Street art in London's East End

Back in April, my husband and I went back to England for the first time since we moved here in December of 2008. The visit was way overdue, Andy hadn’t seen his mum, family and friends in three and a half years.

For the final few days of the two week trip, we headed to London. We’ve both spent a considerable amount of time in the capital city so this time I wanted to see something different and non-touristy. We stayed in the East End, the epicenter of London street art.

Unfortunately—and so very typical—it rained for most of our stay and I was under the weather. We did happen to see some of the more important pieces and artists, some of it planned and some completely by chance.

Banksy

Most of you know that I’m a big Banksy fan and I documented some of his work in Detroit. His Yellow Line Flower was steps from our hotel in Bethnal Green. Banksy got permission to paint this on a working man’s club and it’s one of the few Banksy’s in London that isn’t covered in plexiglass. Don't get all upset that he asked for permission, it seems that it was in response to the local council saying they would erase any of Banksy's work in their district.

The smaller photo shows the yellow street lines, they used to cross the sidewalk and now you can barely see the line painter who got bored and painted the flower in the bottom left corner. See what it looked like before it was tagged over.

Dscreet

Australian Dscreet is based in London and he has a thing for owls.

Mobstr (left) & Jimmy.C (right)

London street artist Mobstr is known for his typographic pieces. I really should have got a shot of my husband staring at this while stroking his chin.

Australian James Cochran—AKA Jimmy.C—has devolped his own form of pointillism. Check out this article in The Guardian where he talks about his background.

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Dibo & PEZ

Spanish artist PEZ is known for his smiling fish. He and fellow Spaniard Dibo collaborated on this mural off of Brick Lane. This was done just days before we stumbled on it while exploring the area.

Ben Eine for Shelter

We really just happened on this amazing piece after we had walked for miles in the rain. And we were hungry. That's my excuse for why these shots suck. Go to the Hooked Blog for more info and better photos.

If anyone knows the artists I didn't identify, let me know in the comments.

Recently, there has been some great street art happening in Hamtramck and elsewhere in Detroit. Australians Dabs and Myla are mentioned in this Metro Times article and they've also worked with the above mentioned Dscreet. I hope to expore it soon!

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Back in the olden days—meaning when I was in high school—my brother and I went down to the Detroit Grand Prix. I don’t remember much and can only say it was sometime between 1984 and 1987. This is when it was still Formula One racing. 

I only really remember 3 things about the race. 1. The cars went by really, really fast in a swarm and then we waited until it happened again. 2. My brother sat in a fancy F1 car that was on show and we got yelled at. 3. Robert Scorpio from General Hospital—or, more accurately, the actor who played him—was there. Embarrassing, I know.  In my defense, I was very young.

Anywho, there are a bunch of great things—including the IndyCar and Grand-Am races—going on in Detroit this weekend. Get out there and enjoy!

Weekend Roundup

1. Dine & Drive in the D - Grab lunch at this food truck rally featuring 10 different trucks-de-cuisine and live music. The new Mac Shack—serving up some good ole mac 'n cheese—will be on hand! June 1st.

2. Alley Deck opening party - Join Tour Detroit at one of the best outdoor spaces in the city. Live music featuring DJ's Erno the Inferno, Joe Vargas, and Steve Robert. Free! June 1st.

3. Detroit Chevrolet Belle Isle Grand Prix - Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! Racing returns to Detroit with a weekend filled with races including the IZOD IndyCar Series and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Live music follows the racing each day and Friday, June 1st is free day. June 1—3.

4. Motor City Pride - Celebrate diversity in Hart Plaza! Entertainment, family picnic, commitment ceremonies, parade and more. June 2—3.

5. Birmingham Village Fair - Head to downtown Birmingham for a weekend of family fun including carnival rides, entertainment and food. May 31—June 3.

Bonus: Baconfest Michigan Sold Out!

Double Bonus: Race to open the Aquarium (Facebook link)

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

Photo credit

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer and with the weather forecast in Detroit this weekend it looks to be a hot and steamy few days. Did you know that almost 35 million Americans will be traveling this weekend? So, whether you're staying in metro Detroit or headed Up North or elsewhere, have a fabulous weekend and be safe!

(P.S. You still have time to win a pair of tickets to Drink Michigan's Sip of Michigan party this summer!)

Weekend Roundup

1. Movement Festival & DHM Renovation Kickoff - The Detroit Historical Museum is closing for major renovations and to install new exhibits—but first come down for a party to celebrate the enhancements and to kickoff the Movement fest with live DJ's, a cash bar and more. Free admission. May 24th.

2. Red Bull House of Art Detroit (Facebook link) - This collaborative art project celebrates eight undiscovered artists from metro Detroit. Gallery Grand Opening: May 24th. Open to the public: May 25—28.

