14 Things Detroiters Should Be Thankful For In 2014

Photo: http://www.acronymcreativestudio.com/

1. Lions Are In The Playoffs!


footballnation.com

2. Actors Filming Big Budget Movies In Detroit Are Still Falling In Love With The City

First Came Jimmy Fallon and Michael Ceria

Then Came Ryan Goseling

Then Came Ben Affleck In The Batmobile 





3. We No Longer Have To Leave Belle Isle To Use The Bathroom

4. Murder Rate Is The Lowest Since 1967


5. Residential Rental Rates Are Now $2 Sq/Ft


6. M1 Is No Longer A Pipe Dream. Chooo Choooo!




Maybe John Varvatos will sell some snazzy conductor hats come this spring......

7. 14 Restaurants Opened in 2014


A photo posted by Erin Rose (@positivedetroit) on



8. The Bankruptcy Inspired Some Cool Art


Jerry Vile is fah-qing awesome.  In 2014, he set up 100 plastic vultures and this sign on the DIA's lawn:


Metrotimes


Metrotimes

In 2013, he also placed these around Detroit soon after the bankruptcy was announced:















Giant Crisco container under the Fist of Detroit


Hung "Sale" price tags on Detroit Landmarks

9. And Then There Was Light....

10. Construction Cranes Are Now Part Of The Detroit Skyline



The David Whitney "Before" Photo, Photo Credit:  http://fadeddetroit.blogspot.com/

11. You Don't Have To Leave The City For A Slurpee Fix

12. Terms Like "Food Desert" And "Ruin Porn" Are So 2012


13. People Really Do Vacation In Detroit 


14.  Kevyn Orr Resigned 








Robots that service hotel guests, the emergence of marijuana tourism and the rise of several Midwest destinations – these are some of the trends that marked the year in U.S. travel.  As 2014 draws to a close, Hotels.com® has compiled an analysis of search data, survey findings and data from the Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®) to come up with the Top 10 Travel Predictions for 2015.

1. Detroit's resurgence will continue and the city (currently ranked the 28th most popular domestic destination according to HPI) will join Chicago (ranked sixth) as the only other Top 25 U.S. destination in the Midwest. After emerging from two years of bankruptcy, new hotel openings, such as the Aloft Detroit at the David Whitney, and the addition of new downtown entertainment and nightlife options will help the ongoing revitalization of Detroit.

2. The travel industry will continue to see robust growth in mobile hotel bookings in 2015 as hotel and travel companies continue to find new ways of reaching millennials – the fastest growing segment in travel. Easier online payment methods – the use of more mobile payment services, hotel gift cards and the emerging smart watch market – are making the booking experience more convenient.

3. Denver's tourism will continue to surge, making it a Top 15 domestic destination. In 2014, Denver (currently ranked 17th) enjoyed a record year in business travel according to the Colorado Convention Center, while Colorado's legalization of marijuana sales sparked travel interest.

4. More Americans will flock to mid-size beach towns, such as Key West, Fla., Ocean City, Md. and Palm Springs, Calif., and at least one will become a Top 50 domestic destination. All three beach towns were among the most searched destinations on Hotels.com in 2014.

Click HERE for the full article! 




In an effort to educate families on the importance of healthy habits, the Michigan Science Center (MiSci) will host the traveling exhibits, “Eat Well, Play Well” and “Moneyville” from Jan. 24 – May 3, 2015. “Eat Well, Play Well,” sponsored by the Detroit Medical Center (DMC), is bilingual (English/Spanish) and will give families, children and school groups the opportunity to examine healthy living strategies through hands-on activities and interactive displays. “Moneyville,” sponsored by Bank of America, uses engaging simulations, games and more to promote economic literacy at a young age. Due to the two principal sponsors, the exhibits are free to museum attendees with the purchase of general admission.

