  Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 109 Registered: 03-2007 |
Has anyone seen the DVD, "Dom Polski: Dance Hall Days of Detroit's Polonia"? If so what did you think of it. It was written and produced by a Detroiter named Laurie A. Gomulka Palazzolo. It was shown at St. Albertus Polish Roman Catholic Church a couple of Sundays ago as a fund raiser and then they put it on sale. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 3019 Registered: 10-2003 |
Although I've never seen this documentary, I've heard from several first-generation Polish Americans that it is very good in terms of the music and the history of the Polish in our area. | ||
Terryh Member Username: Terryh Post Number: 923 Registered: 11-2006 |
Check the local library for a copy. The Librarian may be able to have a copy delivered to to the library in youre city. Thomas Video has a local collection of film and documentary. | ||
Alfie1a Member Username: Alfie1a Post Number: 61 Registered: 10-2007 |
aww. I thought this was a thread about Club Polski. That was a fun place during the disco era. | ||
Sludgedaddy Member Username: Sludgedaddy Post Number: 129 Registered: 01-2008 |
Club Polski on Conant just north of Davison was quite the hot spot. Lots of good lookin' Polska babes and many a good fist fight. Sto lat! | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 106 Registered: 10-2007 |
Yeah, another 30 years from now, someone will be putting together a DVD about Club Polski, Genie's Wienies, and the Clock Restaurant on JC. As long as they include the Blue Goose and Lili's,(among others) I'm good with it. | ||
Dodgemain Member Username: Dodgemain Post Number: 224 Registered: 04-2005 |
Don't leave out the White Star Cafe on Conant | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 113 Registered: 03-2007 |
Can't leave out Hippo's, also, on Conant! And, the North End Recreation on Jos Campau near Carpenter and Playdium on Campau near Faber in a great Greek Revival building. | ||
Slick Member Username: Slick Post Number: 22 Registered: 02-2008 |
quote: Playdium on Campau near Faber in a great Greek Revival building. The playdium is now a Rally burger, came down shortly after the Pope's visit. Great bowling alley, the upstairs vibrated from the automatic pin setters. oops did I just steal a thread. Sorry! | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 649 Registered: 06-2005 |
The Dom Polski movie will be shown at St. Albertus on September 7th! "Admission is free but donations will be gratefully accepted. There will be FREE PACZKI served!" Details are at http://www.stalbertus.org/ | ||
Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 273 Registered: 08-2007 |
Could Swingin City Lounge be included in this collection? | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 565 Registered: 08-2007 |
Is there any connection to the Dom Polski Bar in Wyandotte?. I,m not from the eastside, downriver or polish. So bear with me. | ||
Pixiedust Member Username: Pixiedust Post Number: 8 Registered: 08-2008 |
I love St. Albertus'. I will definitely be there. I've been trying to teach myself how to make pierogi, you know. However, seeing as how I have no awesome Polish grandma to teach me . . . I'm just an Irish girl with a book . . . I've not had much luck. | ||
Foosie Member Username: Foosie Post Number: 25 Registered: 07-2008 |
I've been trying to teach myself how to make pierogi Pixie, make an appointment with my polish mother. She'll teach you pierogi, Golabki,czarnina, etc. | ||
Pixiedust Member Username: Pixiedust Post Number: 16 Registered: 08-2008 |
Your mother should offer classes to those of us who are ethnically deficient!  | ||
Dannyv Member Username: Dannyv Post Number: 356 Registered: 08-2007 |
What about the guy who ran a florist shop near J Campau/Caniff, would run outside his shop and play a blast of notes on his trumpet, and run back inside? Is he in the movie? Since all these Hollywood movie types are shooting film around Detroit, they should do a version of the Time Tunnel and travel Joseph Campau from Carpenter to Jacob and ride the time warp across the previous decades touching on the characters who travelled these streets. | ||
Terryh Member Username: Terryh Post Number: 944 Registered: 11-2006 |
According to a book Im reading about the working class and labor movement in Detroit there were two 'Doms', one hall catering to Conservative Poles, while the other was a gathering place for labor activists and radicals. I just referenced the book: Dom Polski catered to moderates and conservatives; Dom Ludowy on Harper at Joseph Campau catered to Polish socialist according to the author of the book. (Message edited by terryh on September 03, 2008) | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 158 Registered: 03-2007 |
Where do Harper and Jos. Campau cross? | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 112 Registered: 10-2007 |
Think I-94 Service drive. That part of the neighborhood was removed by the I-94 construction. There are still signs there that say Harper, although they may have been removed by now. Used to be where the slaughterhouses were (are) by the overpass and train tracks. | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 663 Registered: 06-2005 |
I wrote up a brief account of the Dom Polski movie at St. Albertus. http://www.allyeargear.com/2008/dom-polski-shown-at-st-albertus/ Also, the church roof is being repaired.  | ||
Gingellgirl Member Username: Gingellgirl Post Number: 221 Registered: 04-2007 |
