Beyond the Bedroom Discussions in Detroit

Ladies!

Due to the fantastic response from the first “Beyond the Bedroom” women’s health sessions we hosted in September & October, Ammo Marketing & Ogilvy PR have extended the Detroit metro area campaign series into NOVEMBER up to Thanksgiving!

Please join us for one of these amazingly informative and empowering women’s events!

+ You are invited to bring a friend or two with you
_______________________________________________________________

***With the current heated attention on health care and the way we approach it in the US, right now is a better time than ever for YOU to start getting involved, get informed and let your voice be heard in studies and programs such as this!

+ A brief survey is taken from each participant after the discussion forum, which will inform the agencies conducting this national campaign.

For those of you that may have already attended a session, or have heard about them from someone who has, you may already know that these intimate forums have been more releasing and inspiring than most expected, and have proven to be a great resource for women to communicate and bond on a topic that is quite possibly the most taboo in our lives – yet a part of our everyday health. Let’s get these unfortunately taboo topics started out in the open a bit!

Join us – we promise you will leave refreshed and empowered (and at least full from great food!).

*Do yourself a favor right before the stressful holiday season begins, and treat yourself to one of these “me” sessions – you deserve it!

As always, all “Beyond the Bedroom” events are completely FREE. Discussion forum begins promptly @ 7:00pm.
+ COMPLIMENTARY CATERING!
_______________________________________________________________

WE WILL BE HOSTING THE FOLLOWING SESSIONS IN NOVEMBER:

Thursday, 11.19.09 @ Sole Sisters ||| 6:00pm – 9:30pm
329 S. Main St. | Downtown Rochester | 48307
248.652.9305 ||| http://www.solesisters.com
+ 10% off any reg. price purchases all evening!

Friday, 11.20.09 @ Ferndale Center Building ||| 6:00pm – 9:00pm
22750 Woodward Ave. | Downtown Ferndale | 48220
1 Block off 9 Mile Rd. ||| Women’s Co-Op Suite #200
+ Complimentary gift bags from Mary Kay skincare & cosmetics + more!

Tuesday, 11.24.09 @ Om Day Spa ||| 6:00pm – 9:00pm
22070 Michigan Ave. | Downtown Dearborn | 48124
313.565.9686 ||| http://www.omdayspa.com
*Directly across the street from Crave Lounge
+ Complimentary express spa mini-services & gift bags!

PLEASE RSVP ONLINE FOR A SESSION @ THE EVENT CALENDAR LINK BELOW IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT ATTEND:
Complete event details + driving directions >>> http://bit.ly/BTB_DET

*RSVP encouraged for catering & update purposes, but not required to attend.

*NOTE: Each session is led by a licensed women’s Nurse-Practitioner and is hosted by your local Ammo rep.

+ There will be a few car-pools for each session, so if you would like to attend but are in need of transportation, please do not hesitate to contact me ASAP!

*Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or for more information! >>> jocelyne.ninneman@ammomarketing.com

Looking forward to seeing you there

Be Well,
Jocelyne
Abby & Carolyn

***

“Beyond the Bedroom” is a national women’s sexual health campaign hosted by Ammo Marketing and Ogilvy PR, designed to create relaxed, comfortable and fairly intimate environments for women 18+ to begin to discuss their sexual health and desire among peers, exchange ideas and perspectives, and to bring factual medical information on the subject from the National Women’s Health Resource Center & National Association of Reproductive Health Professionals to as many women as possible… from a holistic well-being approach.

For more information on this campaign and its related national studies/surveys, please visit the following websites:
http://www.SexandaHealthierYou.org
http://www.healthywomen.org/
http://www.arhp.org/
_______________________________________________________________
Ladies, for those of you that have already attended one of these sessions, please post your comments/thoughts/testimonies on these women’s health mixers here to let other women know what it’s all about and what it was like!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=178769160950

 

Ann Arbor’s Turkey Trot

Date

Thursday, November 26, 2009 @ 8:30 AM local time

Address

U of M North Campus
2375 Hubbard Drive

About the race

Are you ready to run what is arguably the coolest Turkey Trot in the nation in America’s top college sports town as ranked by Forbes.com? Join us for the Fourth Annual Ann Arbor Turkey Trot. Enjoy a 5K run on the beautiful North Campus streets of the University of Michigan. The streets of north campus feel like northern Michigan! This run will be challenging as there are hills and inclines.

