Visiting Irish "Corktown" in Detroit, MI

With St. Patrick's Day approaching, my hubby recently accompanied me to the small, surviving remnant of Detroit's oldest neighborhood called, "Corktown."  In the mid-nineteenth century, the Irish were the largest ethnic group in Detroit, due to their homeland's 1840's Potato Famine.  1 out 7 persons were Irish.  Since many came from County Cork, their neighborhood became known as "Corktown." 

The neighborhood [which over time has drastically been reduced to roughly one square mile] was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and is designated as a City of Detroit Historic District.  Today, the neighborhood includes about 300 structures [mostly private residences and a few commercial buildings] for just over 2,000 people.

Several signs, like the ones in the picture above and below, are strategically placed throughout Corktown.  This photo was taken on Bagley Street, the southern border of Corktown.  It was a beautiful, sun-shiny day for visiting.

The neighborhood's housing style ranges from small Irish workman's cottages, to neo-Georgian townhouses, and Victorian-era rowhouses built close to each other on narrow 25-foot lots extending about a 130 ft. from the front sidewalk to the back alley - a land pattern that dates back to London over 300 years ago.

The houses below are on Church Street.  While some of the houses have been beautifully restored, many others are in need of repair and renovations.  How fun to take a peek into Irish history.

Isn't this little cottage-style house a renovated beauty?

The house next door.

Michigan Avenue is Corktown's "main drag."  It once bustled with traffic, especially during baseball season when Detroit Tiger Stadium was still one of Corktown's crown jewels.   It was demolished in 2009 and now all that remains is a large vacant field [which they call Ernie Harwell Park] and a flagpole with two flags waving in the breeze... 

and a few ballpark entrance gates that are left standing on Michigan Avenue.  [The Detroit Tigers now play ball at the new Comerica Park Stadium not far from Corktown.]

We had lunch at O'Blivions, located at 1800 Michigan Avenue.  They only do a lunch business 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m, but the place was packed while we were there.  Corktown is just west of downtown Detroit.

Photo below is courtesy of the O'Blivions' website as it was too busy to take interior photographs of the restaurant while we were there.

Jerry had fish and chips...

and I had a Reuben sandwich.  Both were very good.

Vintage police phone box inside the entrance of O'Blivions.

The building sign on the far left below gives the date of Detroit's 2013 St. Patrick's Day parade [which was yesterday, Sunday, March 10th].

It was Detroit's 55th St. Patrick's parade, sponsored by the United Irish Societies, made up of Irish organizations across the Detroit metro area.  The Corktown parade route is predominately Michigan Avenue.   In 2012 over 65,000 people attended the parade.

[Internet parade photos]

The "luck of the Irish" is credited for sparing Corktown from total destruction by urban-renewal, the construction of two Detroit freeways, and more recently the building of three casinos with accompanying hotels and parking structures.

Corktown had two tea rooms, O'Leary's and Fiona's, but both are gone now.  In the late 1990's when I first became smitten with tea, I went to O'Leary's.  Regrettably, I didn't take any photos.  Mrs. O'Leary, now deceased, closed her tea room when the casinos opened.  

Fiona's, a two room tea house, was located in an 1879 ivy-covered Victorian Cottage nestled among a sea of concrete freeway ramps, parking lots, and high rise office buildings. The landlord sold the cottage to MGM casino for the construction of a hotel, and Fiona's became history.  The tea room had rave reviews, and I've regretted many times that I never went.

[Internet Photo]

Today, the trendy Astro coffee shop serves tea in Corktown, and plans are in the making for an "Arts and Culture Tea House" to open sometime in 2013.  I'll be watching for it!

A New Tea Angel

If you've read my blog for awhile you know I began an "official" [constituting three or more] collection of tea angels back in September.   I blogged about my collection here and here.

I recently checked E-bay to see if any new tea angels were listed, and sure enough one caught my attention.  I placed a bid and won the angel, and it arrived a couple of days ago.

The angel is the smallest in my collection, just under 4 inches, since its posture is sitting.  It's a Bronson Collectible, in the 1996 Heavenly Guardians series by Katharine Stevenson.  At the base of the bisque angel are the words, "A Guardian Angel to nurture you."  The angel is holding a gold teapot and teacup, and is a lovely addition to my collection.