I took a copy of the DVD over to my parents' house yesterday. They watched in rapt attention. When one of their favorite haunts would be mentioned, they'd turn to each other and say "remember that club?" I guess my mom and dad hit a lot of the local clubs in the late 40's/early 50's. Dad proclaimed the DVD as "beautiful" and urged me to get a few copies for the family. I especially appreciated how the producer framed the whole discussion on the importance of music in the Polish American household. The immigration of the Poles, the jobs they did when they arrived in America, the importance of keeping traditions alive, religion, the Polish enclaves in Detroit -- all was covered in a thorough, but not heavy-handed way. And yes, those wedding films brought back a lot of memories - especially of attending my cousins' Polish weddings. Only one complaint about the documentary: too much zooming in and out on the still photographs. It was like Ken Burns without Ritalin. Since the audience for this is older, slower zooms interspersed with still shots would help the pacing to work better. There was so much detail in the photos, but the shots were so quick paced, you didn't have time to concentrate on what you were looking at. But all in all, it was one of the best documentaries about Polonia in Detroit I have seen. I'm so glad Laurie Palazzolo pulled together all this research to preserve a bit more of our Polish culture. One suggestion: WTVS, please pick up this documentary for your fall pledge drive. Show it in two parts over two nights, and you'll have a huge audience. This should be shared with the community. If you're of Polish heritage, I urge you to get a copy for your family. | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 201 Registered: 03-2007 |
Terryh, did Dom Ludowy have a hall like the Dom Polski hall? And, if so, is it still there? Finally, if they had one and it's still there do you have a photo of it you can post here? :-) And, if you don't maybe Mauser765 has one he can post! :-) | ||
Bradyborn Member Username: Bradyborn Post Number: 1 Registered: 09-2008 |
This is my first try at this, have just registered. Still feeling my way around. I noticed you are talking about related subjects, hope I am not barging in. I did a lot of photography in Poletown in the early and late 80's and am looking for a little history on the Round Bar,(vicinity Chene and Kirby)and also what I believe was once the King Theater just beyond it in this photo. The Round Bar is on the right, with the protruding sign "Round Bar" and just below the name, "Polish Food", which may refer to Zosia's, a Polish restaurant that once occupied the upper floor of the bar.  | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 121 Registered: 10-2007 |
Sadly, the only history of the Round Bar I have is just personal experience, having gone in there for food at Zosia's upstairs from the bar, and later to drink when I became old enough to do so. The bar itself was oval, and was about 5 feet shorter on either end than the building shown above. From the look of the fixtures, it seemed to have been constructed in the late 40's or early 50's. If I remember correctly, the owner/bartender was named Ted. Zosia moved her restaurant to Hamtramck, behind the then Federal's store. I believe it is now Polish Village. I haven't been there in a while, so I don't know if her original recipes are being used. The fish was great. | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 203 Registered: 03-2007 |
I can't recall is the building where the Round Bar was located still standing? Zosia had the best perch dinners back in the day and I have to say that the new location in Hamtramck seems to be true to the old recipes. Maybe this is sacrilege but Ivanhoe’s is a great bar and place for the Polish to congregate but I have never found their fish dinners, which is what they are suppose to be known for, to be very good. Maybe it’s just me! And, maybe years ago they were better but not anymore which belies the large crowds that show up there especially on Holiday's like Easter, Good Friday, etc.! Bradyborn, that’s a great shot down Chene St., the Round Bar and vicinity. I for one would love to see those other photos you took of Poletown in the early and late 80’s. If you don’t want to post them let me know and maybe we can communicate by email. Regards, Mortalman | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 122 Registered: 10-2007 |
Count me in as well Bradyborn. I know of more than a few people that would be interested in those shots. The perch dinners were incredible. Mashed potatoes and a vegetable. Sour Rye Bread. Martin's restaurant had great meat pierogi dinners, fried in pork rinds. New Elk bar also had good fish. Of course back then the Catholics all had meatless Fridays, so that made the fish more available. In Hamtramck the Old Mill and Gary's bar had excellent fish dinners. I've never been to the Polish Yacht Club. Sorry for the tangent, I'm getting hungry now. | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 205 Registered: 03-2007 |
Ditto, Townonenorth! The Old Mill was one of Detroit and Hamtramck's favorites for Friday fish dinners. What was wrong with meatless Fridays, anyway? I think the church picks and chooses the things they want to maintain a conservative policy on and others that they don't. What I'm saying is they are not conservative across the board which means you don't know what to expect from them. Further clarification is that if it's good for the church hierarchy you will see a change but if it’s good for the flock it’s questionable whether you will see that change. Don’t get your bowls in an uproar I’m one of them and have earned the right to criticize. But, I’ll save the rest of this rant for a non-Detroit thread! :-) | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2067 Registered: 04-2005 |
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Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 207 Registered: 03-2007 |
Hamtramck Heights, HA HA! But, the food was nothing to laugh at it was great!! | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 124 Registered: 10-2007 |
I'm not so sure that the meatless Friday concept was such a bad idea. I love fish, or even Mac and Cheese. Regarding the church's "conservative" policies, I'd rather not go there either, Mortalman. Looking forward to a non-Detroit category though. Nice ad Hornwrecker. I haven't heard that "Hamtramck Heights" used in over 26 years. |
