Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Yes, I know, it’s cold and snowy outside. Don’t let the cold scare you into hibernation for the winter, though. Ditch the Snuggie and head out and explore all the fabulous things to do in Detroit.

Also, don’t miss today’s Groupon for Roma Café (affiliate link). It’s Detroit’s oldest restaurant and I included it in 41 More Things to Do in Detroit Before You’re Dead.

Weekend Roundup

1. Vodka Vodka - Sample over 10 vodkas and vodka infused food at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Forgotten Harvest. January 28th.

2. Rochester Fire & Ice Fest - Embrace winter! This event features fireworks, ice sculptures, a tastefest, tubing hill, dog sled rides and more. January 28-30.

3. Detroit Derby Girls - Check out the toughest chicks on 8 wheels in this double header at Cobo Arena. After party at Bookies. January 29th.

4. Winter Beer Fest (Facebook link) - Over 50 beers will be on hand and 25 samples are included in the ticket price. Plus live music and food. Benefitting Motor City Blight Busters. Buy tickets here. January 29th.

5. Robert Burns Dinner - Scotland's favorite son and writer of Auld Lang Syne is celebrated with Burns Night around the world. Lily's Seafood is offering a six course Scottish feast to honor him. The menu looks fabulous, except for the haggis. I can't do haggis! January 27th.

6. Detroit Science Center - Enjoy Ford FREE FunDays while helping families stay warm this winter! Extended hours (around the clock) and fun events are planned for the WWJ Newsradio 950 & THAW's (The Heat & Warmth Fund) annual radiothon. January 28-29.

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 little slice of freedom

Yesterday was kind of a big deal for me. I have a car. A brand new car! I know, not earth shattering for most of you. But consider this: I haven’t had a car of my own since I moved to the UK in 2004.

Seven years of being dropped off and picked up like a teenager. Seven years of waiting for rides and sending texts to my husband saying nothing more than, “pick me up.”

The five years without a car in the UK wasn’t difficult. I was afraid to drive there but I did try for a bit. The weird thing about driving on the wrong side of the road isn’t the driving on the wrong side of the road part. Nope, the weird thing is shifting with your left hand (automatics are hard to come by in the UK) and having the entire car on the left side of you.

So, it wasn’t such a hardship in the UK. I took the bus to work and it was incredibly reliable. I could walk to our local stores. Right around the corner from our house sat a complex with two grocery stores, a department store, clothes and record shops, restaurants, etc.

Here in metro Detroit being without a car has proven more difficult but my husband and I have adapted to make it work.

The SMART bus that would connect me to the Woodward Corridor isn’t very reliable so I became dependent on my husband to drive me to and fro. And, sometimes, when my husband wasn’t available my parents would give me a ride, which just made me feel even more like I was fourteen again. Occasionally, I’d borrow my parents or brothers car.

But as of now, I’m moving into the fast lane! I can schedule meetings without consulting anyone else. I can take random trips to other parts of town on a whim. I can do things just for the sake of doing them whether it’s lunch with friends, scheduling interviews downtown or visiting my favorite Ice Tree. I now have the freedom to do all of those things.

I know those things may seem very simple to you, you may take them for granted. For me, it’s life changing.

Freedom comes in many shapes and sizes. My little slice of a freedom is a 2011 Ford Fiesta in Lime Squeeze. It screams MOXIE!

I’m ready to hit the highway! The only problem is that I don’t know what to do first. My world just got bigger and I’m so excited to explore more of Detroit. On my own. In my own car. Listening to what I want to listen to on the radio.

Watch out Motor City! I’ll be on a road near you. 

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Remember my beloved Belle Isle Ice Tree? Well, I’ve been over to check on it a few times with no luck. As of last Sunday, the trees are piled up but the water hasn’t been turned on yet.

Patiently waiting. Until then...

This photo of the Belle Isle Ice Tree was taken February 2, 2010.

Weekend Roundup

1. Plymouth Ice Festival - This festival celebrates winter with over 100 ice sculptures. Also, Dueling Chainsaws Speed Carving show, a scavenger hunt, petting farm, and rail jam demonstrations. Bundle up! January 21-23.

2. Detroit Artists Market 2011 Design Show - This year the focus is "bath" and 22 local designers will not only show their process but also the finished design. Through February 19th.