The angels are displayed in my office on top of a wooden shelf.

If my collection grows much larger, I'll have to find a new place to display them.  Isn't collecting fun?

Shepherd's Pie and an Antique Chocolate Pot

Last night's supper was Shepherd's Pie - a comfort food that my family thoroughly enjoys. Shepherd's Pie originated in England, but was adopted by the Irish people many years ago. It's a staple of Irish traditional cooking thanks to the trusty potato which was adopted by Ireland as a food crop in 1780.  Shepherd's Pie is good anytime, but it's especially appropriate at this time of year with St. Patrick's Day approaching.  

Our tea was Promise Tea, and the flavor was Apple Cobbler [a black tea] from Cracker Barrel. Inspiring Gaither lyrics are on each tea bag tag.   

In yesterday's blog I shared a porcelain shamrock trio that belonged to my mom.  Today I'm sharing a chocolate pot that belonged to my maternal great-grandmother.  It's the oldest family heirloom I own, and it's definitely a treasure to me.  Isn't it beautiful? 

The backstamp.

Research revealed the Wheeling Pottery Company organized in 1879 in Wheeling, West Virginia.  In 1887 it formed a second company called La Belle Pottery Company.  In 1903 Wheeling Potteries combined Wheeling, La Belle, Riverside Pottery, and Avon Potteries [of Tiltonsville, Ohio].  The factories continued making their semi-porcelain, art ware, utilitarian pieces and sanitary ware.  In 1909 the name was changed to Wheeling Sanitary Manufacturing Company when the company went into receivership and was reorganized to make sanitary ware [sinks/wash basins, water closets, and other bathroom fixtures].

The chocolate pot dates between 1887 and 1909, making it at least 104 years old.  I can't believe it survived all these years, since there were 12 children in the family.  Then it was passed to my grandmother, who had seven children. My grandmother passed it to my mother, and she passed it to me when she moved to her assisted living apartment.

The photo below shows my maternal great-grandparents, Joseph and Amelia, and their 12 children. They were married in 1880. [My great-grandparents are in the second row, center.] My grandmother, Lucy, was the fifth child.  She is in the top row, third from the left. 

Below is a photo of my mother's family.  My maternal grandparents, Daniel and Lucy are in the center, surrounded by their seven children.  They were married in 1918. My mother was the third child, and she is in the top row, far right.

I don't know how my mom happened to be the one who was given the chocolate pot, but I'm glad she was! ;-)

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Today I'm linking to Rose Chintz Cottage for "Home"
and

Antiques & Teacups for "Thursday Tea Things and Talk"

St. Patrick, Shamrocks, and Dishware

I love history, and found St. Patrick's very fascinating.  He is the primary Patron [special guardian] Saint of Ireland, and is credited with bringing Christianity to the Emerald Isle.  But he wasn't actually Irish.  Born somewhere in western or northern Britain, he was captured from his home by pagan raiders and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was about 16.  After six years he escaped and returned to his family and became a monk.  Eventually he returned to Ireland as an ordained bishop to Christianize the country.  St. Patrick's Day is  the date of his death.

There is Irish genealogy in my family, so we always celebrate the holiday.  My mother's middle name is Rose, and she said her father always used to sing the song, "My Wild Irish Rose" to her.  ;-)  A couple of years ago when I was planning a St. Patrick's Day tea for her and her sister [my aunt], I couldn't resist buying a statue of St. Patrick for the tablescape.  I knew having St. Patrick's statue at the tea party would make them smile. [You can read about the tea party here.]  Ever since, I've brought him out of storage as the holiday approaches to add to the spirit of  St. Patty's Day.

When my mother moved into an assisted living apartment, she gave me the china trio sets that were in her china cabinet.  She never used them, they were just to look at and admire.  They've been stored in a tote which I finally unpacked today.  My mom's very proud of her Irish heritage, and this china trio was always special to her.  I might have given it to her as a gift years ago, but neither of us can remember for sure! ;-)  It will definitely be passed on to my daughter someday, and hopefully become a family heirloom.

Below is the backstamp. [Tara was the Irish name of the O'Hara plantation in the movie, Gone with the Wind.]

