Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

February, our shortest month, has the oddest holidays. Take Groundhog Day, a strange little holiday where we push meteorologists aside and put all our faith in a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil. This is Michigan; on February 2^nd there will always be 6 more weeks of winter regardless if that rascally rodent sees his shadow.

From Barbara L. Hanson on Flickr

I really like the movie, though.

Weekend Roundup

1. Shiver on the River - The Belle Isle Aquarium will be open for visitors from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is a rare opportunity to stroll through the now closed Aquarium. February 6th.

2. Alegria - Cirque du Soleil brings its "baroque ode to the energy, grace, and power of youth" to the Joe Louis Arena. February 4-7.

3. Wild Winter African Adventure - Celebrate Black History Month at The Detroit Zoo with African drum lessons, learn about the animals from Africa through storytelling, and live entertainment. February 6-7.

4. Cocktails for a Cause - Local celebs and bartenders mix up drinks with proceeds going to THAW (The Heat and Warmth Fund). Join in the fun at Bookies Bar & Grille and Pulse. February 5th.

5. Mount Clemens Ice Carving Show - Dozens of ice sculptures and live sculpting demonstrations are featured. They also have an Ice Sculpture Putt-Putt course! February 5-7.

Don't forget the Ferndale Blues Festival is stil going on and the Super Bowl is this Sunday!

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

People, Places, & Ideas That Inspire

I travel every day. I don’t mean I travel to far away places with white beaches (I wish). I’m not referring to the mundane task of driving to work or running errands either. I travel via the web.

Lately, these travels across the Internet have landed me in some pretty cool places. I’ve encountered people, places, and ideas that inspire me.

People

Did you ever have an idea or dream that most people would dismiss as impossible? Well, Justin “Bugsy” Sailor has a big idea and he’s going for it. It’s simple really; he just wants to have a beer with Richard Branson by the end of the year. Impossible, you say? I don’t think so. In fact, I’d put good money on Bugsy making this happen. If anyone can do it, Bugsy can. So let’s hear it for the Michigan boy and check out Beer with Branson.

Places

The Burton Theatre is a new independent cinema in the Chinatown/Cass Corridor area of Detroit. I’ve been dying to check it out but haven’t had a chance yet. I did, however, find someone who has. Tom Lucier shares his visit to The Burton on his blog Here be Dragons. The thing I find really cool is that Tom is from Windsor and he and his friends crossed the border just to experience this new cinema. I’ll be writing more about Windsor soon.

Sticking with the movie theme, I have a confession. I’ve never been to the Detroit Film Theater at the DIA. Dominique King at Midwest Guest has and gives a great rundown of the coming attractions at the DFT. Movies are a great way to find inspiration in your daily life.

Ideas

If you’ve been reading Detroit Moxie and following along, it’s no surprise that my husband and I love Belle Isle. Of course, I have a certain something-something for a particular tree but it goes beyond that. Charlie LeDuff from The Detroit News wrote this awesome piece about our island park. It explores the political beasts that have been behind its demise and what could be its hope for the future.

I stumbled upon the Detroit Declaration about a week ago and I love their ideals. From the website:

We know you’re out there. We know you love Detroit and want to see it not just survive, but thrive. This is our rallying cry. Welcome to a political movement for a brighter Detroit future.

Watch the video.

You can sign the Detroit Declaration here. My name is on it, is yours?

Birmingham Restaurant Week Kicks Off Today

The fifth annual Birmingham Restaurant Week begins today, and for the first time, will run for two weeks. This culinary event offers diners a chance to experience top Birmingham restaurants at a great price: $15 for a three-course lunch and $25 for a three-course dinner.

Fifteen restaurants are taking part this year including two newcomers, Café Via and Quattro. It should be noted that the prices during this years Restaurant Week are the same as they were at its inception in 2006.

Participating Restaurants

• 220 Restaurant

• Big Rock Chop & Brew House

• Café Via

• Chen Chow Brasserie

• Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine

• Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

• Forest Grill

• Forté Restaurant

• Mitchell’s Fish Market

• Peabody’s

• Phoenicia

• Quattro

• The Rugby Grille

• Salvatore Scallopini

• Streetside Seafood

You can view all of the menus here.

I must say that some of the menus look fabulous and some of them don’t tempt me at all. The ones that took my fancy are Fleming’s, The Rugby Grille, and Chen Chow, mainly because I haven’t yet visited these establishments and like what’s on their menus for this special event.

Birmingham Restaurant Week runs February 1-5 & February 8-12.

Are you planning on taking part in Birmingham Restaurant Week? If you do, please share your experiences with us!

Detroit Moxie's Weekend Roundup

Fireworks, ice sculptures, vodka, beer, and music! The Detroit area has some great events going on this weekend. Honestly, it’s going to be hard to pick and choose which ones to attend.

Weekend Roundup

1. Vodka Vodka - This is the party in metro Detroit this weekend and it's already creating quite a buzz. Featuring vodka, of course, and vodka-infused cuisine. It's also a fundraiser for Forgotten Harvest of Royal Oak. January 29th.

2. Rochester Fire & Ice Fest - Events include fireworks, ice sculptures, a tubing hill, and dog sled rides. There's also a tastefest featuring local food and microbrews. January 29-30.

3. Ferndale Blues Festival - Over 60 concerts held over nine days in fabulous Ferndale. There is a free shuttle bus on Friday and Saturday nights running between all of the venues. January 29 through February 6.

4. Ann Arbor Folk Festival - The 33rd annual folk festival celebrates both renowned and up-and-coming performers. January 29-30.

5. Winter Beer Fest - Featuring over 80 local, regional, and international beers and a live performance by Catfish Mafia. January 30th.

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

Sorry Detroit, I Did You Wrong

So, here’s the thing, I haven’t always had this love affair with Detroit. And I haven’t always said the right thing.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been proud and grateful to have been born and bred here. I’ve also always been a Detroit sports fan.

I just haven’t always been a supporter of Detroit; this beautiful city wasn’t always where I wanted to be. I’ve said some hurtful things in the past and I’m sorry.

When I left for college and arrived in Milwaukee people would ask me where I was from. My answer was that I was from the “suburbs of Detroit,” or sometimes I’d say “outside of Detroit.”

Yes, I said what I said because I didn’t want people to think I was from that Detroit. You see, I was from the suburbs and they were filled with kittens and rainbows and unicorns. I was 17.

I’m sorry.

I did the same when I lived in Chicago. Actually, I was worse in Chicago. I lived life fast and fancy-free, loving the high life and working in professional theater. My life revolved around my profession and I had a huge supportive community.

I became friends with other former Detroiters that also happened to be working in the theater. Keep in mind that I was in my mid to late 20’s. My friends and I had the audacity to think, and actually say out loud, that if we moved back to Detroit it would be a cool place to live.

Yes, we were that full of ourselves. We were cocky, creative, and living in our own little world.

Will you forgive me?

Was I any better when I moved to the UK? Not so much. My husband would tell people I was from Detroit and I would elbow him in the ribs and correct him, “I’m from the suburbs.”

Detroit, I did you wrong and I hang my head in shame.

As an advocate of Detroit who is passionate about the city, I see the errors of my past self and I’m embarrassed. We are all Detroiters. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the city and suburbs cannot exist without each other.

We bitch and moan that the national and international media portray us so horribly but we are part of the problem. Until city dwellers and suburbanites can embrace each other, and the region, we’re just going to keep banging our head against a wall.

I am a Detroiter. Are you?

How can we come together as a region and put these dividing lines behind us?