3. TigerFest 2011 - Who's your Tiger? It's time to get excited for baseball season with autograph sessions with the players, photos, tours and more. January 22nd. (This event is sold out but tickets are available on StubHub!.)

4. Michigan Winter Dog Classic - Michigan's largest dog show will be host to over 6,000 dogs! Educational demonstrations, judging, breed seminars and demonstrations. January 20-23.

5. Drag Queen Bingo - This is not your grandma's bingo! Head to Five15 in Royal Oak for an evening filled with fun and camp. January 22nd. (Ongoing event every Saturday night.)

Also: Ann Arbor Restaurant Week continues through January 21st and the North American International Auto Show runs through January 23rd.

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

7 Delicious Detroit Food Blogs

Food brings us together in the most delightful and delicious ways, or as chef and food writer James Beard put it, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”

After moving to the UK, I realized that I had to start cooking, both for survival purposes and to satisfy my cravings for food that you can’t get in restaurants in England.

And that is when I fell in love with food blogs!

Deconstructed banana nutella crepe - banana jello cylinders made with Agar Agar, nutella powder made with tapioca maltodextrin. See Mira Uncut below.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Bakerella and Smitten Kitchen are the first that come to mind but there were countless others. I copied and pasted recipes, drooled over photographs and searched the grocery store aisles for ingredients.

Much to my surprise, I’ve only had one or two disasters. And by disasters, I mean that the dish had to be thrown out and the pizza delivery man saved the day. I’ve come along way since then and now consider myself a decent cook; I really owe that to food blogs and the internet.

I’ve rounded up some of the tastiest local food blogs that not only celebrate the restaurants of Detroit but also the art of cooking. 

1. Mira Uncut - Mira plays with food in a creative, braniac way through molecular gastronomy. She also shares her recipes, love of Middle Eastern food, and reviews local restaurants.

2. The Hungry Dudes - This group of 5 (one is actually a dudette) explore local eateries and spread the food porn via their photos. They’re constantly making me hungry. Seriously.

3. Solid Dudes Kitchen - These guys are probably going to be pissed off that I called them bloggers. They have a blog but really, they’re a cooking show. A very funny, expletive laden, cooking show.

4. Simmer Down! - Noëlle calls her self a ‘culinary adventuress’ and I love that she shows us a little glimpse of her life as she shares her recipes.

5. Gourmet Underground Detroit - This isn’t just a blog it’s a food revolution! They are a community dedicated to sharing the best of food and drink with their friends and neighbors. Be sure to check out their forum.

6. Bite Detroit - Rebecca is eating her way through the Motor City and sharing her culinary adventures with us. I just gotta say, I’m totally jealous that she thought about taking a tour of Detroit’s fabulous pizza scene before I did. Pizza is my favorite food group!

7. Dining in Detroit - The thorough reviews and news about food and restaurants in Detroit will keep you salivating and going back for more.

These are some of my faves, what are your favorite local foodie blogs? What do you like most about food blogs? Photos, recipies, news, discussion?

Photo credit: Mira Uncut. Logo courtesy of The Hungry Dudes.

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

It’s been quite a week! The NAIAS excitement hits Detroit, Verizon finally lands the iPhone, Brady Hoke is named the new head coach at U of M, and apparently I’m not a Libra anymore.

Get out there and enjoy Detroit! Oh, and I'm jealous of all of you going to the Kid Rock concert at Fordy Field.

Weekend Roundup

1. 2011 North American International Auto Show - The public show opens on Saturday! My highlights, tips & photos. January 15-23.

2. The Whitney Tea Room - Warm up and enjoy a special afternoon treat at the historic Whitney. Tuesdays through Fridays by reservation only. January 13-14. (Continues every week.)

3. Detroit Fire Guild Winter Ball - A celebration of fire and ice with performances by the Detroit Fire Guild, music, and DJ's. January 15th.

4. Art-o-mat Welcoming Party (FB link) - Retired cigarette machines are transformed into art vending machines. For $5 you get hand-made art! A machine has arrived at Lift in Royal Oak. January 13th.

5. Dragons, Dreams and Daring Deeds - Mime, Puppetry, Irish drumming, improv are combined to perform tales about Dragons, Enchantment and heroic folks. January 16th.

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