Detroit Institute of Arts

Yesterday was a beautiful, mild, sunny day in Michigan.  I'm happy that it's mid November and we're still enjoying Indian Summer.  

Hubby accompanied me to Detroit to purchase tickets at the Detroit Institute of Arts for their upcoming exhibit, Bitter Sweet,  Coffee, Tea and Chocolate.

Tickets are only $10 per person for residents in the tri-county area.  The exhibit begins on November 20th and will run through March 5th, 2017.  A friend and I will be having lunch at the DIA before viewing the exhibit.

The synopsis reads:  From social revolutions that changed the way we drink our morning blends, to design revolutions that changed what we drink them from, step back in time to when gathering over a cup of your favorite hot beverage caused a stir that turned the world on its end.

Coffee, tea, and chocolate were strongly associated with 18th century Europe as fashionable beverages of the day.  "Bitter Sweet: Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate" retraces the story of how these "new hot drinks" appeared on European tables beginning in the late 16th century, causing a near revolution in drinking habits, social customs and tastes, as well as insatiable demand for specialized vessels, such as coffee pots, tea canisters, and chocolate pots.  

The works of art from the DIA's world-class collection range from rare examples of porcelain and metalwork to painting, print and sculpture. 

I hope i-phone photos will be permitted so I can share some of the specialized vessels with you on my blog.   Below is the beautiful DIA building.

Directly across the street is the Detroit Public Library.

If the orange construction barrels could talk they'd say, "What's old is new again!"  The QLINE or M-1 Rail is an unprecedented 3.3 mile Woodward Avenue street car project that will be available for public transportation in the spring of 2017 with 12 stations and 21 stops. Construction began in July 2014. Traffic was light, so I was able to take a photo of the new street car track.

Horse-drawn street car transportation began in Detroit in 1863.  In 1892 electric-powered street cars replaced horse-drawn street cars.  The last street car ran in April 1956 in progress of GM diesel buses.   Now 60 years later, the street cars are coming back.