2008 Best of the Good Life

Everybody wants to live the good life. But how? Well you could start by reading through the results of our third annual “Best Of The Good Life” survey. We asked you to pick your 40 favorites in categories covering the best living and shopping in metro Detroit. Here we present your picks for the area’s best neighborhoods, shops, and places to nap — along with a word from Sir Winston Churchill. Let’s hope it helps

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Best place to take a nap
The couch

If you can imagine a time before couches, you can imagine they were hot property when they first hit the scene. In those days, the couch was an aristocratic indulgence. In other words, a nap on the couch was to pre-industrial civilization what John Travolta’s jet is to John Travolta. Not to mention the fact that napping has been endorsed by no less than Albert Einstein, Napoleon, Thomas Edison, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. So don’t get down on yourself for being lazy. Napping isn’t just a waste of time; it’s a royal waste of time.

A word about naps from Sir Winston Churchill
You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no halfway measures. Take off your clothes and get into bed. That’s what I always do.

Best place to buy a couch
Gorman’s

Oddly enough, Gorman’s (Area locations; www.gormans.com) began in 1940 as a damaged railroad-freight company. Eventually, though, Ben Gorman’s business became best-known for offering the public fixed-up furniture damaged on the rails. Now their area showrooms are also known for 2008’s best couch shopping.

Best handyman
Your husband

Being “handy,” in most situations, is good. Of course, there are other times when being “handy” is completely inappropriate. Having said that, finding a reliable resource when you’re in a fix can sometimes be difficult. Luckily for you, Detroit Home readers chose your husband as the area’s best handyman.

Best place for kitchenware
Kitchen Glamor

A store within a store, Kitchen Glamor — located inside Hawthorne Appliance (Birmingham; 248-644-2200 or www.hawthorneonlinestore.com) — has the best in cookware, bakeware, cutlery, tools, and household help from manufacturers such as KitchenAid, Cuisinart, and Wüsthof.

Best neighborhood ready for rediscovery
Palmer Woods

With its rich history, tree-lined streets, and homes designed by architectural giants such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Minoru Yamasaki, and Albert Kahn, Palmer Woods is among Detroit’s most beautiful neighborhoods. The area — donated by Sen. Thomas Palmer in 1883 — was initially dubbed a “safeguard from the encroachments of commercialism.” This year, you dubbed it the neighborhood most ready for rediscovery.

Best downtown shopping district / Best neighborhood to aspire to
Birmingham

Birmingham is where it’s at. And by “it,” we mean the good life. Detroit Home readers awarded the city best downtown shopping district (Check www.enjoybirmingham.com for a complete list of stores) and neighborhood to aspire to. Whatever it is you’re looking for, you’ll find it here. Grand old homes? Check. Boutiques and basset-hound parades? You betcha. Birthplace of comedian David Spade? Strangely, yes. Named after England’s biggest industrial center with hopes it would achieve similar productivity, the city took a decidedly less industrial path but nevertheless won you over.

A word about Plymouth …
In the early days, Plymouth’s downtown was separated into areas known by names such as “Podunk” and “Joppa.” Eventually, they decided on Plymouth and, these days, the city’s quaint downtown and neighborhood streets are attracting more and more notice. This year, its downtown ran second in the category of best downtown shopping district.