Heading into Midland, Live Oak Coffee House proudly displayed the outline of an oak in black and white against a landscape full of vibrant and colorful colors. Once downtown, the landscaping caught us right away. An effort was clearly made to utilize native plants and grasses. The Midland Visitor Center gave us a good overview of what to find in
When we visited in 2018, the Farmers Market was arranged in the round. A roughly circular pavilion provided shelter for customers. Vendors were arranged on either side. One of our finds at the market were heirloom tomatoes. After bringing some of the seeds back to New Jersey, these would become regulars in our garden from this point forward. This visit
Enjoy Michigan is a culture and apparel shop located at 118 S. Union Street in Traverse City (1 block N. Of Front St.)]. The store celebrates the state with original apparel, gifts, and goods made by local Northern Michigan artists. The shop features a distinctive retro triangular pennant sign above the entryway and a custom neon outline of Michigan’s Upper
Highland Park, located in Middlesex County, is a community with a design forward feeling – especially when it comes to public spaces. This playful public art project fills an otherwise blank wall. The colorful figures bring a sense of excitement and energy to the downtown. No detail is too small to escape notice. These customized metal tree grates bring a
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors is a public art project by Wei Wei. The appearance of mugshots is created through very precise cutting from metal panels. Then they are mounted as street banners throughout New York City. We took a quick stop nearby to visit the Doughnut Plant where they sold square donuts. One of the roll up gates along
Of the several market sheds, Shed 2 is perhaps the most regal of them all. The entrance has “Eastern Market” set in stone and double arches almost making an arcade with a slender cast iron column in the center. This allows easy access inside. Low-pitched sheds to either side give ample space for vendors to set their products out. In
We were grateful for a chance to visit the East End Market in Orlando. The market is located in the Audubon Park Garden District that was named a Great American Main Street by the National Main Street Center in 2016 — and factored prominently in that success. Inside a diverse selection of food-based enterprises are on the main floor. Shops are diverse and
Corbin has a reasonably well built up downtown. At the time we visited in 2016 there were some signs of a retail revival. Anchoring this were two businesses – You&Me Coffee & Tea and the Wrigley Taproom & Eatery. The Wrigley Taproom & Eatery made a conscious effort to source ingredients from local farmers. Also, the Farmers Market helped to
The Farmers Market in Saline while having no permanent market sheds, does have a handsome sign. Also a bike rack and a doghouse send a signal to two key constituencies – dog owners and cyclists that they are welcome to participate in the market. The doghouse was built and painted by volunteers as a fundraiser to benefit the victims of
Over the Rhine has been undergoing an impressive revitalization process for many years now. The concentration of multi-story buildings to support housing, and ground floor commercial spaces support a growing mix of businesses. This outdoor market pavilion supports local farmers and community activities. The transparent roof peak is particularly ingenious allowing light to fill the space. Public art is present