Registration Information

Registration fees: $20.00 until October 15 $25.00 until Nov 24 $30.00 on site

Shirts

The first 1000 adults and kids are guaranteed an incredible event shirt. Don’t miss out by registering late!

Location

Staging will be in the parking lot at 2375 Hubbard Dr, Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is the North Campus Recreational Center on the campus of the University of Michigan. 2375 Hubbard is at the intersection of Murfin and Hubbard. There’s parking at the corner of Baits and Hubbard that is outside of the course for easy exiting. Parking: there is abundant parking available on Hubbard east of Baits on the north side of Hubbard.

Packet Pick Up

Pack pick up will be held at the North Campus Rec Center, 2375 Hubbard, Ann Arbor, MI. Wednesday, Nov 25 – 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Thursday, Nov 26, 7:00am to 8:00 am. Race starts promptly at 8:30.

Awards and Raffle

9:30 AM the awards ceremony begins! There will be over all and age group awards for all age groups. 5 Year increments. Starting with the kids up to 99. Over all winners: men and women will be excluded from the age group awards. Visit our website for more information about the award categories. Don’t miss our raffle! It’s touted as one of the best ever. You need to be there to pick up your award. We do not mail them.

Food and Used shoe/clothing drive

Our can food and used clothing drive will benefit the Salvation Army and Active Faith of South Lyon. Please bring your used clothing, relatively old running shoes and food to packet pick up on Wed or Thurs morning. Last year we collected over 400 pounds of food alone. Thank you if you were one of the athletes that so generously donated.

Our Promise

The concept of Good Boy comes from our passion for events and the reason we do events…so we can be home more often to take care of our animals. The goal with Good Boy Events is to produce professional, safe, big time events for all to enjoy. Partial proceeds will benefit Animal Shelters around the Great Lakes State. We have donated over $180,000 cash, collected clothing, running shoes and non-perishables items during the past seven years for charity organizations.

Want to volunteer

Is your group looking for ways to make money. Good Boy Events provides support to local High School sports teams, local church groups, Boy Scouts and other organziations. Please contact Ron at 248.446.1315 or e-mail Ron@goodboyevents.org We’d love to have you be a part of this fun day.

 

Detroit’s Motor City Brewing’s This Week in Art

 

What Would Jesus Buy? Film

What Would Jesus Buy? follows Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir as they go on a cross-country mission to save Christmas from the Shopocalypse: the end of mankind from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt!

From producer Morgan Spurlock (SUPER SIZE ME) and director Rob VanAlkemade comes a serious docu-comedy about the commercialization of Christmas. Bill Talen (aka Reverend Billy) was a lost idealist who hitchhiked to New York City only to find that Times Square was becoming a mall. Spurred on by the loss of his neighborhood and inspired by the sidewalk preachers around him, Bill bought a collar to match his white caterer’s jacket, bleached his hair and became the Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping. Since 1999, Reverend Billy has gone from being a lone preacher with a portable pulpit preaching on subways, to the leader of a congregation and a movement whose numbers are well into the thousands.

Through retail interventions, corporate exorcisms, and some good old-fashioned preaching, Reverend Billy reminds us that we have lost the true meaning of Christmas. What Would Jesus Buy? is a journey into the heart of America – from exorcising the demons at the Wal-Mart headquarters to taking over the center stage at the Mall of America and then ultimately heading to the Promised Land … Disneyland.

Will we be led like Sheeple to the Christmas slaughter, or will we find a new way to give a gift this Christmas? What Would Jesus Buy? may just be the divine intervention we’ve all been searching for.

The Shopocalypse is upon us … Who will be $aved?

http://detroitevolution.com/detroitabides.html

Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit, Detroit Evolution, and Eastern Market Corporation come together on the third Wednesday of every month to present Detroit Abides, A Free Sustainability Gathering in Eastern Market’s Shed 5. The event features a movie on a sustainable topic, explores the topic at the local level through discussion and support from regional groups and businesses, and creates a space to meet like-minded people from all walks of life & grow an active, healthy community

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Join us as we rally against the Shopocalypse: the end of mankind

from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt!