“We cannot think of a better time of the year for these informative, yet playful exhibits to visit us,” said Dr. Tonya Matthews, president and CEO of the Michigan Science Center. “The New Year is about reinvention and beginning anew. With the support of the DMC and Bank of America, we want to help metro Detroiters rethink how they can improve their well-being, for their families and themselves, and have fun doing it.”

“Eat Well, Play Well”
The highly engaging exhibit encourages the development of healthy lifestyles by teaching the science of making nutritional food selections, as well as helping children and adults discover the many fun and interesting ways to stay active. Within the exhibit, visitors will see firsthand what it takes to burn off calories, learn what appropriate serving sizes looks like, review the latest clinical research on healthy living, test their flexibility and balance and, ultimately, become empowered to make more informed, health-conscious decisions.

The exhibit will showcase 22 interactive areas.

Highlights include:

Dinner Theater – where visitors use colorful foods to perform their own plays about the nutrients found in fruits and vegetables.
Hunger Signals – a computer game where users guide a character through a day of eating snacks and meals, teaching them the implications of food choices.
Animal Motion – where visitors are encouraged to put on their favorite animal costume and hop like a bunny, walk like an elephant or just dance to the music.

"The DMC is proud to sponsor the 'Eat Well, Play Well' exhibit in our ongoing commitment to provide healthy programming throughout the region," said DMC Chief Administration Officer, Conrad Mallett. "We are pleased to partner with the Michigan Science Center to engage with visitors in the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, the first step and a critical component for creating and strengthening vibrant, healthy communities."

In addition to the exhibit’s educational elements, Dr. Reginald Eadie, CEO of DMC Harper University Hospital and DMC Hutzel Women’s Hospital and author of “How to Eat & Live Longer,” will be speaking at MiSci’s member preview event on Saturday, Jan. 24.

“Moneyville”

Families will have the opportunity to explore the history, science, math and economics behind money through the exhibit’s immersive environment. Visitors will travel through five major exhibition areas where they will experience hands-on tours of a bank, stock market, money factory, shopping district, international shipping dock and anti-counterfeiting lab. As guests interact with the various activities and simulations, they will discover and enhance economic concepts as well as improve their math skills and problem-solving strategies.

The five major exhibition areas include:

·         The Money Factory – visitors will examine the science and technology behind money through activities like creating “money” of their own and learning how to differentiate real and counterfeit money.
·         The Bank – a display in which the concepts of compound interest, saving, borrowing and lending are introduced to participants. A see-through safe also will be at this location, displaying what $1 million looks like.
·         To Market, To Market – guests are invited to run a lemonade stand, open shop in a farmers’ market and more to gain an understanding of prices, supply, demand and the stock market.
·         Dollars and Sense – a station that challenges visitors to take on money management in the context of grocery shopping, balancing household budgets and the real cost of credit.
·         Global Trade – a series of games where players explore the interdependence of international trade and markets, and how it affects wealth distribution around the globe. Participants can guess the identities of mysterious imports and view how family possessions vary as geographic location and cultures change.




James Cadariu was planning construction of his hip, new coffee bar, Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company, in 2011 when he first heard about Reclaim Detroit, a nonprofit agency retrieving old and valuable wood and other treasures from Detroit homes set for demolition.

It sounded like material he could use at the coffeehouse he was fashioning on Woodward Avenue in Midtown Detroit.

When he eventually made his way to Reclaim Detroit's warehouse, then located at Focus: HOPE, he was delighted with what he found, stacks of rare, old-forest lumber, hand-carved mahogany doors and antique fixtures, some of it more than a hundred years old.

And something more personal — wood taken from a home on Grayton Street on the city's east side, two doors down from his uncle's house, where he used to visit as a child.

"To me, that was it," he said in an interview earlier this month. "Wood from a street where I used to play as a kid. This material, this wood they're saving, it all has a story to tell. It's so much a part of the city. That's what I really liked about it."

