at it, why not set up the table and light some candles, too?
Do a puzzle together
After a long day, break out a puzzle that you can work on together and still be able to have a good conversation. Consider buying a puzzle roll mat so you can save puzzling for a future date night — and not worry about the kids ruining it!
Host a virtual game night
You can still connect with your friends without leaving the house. If you’re missing game night together, try out some virtual gaming apps like Houseparty and Jackbox Games. We suggest video chatting at the same time to make the experience even more fun.
Have a movie marathon
Instead of binge-watching your current show obsession, pop some popcorn and watch a few flicks. Make it a themed movie night so you can watch two or three similar movies together. Some ideas include horror films, ’90s night or movie musicals.
Create your own spa
You both deserve a break with a stay-at-home spa night. It’s up to your mood on how you want to plan this time to relax. It can be as elaborate as setting up roses near a tub filled with scented bath salts or as simple as putting on face masks while watching TV.
Sip and paint
If you don’t feel like spending so much money, recreate the Sip and Paint experience at home. Buy your art materials and a bottle of wine as you follow along with thistutorial on YouTube.
Netflix recently premiered a brand-new animated movie musical about a young girl with big dreams to fly to the moon. One she’s there, Fei Fei hopes to meet legendary Chinese moon goddess Chang’e from her bedtime stories. And with more changes going on in her life, she wants more than anything to hold on to the past.
During her fantasy adventure, Fei Fei learns some very important life lessons when on the moon. Here are some to discuss with your family:
Build your dreams. When Fei Fei decides to build a rocket, we see that it isn’t a simple task. She doesn’t give up when there’s setbacks and continues to work until her rocket is built. This is a great reminder to kids that it’s okay to dream big, but they need to work hard in order to achieve their goals.
Healing takes time. Over the Moon explores a realistic cycle of grief through Fei Fei, who loses her mother at a younger age. The pain of loss can be overwhelming, especially for a child. Explain to your family about what grief means, that emotional healing is different for everyone and how they should express their emotions even if they feel sad or mad.
Embrace change. Fei Fei longs for the time when her mother was alive, and it’s hard to let new people in her life. Through Chang’e, she learns that she can love someone new, and it doesn’t mean that she’ll forget her mother. Talk to your kids on how they deal with changes in their life and ask them how they feel about it.
Movie-inspired activities
Photo via Science Sparks
Now that you’ve seen Over the Moon, try these screen-free activities for kids.
Learn about the Mid-Autumn Festival. Over the Moon gives us an inside look at the Mid-Autumn Festival, a holiday that’s celebrated by many families around the world. Learn more about the holiday through recipes, activities and crafts with this excellent guide from Chinese American Family.
Build a bottle rocket. Want to fly to the moon like Fei Fei? Use science and a few household items to make a bottle fly with this Science Sparks project.
Play with ping pongs. Chin, Fei Fei’s soon-to-be stepbrother loves ping pong. Join in on the table tennis fun with this set you can easily set up at home.
Start a moon journal. If your kids are curious about the night sky, observe some astronomy at home with this free printable moon journal from Buggy and Buddy.
Have a Watch This, Do That idea you want to share with our readers? Send your idea to editor@metroparent.com with your suggestion for a movie. We’d love to share your idea on MetroParent.com.
A running list of the establishments that are shutting down, testing their employees, and deep cleaning restaurant spaces
Over the past few months, a number of restaurants throughout Southeast Michigan have announced that they would close their door temporarily as workers at these establishments came in contact with or tested positive for COVID-19. It’s a tough decision for restaurant owners to close down in a year that’s already difficult for businesses. It’s also important to ensure that restaurant workers, who are most directly at risk of infection in a food service setting, are given the time necessary to properly self-isolate, get tested, and, if necessary, receive medical attention.
To be clear, announcing that an employee tested positive and shutting down is the right thing to do. It’s an important show of transparency, one that lets diners know that their favorite spots take this pandemic seriously. New cases are skyrocketing in Michigan and across the country. Any measures taken to inform the public of possible exposure are essential to help slow the spread. Michigan residents can also download the MI COVID Alert app and sign up for notifications related to possible exposure sites.
Eater plans to keep a running list of the restaurants that have made the decision to close temporarily after a positive COVID-19 test. If you know of a spot that’s not on this list, send us a tip at detroit@eater.com. We’ve also rounded up the restaurants that have already reopened after closing their doors to sanitize and test staff following a positive test in the restaurant in the last few weeks.
Closed Now
El Charro in Troy and Macomb Township — Two locations of the popular Tex-Mex chain closed on Tuesday, November 10, due to “multiple employees having come in contact with the virus, according to a Facebook post. The Fraser and St. Clair Shores locations remain open. No reopening date was provided.
Closed and Reopened
Toast Birmingham — Per a Facebook post, the restaurant has undergone deep cleaning and all staff have been tested. As of Wednesday, November 11, the brunch spot is open.
Whiskey Taco Foxtrot — The Clawson restaurant temporarily closed on Sunday, October 25, due to a COVID-19 exposure. Several staff members ended up testing positive but recovered and the restaurant reopened on Wednesday, November 4.
The Brown Jug — The Brown Jug was listed by Washtenaw County as a possible exposure site on Thursday, October 1 and Saturday, October 3, and on Tuesday, October 6. The bar is currently open.
Chapala Mexican Restaurant — Several cases from the Washtenaw County alert were also traced to Chapala Mexican Restaurant in Ann Arbor to Thursday, October 1. The restaurant closed for deep cleaning on Monday, October 12, and reopened on Wednesday, October 14.