3. St. Mary's Polish Country Fair - Head out to the beautiful grounds on Orchard Lake and enjoy carnival rides, Polish food, polkas, a Vegas tent and more. Read more about Orchard Lake St. Mary's. May 25—28.

4. Movement Electronic Music Festival - Hart Plaza will be jumping as over 70 international artists and DJ's take over multiple stages for 36 hours of music. May 26—28.

5. Thai Temple Sunday Market - Step out of your comfort zone and explore authentic Thai food and culture. This is the real deal—homecooked Thai food and street food. May 27th.

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

Local libations are the star at Sip of Michigan

My friends at Drink Michigan are celebrating their two-year birthday with their ‘Sip of Michigan’ bash at The Rattlesnake Club! Audrey Walker and Trisha Verma are the lovely ladies behind Drink Michigan and I’m lucky to call them friends.

In case you didn’t know, Drink Michigan celebrates all of our local wine, beer and spirits in a friendly way. They’re not drink snobs, they won’t crinkle up their nose and judge you on your poor taste of beverage. (Well, they might if your sipping on a Bud Light.) Nope, they just love Michigan and all of the magical beverages that are made here.

Sip of Michigan promises to be the biggest party of the summer featuring the best beer, wine and spirits from our lovely state plus fabulous food from The Rattlesnake Club and live band karaoke. Oh, and just so you know, this isn’t your mama’s karaoke. Nope, you’ll be singing along with a live, rocking band.

The proceeds from the event benefit First Step in Wayne County.

The mission of First Step is to reduce the incidence of domestic and sexual violence and to provide services to individuals affected by these crimes.  Prevention of domestic and sexual violence through education, advocacy and appropriate intervention is the ultimate goal of First Step. This is a cause that Audrey and I believe strongly in – they provide an invaluable service to women, children, and men in Wayne County who are trying to escape negative situations and create new lives. ~Trisha Verma

Tickets for Sip of Michigan on July 13^th are $50 and include 35 drink tickets (1 ticket per 2oz. sample/3 tickets per full pour). All that plus the heavy appetizers and the live entertainment.

Would you like to go to this fine event for FREE? Yeah, I thought you might. Well, you’re in luck. Detroit Moxie is giving away 2 tickets to the event to one lucky reader.

How to enter:

Add a comment to this post with your favorite Michigan brewery, winery or distillery. You must leave your email address when leaving the comment or you won’t be eligible. (Your email won’t be published; I just need to contact you if you win!)

For an additional entry, tweet the following:

I want to win tix to @DrinkMichigan’s birthday bash from @becksdavis & Detroit Moxie. http://bit.ly/KblsK4 #drinkmoxie

For the additional entry, you must have posted a comment. Did you read that part? You can’t enter by tweeting without leaving a comment first. Capiche?

The contest ends on Friday, May 25, 2012 at noon, ET. The winner will be selected at random using random.org. The winner must be 21 years of age.

So, who makes your favorite Michigan drink of choice?

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Suzanne Vier at Tashmoo Biergarten in 2011.The sun comes out, the temperatures rise and the things to do in Detroit become even more bountiful than usual. It’s a lovely time of the year. So much so, that I’ve included an unprecedented Triple Bonus in the Roundup this week.

Buy flowers, drink beer, adopt your next best friend and enjoy Detroit!

Weekend Roundup

1. Detroit4Detroit's Crank up the Cause - Do you want to give to your favorite Detroit nonprofits while having a great time? Of course you do! Buy a ticket for $10 and head to Bert's Warehouse. They'll give you the $10 back to give to a nonprofit of your choice. Plus food & music. May 17th.

2. Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo - Woof! Hundreds of dogs, cats, kittens and puppies will be available for adoption in this collaboration between the Detroit Zoo and the Michigan Humane Society. May 19—20.

3. Tashmoo Biergarten Spring Fling 2012 (Facebook link) - We've been waiting all winter for this fabulous biergarten to come alive again. Tashmoooooo! Craft beer, games and food all in community setting. (More info on Tashmoo Biergarten.) May 19—20

4. Motor City Comic Con - Kapow! If you love comic books and pop culture then this is the place to be! Stars of the comic world collide with the likes of Lieutenant Uhura, Batgirl, Howard Hesseman and The A-Team van.  May 18—20.

5. Eastern Market Flower Day - Calling all green thumbs! This Detroit tradition is now in its 46th year and brings over 200,000 people to the market to buy plants and flowers. May 20th.

Bonus: D:hive is offering free tours of Detroit next week.

Double Bonus: Yelp's Passport to Midtown.

Triple Bonus: College for Creative Studies Student Exhibition & Sale.

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