Reclaim Detroit, now more than 3 years old, is gaining national attention as a leader in the burgeoning deconstruction movement, where trained workers remove valuable material in homes set for demolition, and then resell it, creating jobs and sparing landfills millions of tons of debris.

The nonprofit employs 25 people, and has deconstructed 68 homes. It's a small dent in the city's 78,000 abandoned homes, but the momentum is picking up, with big banks, like J.P. Morgan and Bank of America, providing grant money. And the orders are coming in, with interest, from as far away as Japan.

Click HERE for the full article! 
Drinks with some of my favorite people, this place is awesome #sugarhouse #corktown #Detroit #awesome #drinks #goodvibes (25 Likes) <a href="http://instagram.com/p/w77fEIh0Cj/">View Photo</a>
Photo: sanar2007
If your 'hood is on this list, congratulations, you’re probably gaining weight, as we made sure every neighborhood is fantastic to eat and drink in. And once we’d narrowed it down to our top 18, we examined two major factors to determine placement: 1) culinary history, and 2) what’s happening now. The first factor is important because -- as much as we love knowing about the new, cool spots popping up in changing neighborhoods -- it’s just as important to us that these 'hoods maintain some semblance of a connection with their food history. And the second is obviously critical because that history is constantly being rewritten by new chefs and bartenders with crazy, innovative ideas, and lots and lots of mezcal.

As this does exist on the Internet, there will be disagreements, and we encourage you to express them using your inside voice in the comments. But until then, put on your most comfortable Skechers walking shoes and some loose pants, and get ready to enjoy the best food and drink ‘hoods in the land of the free:

15. Corktown
Detroit, MI


Detroit’s historic Corktown may be the city’s oldest neighborhood, but it’s also at the forefront of the D’s new food frontiers. The stretch alongside Michigan Ave, in particular, is exploding with flavor, courtesy of the newly legendary Slows Bar BQ, farm-fresh upscale Southern fare at Gold Cash Gold, and Italian at Ottavia, all of which pair perfectly with after-dinner cocktails at Sugar House. Want a burger? Three of Motown’s best -- Mercury Burger Bar, Nemo’s, and St. Cece’s -- are in Corktown. Deli sandwiches? Get one of the city’s best at Mudgie's, and pair it with one of the 100+ craft beers on offer. And if you need a coney -- and trust us, you always need a coney -- Onassis has your back.

Click HERE for the full article!

1. Detroit is magical.

2. It’s a place where abandoned buildings and possessions can be transformed into gold.

3. It’s a place of so many damn dreams.



Click HERE for the full article! 




Friends School asks, why vs? Why do we have to be against everything? How bout we add just a little L-O-V-E? YEAH!

Tee's are on sale now with 100% of the proceeds going to Friends School. Friends began 49 years ago with a vision of a more inclusive, compassionate and smart Detroit. Over the past 49 years they have educated a ton of great kids who grew up to be great adults.

Buy one today for $25 @ www.friendsschool.org/online-giving

Reference "Detroit Loves Everybody"

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We've found the 15 hottest US cities for 2015, all of which will be booming next year thanks to new jobs, growing industries, burgeoning art and food scenes, and affordable real estate.

Rising prices in San Francisco will continue to push young hipsters out to Oakland. Queens will become the hot borough in New York City because of its affordable real estate and rich culinary scene. And Colorado's legalization of marijuana will bring a wave of tourism to Denver.

To compile this list we looked at job growth, population growth, affordability, livability, and the health and well-being of the residents. We also considered how innovative and "cool" the city is — an important factor in attracting the young, creative types who will make each city hot.

The skyline of the city of Detroit at sunset.
Getty Images

#7 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, IS ON ITS WAY UP, THANKS TO A GROUP OF YOUNG, MOTIVATED LOCALS.

Detroit has been slowly decaying over the past several years, but things are starting to look better for the Motor City.

The city has been trying to turn its economy around by attracting well-educated and talented workers.