 

Stop Shopping! Practice Yoga & Eat Raw Instead

Boycott Big Box Shopping the day after Thanksgiving! Join us for Yoga with Live Music by Dixon’s Violin and a healthy Raw Foods Brunch

The Return of Live Raw Yoga Music Brunch
Friday, November 27th 9:30am-Noon $35
Location: The Detroit Flyhouse in Eastern Market
In the FD Loft Building – 3434 Russell St. Loft #302
http://www.detroitflyhouse.com/

Please join us for the return of our popular LIVE RAW YOGA MUSIC BRUNCH!

Rather than participate in the consumer fiasco that the day after Thanksgiving has become, please join us for this special event.

Come together and share a 75 minute Evolutionary Yoga session led by Gregg Newsom. This breath centered flowing practice will benefit those new to yoga and seasoned veterans.

Our session will feature Live Music from Dixon’s Violin. Described as cosmic gypsy, electronic romanticism and interstellar whalesong, Dixon’s mesmerizing electric violin will provide the perfect accompaniment to our focused breath and movement.

After our session we’ll enjoy a local and organic Raw Food Brunch prepared by Angela Newsom. Experience the benefits of Raw Foods and how they assist to balance the body and mind. Over Brunch we’ll share in a Satsang (open discussion) on the benefits of a healthy and humane diet to our practice on and off the mat.

For more info and to register please visit:
http://detroitevolution.com
email gregg@detroitevolution.com or call 313.316.1411

 

Celebrating Kwanzaa at Detroit’s Renaissance Center

 

Detroit’s House of Bastet Belly Dance Harvest Hafla Party

 

The Detroit Theatre Initiative Gala

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I would like to bring your attention to a new organization called The Detroit Theatre Initiative. Founded and run by a group of WSU Theatre Alumni, the group’s mission is “to strengthen and nurture the theatre community of Detroit, Michigan. [They] believe that building a strong Detroit-Based Theatre Community has economic, cultural and artistic benefits for the City and its People.”

Since part of Magenta Giraffe’s mission is “to reestablish and expand Detroit’s theatre district,” we feel very strongly about supporting The Detroit Theatre Initiative in all of its efforts.

The first of these efforts is a fundraising gala on Saturday, November 21. Magenta Giraffe is one of eight Detroit-based theatres performing at the event; this is your chance to see a preview of what all of these companies have in store for you for the rest of the season!

 Your Gala Ticket Will Include:

 -A Delicious Thanksgiving Buffet with all the Fixings.

-Two Drink Tickets to Use on Our Thanksgiving-Inspired Cocktails.

-A Silent Auction for Tickets to Detroit-Based Theatre Productions.

-A Chance to Mingle with Local Professionals & Artists and Dance the Night Away.

-A Special Presentation Starring the Area’s Most Talented Theatre Artists Sharing Why They Are “Thankful For Theatre”. Plus, a Selection of Detroit’s Best Theaters will Perform Sneak Previews of their Upcoming Shows Live!

For ticket prices and more information please visit The Detroit Theatre Initiative’s website: http://www.TheDetroitTheatreInitiative.org; and to purchase your tickets for the Gala visit: http://www.thedti.mybisi.com/

We hope that you will join us in supporting this much-needed, well-organized and important organization.

Thank you so much,

Frannie

 

Silent Protest at the R Kelly Concerts in Detroit

Are you feeling a certain kind of way about R Kelly performing in Detroit?

Please read this description carefully before you agree to attend!

On Friday, November 13th and Saturday November 14th from 7pm to 9pm we will be on Woodward across the street from The Fox to display our non-support of R Kelly performing in our town. He was found innocent of any wrong doing, however in this “free” country we should be allowed to express our disdain for the ridiculous.

Therefore, SASHA Center is organizing a silent protest of this concert and his music and the apathy around issues of sexual assault/rape among our youth who cannot consent to sex under the age of 16.

We need:
People who are willing and able to stand and walk for about an hour holding a sign. People who will adhere to the rules of this protest. Teal Green Cloth to tie around our arms. We have posterboard and markers we just need folks to write messages on them before the concert dates…please call me if you have any ideas…313-770-9270.

The day of the event:
Dress warm, wear all black, teal green sash worn on right arm, comfortable shoes.

Be quiet, we will not say anything during the protest, we will just hold up our signs and give resources if someone asks. Media people are allowed to speak only to the media and they will have on white ribbons with the Teal ones on their right arms.

