DTW - Detroit Metro Airport

I had a long layover at DTW this week.  I *do* like this airport.  It's got just enough -- I mean that it has just enough shops and perks without being overwhelming.  It's also very well designed.   The ceiling height and the width of the councourse allow you to get an overview of all of the gates and restaurants down the aisle.  I'm having trouble articulating this and I couldn't really find a good picture online.  You just feel oriented the whole time.

[each gate sign has its own clock]

[Note that the following beautiful pictures were taken by Scott Beale at Laughing Squid.  There is a series for both the tunnel and the fountain.  They are both worth checking out!]

Light Tunnel:

To get between concourses, you can use the red tram in the above picture or this lighted pedestrian tunnel.  Imagine a half-pipe combined with a mood ring.  You ride along on the Jetson sand-belt thing or you can just walk down the middle. The colors in the ceiling are synchronized with an original musical score and they change and morph while you are making your way through.

I should like it more than I do.  I appreciate the sense of calm that it intends, but the lights sometimes make me feel like they will trigger a migraine.  I suppose if there were a real problem with seizures, there would be a warning sign posted.  Or they would hand out blinders or something.

Dancing Fountain

This is just to the left when you emerge from the Light Tunnel into Concourse A.  Everything that you could ever want is to the left in Concourse A -- SBUX, a spa and this fountain.  I could watch it for hours.

OraOxygen

I am a spa addict.  I have an acute sense of when I'm approaching one.  Shall we call it 'spa-dar'?  No, you're right.  We probably shouldn't.

They gave me an 'oxygen treatment with aromatherapy' while waiting for my manicure.  Personally, I think you can skip this.  They hook you up to a nebulizer with a nasal cannula.  What made it worth every penny was that they gave me an ottoman to put my feet up.  That was amazing.  It felt sooooo good.

The manicure was very good.  She also gave me a great tip for removing mistakes with dark nail polish (I was wearing Diabolic).  She had these little artist brushes, which she dipped into straight acetone.  The polish comes right off of your skin.  She said that you have to use 100% acetone or it doesn't work as well.  I think this tip will change my life in some way.

For a directory of airport spas, about.com has this nice list.

Smoking Policy

This airport allows smoking -- albeit in designated areas, but that includes any restaurant bar.  If you must stay away from cigarette smoke of any type, then you should avoid the restaurants with bars.  I went to the Grey Goose Martini Lounge.  It must have been very well ventilated because I couldn't smell a thing and my table was pretty close to the poor puffers.