But a group of young, motivated Detroiters have also been influential in turning the city around: They've been revitalizing the real-estate market, boosting tourism, and investing in local companies.

Certain industries have been growing strong in Detroit. The bike industry, for one, has been booming.

Click HERE for the full article! 
DAVID HALL/CRAIN'S DETROIT BUSINESS
The building at 1201 Woodward Ave., which previously housed The Detroit Shoppe, could become home to a new Detroit location for Restoration Hardware.

Restoration Hardware is planning to open a flagship store in downtown Detroit, my sources tell me.

The new location is expected to open on the 1200 block of Woodward Avenue, though in which building is unclear. Sources say it will open either in 1201 Woodward Ave., which previously housed The Detroit Shoppe, or in 1261 Woodward Ave., the space where the Somerset Collection’s CityLoft popped up during the holidays until being moved to the First National building this year.

Representatives of Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC, which owns 1201 Woodward and controls the master lease at 1261 Woodward, said they don't comment on rumors or speculation. A spokeswoman for Restoration Hardware also had no comment.

Corte Madera, Calif.-based Restoration Hardware is a luxury home-furnishings retailer, selling furniture, fixtures, textiles and knick knacks you didn’t know you needed. It reported $19.4 million in revenue last quarter, which was announced Wednesday, and said it “sees a clear path toward $4 billion to $5 billion in North American sales.”

Click HERE for the full article! 

Galapagos Art Space Will Make Detroit Its Home


A building that will be part of Galapagos Art Space’s new base in Detroit, a city considered affordable for performance art centers.Credit Robert Elmes

The Galapagos Art Space, a performance center and cultural staple in Brooklyn for nearly 20 years, will close this month, another casualty of rising rental prices that its founder says are making it difficult for independent arts organizations to survive in New York.

“A white-hot real estate market is burning through the affordable cultural habitat,” said Robert Elmes, the space’s executive director. “And it’s no longer a crisis, it’s a conclusion.”

Galapagos helped put Williamsburg on the art map when it opened there in 1995 as a bar and performance venue; it moved to Dumbo in 2007, occupying a former stable equipped with an interior 1,600-square-foot lake surrounded by what its organizers called an “operatic-style mezzanine.”

Although the last night of programming is likely to be Dec. 18, the center will have a second life — more than 600 miles away, in Detroit. Over the past year, Mr. Elmes and his wife, Philippa Kaye, have bought nine buildings totaling about 600,000 square feet in that city’s Corktown neighborhood and in neighboring Highland Park, paying what he described as the price of “a small apartment in New York City” for the properties.

Among the buildings is “an old power plant that looks like a little Tate Modern,” Mr. Elmes said. The centerpiece of the new Galapagos will be a 10,000-square-foot lake, he said, and he is planning about 16 months of renovation work before opening. Michigan’s governor, Rick Snyder; the state’s Economic Development Corporation; and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation have been supportive of the project, Mr. Elmes said, adding that Galapagos is planning to start a Detroit Biennial in 2016.

Click HERE for the full article! 

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From Henry Ford to Motown’s Barry Gordy, Thomas Edison to Jerry Bruckheimer, the Detroit area has long been home to big thinkers, game changers, and rebels with a cause. Maybe it’s something in the lake water, or maybe it’s a reaction to the harsh winters and harsher realities—either way, Detroit has produced more than it’s share of entrepreneurs. There is something about the city (and its very public problems) that creates people who are able to step up and come up with solutions. From small business creators, artists, and community builders, Detroit has a whole new breed of innovators ready to lead the way.


Amy Kaherl

Image via Detroit Soup

Soup is a simple dish with almost magical qualities. Throw a bunch of random scraps and ingredients together and the next thing you know you've got a delicious meal. That’s just what Amy Kaherl is trying to do with the people of Detroit, bringing them all together to see what magical things transpire. She’ll even feed them some soup. Amy is an entrepreneur’s entrepreneur. Her project, Detroit SOUP, has a simple mission: throw a monthly dinner party, invite four groups to come present their business plans, then have the diners vote, with the winner getting the donation money to start making their dreams into realities.

