TEDx Detroit

Incredible time at Orchestra Hall for TEDx Detroit today!

Fruit Market or Bakery?

I just realized that I must either smell like a fruit market.......or bakery. (photo taken in my shower)

Tashmoo Biergarten opening

UNBELIEVABLE opening of Tashmoo Biergarten in West Village today! I'm so proud of family friend Suzanne Vier and Aaron Wagner on their latest project. It was amazing to see so many familiar (and non familiar) faces coming out to support this community based event. I got so busy I didn't take more photos, so I'm hoping to grab a few more next time. Hope to see you there on Sunday from 12-9!

Dating Wrap-up

Here's the wrap up of my dating adventures this week:

1) Was told my job was "stupid and dumb" on a blind date. (I decided that it would be "stupid and dumb" for me to go on a second date with so-called date.)

2) Received 6 emails/winks from guys wearing no shirts in their profile picture.

3) Received 1 email from a guy that would be older than my grandfather. (and said he still wanted kids - WTF?)

4) Found out that a guy I had gone out with a few times and was starting to really like was moving next week for work. To Dubai.  (I'm not sure there is a layover in Dubai on any of my upcoming trips, so it's going to make anything really, really difficult.) I'm sad because it's been awhile since I've met someone that I've actually liked. Romantically and on a friendship level.  And he likes me. And we have fun together. (And he has an accent! ;)

Big Heads and Baseball!

One of my favorite Big Head Corps events of the year - Big Heads and Baseball at The Town Pump and Comerica Park! (and the Tigers won!)

Behind the scenes at Ford World Headquarters taping some PSA's and radio spots with Ford, The Parade Company and Gleaners. Stay tuned in the next few weeks for details on this exciting partnership!

Campfire Cones

Via Chef Jessica Bright

I'm thinking about making these for an upcoming camping trip - they look so easy! Stuff an ice cream cone with chocolate chips, nuts, toffee pieces, mini marshmallows, banana pieces, butterscotch bits...wrap in foil, place on campfire to melt all together. I think I might add a few mini Reese's too!

So lucky to feel this way :)

AH-mazing. Not sure if this is in a hotel or private home, but I want to try it out!

A dog's life........

Caramel drizzled S'mores

via Sunset

Fill peanut-butter cookies with a piece of bittersweet chocolate, a marshmallow and drizzle with caramel sauce. Perfect easy snack for a fall get together! I might also have to try the Nutella and Banana S'mores too.

Inside Detroit wedding!

Celebrating at my friend Jeanette (aka Miss Inside Detroit) and Richard's wedding this past Saturday at Campus Martius. Check out their great love story here.

Compatibility Quiz

In light of some of the more interesting dates I've been having, (and the post-date internal questioning of  'What was I thinking??) I decided to put together a Compatibility Quiz that might help me:

1. You love dogs.

    Yes 5 pts No -100 pts

    

    You scream like a girl when my 10lb dog greets you in the foyer -200 pts

 
2. You know your mother’s birthday.

    Yes 10 pts No -50 pts 

3. You can tell a joke.

    Yes 10 pts No 0 pts

    

    It’s actually funny. 2 pts 

4. In your online dating profile, you have at least one shirtless photo.

    Yes -100 pts No 10 pts

    

     It was taken on a sports car that you don't own -100 pts 

5. You think the United States is a continent.

     Yes -50 pts No 5pts   
     

      You can find it on a globe  
      Yes 5 pts No -5 pts

6. You can name at least 1 Starship song without googling it.

     Yes 10 pts No -1000 pts 

7. If you decided to go to church one Sunday you would at least know where to go.

    Yes 10 pts No 0 pts 

8. You vote.

    Yes 5 pts No -10 pts 

9. You own at least 1 Ed Hardy article of clothing.

    Yes -1000 pts No 20 pts 
    

    You’re wearing one of them now

    Yes -1000 pts No 20pts

10. You’ve read a book in the last 6 months.

       Yes 20 pts No 0 pts

     It didn’t have pictures.

     Yes 10 pts No -5pts

11. You can name 5 current Lions, Tigers and Red Wings.

      Yes 15 pts No -200 pts 

12. You watch MMA.

      Yes -1000 pts No 10 pts 

13. You can name at least 1 character on The Golden Girls.

      Yes 5 pts No 0 pts. 

14. You can name 5 great restaurants in Detroit.

       Yes 20 pts No -5 pts

       One of them is Slow’s

       5 pts

15. You think it’s totally appropriate for a woman to have 50 pairs of shoes.

      Yes 5 pts No -5 pts

Scoring: 
More than 200 --  Let's talk 
Between 0 and 200 --  I have a friend for you 
Less than 0 -- We might be able to be friends some day

Happy dating all!

