Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Paws and Detroit Moxie!Many people would say that today is the best day of the year. Our Detroit Tigers swing back into action at Comerica Park with Justin Verlander on the mound. Downtown will be buzzing in more ways than one.

I’ll be missing the game as I’m jetting off to England today but GO TIGERS! May you all have a good Easter and Passover. Now, get out there and enjoy all the cool things to do in Detroit!

Weekend Roundup

1. Detroit Tigers Opening Day - Play ball! It's time for the first pitch of the season as our Tigers take on the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park. Don't have tickets? Check out these opening day parties. April 5th.

2. Opening Day Food Truck Rally - You need some food to go with your baseball, right? Head to Campus Martius for some cool eats and live music. April 5th.

3. Marshmallow Drops - What's better than thousands of marshmallows dropping from the sky? Um, nothing! There are two marshmallow drops in Wayne County and one in Southfield. April 6th.

4. The Shrine Circus - Step right up and enter the bigtop for all sorts of family fun in Hazel Park. Clowns, big cats and more. April 6—8.

5. Bunnyville at the Detroit Zoo - Hop on down to Bunnyville featuring costumed characters, a live musical, games, crafts and the Easter Bunny. April 7th.

Bonus: The Incredible Shrinking Man

Do you know of a great event going on in Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!

My Dad: Future Detroit Tiger circa 1959

I love that this letter comes from Briggs Stadium. I love that there aren’t any zip codes and that “City” is enough to let the United States Postal Service know where to deliver it. And I love that they call him Bob. He's always been Bob.

But what I love most about this letter is that it is addressed to MY DAD. He was quite the ballplayer in his day and besides playing in the Detroit Public School league, he would also bus up to Pontiac during the summer and play up there.

You have been recommended as a future professional baseball player to the Detroit Tiger Organization.

How awesome is that? Can you even imagine this letter dropping in your mailbox?

Also, think about how far away Detroit and Pontiac were in 1959! I-75 was just a glimmer in the Department of Transportation's mind.

This letter is a mystery and a love letter all rolled into one.

My dad was a left-handed pitcher and THE DETROIT TIGERS asked him to tryout for their baseball team! Back then they didn’t rest a pitchers arm. Hell, even when my brother played little league in the 70s, you pitched as many innings as needed.

There have been many myths circulating through the family—and my mind—about what happened on August 15, 1959. “Did he go?” was just the beginning of the rabbit hole that the mind will take you down.

He went. He didn’t make the team. My parents didn’t meet until 1964 so it’s pretty safe to say that I wouldn’t exist if he made the team. After all, we know what baseball players are like.

My dad has told me two different versions of the story. One version was recited over 10 years ago—possibly over beers—and the other just this last August. I won’t tell you all the details because, well, it took me 30 to 40 years to find out what I do know and I’ve enjoyed the mystery.

I will tell you one thing, my dad and Willie Horton were contemporaries in the Detroit Public School league. My dad went to Pershing and Horton was with Northwestern. In fact, Horton is just 3 days older than my dad. When I pressed my dad about Horton last August he confessed, he pitched against him in the DPS league and walked him with the bases loaded. D'oh!

My dad as a young boy in Detroit, ready to play ball.Since that isn’t the way this story was is supposed to end, I’ll tell you another myth about my dad. He lost all his teeth when he was a young teen and has been wearing dentures ever since. My dad is the eldest of six children and my grandparents weren’t rich. He had to get adult dentures before he was really ready for them so his high school graduation picture—with the big white teeth and the widow's peak—looks a bit like Dracula. Or a vampire, which would be totally hip and trendy today.

What I still don’t know is how he lost his teeth. It was either a baseball, a baseball bat or a hockey puck. Really, that’s all I know. And I’m OK with that. What I do know? My dad is pretty awesome.

P.S. My mom may or may not have dated a local Hamtramck boy—BEFORE she met my father—who has gone on to be associated with another Major League Baseball team. My mom is pretty amazing too!

Ah, the mystery!

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Earlier this week, the Detroit Red Wings made the playoffs for the 21^st straight year—that’s an amazing accomplishment! Plus, our Detroit Tigers have their home opener a week from today.

In the meantime, enjoy these things to do in Detroit.

Weekend Roundup

1. Detroit Music: A Photographic Retrospective - "Photographing music is like capturing art in motion," says the Whitdel Arts Gallery description; the exhibit features the work of Marvin Shaouni, Doug Coombe and Trevor Long. Opening reception: March 30th, runs through April 28th.