Click HERE for the full article!






America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Art Van, one of the country’s oldest and most celebrated Parades, will step off at 8:50 a.m. on Woodward Avenue and Kirby and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit on Thursday, November 27, 2014.

Hundreds of thousands of parade-goers will be watching as the Parade makes its way down Woodward Avenue. The parade will be broadcast LIVE on WDIV Local 4 from 10 am until Noon and on WJR 760 AM.

Click HERE for more details! 

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Garlin Gilchrist is exactly the kind of talent that Detroit needed after the economic collapse crippled this once-powerful city. But after the skilled software developer graduated from the University of Michigan, he left the state.

Who could blame him? The engineering student had a job offer with Microsoft in Seattle, offering him a healthy paycheck, an attractive lifestyle, and technical skills that would lead to future top jobs in Washington, with activist groups such as MoveOn.org. Michigan, beginning a slump that would last for the better part of a decade, couldn't offer him that.

Gilchrist is far from alone in taking this path. It's fitting that he left Michigan in 2004. It's the year young people started fleeing for jobs elsewhere. After 2004, more people ages 22 to 34 left Michigan than came in, according to census data. At its lowest moment in 2006, 68,000 young people moved away from Michigan. And while those numbers have improved gradually in recent years, the state was still losing millennials as of 2012. And worse, the millennials who were leaving Michigan at a highest rate were those with a bachelor's degree or more.

Michigan is in the midst of a brain drain. Young people leave their home state for better career opportunities, more efficient and widespread public transportation, and an attractive urban routine. But there are some native Michiganders who have decided to make the move back home despite the state's stigma, bucking the decade-old trend. Gilchrist is one of them.

After nine years, he finally decided to come home in July. Gilchrist always planned on returning to Michigan, it was just a matter of time. Like many people from the area, he never really lost his pride in Detroit. He speaks fondly of his younger years growing up on the east side of town. And despite moving to the suburb of Farmington when he was 8, he still went to the city several times of week to visit his grandparents, participate in after-school programs, and compete in basketball leagues. As he jokes, "I probably played on every basketball hoop in the city of Detroit."

Click HERE for the full article! 



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Inline image 3
Retired Detroit Lions WR Herman Moore



Humble Design, a Metro-Detroit based non-profit organization dedicated to helping homeless families in need, is launching a new campaign on November 17th to help raise money to provide beds and home furnishings for families in need. To date, Humble Design has furnished the homes of 436 deserving Detroit-area families.

“Every night, too many kids have to sleep on the floor,” said CEO/co-founder Treger Strasberg. “We believe that every child should have a bed to sleep in and to jump on. That’s one of the joys of being a child.”

While Humble Design currently services only Detroit families, they hope to expanded their reach not only statewide, but nationwide. There are roughly 16,000 homeless people in Detroit and more than 600,000 across the United States. Included in that number are more that 50,000 American children under the age of 18.

Most people take having a bed for granted. Humble Design is asking America to participate in the Jump on the Bed Challenge. Record yourself or loved ones jumping on their beds, donating to Humble Design, and then challenging your friends to do the same.  Using the social media hashtag #humblejump, Humble design will feature videos and posts on their official website.  All proceeds raised will benefit hundreds of families in need of beds and furnishings.

“You’d be amazed by what we see,” said Julie Nagle, Director of Humble Design. “These children bypass the toys and games we provide and run to their bed. For most it is the first bed they have ever called their own.”

Visit humbledesign.org or jumponthebed.com to donate to the cause and for more information on the Jump on the Bed Challenge.

Time Magazine: Detroit Turns It Up



Standing in the middle of downtown Detroit, it’s hard to believe you’re in a city that went belly up.