Since the tour is titled the” Ladies Make Some Noise Tour” we will be silent.

Ideas for our signs:
Chester Chester!
You Believe You can Fly and we Believe you DID it!
Protect our Women and Girls!
I am Woman and I AM Fed Up!
We have Breasts not Tig Ole Bitties!
I am not a JEEP!
Enjoy the concert at the expense of my WomanHood!
WASTED Talent!
Happy People Don’t Hurt People!
Any More?

As long as the message gets out and as long as we are safe…that is why we are going to be silent to avoid confrontation of concert goers. We want them to have a good time, but we just want to wake them up just a little before going inside.

Healing is Possible!
Founder/Director
SASHA CENTER
Kalimah Johnson, LMSW

Friday, November 13, 2009 at 7:00pm

Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 7:00pm

Fox Theatre

On Woodward across from The FOX

Detroit

Facebook link

 

MI: Tri-County Policy Summit

 

Detroit: Wines produced by California’s leading African American Vintners

 

Join us as we introduce wines produced by California’s leading African American Vintners.

November 20, 2009

Charles H Wright Museum of African American History

315 East Warren Avenue

Detroit, MI

6:00pm – 10:00pm

 

Detroit: Broadside Press 44th Anniversary

 

You’re invited to celebrate the 44th Anniversary of  BROADSIDE PRESS

With two new releases:  Hilda Vest, signing her new book, Homehouse: Memoir of a Southern Childhood and Albert M. Ward, launching his new poetry/jazz CD, ”About Love, Sometimes”

 * Special Presentation in Honor of Judy Reid

 Refreshments 

Jazz Vocal Performance by Sumarah 

Open Mic 

Sunday, November 15, 2009 

3:00 – 6:00 p.m. 

University of Detroit Mercy McNichols Campus Library 

Bargman Reading Room, 2nd Floor 

On the university campus: 

4001 W. McNichols Road Detroit, MI 48221

Livernois and Six Mile Road 

Livernois Entrance 

the event is free and open to the public 

Co-Sponsored by the UDM Creative Writing Program 

and Dudley Randall Center for Print Culture 

For more information contact: words@broadsidepress.org or aurora917@gmail.com

 

Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Conference

Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Conference will take place November 13 -15, 2009 with a possible VIP on the 12th, but that is still in the works.

Friday, November 13, 2009 at 6:00pm

Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 12:00pm

Purchase Tickets at the bottom of this post or go to our Eventbrite sponsor page at: http://essenceofmotown2009.eventbrite.com/

If you are interested in being an affiliate that is after the ticket information.

Detailed below is the day to day events for you to see what’s going on. Whether you are an author, reader, writer or business, YOU can be apart of this wonderful event.

Would you like to volunteer? Please email us at: motownwriters@yahoo.com.
Essence of Motown Literary Jam and Conference
November 13 – 15, 2009

To Sponsor or sell books at any events, please go to:

http://michiganliterarynetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/2009sponsorletter.doc to download the form

Some events are Free to Public. See below. If you would like to register for the event (paid and non-paid) please go to: http://essenceofmotown2009.eventbrite.com/

Date: Friday November 13, 2009

Event: Essence of Motown Literary Recognition White Party

Location: Virgil Carr Center, Paradise Valley (formerly Harmonie Park)

Detroit, Michigan

Time: 6pm to 10pm

Hosts: Motown Writers Network

Arts League of Michigan

The National Role Model Month Foundation

The Detroit Impact Center

Sponsors: (click here to sponsor through monetary or promotion items)

Motown Writers Network and The Arts League of Michigan invite readers and writers out for the Edu-tainment event of 2009.

Enjoy music and performance poetry by local artists.

(Would you like to be a featured performance poetry artists? Would you like to be an author at the event?)

Tickets: Price Tentative depending on sponsorship for public. Literary Artists selling products and performing, click here. Saturday Workshop Registrants tickets are already covered.

Date: Saturday November 14, 2009

Event: Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Conference

Location: Northwest Activity Center

Detroit, Michigan

Time: 8am to 5pm

Hosts: Motown Writers Network

The Detroit Impact Center

8am Welcome and Registration with Continental breakfast. Registration will still be taken at the door for this event.

