Patrick Thompson

Patrick Thompson, 30, of Detroit, loves his city. But it's taken him a little while to accept that he can love, or at least really like, the time he spends in Birmingham, too.

The designer by trade has been account executive at Design Within Reach in Birmingham for a couple years, and has come to appreciate the northern suburb for its urban feel and walkability – something the native Michigander missed from the time he spent living in Chicago. "I take my dog to work every day. I walk down the street and go get a cup of coffee, and walk through the neighborhoods and say hi to people."

Shopping

Although the downtown has been "infiltrated by corporate stores," a few shops in B-ham still reel him in. Back in Time offers an "amazing watch collection." For glasses, he heads to Optik. "The guy has an insane vintage eyeglass collection – hundreds and hundreds of pairs." He also likes the high-end styles and designers at Shades.

And, of course, he would steer anyone without reservations to Design Within Reach for their mid-century modern furniture.

Eat and drink

Patrick is hardly the first person to note that Birmingham's coffee shop scene is overrun with chains, but for a different cafe. experience he "probably would go to The Cupcake Station. It is kind of cool. It's pretty gourmet."

If there's time to sit down, he has a favorite morning spot, about which he's more enthusiastic. "If you are looking for serious good food and breakfast: Maple Leaf Cafe. It is incredible," Patrick says. "It is only open for breakfast and lunch. They have organic, seriously good food. It's not hippie food you are pissed off you ordered. They make all their jams from scratch, serve artisnal breads, everything like that. I've never ever once sent anyone there who didn't think it was amazing." A ringing endorsement. Also try the mac and cheese, he suggests.

He also likes Toast. "That's one of the few places that's gourmet cuisine and someone with some design sense designed the place." He suggests Mitchell's Fish Market for a place to get a decent night's dinner akin to a Gibson's in Chicago. "It's a nicer white tablecloth restaurant with a really good after work crowd."

For nightlife, he says that Birmingham is hit or miss. "In any other neighborhood in metro Detroit I could give you a list of dive bars I hang out in." No such luck in dive-bar-free Birmingham. So for drinks, he heads to Dick O'Dow's. "Dick O'Dow's is a great Irish bar," he says. "I think it's got a good vibe and they have a good beer selection."