At 5 p.m. on any given workday, you’ll see the hipster hordes of 20-somethings in skinny jeans and nerdy-cool glasses who work at the dozens of tech and design startups in the center of the city start to convene. Milling into Campus Martius park, they’ll have a mojito at one of the nearby bars or watch an open-air musical performance. Kids play in the park’s sand pit, and teenagers shoot hoops at basketball courts buffered by luxury condos where the waiting list for $2,500-a-month studios can be two to three months long. Neighboring boutiques sell everything from interestingly shaped cork handbags.

Click HERE for the full article! 
 

In an expansion of the Hatch Detroit Alumni Program, six Hatch alumni businesses have been awarded grants to improve their business or get closer to opening their brick and mortar storefront.

“We believe strongly in all of the businesses who have competed in the Contest,” says Vittoria Katanski, Executive Director of Hatch Detroit. “This funding from the Detroit Lions will give them the support they deserve as they work to open their doors or advance their business.”

These grants have become available through the Detroit Lions in an extension of the Hatch Detroit Alumni Program. Those who were accepted into the Top 10 Semi Finalist rounds of the Contest and who have followed through on their business plans but need additional support, are eligible to apply. Each year, $40,000 will be awarded to selected alumni projects focused on community building and filling in the gaps in Detroit’s retail offerings.

Detroit Institute of Bagels, currently open in Corktown, will use Hatch funding to create a “bagel park” adjacent to their building, allowing them to host a farmer’s market and other community events. This new landscaping along Michigan Avenue and the M-10 service drive will help create a more visually appealing entry into Corktown from Downtown.

La Feria was the winner of the 2012 Hatch Detroit Contest and has since opened their Spanish Tapas bar in the Cass Corridor. They plan to use the grant funding to construct an outdoor patio, increasing their seating capacity by 50%. This outdoor seating option will promote connectivity between developed districts, act as a connector between Midtown and Downtown and further activate the economic activity on Cass Avenue.

Detroit Vegan Soul recently celebrated their one-year anniversary of their restaurant opening in West Village. They’ll use the grant funding to purchase and install a walk-in freezer, allowing them to improve efficiency and capacity in serving their freshest food daily.

Busted Bra Shop, a 2013 Semi Finalist, has opened to become the only lingerie shop in Detroit—singlehandedly diversifying the city’s retail offerings. They will use the grant to purchase new furniture and fixtures, enhancing the boutique’s antique style. They plan to open a second location in the Penobscot building by Thanksgiving.

Alley Wine is a restaurant and wine bar in the process of building out their storefront and fine-tuning their menus. Within walking distance of Corktown, Mexican Town and Hubbard Farms, Alley Wine aims to become a catalyst for new development along Michigan Avenue from 22nd to Livernois. They will use the Hatch grant to finance an outdoor patio and green space.

Bumbo’s Restaurant & Bar plans to open in Hamtramck. Their seasonal menus feature a modern, fresh take on traditional Polish food with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. The Hatch funding will go toward the build out of their kitchen, allowing the business to open and fill another gap in downtown retail offerings.

“As Detroit continues its transformation and growth, development of small businesses will be an integral part of its economic revitalization,” said Tom Lewand, Detroit Lions team president. “Through these grants and our collaboration with Hatch Detroit, we are excited to play a role in supporting local entrepreneurs and businesses here in the city.”

About Hatch Detroit

Hatch Detroit is the only charitable organization in Detroit dedicated exclusively to championing and supporting independent storefront retail in the city. Through funding, exposure, and mentoring, Hatch supports both existing and new retail initiatives in the cities of Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck. Though their work on revitalizing the retail landscape and increasing walkability, Hatch Detroit aims to improve the quality of life for Detroit residents.



Photo: The Empowerment Plan, pg 36 of Oprah Magazine December 2014 Issue




Selfies have taken over the planet.

Whether you’re out to dinner with a bunch of friends, at a local sports game, or just in your car and having a great hair day, there’s one thought in the back of all of our minds: “Pics or it didn’t happen.” Therefore, we selfie-snap away.