(Would you like to sponsor? CLICK HERE | Register for Workshop, CLICK HERE)

~ ~ Special events and Services for Saturday ~ ~

* Manuscript Critique – $20.00 (not covered in Registration Fee | Click Here) Manuscripts must be in no later than October 14, 2009

§ Sharon Stanford – non-fiction, autobiography, poetry

§ Mary Kellem – Inspirational/Christian

§ Octavia Lesley – fiction

* Publishers Interviews (FCFS – 5 appointments are available only with Writer’s Registration. Click here to register. Are you a Publisher or Agent interested in interviewing potential clients? Contact us at motownwriters@yahoo.com)
* Professional Author Photo – $75.00 (not covered in Registration Fee)

* Massage Clinic $1 a minute* (not covered in Registration Fee)

8:30am Morning Keynote

9am Workshop Set 1

A. How to start your writing journey – plotting your way to write a great book and maintaining a writing career. Sylvia Hubbard/Monica Marie Jones HubBooks.biz Literary Service

B. Poetry Publishing and Marketing *Ber-henda Williams of Poetry Pages and Scribe

C. OPEN (send proposals to motownwriters@yahoo.com )

10:15am Workshop Set 2

A. Finding Agent or publisher for your work. Book proposals, queries and understand tradition publishing

B. The Business of Independent Publishing Kimberly Benjamin of HR Solutions

11:30pm Working Lunch – Guest Speaker (Would you like to sponsor?)

Marketing and Promoting Effectively Online and Offline – Jillian Blackwell of www.jillianblackwellagency.com

12:30 Literary Marketplace Opens. FREE TO PUBLIC

12:40pm Workshop Set 3

A. Freelance 101

B. Building and Effective Easily Writers. Sponsored by WordPress.com

C. OPEN (send proposals to motownwriters@yahoo.com)

1:30pm Workshop Set 4

A. Ebook 101 Versandra Kennebrew

B. Screenwriting with Zel Bothic

Author Genre Panels Start @ 1pm (30 mins each – FREE TO PUBLIC)

Delve into the minds of Authors and Poets as they discuss their writing projects, motives and reasoning to their literary endeavors and get signed copies of their books. (Would you like to be an author at the event?)

1:00pm Murder Mystery and Mayhem

1:30pm Non-Fiction, Inspirational and Poetry

2:00pm Romance – Mild to Wild

2:30pm Science Fiction and other oddities

3:00pm Christian Fiction and Non-Fiction

3:30pm Book Club Mix and Mingle FREE TO PUBLIC

If you’re looking for a book club or you would like to showcase your book club and recruit members, this is the place to do it! Please RSVP your members attending for special gifts and promotions*. CLICK HERE (Would you like to sponsor? If you are an author, who would like to donate at least a minimum of ten books in exchange for a half page ad in conference resource book, CLICK HERE.)

Date: Sunday November 15, 2009

Event: Essence of Motown Literary Jam Publisher’s Breakfast

Location: Southern Fires Restaurant

Detroit, Michigan

Time: 8am to Noon

Hosts: Motown Writers Network

(Would you like to co-sponsor?)

Day of Ticket Price: $20 At Door. Workshop Registration Tickets and all other tickets are covered for this day.

Food, Education and Networking will be provided for Publishers who are serious about running the business.

* Accounting 101 for Publishers – Brian Jefferson, Accountant Assistants
* Printing in Bulk without Breaking the Bank – Kim Warner, 360 Digital Printing
* Distribution Online and Offline – Victor Volkman
* Outsourcing Your Office Needs – Entrepreneur’s Assistant
* Encouraging Your Authors to Move Their Products

*Event and gifts are tentative depending on sponsorship amounts received.

All proceeds from conference will be divided up for literacy and literary efforts after conference and organization expenses are paid.

Special Thanks in Advance to the following:

* Eastern Michigan – Caroline Sanders
* Northwest Activity Center – Regina Bush
* COD Recreation – Carolyn Keith
* COD – Beverlyn Hinton
* COD Mayor’s Office
* Taboo Media Group– Tony Adams
* House Communications – Darlene House
* Perfect Presence – Lynette Jones**
* Hobson Photography – Eric Hobson**
* FrontPage – Janaya Black**
* Ministry Marketing Solutions – Pam Perry**
* Java Exchange – Ramone Crowe**

§ Barnes and Noble – Wayne State

* Big Girls Ideas – Octavia Lesley
* City Stone Publishing
* Jillian Blackwell Agency
* VKI Touch Incorporated
* The Arts League of Michigan
* Southern Fires Restaurant
* And the Entire Literary Community of The State of Michigan.