I was gifted with this 2-cup teapot and matching handle-less teacup, which I found quite interesting.  I had never seen a handle-less teacup previously.  

Below is the backstamp.  The pottery was founded in Carrigaline, County Cork, Ireland in 1928 and closed in 1979.

The next set of Shamrock China that I've acquired over the last few years is from HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls.  I'm sure many of you have seen it, as they carried the  mugs in this pattern this year.   The teapot is 3-cup, and it came in two different styles, but I liked this one the best.

It is backstamped Shannon Porcelain by I. Godinger & Company.

I managed to collect service for six [you have no idea how many stores I had to visit in order to get them!].  The set includes teacups and saucers, salad/dessert plates, large shamrock shaped plates [which I use as luncheon plates] and small shamrock plates [which I use as scone or muffin plates].  I also have a few accessory pieces such as a footed cake plate, a platter, a lemon dish, and a vase.

I was gifted with this shamrock mug.

It is backstamped Lefton China.

I usually get a shamrock plant [Oxalis] for St. Patrick's Day because I like its significance. Aside from being Ireland's symbol, it is said St. Patrick used the shamrock as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity.  Because its leaves form a triad, he felt the shamrock was proof of three in one.  He used it to illustrate the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are separate, but also a part of the same being.

Tea and Advertising

Quite some time ago I bought a framed 1923 advertisement for Standard Plumbing Fixtures.  I couldn't resist it at the antique store when I saw the three little girls having a tea party [in front of the shiny white sink with glistening chrome-plated faucets]. Isn't it interesting how often tea was used in advertisements? Manufacturers wanted their products associated with rituals and traditions that were important to families.  

Fast-forward 90 years.  How kitchen sinks and faucets have changed!  But the ritual and tradition of drinking tea is still alive and well in my house, and the electric kettle is always ready on the counter to make a cup or pot of tea.

I've been seeing a lot of TV commercials lately for Marie Callender's chicken pot pies and Colonel Sander's KFC pot pies, so I decided to fix my own for supper last night.  It's a great wintry, cozy, comfort food!  Instead of using a double pie crust, I cut up a 10 oz. tube of refrigerated biscuits and placed them on top.  Hubby put his seal of approval on it.

And for dessert Oreo truffles.  The recipe is on my March 1st post.   Yummy!

I don't even want to know the calorie count! ;-)

As much as I love tea, a glass of milk goes great with these truffles too!

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Today I'm joining Rose Chintz Cottage for "Tea Time Tuesday"

Bernideen's Tea Time Blog for "Friends Sharing Tea"
Antiques and Teacups for "Tuesday Cuppa Tea"
and
Artful Affirmations for "Teacup Tuesday"

Goldfish Tea Room/Tea Bar

Goldfish Tea Room/Tea Bar is located in the city of Royal Oak, MI, about 11 miles from where I live.  The shop just celebrated its 5th anniversary last month in conjunction with the Chinese New Year.  I had heard and read about the establishment, and it's been on my list of tea places to visit for awhile, so hubby and I finally went last week.

The owners are a married couple who had jobs in the corporate world where their careers took them to Beijing, China.  While there, they "accidentally" fell in love with tea when they visited a wholesale tea market.  In the process of bartering for a gold dragon embossed tea set, they were invited to sit and taste several teas the shop offered.  A passion for tea began, and when they returned to the states they left the corporate world behind to open Goldfish Tea.  

As you can tell by the name, it's not a Victorian/British style tea room, rather it's Asian and trendy.  It was my first time to visit a tea room like it, and my hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit. It was a weekday, just past the lunch hour, and for a time I was the only female in the shop, outnumbered by five other males [excluding the two ladies working at the counter]. Now that's a switch!  I always enjoy seeing men turned on to tea.  [They do sell coffee, but these guys had tea mugs sitting on wooden tea boats.]

Below is a partial view of their well-stocked tea/coffee bar.  They offer more than 40 varieties of high quality, loose tea from China.  You won't find Earl Grey or English Breakfast because they don't sell blends. 

Seating section at the front of the shop.

Pictured below is our glass mugs of tea with infuser basket, sitting on a tea boat with timer. I ordered a cup of Keemun choice, and Jerry ordered Rooibus Chai.  We both got a large cookie to go with our tea.  Mine was chocolate chip, and Jerry's was a peanut butter.

