Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Fall, or autumn as my very formal husband likes to call it, is my favorite season. I love the smell of the leaves, the crisp air that is perfect for a sweatshirt, and cider mills.

Here in Detroit, there are tons of things to do this time of year. So, get out there and enjoy Detroit! You better hurry; the snow will be here before you know it.

Oh, and I almost forgot.

Save the date: 10/10/10! Detroit Moxie Reader Appreciation Party at the Old Miami. (Facebook link)

I’m still sorting out the details but this party is for you; I want to thank you for your support throughout the last year and a half. All you readers and re-tweeters, those of you that “like” the post or the site, and all those lovely comments deserve a reward.

Really, I just want to say thank you and meet you all in person. Check back for details, I’ll have them soon.

Weekend Roundup

1. Detroit Critical Mass (Facebook link)- Take a bike ride through the streets of Detroit with a few hundred riders. All ages and all skill levels are welcome for this leisurely ride. September 24th.

2. Tour de Troit - If a few hundred riders isn't enough for you, the Tour de Troit expects thousands on this bike ride that takes over the streets and explores the historic areas and beautiful views of Detroit. September 25th.

3. Rochester Area Heritage Festival - This festival celebrates the communities unique heritage and brings history to life. Activities include entertainment, wagon rides, a petting farm, and arts & crafts. September 25-26.

4. Sean Blackman "In Transit: Travel the World Through Music & Dance" - World music blended with modern Detroit jazz that will inspire seven dancers. September 24th.

5. Birmingham Rail Jam - The median between Old Woodward & Woodward Avenue, just south of the 555 building, will be transformed into a mini ski-lovers paradise complete with snow. Come out and watch the professional demo as well as amateurs strutting their stuff. September 25th.

6. MotorCity Casino $10,000 Manhunt - Find the escape artist in this scavenger hunt through Detroit and you and your team can win $10,000. What a fun way to explore downtown! September 25th.

7. Live Love Local: The Greening of Detroit's 20th Anniversary Celebration - Head to Eastern Market to celebrate local food and music and living green. Twenty-four local eateries will be featured as well as beer from Motor City Brew Works. September 25th.

Don't Forget: Detroit Restaurant Week kicks off on Friday, September 24th.

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

Big Thinkers to Share at TEDxDetroit

TEDxDetroit is an independently organized event inspired by the national TED conference, which focuses on technology, entertainment, and design.

From the TEDxDetroit website:

The area's leading creators, catalysts, entrepreneurs, artists, technologists, designers, scientists, thinkers and doers will gather on Wednesday, September 29th to share what they are most passionate about — positive ideas for the world from Detroit.

Last year, I was excited yet shocked to attend TEDxDetroit. Shocked that they let me in and stoked that they wanted me at their event.

What a difference a year makes! This year, I’m working behind the scenes on TEDxDetroit and I think it’s going to be an amazing day. The conference is being presented by Wayne State University and will take place at the Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

This years lineup of speakers include Erik Proulx, creator of two documentaries, Lemonade and Lemonade: Detroit; Rick DeVos, the founder of ArtPrize; and Kami Pothukuchi, director of Seed Wayne at Wayne State University.

Lemonade: Detroit Trailer from Erik Proulx on Vimeo.

There are limited seats still available but you must act now! Click here to submit an application to attend TEDxDetroit 2010. The conference is free to attend but a $21 donation is strongly encouraged. The donation will go directly to Public Art Workz and makeLoveland.

TEDxDetroit is for you if:

• You like to think big and outside of the box.

• You’re passionate about Detroit.

• You know that the way it has always been done isn’t necessarily the best way to accomplish something.

So, what are you waiting for? Apply now.

Fall 2010 Edition of Detroit Restaurant Week

Attention Food Lovers! Time is running out, make your reservations for Detroit Restaurant Week now. The Fall 2010 edition of DRW kicks off at the end of the week and runs September 24^th through October 3^rd.

Detroit’s finest restaurants will offer a three-course dinner for $28 (excluding beverages, tax, and tip). This is a great time to explore a few restaurants you’ve never been to before or to revisit some old favorites.

Crain’s Detroit Business is sponsoring a Detroit Restaurant Week preview at Mosaic on September 23, 2010 from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. The preview will feature complimentary appetizers and drink specials. RSVP to attend the DRW preview at Mosaic.

There are two features on the website that make my heart smile. First, under the After Dinner tab, they offer suggestions on events to check out after your meal for each of the 10 nights of Detroit Restaurant Week. Second, the restaurant menus are on the website, not on a PDF that you have to download. Seriously, this little thing made me so happy!

So, how does a foodie decide which of the 18 Detroit fine dining establishments to check out?

Do you go with an old classic like The Whitney, Roma Café, or the Caucus Club? Or, do you check out one of the newer heavy hitters such as Roast, Atlas Global Bistro, or the Detroit Seafood Market? How about the incredible views of Detroit and Canada from Coach Insignia?

