I love Detroit.  I love hanging out in Detroit and what’s happening with the recent growth in the city – there is so much going on and it’s all so exciting to be a part of!  We’ve been saying it for several years now, and when it first started happening people would dismiss it but now it’s undeniable.

We are still buzzing from the incredible day we had at Eastern Market at VegMichigan‘s VegFest as a sponsor and vendor, and not only did we sell a TON of jerky but we ATE ourselves silly.  #SorryNotSorry, and #YOLO.  Hehe…

We posted this on our Instagram story later that day to give you an idea:

You’ll notice the Rib Sliders which I didn’t photograph from @chefdancingdunny which was being served up by @vegan_baddies.  They were AMAZING.  They didn’t last long enough for a photo.  I used to LOVE ribs years ago when I ate meat and this scratched that itch for sure in a plant based way.  Delish.

So in going through his instagram I saw @fireassvegann – I may have seen that online before.  How do you forget a name like Fire Ass Vegan when looking for vegan options?  I looked at the website and made a mental note to check it out sometime.

Meanwhile Ally is in a really exciting program with Goldman Sachs right now for our photography business Frameable Faces and she needed to be in Detroit for the day.  Some days she drives herself down there but if I have some business in Detroit I’ll just drive her and then pick her up at the end of the day.  Today was one of those days because City Market on Brush Street is carrying Detroit Jerky now (YEAHHHH!!!!!) and I planned to make a delivery.

So here was my plan:  I’ve been obsessed with art museums lately and we were just at the Chicago Art Institute Saturday with limited time, so after cutting that visit short I was still Jonesing for more art.  So I dropped Ally off by the New Center and parked at a meter by the Detroit Institute of Arts.  I paid for an hour which took me to 9:25.  I thought the museum opened at 8.  It opened at 9.  I didn’t want to move the car and figured I’d walk to the closest coffee shop.  Turns out I could have moved my car and still been within “zone 202” but I didn’t think of that and it was a beautiful morning.

Six Degrees Of Detroit

I was navigating to -320° Coffee and Creamery but I didn’t make it there… as I was walking down Warren I came upon a building with a really cool mural on the side and it said something about vegan food in the window – ooh that’s good!  And as I walked in I saw the Fresh Rootz Juicery AND Fire Ass Vegan neon signs on the wall inside!  I did remember the site saying something about being able to find Fire Ass Vegan inside of somewhere else on Warren.

I was wearing my “Detroit Jerks Harder” t-shirt which cracked up the girl behind the counter.  She’s Fatima, the owner of Fresh Rootz and Dasia the owner of Fire Ass Vegan walked in shortly after.  Through our conversation it came up that I had some background in some things they were JUST discussing.  Fatima also has a love of Michigan Football and with all of us being in the vegan business we had plenty in common.

Serendipity In The City

Serendipity indeed.  And as I said the series of events that landed me there was completely random.  But was it?  I had JUST been on Dasia’s website and even recognized her when she walked in.  The two of them have a really cool partnership and we talked business for an hour and a half (shout out to Ally for remembering our license plate when I texted her so I could add more time to me meter on the app).  The conversation has continued as we look for ways to potentially collab which is always exciting.

And listen, I didn’t actually live in the city – I was raised in the suburbs.  My family moved straight to Farmington Hills from New York before I was born so I don’t have a family history in the city itself.  But – I WAS born in the city of Detroit and that’s important to me.  It still feels like my city.  I get why I don’t fully have that claim but I do LOVE the place.  And yesterday it really felt like my city maybe a little more than on a typical day.  Six degrees of Detroit!

Meanwhile here is a pic of my Chinana smoothie I had there:

REALLY good.  Definitely recommend.  Now we need to get back for lunch or dinner and some Fire Ass Vegan items!  You should too. 

***Edit: We already made it back before hitting the publish button lol… and the F.A.V. sweet potato cornbread is ridiculously good as well as the acai bowls and the honey colada smoothie!