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Last Minute Gift Idea: 'Belle Isle To 8 Mile' Guide To Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) - If you're looking for a last-minute holiday gift for a friend, how about a more-than-400-page guide book to Detroit? Yes, believe it or not, there are enough things to do within city limits to fill that many pages.

WWJ's Violet Ikonomova reports "Belle Isle to 8 Mile: An Insider's Guide to Detroit" is written by Emily, Andy and Rob Linn -- sixth Generation Detroiters who grew up and still live in the city.

Emily and Andy Linn now own City Bird in Midtown, which carries locally made art and handmade goods.

"Through our shops, we meet a lot of visitors to the city and we began to realize that there wasn't a guide to the city," Emily Linn said.

So, with the help of about 40 writers and researchers, the three siblings took to the streets of the city to find the places worth visiting -- and they turned up 1,000 of them.

"Like the free outdoor weekly blues venue called John's Carpet House, or there's a go-kart track on the city's west side that we've included in the guide, or the Buffalo Soldier's museum in ROuge Park that offers horseback riding to the public," Emily Linn said.

According to the guide's website, "Belle Isle to 8 Mile" puts contemporary Detroit in a broad context by painting portraits of the city's historic neighborhoods, sharing stories of its history and traditions, and detailing the people and culture that have made -- and continue to make -- the city great.

To check out the "Belle Isle to 8 Mile" guide, visit www.belleisleto8mile.com.

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