And we’re no haters to the selfie trend, unlike many others out there. If you are having a great day, why not show it off to all of your Instagram followers? Or maybe you had a great day last week and you want to remind everyone… #TBT that pic! We love a strong selfie game, and we’re not afraid to admit it.

Selfies on vacation or when you are visiting someplace new are especially exciting. You get to show off to all of your friends where you have been traveling, all of the delicious local cuisine you have been eating, and just how much fun you’re having while they're stuck at home. Plus, it’s fun to look back on all of the different places you and your face have been once you return home.

If you are traveling to Detroit, or if you live here already but want to take your city selfies to the next level, we’ve got you covered. Today we have compiled some of the best, most iconic photo spots that are the picture-perfect place to snap selfies while you are in Detroit. So stretch out your picture-taking arm, get your filter ready, and start snapping away. Also be sure to tag us (@HelloInnovation) in your Detroit Instagram photos so we can give some love to our favorite Motown selfies!

Click HERE for the full article! 

Cost of living in Detroit Infographic
Photo: http://visual.ly/cost-living-detroit

3. Feeling like you're part of something bigger than yourself

Once, I was showing some space to a chef de cuisine from Boston and I asked why he had chosen to open his first restaurant of his own in Detroit instead of Boston or New York. His response included a predictable answer and a not-so-predictable answer. The predictable answer: those East Coast markets are saturated, and he had already achieved everything he could on the Boston scene. The less predictable: he wanted to be in Detroit because it seemed like Detroit businesses took the mentality that they were all part of a team effort instead of pitted against each other to the death.

My time here in Detroit has proved that to be all too true. Businesspeople partner up on projects, host one another's events and support one another's causes. I have found that this phenomenon extends beyond businesses to the city's inhabitants themselves. Engaging in any more than a perfunctory conversation with a stranger inevitably yields the exchange of a shared commitment to strengthening the city.

Detroit is still admittedly a tough place. Those who choose to be here grasp life at its deepest level. And the energy Detroit has isn't something you can pinpoint. If you go around looking for it, you won't find it because you can't really see it. The people here are rooted in something spiritual that renders the challenges of the built environment less material.

In true millenial fashion, I generally eschew groups, categories and crowd mentalities. But for perhaps the first time I truly feel like I am a part of a larger project. This is surely part of what has made Detroit into a fashionable location for twentysomethings. Just as a new vision of Detroit has captured the American imagination, Detroiters hold onto an authentic certainty about this life that is totally intangible yet totally definite.

Click HERE for the full article! 

5 Things: A Travel Guide To Detroit



travel  5 THINGS: A Travel Guide to Detroit
travel  5 THINGS: A Travel Guide to Detroit
In “5 Things,” I ask some of my favorite bloggers in cities all over the country to share insider travel tips on where to eat, shop, stay, and play in their neighborhoods (plus, what to pack to make the adventure complete). This week, Nicole Dula of Dula Notes shares insider tips on Detroit, Michigan.
5 Things: DetroitNicole Dula of Dula Notes
It’s hard to put into words what exactly makes Detroit so special, but when you’re there, you just feel it. The sense of community, entrepreneurship, grittiness, hard work, and overall positivity has me visiting as often as I can. Its checkered past has inspired its citizens to take action and start to develop a different story for the city—urban farms, great restaurants, charming shops and creative businesses are popping up seemingly everywhere these days. If you’ve never been or have been away longer than a year or two, it’s time for a visit!
EAT:
travel  5 THINGS: A Travel Guide to Detroit
travel  5 THINGS: A Travel Guide to Detroit
travel  5 THINGS: A Travel Guide to Detroit
La Feria, 4130 Cass Avenue, (313) 285-9081
La Feria just celebrated its one-year anniversary and it continues to be one of my favorite spots to eat. They were the 2012 winner of the Hatch Detroit contest, which helps budding entrepreneurs by offering $50,000 to the winner after the community votes. Their authentic Spanish tapas are fresh and delicious, and they offer variety for all tastes and dietary preferences. My go-tos are the grilled sardines, Spanish omelette, serrano ham and tomato on baguette, cremini mushrooms with salsa verde, patatas bravas, and seared shrimp. The olive oil they use is exceptional and you’ll want a little bread on the side to catch every drop of sauce. Order up a glass of Rioja or local beer to drink while you browse the menu—and keep the tapas coming!
Click HERE for the full article! 
Photo: Detroit RiverFront Conservancy 

