So, you've made plans to go to Detroit for the weekend, without tickets to the game, but just to hang out and soak up the atmosphere. In fact, you might already have blown off work, but I won't tell. Anyway, the city has thoughtfully provided a fairly comprehensive list of Super Bowl parties (a friend even more thoughtfully provided them to me earlier this week). Be forewarned, though:

1) Lots of events this weekend are invitation-only, which means your only other option for getting in is knowing someone.

2) Lots of the parties are expensive, at least $100 and as much as $500 for so-called VIP access. Again, having the hook-up helps.

3) Just because Diddy's name is on it doesn't mean you'll see him there. One of the memorable sights from last year was the hordes of people stomping around Jacksonville holding party fliers with Diddy's name on it and complaining that he wasn't there. Magic Johnson, on the other hand, tends to show up at everything his name is attached to.

Social note of interest: Terrell Owens is hosting a party tomorrow night at ... Club Envy. You can't make this stuff up.

Now, if you're passing on the Super Bowl to go to Houston for NBA All-Star Weekend in a couple of weeks, you might enjoy this guide to the All-Star parties there. Just turn down your speakers before you log on; it's almost as loud as the ESPN.com Motion video. Full disclosure: I found this site through a basketball site called Truehoop.com - which I got to through the blog of the L.A. Times' excellent columnist, J.A. Adande.

And speaking of that, there has been a Ray Lewis sighting in Detroit. By this account, his hamstring seems much better.