In The Mitten Archives - On Davis Time

Go to Hell (Michigan)

Posted on May 16, 2022September 28, 2023 by Tressie

Well enough people told me to Go to Hell, so I finally decided to do it. Literally.

And what better day to choose, than the warmest day of the year so far? 80 degrees in April? Whoa – it was meant for a day in Hell.

I’m normally a better planner when we go on trips, but this one was totally spur of the moment. My youngest son Bob and I grabbed our phones (and money for lunch), plugged in 4045 Patterson Lake Rd in the GPS and headed out with nothing more than the Hell, MI website telling us what to expect.

The first thing we noticed when we arrived is what a welcoming place Hell is. Everyone from the time we arrived to the time we left was extremely friendly, helpful, and attentive.

Which made us feel very comfortable walking through the Gates of Hell.

From there I tortured Bob with the obligatory pictures with the face cutouts.

We obviously couldn’t do everything there was to do in Hell because um…some of it required reservations and we didn’t bring anyone to get married to – yes, you can get married in Hell.

But we very much enjoyed looking at all of the art and humor displayed on the grounds

Spring is Around the Corner

We ate lunch at the Hell Hole which was excellent – they have everything from salads to burgers to pasties. We had burgers, but I’m really regretting not trying the pasties – guess I’m gonna have to go back.

After lunch we visited the gift shop where we bought the most amazing post cards, and mailed them from Hell’s official post office – they even get singed on the way out! I knew just who would appreciate my mail from Hell…

Once I spotted the Locks of Love Bridge, I knew there was no way I could leave Hell without locking Rob in – so now he is trapped FOREVER. I bought a lock at the gift shop, and they let me borrow a sharpie to write on it, but you can bring your own lock too – there were so many beautiful locks on the bridge!

Other things to do in Hell? Enjoy ice cream at the Creamatory at Screams (the ice cream was excellent), visit the Hell Saloon, play putt putt golf, be Mayor of Hell for a day, buy a piece of Hell and get a degree from the prestigious Damnation University.

Instead of those things, I took more pictures…because of course I did.

One of my favorite spur of the moment trips to date – would definitely go again. If you find yourself in SE Michigan you should definitely GO TO HELL.

Chelsea Farmers Market at Palmer Commons

Posted on May 4, 2019September 28, 2023 by Tressie

Chelsea Farmers Market

It was a perfect “between the busy” moment spent with Hockey Bob. An opportunity to talk about the past week, share funny stories and just enjoy being together on our walk to the Chelsea Farmers Market at the new Palmer Commons event space (304 S. Main St, Chelsea, MI 48118).

The wind blew lightly as we Continue reading “Chelsea Farmers Market at Palmer Commons” →

Breathe Yoga Chelsea

Posted on February 15, 2016September 28, 2023 by Tressie

Recently I braved the frigid cold of Chelsea Michigan on a Saturday morning with an adventure pal of mine to take our first class at Breathe Yoga Chelsea. I say adventure pal, because this whole yoga thing is a stretch (pun intended) for two fluffy, non-bendy old ladies. We were not sure what to expect, and were a little nervous – were we wearing the right thing? Would we be faced with judgy flexible yoga people who were appalled that we could barely get our jackets off without breathing heavy, let alone touch our toes?

Walking in the front door, the immediate greeting from desk personnel was a warm smile and encouraging words, and I thought…this might be ok.

Matt was our instructor, and he assured us that there would be modified poses for those of us who were a little “challenged” by the moves in his class. He was kind, and very understanding of our limitations. Before class we discussed the alternate moves and what we could expect.

And then we got started!

Those who know me in person are most likely aware that I am an “out loud observer”. So throughout the class, I had an extremely difficult time listening, as I was expending so much energy simply trying to keep my mouth shut. Don’t judge, we all have traits we need to work on. I will proudly say, that only ONCE did a “yeah, sure we will” escape my filter in response to the instruction.

The class was certainly challenging, even in the modified poses – but I know that very often things that are difficult for me are things that I just need to practice more. And I definitely need more flexibility – in mind, body and life in general.

One thing my adventure pal and I agree on, is that we will arrive much earlier for our next class at Breathe Yoga Chelsea – because the only thing worse than being a fluffy, non-bendy old lady in a yoga class, is doing it in front of the rest of the class, right next to the instructor. (kind as Matt is, I’m pretty sure he didn’t enjoy my “yoga face”. Gah.)

Bottom line? Breathe Yoga Chelsea was a warm, inviting and challenging environment – exactly what this fluffy lady needed, and I can’t wait for round 2. Thank you for that Breathe Yoga staff!!

(Image by Burrill Strong, courtesy of Breathe Yoga Chelsea, used with permission)

Sea Life Michigan Aquarium

Posted on June 3, 2015September 28, 2023 by Tressie

In May of 2015 my family made a visit to Sea Life Michigan, at the request of my girls (ages 10 and 13). Having been to many aquariums in many cities, we were not sure what to expect, especially since this one is located at a mall (Great Lakes Crossing).

We ordered our tickets in advance, as that is what is recommended on the Sea Life Michigan website to ensure entry. It is a very new attraction, and due to the size they let in a limited amount of people at one time.

As we walked in, the kids received a “DIVE Log Book” with a question on each page. Once they find the answer to the question, they are to collect a “stamp” at the dive station. They present their log book at the end of the tour for a prize.

The tanks were well laid out, and there were a ton of interactive displays including “bubbles” they could stand up in to be “inside” the tanks. The touch pool was very small, but the attendants were knowledgable, and very interested in helping the kids understand what they were touching, as well as how the animals eat, live, and interact with their environment.

I really enjoyed this aquarium a lot, and even my big kids had a great time.

The tank displays are amazing, including this one at the end of the tour – my favorite!

Bottom line? If you are looking for a huge aquarium attraction with everything under the sun and a full day of viewing, you may be disappointed with the size of this cozy aquarium. However, it packs in a ton of interactive fun into a small space, and I liked the fact that it was not an all day event. My kids LOVED it.