#9 - Detroit

The riverfront redevelopment in Detroit, a city with 14 miles of shoreline along the Detroit River, is one of the city's most exciting initiatives. Stretching for 5.5 miles from the Ambassador Bridge to the Bell Isle Bridge, the Detroit International RiverWalk includes a cruise terminal, marina, several parks, restaurants, shops and hotels. In warmer months, the riverfront parks play host to festivals and community literacy and fitness programs.


The full list of winners for Best American Riverfront is as follows:


  1. Wilmington, N.C.
  2. Spokane, Wash.
  3. Davenport, Iowa
  4. Dubuque, Iowa
  5. Pittsburgh
  6. Louisville, Ky.
  7. Chattanooga, Tenn.
  8. Savannah, Ga.
  9. Detroit
  10. Richmond, Va.


Click HERE for the full article! 


Detroit was built on the backs of Henry Ford and his automotive brethren. But this time, when Detroit rises, it may well be built by young women.

Detroit may struggle to attract supermarkets and national retailers, but it is enticing one unlikely group in scores. The Motor City is the new, surprising face of female entrepreneurship—and women in their 20s and 30s are leading the city’s revival through new ventures.

Within the past five years, Detroit has become known both as the Wild West and the land of opportunity for business founders, a significant proportion of them female. Lax regulation, low barriers to entry and a surging demand for products and services make the city, which is emerging from the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, the ideal place to start a business. Add to the mix the legions of incubators, accelerators and resources available to all entrepreneurs sprouting up Downtown and in Midtown, and it’s clear why women are choosing en masse to locate their startups in Detroit.

“Detroit is in a period of reinvention and growth,” said Rachel Schostak, the 27-year-old founder of Styleshack, an e-commerce platform aggregating independent boutiques and designers. “While there are some challenges in a smaller market, the Detroit business community and leaders are looking for fresh minds and talent, and I've used that to my advantage.”

Click HERE for the full article! 
Ben Afflect and Detroit's Resident Tour Guide Extraordinaire Jeanette Pierce 

Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara just dropped a bunch of news about their upcoming DC Comics movies on a shareholder call. The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Fritz has been live tweeting it, so there may be more details released later.

Suicide Squad is scheduled for a 2016 release. 2017 will have two movies, Wonder Woman and Justice League Part One (directed by Zack Snyder). WB will release two more movies in 2018, The Flash starring Ezra Miller and Aquaman starring Jason Momoa. In 2019 we’re getting Shazam (with Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam) and Justice League Part 2 (directed by Zack Snyder). In 2020 Cyborg starring Ray Fisher will be released, as well as a Green Lantern reboot. New stand-alone Batman and Superman movies are also in the works!

Here’s the updated Warner Bros./DC Comics movie roadmap:

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” directed by Zack Snyder (2016)
“Suicide Squad,” directed by David Ayer (2016)
“Wonder Woman,” starring Gal Gadot (2017)
“Justice League Part One,” directed by Zack Snyder, with Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams reprising their roles (2017)
“The Flash,” starring Ezra Miller (2018)
“Aquaman,” starring Jason Momoa (2018)
“Shazam” (2019)
“Justice League Part Two,” directed by Zack Snyder (2019)
“Cyborg,” starring Ray Fisher (2020)
“Green Lantern” (2020)

Click HERE for the full article and official press release! 
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