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

If you’re still undecided, take a look at The Hungry Dudes previews of DRW and view their Flickr stream.

Which restaurants are on your list for Detroit Restaurant Week? Have you made your reservations yet?

Keep me posted on your experiences! 

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

I just want you all to know that I appreciate that you read and look forward to the Weekend Roundup every week. I’m no Oprah but if I had the means to take you all on a trip to Australia I’d do it!

Hell, I wish I could take you all out to Lafayette Coney Island let alone all the way around the world. I do, however, have plans to do something special for you. Stay tuned!

The 2009 Funky Ferndale Art Fair.

Weekend Roundup

1. DIY Street Fair -Celebrate the do-it-yourself spirit with over 100 artists and crafters, live music, Michigan beer, a kid zone, and more. This was one of my favorite festivals last year! September 17-19.

2. Funky Ferndale Art Fair - And on the other side of Woodward is a juried art show featuring funky and fashionable finds. September 17-19.

3. "Lost Detroit" Book Release Party - City Bird hosts the launch of this book that explores 12 of Detroit's forgotten landmarks. September 16th.

4. We Like Music Festival - Old Miami and The Magic Stick host this extravaganza of downtempo, hip-hop, house, ambient, dubstep, techno, and abstract beats. September 18th.

5. The Jane Show at the Museum of New Art - This photographic exhibit focuses on one museum visitor, bringing art and the spectator together as one. My favorite Jane, Jane Fader, happens to be the focus of the show. Opens September 18th.

6. Birmingham House Tour - Walk through 8 beautiful homes in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills including a house designed by Yamasaki, who designed the World Trade Center, and a home in downtown Birmingham that was built in 1921, complete with a white picket fence. September 16th.

7. MORC Photography Exhibition - "Southeast Michigan: Picture It" - The event at the Detroit Artists Market features 30 photographs of various cultural and historic venues throughout Southeast Michigan shot by individuals with developmental disabilities. September 17th.

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

Don't Ignore the Invisible People

Mark Horvath is on a mission; he is an advocate for the homeless and has been travelling around the country for the past two years sharing the stories of homeless people and giving them a voice. Mark knows what he’s talking about, he lived on the streets in L.A.

My husband, Andy Davis, talking with Mark Horvath of InvisiblePeople.tv.

Mark visited Detroit this week and I had the opportunity to meet him and hear him speak at a Social Media Club Detroit event at the Friendship Circle. He talked openly about the issues the homeless face on a daily basis and how they ended up on the streets, living under a bridge or in a box.

• Do you know someone who has lost his or her job in the last few years? Someone who has been unemployed and not able to find work for over a year?

• Are any of your friends or family behind on their mortgage or underwater on their house?

• Do you know someone who doesn’t have health insurance? Would a major illness or accident cause them huge amounts of debt?

I seriously doubt that anyone in metro Detroit can answer no to all of the above questions.

And, you do know someone who doesn’t have health insurance. ME. My husband and I haven’t had health insurance since we left the UK and the National Health Service that they provide.

Any of the circumstances that I laid out above can land you or someone you know in the precarious position of losing their house and living in their car or on the streets.

On his website, Mark says,

“Please always remember, the homeless people you’ll ignore today were much like you not so long ago.”

Beth's Story from TakePart on Vimeo.

Mark used to work in television distribution with a six-figure salary. He ended up living in a park. Powerful stuff.

So, what can we, as individuals, do to help? Mark says the key is housing, jobs, and health services.

He explained that you should treat the homeless just as you would treat anyone else. If you were walking down the street would you ignore me? Would you avert your eyes and pretend that I wasn’t there? If I spoke to you, would you walk on by, would you ignore me?

Then don’t ignore them. They are not invisible.

Mark told us about a conversation he had with a friend. The friend tried to give a loaf of bread to a homeless person and they didn’t want it. “Sometimes they need a toothbrush,” Mark said.

This little story spoke to me. On Sunday, I was in downtown Birmingham and had just picked up a loaf of bread from Panera. As I walked south on Old Woodward I saw an older woman, obviously homeless. She was sitting against the wall somewhere between Starbucks and Forte. She looked to be asleep and her shoes were off like she was airing out her feet and giving her cankles a rest.

I know what you’re thinking, a homeless woman in Birmingham, Michigan? Surely that can’t be.

But she was there.

I thought about giving her my humungous loaf of three-cheese bread but I didn’t want to wake her. I didn’t want to make waves.

I’m kind of glad she was sleeping; maybe she wanted or needed a toothbrush and not my fancy bread.

Because of Mark, I want to know her story. I want to know if I can help. I can’t stop thinking about her.

Next time, I’ll know what to do. I won’t walk on by and I won’t avert my eyes. I won’t assume what she needs, I’ll ask.

Please check out InvisiblePeople.tv and WeAreVisible.com, which Mark just launched to let the homeless tell their own stories. Follow Mark on twitter at @hardlynormal.