2. Historic Fort Wayne Flea Market & Collectables Show - If you have never visited this jewel of Detroit, this would be a good weekend for a first encounter. A flea market in conjunction with the Detroit Historical Society Guild plus you can catch a tour of the fort for $3.00. March 31—April 1.

3. Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition - The Titanic sank one hundred years ago this year on April 15, 1912. This is the largest Titanic touring exhibit and features over 300 artifacts. March 31—September 30.

4. Zombie Prom Show (Facebook link) - Dress up like a zombie and enjoy live music and a burlesque show. Yes, you can be voted best Zombie King or Queen of the prom! March 31st.

5. Detroit Soup (Facebook link) - Learn about creative projects in the city, vote on which one will take home the money and enjoy a bowl of soup all for $5.00! April 1st.

Do you know of a great event going on in Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

The Nain Rouge?For the love of Al Gore, this summer weather in March in Detroit has been glorious! But something must be askew, no? A mild winter leading into a summer-like spring just can’t be right.

I predict that Mother Nature will have the last laugh and will hit us with a big, bad snow storm in April. And what day would be the absolute worst for that to happen? The weather for the Detroit Tigers home opener is almost always less than perfect. I’m also leaving on a jet plane that day so it would be horrible timing. I really hope it doesn’t happen and please don’t blame me if it does but... you heard it hear first.

Now, get out there and enjoy Detroit!

Weekend Roundup

1. Spacetimewarp - This science fiction themed art show at the Funhouse Gallery features over 30 local, national and international multimedia artists. Plus live music! Opening recteption - March 24th. Through April 28th.

2. Detroit Bike City - Cycle down to Cobo Hall for the bicycle show and swap meet. Over 100 vendors will be on hand to swap and sell. March 24th.

3. Guinness World Record Attempt for the Largest Synchronized Line Dance - Line dancing in Detroit? Sure, why not! Dancers at four different locations will be hustling to break a world record. March 25th.

4. Marche du Nain Rouge - This event is uniquely Detroit and shouldn't be missed! The Nain Rouge, a red dwarf who has cursed Detroit for more than 300 years, needs to be banished! March 25th.

5. 11th Annual Detroit Greek Independence Day Parade Weekend - The weekend is capped off with a parade through Greektown celebrating Greek culture. Opa! March 23-25.

Bonus: Troy Restaurant Week starts Sunday, March 25th.

Do you know of a great event going on in Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!

We've come a long way, Detroit!

Detroit Moxie turns 3 today! I know that because I went back to check the date of my very first post, Hello Detroit. And it got me thinking. Well, this excerpt got me thinking:

As everyone knows, Detroit and Michigan are going through some rough times and people across the country and the world are bashing the place we call home. Detroit and the metro area have an abundance of good things to offer, you just don’t hear about it much. Well, I’m going to talk about it, document it, and show it to the world.

That seems like so long ago! Since then, the car companies have had a turn-around and sales are up, Quicken Loans & Blue Cross Blue Shield moved thousands of employees to downtown Detroit, countless new businesses opened and Dan Gilbert is on an architectural shopping spree. Midtown is at capacity and Corktown is thriving. The Detroit Lions are a good team.

Really!

Think about Detroit in late 2008 and early 2009 and how different it is now, both the reality and the attitude. No, it’s not a utopian society paved with unicorns and puppy breath but progress has been made. There’s still A LOT of heavy lifting to do but the atmosphere is different, energized.

Just as Detroit has changed in the last 3 years, so have I. Detroit Moxie has been on a bit of go-slow since starting my job many months ago but I’m determined to get a handle on this work-life-blog balance. Now that the days are longer and the weather is warmer, I feel like I’m coming out of hibernation and—like Detroit—re-energized.

I’ve got a few new features up my sleeve that I’ve been thinking about and/or working on for months. I’m also going to finally finish up the Brunch with Becks series that expounds on the 9 Truths & a Lie. If you remember, one of those lies was about thinking I would die on April 2^nd.  Since that’s coming up, the timing is right. But I really hope I don’t die, that would suck.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you! My husband and I are finally going on a trip back to England in April. We haven’t been back since we moved here in December of 2008. My husband will get to see his Mum, family and mates again and I hope to find some fun things to blog about too. London street art is definitely on the list!

Most of all, I want to thank you all for sticking by me and reading along for 3 whole years! You have made me a better person and a better Detroiter. Seriously, thank you!

Let's see where this year takes us!