FutureMidwest 2010 Invades our Backyard

This week FutureMidwest 2010 invades our backyard! The region's largest technology and knowledge conference will be held in Royal Oak, MI on April 16^th & 17^th.

Have you heard of FutureMidwest?

Here on Detroit Moxie I try to be conscious of the fact that not everyone is hooked on Twitter and Facebook. I know many of you have found this site by searching for things to do in Detroit and some of you don’t care about social media or the interactive, digital community.

That is why I’m telling you about this. You ARE a part of the online community just by stopping by this blog.

Detroit’s digital community is expanding and playing a powerful role in the growth of small businesses, entrepreneurship, and startup companies.

I think we can all agree that Detroit needs more businesses investing in our region. More successful businesses will mean more jobs in the area. FutureMidwest will highlight how the online world affects business.

If you have a small or medium size business and aren’t using these tools then this conference is for you. If you are an entrepreneur or work in marketing or communications then this conference is for you. Or, if you’re like me and have a blog or website, this conference is for you.

Founded by Adrian Pittman, director of development and partner at Module, Jordan Wolfe, founder of uwemp and Zach Lipson, founder of Leftos.com, FutureMidwest is the fusion of two successful events held in Michigan in 2009 – the Module Midwest Digital Conference and TechNow.

Zach, Jordan and I see FutureMidwest as the cornerstone of conversation, idea and new relationships formed from uniting people who want to learn how social media impacts business growth. This conference will ignite dialogue between the younger and more seasoned generations, inspiring them to apply the knowledge they learned about new technologies to their respective industries. - Adrian Pittman

Who is speaking at FutureMidwest?

• Christopher Barger, the Director of Global Social Media for GM

• Scott Monty, the Global Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager for Ford Motor Company

• Samuel Valenti IV, founder and CEO of the Ghostly International record label

• Jay Adelson, entrepeneur and former CEO and chairman of Digg.com

There are about a dozen other dynamic speakers, including two members of Team Detroit SXSW, Henry Balanon and David Murray.

The conference is only one element of all the really cool events going on this week. All work and no play make Johnny a very dull boy so there is also karaoke, conversations, and cocktails.

Check out the awesome rundown of the events for FutureMidwest 2010 Week put together by David Murray.

I hope I’ve piqued your interest in what all this social media and digital and online community stuff is all about. It’s really just about connecting with other people and creating meaningful relationships.

See you there?

Detroit Tigers Home Opener

My first sighting of a Moxie tag in Detroit. Today is going to be a good day!

Loved this girls make-up!

My brother shaking hands with former Tiger, Ike Blessitt, who happens to be a friend of his.

5:15 p.m. Tigers Win! We're now at home. I-75 was slow going as traffic was heavy. Great day out! I'll add more photos later.

2:53 p.m. The burger was demolished. Not as good as the Roast Burger but it was bigger.

It's great to see places jam packed and people enjoying Detroit. But I wish it didn't have to be an "unoffocial" holiday for this to be the case.

On a different note, I can't seem to add any more pictures from my iPhone.

Top of the 7th. Detroit is winning 4-2. Time for a stretch.

2:12 p.m. We've moved on to the Detroit Beer Co. and met up with some others. I'm patiently waiting for my Hair-of-the-Dog burger. Beef, bacon, and egg. Breakfast, right? We'll see how it compares to the Roast Burger.

12:23 p.m. We meant to head downtown at 8:30 a.m. But I set my alarm for p.m. D'oh! Anyway, we didn't get down here till just before 11 a.m.

Seeing my first Moxie tag was a good sign.

Our first stop was the State Bar and The Fillmore. Currently, we're at Hockeytown.

The energy down here is electric. This is my town!

Go Tigers!

P.S. I'm blogging this via my iPhone, pictures and all.

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

You remember this time last year, right? It was April in the D. That phrase brings back memories, doesn’t it? And, admit it, at the beginning you thought the song was catchy. You might have even sung along to it once or twice, possibly even thrice. 

Then the song penetrated the airwaves and our sanity started to wane. Cries of, “make it stop,” were heard around Detroit. We yearned for the month of May like we had never yearned before. We just wanted the song out of our head and off of our TV.

Well, get ready for the latest version by The Victorious Secrets! Because, you know, it’s April in the D.

Weekend Roundup

1. Detroit Tigers' Home Opener - Our Detroit Tigers take on the Cleveland Indians for Opening Day at Comerica Park. Even if you don't have tickets you can still head downtown and soak up the atmosphere around the ballpark or tickets are still available for the games on Saturday and Sunday. Go Tigers! April 9th.

