Hockey in the 'Hood: Red Wings set to take ice at Clark Park

First came those annual NHL games on New Year's Day. Then came the Big Chill at the Big House. The outdoor hockey craze continues its roll this weekend when the Red Wings take to the outdoor rink at Clark Park for a one-hour, open-to-the-public practice.

Crews were hard at work Thursday morning setting up bleachers. They tell me a temporary press box will be constructed on the opposite side of the rink. In all, there will be enough seating to accommodate about 1,500 to 2,000 people, which means if you want to get a good look at Pavel and the boys, you'd better get down there early. Like...yesterday.

The event is being held to benefit various Detroit-area charities. Admission is free, but upon entry fans will be asked to give canned goods (to benefit Gleaners Food Bank of Southwest Michigan), gently used hockey equipment (to benefit Clark Park and the Detroit Hockey Association) or a $2 donation (to benefit the Clark Park Coalition). The gates will open early, hours ahead of the Wings' scheduled practice time of 11 a.m. to noon.

The rink at Clark Park, incidentally, is open all winter, offering open skating and drop-in hockey daily. On March 3, the park will be hopping again during the 20th anniversary Clark Park Winter Carnival. You can get all the details at www.clarkparkdetroit.com.

(Thanks to avid Times reader Squish for feeding us the tip about the Wings practice.)

An indepth report on, umm, a statue on Temple Street

A thought struck me the other day. My career may have taken me out to the suburbs, but that's no reason that this fine publication or its audience should suffer.

So after quickly - and needlessly, I'm sure - apologizing for my absence these last few months, I'll resume my exercise of lowering journalistic standards more than I already have. How?

Check out the Times' newest feature, a picture of a statue that stands proudly on the northern edge of the courtyard outside Cass Tech High School. Some recent business took me to Temple Street, most recently made famous when that guy who long ago played Lt. Fancy showed up at the Temple Bar in "Detroit 1-8-7." (Damn, I miss that show!)

What do we know about this statue?

• It stands proudly on the northern edge of the courtyard outside Cass Tech.
• It faces Temple Street.
• And when you catch the sun behind it just right, it looks pretty cool.

How's that for journalism? Hey, if you're new to the Times, welcome. Like the masthead says, it's kinda like news, but not really.

I'll do my best to post updates on here more often than every six months. Wanna help? Feel free to shoot me a photo, or post one on our Facebook page. One way or another, it'll get to us. A little bit of info that describes what you're sending wouldn't hurt either.

Although obviously, it's not a requirement.

It's good to be back...

Dining in the D: Shepherd's Pie at the Grand Trunk Pub

The Grand Trunk Pub might be more known for its huge selection of brews, but there's one menu item you've got to try the next time you're down on Woodward at lunch time. We never pass up the chance to indulge in a bowl of the Trunk's Shepherd's Pie, a heaping helping of mashed potatoes, corn and seasoned beef topped with a thin layer of cheese. It's good eatin'.

Click on Detroit Food to see some of our favorites feasts downtown.

Tommy's Detroit Bar & Grill attracting attention in quiet corner of Detroit

Rule No. 1 in attracting customers: make sure they know you're there.

Tommy's Detroit Bar & Grill, tucked in a low-traffic corner of downtown Detroit that sees little action when the Red Wings aren't in-season, is turning to the basics as it tries to gain traction in the space long occupied by Mac's on Third.

Leading the changes are the additions of a black and orange awning and building signage, both visible to Fort Street travelers who happen to glance toward the Joe down Third Street.

So far, it's working.

It's fair to question whether those changes alone will be enough to give Tommy's a better fate than Mac's, which is why the current owner isn't relying solely on an external facelift to keep the place afloat. For example, in an attempt to warm up to the student crowd from neighboring WCCCU, Tommy's will soon tweak its backroom to feature lounge-style seating, coffee tables and WiFi service. They're good folks at Tommy's; here's hoping they survive the relative quiet of summer to enjoy the swarms of customers that come almost automatically with 40-plus Wings home games.