Detroit in its glory days had many businessmen’s club downtown.  When everything was downtown and the restaurants and nightlife were in full bloom.  These clubs were a way for a man to have a dinner with his associates and sit out and wait for the traffic to clear before he made that long trip home, this was before expressways and there were only main arterial roads to traverse.  The gentlemen could relax after dinner with bowling, billiards or a good cigar.  The old clubs also maintained small apartments for the members to use, as some would maintain a weekday residence downtown and then join their family on the weekends.   The Detroit Athletic Club was and still is the premier club of it’s kind.

We have attended a wedding there, as well as having dinners there.   My Bride has done business meetings and presentations there as well.  There was a time, when I wanted to get a membership with this august group, but my Bride nixed it, as she still feels umbrage from the old days.  Since it was a men’s club for years, in the old days women could not enter the building from the front door, only by the side door.  I guess she still carries a grudge, though I tried to get her to join, figuring it was the best parking in Detroit.  Sometimes I think my suggestions only count for wine.

Speaking of wine, we enjoyed a wonderful bottle of Merlot from William Hill Winery of Napa Valley there one evening.  This was during the big Merlot craze, but that was of total indifference to me, as I enjoy Merlot wines.  I always like to try different wines and wineries when I get a chance.  So often one only sees the same wines over and over again.  That is the wonder of wines, to try a new one, even if it is similar to other wines that you have enjoyed.