2. 2010 NCAA Men's Frozen Four - The college hockey championship games are invading Ford Field. I think I'm rooting for Wisconsin. Go Badgers! April 8-10.

3. Straight No Chaser - This male A Cappella group from Indiana University has a sense of humor to go with their fabulous voices. This is my kind of "boy band." If you doubt me, check out their videos. April 9th.

4. Detroit Historical Museum - Take advantage of half off admission during Spring Break. Current exhibits include "Corktown Works!" and "Fabulous 5: Detroit's Beloved Sports Coaches." Now through April 11th. (Also check the Museum Adventure Pass program for free admission.)

5. Dog-Up - Woof! Our canine friends and the people who love them have an event of their own this week. Bring your pooch to Canine To Five for a play-date with other dogs and dog owners. You don't need a dog of your own to attend but please RSVP to this free event. April 11th.

Note: The Detroit People Mover is running extended service due to the big sports weekend.

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

Bombing Detroit & Other Stories

Spring brings renewal and growth, right? Well, I’ve found a few fabulous Detroit stories and events that have sprung up on the web and I just had to share them with you. Enjoy!

• Bomb Detroit! from Sweet Juniper! - Jim Griffioen is beautifying Detroit by tossing wildflower seed bombs on some unsightly areas of the city. I love this!

• A Brit in Detroit Has No Requiem - My husband, Andy Davis, wrote this amazing post as a response to the BBC documentary "Requiem for Detroit." To say that I'm proud is an understatement. It should be noted that I had nothing to do with this and didn't even realize what he was doing when he said he was writing a blog post.

• Detroit Tigers Opening Day - Nikki Stephan explores how different people celebrate and prepare for our favorite unofficial spring holiday. It's only a few days away!

• Where I live: All aboard for Thomas the Tank Engine's annual visit to Michigan's Greenfield Village - I'm not a parent but I'm sure all those of you who are will want to mark these dates in your calendar. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it my husband may want to visit with Thomas!

• Spring Comes to Belle Isle - I've spent a lot of time on Belle Isle but most of it has been in the winter staring at a certain Ice Tree. So, it was a wonderful change to see these photos of the first blooms on our island park.

• Scions of Detroit Families Share Hockey Passion - The N.C.A.A. Frozen Four takes place at Ford Field this weekend. The co-chairmen of the event, William Clay Ford Jr. and Christopher Illitch, talk about their love of hockey.

• A Tour of Detroit - Oh, and I wrote this guest post over at Icrontic.com. It's an overview of some of my favorite places in Detroit.

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Easter, Passover, and April Fools Day! Where do I begin? Here are a few quick and fun facts before I tell you what’s going on in Detroit this weekend.

I heard about this great collaboration between Detroit and the suburbs, they are going to rotate the Joe Louis Fist 180 degrees so that it faces the suburbs. Yep, it’s a Fist Bump for Regionalism!

Joe Louis Fist Bump?

Did you know that Easter is an important candy-eating holiday? Apparently 76% of Americans think that you should eat the ears off of a chocolate bunny first while 5% like to start with the feet. Only 4% of Americans chomp off the tail first.

Back in the old days, 1953 to be exact, it took 27 hours to make a Marshmallow Peep. Now it only takes 6 minutes.

A fun little joke I heard on Twitter: Jewish Fun Fact: If you celebrate Passover on top of an overpass, you go back in time.

Weekend Roundup

1. The Original Great Marshmallow Drop - Come out and watch thousands of marshmallows drop from a helicopter. Children can then gather the marshmallows and turn them in for a prize-filled egg. April 2nd.

2. Bunnyville - Hop on over to The Detroit Zoo to visit with the Easter Bunny, watch a performance of "The Bunny Follies," and play games and win prizes. April 3rd.

3. Detroit Red Wings - Catch one of the last three home games during the regular season. We can finally breathe a sigh of relief; we are going to the playoffs! Right? April 1st, 3rd, & 7th.

4. Rashomon at The Detroit Film Theatre - Watch Kurosawa's masterpiece about the nature of truth on the big screen. In Japanese with English subtitles. April 2-4.

5. The Moth StorySLAMS - This popular event at Cliff Bell's is a chance to tell your story. The theme this month is "on the road." April 1st.

Reminder: The People Mover is not in service on Friday, April 2nd & Sunday, April 4th.

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