Rock City Pies

I had my first encounter with Rock City Pies this weekend at the Rust Belt Market in Ferndale during the DIY Art Fair. I can't even put into words how ah-mazing they were. I'll just tell you that the extra piece that I bought to take home with me ended up being split among my girlfriends before we left! The Salted Caramel Apple Pie was the perfect touch to a fabulous fall day.

Rock City Pies

Salted Caramel Apple pie

Elvis pie - Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon.

Costa Careyes Resort

Costa Careyes Resort in Jalisco, Mexico
Via Travel Channel

I came across this hotel while I was planning an upcoming trip. The castle rents for $7,000 and up, so it doesn't look like I will be staying there anytime soon, but it's fun to keep on the travel wish list!

Friendship

via Tabletonic

80's Ghetto Blaster week-end bag

via Perpetual Kid

How cool would it be to travel with this bag?

30 Dates in 30 Days: The Zoo

There was a gamer, a snooper, an old college boyfriend, and a chef.  It was an exhausting, hilarious and memorable month of 30 dates in 30 days, but I had some great adventures blogging about my dates for an entire month for After5 Detroit. In case you missed it the first time around, or just want to laugh and cry with me again, here's a flashback on my date to the Detroit Zoo.

Hello, Mr. Wolverine.

Is being in a Parade on your Bucket List?

It should be!

This year marks the 85th year of America's Thanksgiving Parade - what a fun way to celebrate (or just have fun with family and friends on Thanksgiving morning!) than by actually MARCHING in the parade! Come join one of my favorite units, The Big Head Corps in their march down Woodward Avenue on November 24 :)

Best post-break up shirt ever

via LoveforFashion

It's almost that time of year again.......



Photo courtesy of Howrani Studios



Monkeys jumping on a bed float!
*Disclaimer - Please do not try this at home or work.....unless you work for The Parade Company. ;)

Mmmm....queso!



quick!

 This photo reminds me of my talented friends Marie, Al, and Freddy at Maria's Comida in Hamtramck. Al makes the hands down best queso I've ever had in my entire life, and I've eaten a LOT of queso. Don't believe me? Go try some and let me know what you think!

The Key to Life

Damn straight.

Yellowstone adventure!

I've traveled pretty extensively over the years, and I think this is one of the strangest, funniest things I've ever encountered on a trip. (Yes, this is real - no editing!) We had spent some time up in Big Sky, Montana and were heading back to Jackson Hole and came across him right outside of the entrance into Yellowstone.

Wonder Bands

Growing up, my mom and dad always made volunteering a part of our daily life - doing Meals on Wheels on holiday mornings, helping to build a house for Habitat for Humanity, serving food or cleaning at a local homeless shelter, visiting patients at a neighborhood nursing home. As an adult, volunteering is an integral part of my life and I couldn't imagine not giving back at least a few hours every week. One of my favorite quotes from John F. Kennedy is,

  "For of those to whom much is given, much is required."

I try to live my life that way, and hope to pass down that same vision in my future children the same way my parents did with me. It always puzzles me when I hear people say how they wish they could volunteer, or they  "should" volunteer sometime. Just do it. Stop saying you are going to one day and do it. EVERYONE is busy, but how you spend your time is all about priorities. If you really looked hard at where you spend your time (all of it), you would realize that you DO have time to give back........get up a few hours earlier on a week-end, forego a girls shopping day, or (gasp!) DVR your favorite TV show.

One of my favorite volunteer opportunites is visting the children at Children's Hospital in Detroit dressed as my favorite superhero - Wonder Woman. I'm lucky that I have an amazingly talented Costume Designer at work who made me a fabulous costume complete with boots, bracelets and Golden lasso! I decided to have some 'wonder bracelets' made so I could pass them out while I played games and visited with the kids. When I put them on the child's wrist, I always remind them that these will help give them hope, courage and strength during their stay. I've even been know to wear one around the office a day or two ;)

David's Surprise Party

This past week-end I attended my good friend David's surprise 40th birthday party that his wife threw for him. The party was held at the airport hangar where they keep their plane, and in typical David fashion, the party did not disappoint -- breakdancing performances, a flaming deer cake, camouflaged servers with sparklers, and a custom "D" logo on just about everything from drink stirrers to a gigantic hanging ivy logo over the dancefloor. His family also put together one of the best video tributes I've ever seen - it was a great reminder about how many lives he's touched in way or another over the years. Josh Linkner wrote this touching article called "Keeping Score" about the event and his friendship with David over the years. One of my favorite parts:

"What would happen if we added some new metrics to our scorecard?
What if you measured and celebrated the number of times you bring joy to others each day? The number of people you positively impact or teach per week. The amount of sadness or fear you helped a loved-one overcome after receiving a devastating personal setback. The number of times you said no to life’s temptations and had character carry the day instead of impulse. The things you created. The compassion you extended. The responsible risks you took. The people you helped. The lives you changed. The impact you made."

Here's to updating your scorecard!