Attire was very casual which Jerry [and probably all the guys] liked.

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookie and soooo good cup of Keemun!

Tea Ware Retail Area

Seating at the back of the tea room.

Notice the baker's rack to the left.  It offers books and games for patrons to enjoy. They also offer free wireless connection in the areas by the wall, so the owners are in no hurry for guests to leave their shop.

The back of the shop looking towards the front.  The owner graciously granted permission for me to take photos.

They offer personalized tea bar tea tastings, which I'd like to return for in the future.  It was a fun and unique tea experience, and I enjoyed the trendy environment that is so popular with today's young tea lovers.

Happy March 1st!

March... 

Comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb!

My good friend, and fellow blogger, Linda, at Friendship Tea, celebrates a birthday on March 11th, and Terri at Artful Affirmations celebrates one on the 12th. Happy Birthday Linda and   Terri, and birthday wishes to any other blogging friends and readers celebrating this month!

March Trivia

Birthstone:  Aquamarine and Bloodstone

Flower:  Daffodil, Jonquil or Chrysanthemum representing beauty, honesty and loyalty.

March was named for the Roman God "Mars"

March is National Women's History Month, Red Cross Month, and 
Irish-American Heritage Month.

Did you know that Ireland is the largest per capita tea drinking nation?  On average Irish citizens drink four cups of tea a day and some drink six or more.  Tea is their National beverage. Their preference is a hearty, full-bodied Irish Breakfast tea which is a blend of black teas [mostly Assam] from India. 

A few significant Birthdays, Holidays and Occasions:

March 1     St. David's Day [U.K.] The Patron Saint of Wales.  A good day to make Welsh 

                      Rarebit for tea time!
March 1     World Day of Prayer

March 2     Theodor Geisel, "Dr. Seuss" Birthday [1904-1991]

March 3     National Anthem Day - The Star Spangled Banner was adopted by Congress as 

                      the National Anthem in 1931.
March 3     Florida became the 27th state in 1845
March 4     Vermont became the 14th state in 1791

March 6     Oreo Cookies went on sale for the first time in 1912. [Oreo Truffle recipe below]
March 7     First US Income Tax - Internal Revenue began to levy and collect taxes 1913

March 7     Telephone patent granted in 1876 to Alexander Graham Bell.  [Wonder what he'd

                      think about cell phones???]
March 9     Barbie Doll debuts in stores 1959

March 10   Mothering Sunday [U.K.]

March 10   Daylight Savings Time begins

March 10   First US paper money issued in 1862

March 11   Johnny Appleseed Day - Anniversary of the death of John Chapman

March 12   Girl Scouts Day - Founded in 1912
March 13   Abigail Fillmore, First Lady/Wife of Millard Fillmore 13th U.S. President 
March 15   Andrew Jackson, 7th U.S. President [1767-1845]
March 15   Maine became the 23rd state in 1820
March 16   James Madison, 4th U.S. President [1751-1836]
March 16   Pat Nixon, First Lady/Wife of Richard Nixon 37th U.S. President [1912-1993]

March 17   St. Patrick's Day
March 18   Grover Cleveland, 22nd & 24th U.S. President [1837-1908]

March 20   Spring Equinox

March 24   Palm Sunday - Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem
March 27   Sandra Day O'Connor, First female U.S. Supreme Court Justice [Born 1930]

March 28   Coca-Cola was invented in 1886
March 29   Lou Hoover, First Lady/Wife of Herbert Hoover 31st U.S. President [1875-1944]
March 29   John Tyler, 10th U.S. President [1790-1862]

March 29   Good Friday - Jesus crucifixion on the Cross
March 30   Doctors' Day to honor America's Physicians

March 30   Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867

March 31   Easter Sunday.  Hallelujah!  Christ Arose!
March 31   Eiffel Tower Anniversary built for Paris Exhibition of 1889

Oreo Truffles Recipe

36 Oreo cookies, finely crushed, divided

1 pkg. [8 oz.] cream cheese, softened

16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Reserve 1/4 c. cookie crumbs.  Mix cream cheese and remaining cookie crumbs until blended. Shape into 48 [1-inch] balls.  Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.  Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.  Store uneaten truffles in refrigerator.