Emily Linn is one half of a sibling super duo. The artist and urbanista is a Detroiter, born and raised on the East Side with her four siblings. She went to U-M for undergrad, but went to Wayne for grad school, and then settled in the Midtown area.
Emily is big on the handmade/urban craft scene in Detroit. Her eye for design and passion for the city plays out in her business, too. She and brother Andy are the force behind
City Bird, and they sell their super cool Detroit-themed soaps, buttons, decorations and stationery at shops all over the metro region and on the Internet. In Detroit, stop by the gourmet shop
Zacarro's or the superbly stocked modern home décor store
Bureau of Urban Living to find her handmade goodies.
Her day job is at the
Detroit Institute of Arts, where she works with education projects, including all those cool crafts set out for the kiddies in the museum.
When she travels, she tends to look for good restaurants that are veggie and budget friendly. "And I always look for galleries and art museums. I look for record stores, vintage stores and design handmade stores," she says.
In Detroit, she spends most of her time in the city, and knows its ins and outs better than most people. She says some of her favorite places are not the obvious ones. Detroit, after all, is a tricky city to figure out without a good tour guide. " A lot of things go on that you don't know about," she says, at least not until someone shows you.
Emily is a vegetarian, but interestingly enough one of her favorite places is
Slows Bar BQ in Corktown. She's not joking. "It's delicious. They have a lot of really good vegetarian dishes." The macaroni and cheese, for example. Or the Special Purpose: Think pulled pork, but without the pig.
She's also way into Midtown staple
Avalon International Breads for yummy baked goods and hot drinks.
Less obvious, though, is one of her favorite spots. "I love to take people to
Dakota Inn," she says of the German beer-drinking hall, which serves loads of German grub and music. "You can't go there too often. The food is pretty heavy so you don't want to go there every day. It's a very unique experience. It's a very authentic German, or at least what I think of as authentic German."
She also likes the new menu options at
Motor City Brewing Co., home of the not-to-miss beer, Ghettoblaster, but also some great food –- interesting appetizers and a really solid list of wood-fired pizzas. "Wednesday nights are good because it's art night," she says, referring to the rotating shows that come through weekly featuring talented local artists. "It's excellent. And the menu is constantly expanding. "
And one more Midtown watering hole also has her favorite meatless sandwich.
The Bronx Bar, a totally chill, laid back college watering hole meets sublime dive bar. The sandwich is called the "veggie machine." It features cucumbers, spinach, cheese and tomatoes, but the top secret bread really makes it. The bar owners won't reveal their source, not even to a faithful local. "I've asked them a few times," she says. No dice.
Affordable, locally made items attract Emily. She says there's a lot to offer at unexpected places, including the
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) gift shop, which has good "books, publications and some designy things." Also up the street on Woodward Avenue is the
Detroit Artists Market. "Even if there's a big show, they always have a smaller area that's more affordable and locally made. They have good jewelry, cards and the prices are pretty good," she says.
Bureau of Urban Living also tops her list. She loves proprietor Claire Nelson, and not just because she carries the City Bird Line. "I think she does a nice job of balancing, cool inexpensive design things and necessities." She also loves
Mezzanine, a modern design shop in Harmonie Park. The prices are higher, but it also has some unique accessories and gift items.
Emily also likes to wander through the stacks at
John King Books in Corktown for used treasures.
People's Records on Woodward is a renowned place to find rare vinyl.
She also likes to explore some of the great and possibly overlooked antique stores in Detroit. Her faves: Antique Mart on Grand River near Cass Tech. Senate resale. And
Mantra, which she says has some good '70s stuff.
Café D'Mongo's Speakeasy is a favorite. It's tucked away off the beaten path and only open two nights a week, but the eclectic, casual, friendly vibe make it one of the hippest hangouts.
For music, she likes to check out what's going on at
UFO Factory, an eclectic group of noise musicians, promoters and producers who attract other underground artists to their Eastern Market space.
She also is sure to check out what's going on at
MOCAD. "There's usually a good artsy crowd," she says, and some of the best musicians around play in the museum's big open space. If there's a show opening, expect a really big crowd.
She also likes
Jumbo's. Usually it's a dive, she says, but "every other Thursday this guy Larry (Wiiliams) DJs. I wouldn't send anyone there unaware."
Once in a while, this City Bird girl finds a perch atop the Ren Cen. "I like to go to the bar at the
Coach Insignia," she says, referring to the fine dining restaurant that usually attracts the city's high rollers. "It's swanky," she says, "and something different. And the view …"
For a party, she suggests checking out the monthly
Funk Night scene – recently rated the best party in America.