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.



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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"

More ABC News Videos | ABC World News

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.

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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!
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