Knight’s Steakhouse — This Ann Arbor restaurant briefly closed on Saturday, October 24 after “a few” front-of-house employees tested positive for COVID-19. The restaurant has reopened as of Thursday, October 29.
Sava’s Restaurant — This Ann Arbor establishment closed on Tuesday, October 27, after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Sava’s resumed service on Thursday, October 29.
A running list of the establishments that are shutting down, testing their employees, and deep cleaning restaurant spaces
Over the past few months, a number of restaurants throughout Southeast Michigan have announced that they would close their door temporarily as workers at these establishments came in contact with or tested positive for COVID-19. It’s a tough decision for restaurant owners to close down in a year that’s already difficult for businesses. It’s also important to ensure that restaurant workers, who are most directly at risk of infection in a food service setting, are given the time necessary to properly self-isolate, get tested, and, if necessary, receive medical attention.
To be clear, announcing that an employee tested positive and shutting down is the right thing to do. It’s an important show of transparency, one that lets diners know that their favorite spots take this pandemic seriously. New cases are skyrocketing in Michigan and across the country. Any measures taken to inform the public of possible exposure are essential to help slow the spread. Michigan residents can also download the MI COVID Alert app and sign up for notifications related to possible exposure sites.
Eater plans to keep a running list of the restaurants that have made the decision to close temporarily after a positive COVID-19 test. If you know of a spot that’s not on this list, send us a tip at detroit@eater.com. We’ve also rounded up the restaurants that have already reopened after closing their doors to sanitize and test staff following a positive test in the restaurant in the last few weeks.
Closed Now
El Charro in Troy and Macomb Township — Two locations of the popular Tex-Mex chain closed on Tuesday, November 10, due to “multiple employees having come in contact with the virus, according to a Facebook post. The Fraser and St. Clair Shores locations remain open. No reopening date was provided.
Closed and Reopened
Toast Birmingham — Per a Facebook post, the restaurant has undergone deep cleaning and all staff have been tested. As of Wednesday, November 11, the brunch spot is open.
Whiskey Taco Foxtrot — The Clawson restaurant temporarily closed on Sunday, October 25, due to a COVID-19 exposure. Several staff members ended up testing positive but recovered and the restaurant reopened on Wednesday, November 4.
The Brown Jug — The Brown Jug was listed by Washtenaw County as a possible exposure site on Thursday, October 1 and Saturday, October 3, and on Tuesday, October 6. The bar is currently open.
Chapala Mexican Restaurant — Several cases from the Washtenaw County alert were also traced to Chapala Mexican Restaurant in Ann Arbor to Thursday, October 1. The restaurant closed for deep cleaning on Monday, October 12, and reopened on Wednesday, October 14.
Knight’s Steakhouse — This Ann Arbor restaurant briefly closed on Saturday, October 24 after “a few” front-of-house employees tested positive for COVID-19. The restaurant has reopened as of Thursday, October 29.
Sava’s Restaurant — This Ann Arbor establishment closed on Tuesday, October 27, after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Sava’s resumed service on Thursday, October 29.
This year has been challenging for everyone — especially college students.
Whether they are commuters who have to meet on campus on certain days, or they signed a lease and paid for an apartment already, these students are away from their families (many for the first time) during a global pandemic.
Claudia Lico, from Shelby Township, is a mother of two. Her daughter lives at home while attending Oakland University and her son is away at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor — Neither one of her children thought this would be the college experience they would be getting.
According to Lico, one of the most important things to do is to check in on your kids and make sure they are feeling and doing okay with everything going on.
For her son who’s away, “I’ll call him and say ‘hey, how was your day?’ ‘Is there anything you need from me’,” Lico says. “I check in on a regular basis.”
Whether it be a text, a phone call or even a video chat, it’s important to keep that open dialogue with your kids.
“We FaceTime a lot more, so we check in that way, too,” she says.
During these calls, she suggests that you make sure you’re asking about their health, as well because many college kids will stay up late and not realize they’re sleep deprived.
“I ask him if he’s getting enough rest and eating properly,” she says. “Of course, you get the whole, ‘Yeah, Mom,’ but he’s still my kid and I still like to check on him since he’s away.”
If you can’t get through via phone or FaceTime, try texting, which can be a bit easier for the kids to respond to since they’re usually busy with their workload.
Outside of checking in, another important thing to check in on is whether or not they have food, toiletries and other needed items.
Liso often asks her son if he has enough toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer and other things that a college student might not be concerned about until it’s too late.
Helping from home
Since the majority of her son’s classes are online, he has been coming home a lot more than he would if his classes had been in person, so Lico can make sure she sends him back with clean clothes, prepped meals and essentials.
“I try to make their lives easier to help with little stuff, laundry and groceries,” she explains. “They don’t have to worry about any of that stuff on top of their studies, because their studies seem to be doubled or tripled from home.”
She handles making appointments, checks in to make sure that their car has enough gas and does her best to put a smile on and make them feel as normal as possible.
She also makes it a priority to do things with her daughter, who is taking online college classes at their home, in order to get her mind off of her studies when she needs a break.
“We’ll take a mental break and work on a puzzle,” she says. “We’ve been into the Disney ones, the Thomas Kincade ones.”
Being there for them
As a parent, your college kid may be stressing about their online classes and teachers that aren’t so great with technology.
Consider asking them what they need from you or what you can do to help them and listen to what they suggest. If they don’t suggest anything, just make it a point to be a someone they can talk to, especially if they are living alone.
“Basically, (these kids) are home inside and there’s no social interaction,” says Lico. “You can’t see anyone. If you happen to live alone, it’s probably even worse.”
Bars and restaurants are relying on outdoor seating to compensate for indoor dining restrictions during the pandemic. | Gerard + Belevender
