She'll probably sleep most of the way, but oftentimes long road trips are the best time for listening to your son or daughter's innermost thoughts.  I enjoyed similar drives from Ann Arbor to DC and St. Louis for a total of eight years (2 kids).

Former industrial power is nowhere more evident than in Detroit.  Even though still in operation, the Rouge looks ancient yet powerful.  The tour that starts from The Henry Ford (formerly Greenfield Village) is worth every penny and the time to see the auto line rolling.  Our whole office went for an outing, and we all stood mesmerized from the viewing balcony for an hour, at least, no limit except that we had to make a ball game downtown.  The new buildings and the old glass plant have some nice McDonough-green features.

If you detour into Ann Arbor, let me know.  She can see where she could have gone to college, but probably not a bid draw.  We have an empty Pfizer plant that Bill and Melinda are eyeing, but not too interesting architecturally.  The "Big House" is under construction to add luxury boxes, they just rebuilt the business school (tore down buildings from the 1960s to construct new ones with green roofs - now, isn't that sustainable!), and a number other similar projects clogging our roadways.

Today the Dalai Lama is speaking, and, thanks to our son standing in line for us, we have tickets, and even the Dalai Lama is going to talk about sustainability.  Hey, it's the annual Earth Day lecture!

Ilene R. Tyler, FAIA
QUINN EVANS | ARCHITECTS
219 1/2 N. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI  48104
ph: 734 663-5888
fx: 734 663-5044


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