I Love Detroit Video Contest Winner Is...

Last night, on the roof of the Garden Court Condominiums, the winner of the “I Love Detroit” video contest was revealed. And the winner is… Brandi K.! 

Congratulations Brandi and welcome to the blogosphere! You can follow her adventures at myyearindetroit.com.

Here is Brandi’s winning video:

Thank you to all who participated! There were over 50 video submissions; you can view them here.

The finalists included Matt Dibble, Kevin Smith, Thom Douglas, and Brandi Kay.

Brandi's name is announced.

Brandi Kay, winner of the I Love Detroit video contest.

 More pictures of the wrap party can be seen on Detroit Moxie's Facebook page.

Detroit Link Love

It’s been a crazy few weeks for me with a lot of exciting things going on. And some stuff that isn’t so exciting but I’m not going to go into that.

Anywho, there’s a bunch of stuff I’ve been meaning to tell you about but haven’t had the time to do a full blog post on them. I’ll come back to some of these later and tell you more about them but for now I just want to get the word out.

Sound like a plan? Cool.

• I’m proud to say that I’m 100% Polish so I was really excited when I heard about the People’s Pierogi Collective (PPC) a month or so ago. The PPC is a pierogi stand and they had their debut at Eastern Market two weeks ago. I can’t wait to check them out!

• BareBones Detroit is a new web site that has set out to tell the stories of buildings in Detroit and map them. I met with one of the founders of the site, Sabrina Fitzwilliams a few weeks ago and her passion for Detroit, its history, and its buildings runs deep. BareBones Detroit is still in beta but they have big plans for the site, I’d keep an eye on them.

• While documenting the Packard Plant, the founders of BareBones Detroit stumbled onto a Banksy that had yet to be discovered in Detroit. We headed down to the Packard Plant so Sabrina could show me the new find but we were foiled by big burly men and security. The owner of the Packard Plant has since removed the “new” Banksy piece.

• I first found artist Icon on Twitter and then by following his blog at Streetculturemash. His enthusiasm drew me in from the beginning and I love his photos! Check him out!

• Speaking of photos, last November my friend Dave Peckens and I founded Photowalks Detroit, a casual group of photography enthusiasts. Check out this post about our last walk at Cranbrook Gardens by Dominique King at Midwest Guest.

• Dogs love to play on Belle Isle! Before you take your furry friend out to our island park take a look at the Belle Isle Dog Lover’s Guide from Belle Isle Home.

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

So, yesterday was kind of a crazy day! The U.S. not only advanced to next round of the World Cup but are also top seed over England, the longest tennis match ever happened at Wimbledon, and here in Michigan we felt an earthquake.

Well, some people felt an earthquake. Others didn’t even know it happened.

With all that craziness behind us, it’s time to have a great weekend!

Weekend Roundup

1. Opa! Fest - Enjoy live Greek music and traditional folkdances as well as games for the children, exhibits, Greek food and yummy Greek pastry. June 25-27.

2. Jazzin' on Jefferson - This street festival brings jazz, blues, food, arts & crafts, and more to Detroit's lower Eastside. June 26-27.

3. Detroit Music Awards Jam Fest - Head to Campus Martius for the first 4th Fridays in the Park of the summer. Enjoy free music all day including performances by Thornetta Davis, The Brothers Groove, Howling Diablos, and Jill Jack. June 25.

4. Detroit Children's Museum - The Grand Re-Opening celebration offers planetarium shows, hands-on activities, an outdoor block party, and free admission this weekend. June 26-27.

5. Rock and Rummage 5 year Anniversary Bash - The New Way Bar in Ferndale hosts this event which features live band performances and vendors selling cool goods. June 25-26.

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

Fireworks Light Up the Detroit Sky

I had the fantastic opportunity to watch the Detroit Fireworks atop the Garden Court Condominiums, designed by Albert Kahn. This was the first time I was downtown for the fireworks and I couldn’t have asked for a better view.

Here are a few of the photos I took of the fireworks:

 

 

 

 

Detroit Fireworks are set to go off with a Bang!

Photo from clodds on Flickr. The Detroit Fireworks are set to go off with a bang over the Detroit River at 10:06 p.m. tonight. The annual display is sure to dazzle both children and adults. One of the new features of the Target Fireworks is a “carpet of light” that will blanket the Detroit River.

If you’re planning on heading downtown be sure to get there early, heavy traffic is expected and road closures will begin at 7 p.m. Also, expect delays on the way home.

A few things before you go:

• Where to park for the Fireworks

• Best places to watch the Fireworks

The atmosphere will be electric downtown and I can’t wait! We’ll be watching the fireworks from the penthouse of the Garden Court Condominiums and I hope to snap some good photos.

This is just the beginning of firework season, check here for other firework displays across Michigan.

Are you going downtown to watch the fireworks or will you watch them on TV?