 

Detroit’s 5E Gallery Presents: el Barrio

5 E Gallery

Friday, November 13, 2009 at 10:00pm

Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 4:00am

5 E Gallery

2125 Michigan Ave off 14^th

Detroit, MI

This week “el BARRIO” Presents: MF DOOM’s “Unexpected Guests” Official Album Listening Party on 11.13.09.

Dj’s Dez and Sicari will be spinning treats from the newly released phenomenon early in the night, and will finish the night off with a montage of Hip-Hop, Latin funk, Disco and Soul. Be prepared to dance like nobody’s watching.

 

Detroit: Style Gallery Fall Sale

This is one of my favorite places to shop in Detroit. You should check them out.

 

Detroit: Trumbullplex Edible Art Show

Trumbullplex is hosting an Edible Art Show on December 27th. We’re currently accepting submission proposals. We’re looking for folks who use food creatively and make art out of it.

Some examples of stuff that people already participating in the show are doing:

-Pictures with pancakes
-Vegetable creatures
-M&M portraits
-Melon bowls

If this sounds like something you could participate in, please get in touch through email, trumbullplex@YAHOO.com.

Please forward and pass on to anyone you know who may be interested.

It’s a one night show, Sunday, December 27th, 8pm-Midnight at Trumbullplex. Mark your calendars.

 

Boston: Who’s Your Mama? event

Learn more about Who’s your mama? at Mamita Mala.

 

Michigan: Photowalk Royal Oak

                      

We plan to take over the mean streets of Royal Oak armed with cameras!

Photowalking is simply the act of walking with a camera for the main purpose of taking pictures of things you may find interesting.  To learn more about Photowalking click here.

So bring your favorite camera or video camera and have some fun with us!

We plan to meet at the Royal Oak Library (near the fountain) and walk from there.

For those interested we plan to end our walk at The Brewery for drinks and a meal.

If the weather is not cooperating we’ll just hang-out at The Brewery and watch the Lions’ game.

Sunday, November 15, 2009, 1-3pm:

Brewery
215 E 4th Street
Royal Oak, MI

RSVP here.

 

Detroit’s Le Petit Zinc Cafe reviewed in NY Times

By TOBY BARLOW Published: October 24, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/opinion/25barlow.html?_r=1

I WAS recently sitting at the bar of Le Petit Zinc talking to the owner, Charles Sorel, when he said something I found shocking: “I can’t imagine opening a business anywhere but Detroit.”

From a local, I would have just written it off as city pride, but Charles is, as he himself puts it, a citizen of the world. Born in the French Caribbean and reared in Paris, he ran a French joint in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene and lived in Brazil before winding up here. When I pointed out the risks of starting up in a city as troubled as Detroit, he shrugged it off. “When I moved to New York in the late ’80s there was not a day when someone in the city wasn’t robbed or beaten or killed,” he said. “This is so much better than that.”

A year ago, Charles opened Le Petit Zinc with the simple belief that there was a market here for a crêperie and cafe that served fresh organic food at a decent price. But that was certainly no guarantee of success. Not only was the economy cratering, but the building itself, an abandoned day care center tucked between a working-class Irish neighborhood called Corktown and a few abandoned warehouses, was on a street with no foot traffic. The only thing the place had going for it was a rundown playground out back that was good for outdoor seating. For the first five weeks after opening, when he was the cook, waiter, busboy and janitor, he had no idea what to expect.

Now, we are all raised to think of business as a sort of vicious spy-versus-spy, cutthroat activity where every competing establishment is out to stick a shiv into the other. You’d think that this kind of blood thirst would be even worse in Detroit, which — with Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance, Eminem’s lyrics and our old, quaint Devil’s Night tradition of burning down houses — has acquired a certain reputation for toughness. But Charles discovered that the neighboring Detroit restaurants actually had quite a different reaction to a new competitor.

The owner of Slows, a barbecue place nearby, not only helped him get his permits, but also built tabletops for him at no cost. Jordi, the owner of the Cafe con Leche coffee shop, hooked him up with his coffee supplier. Dave, who had recently opened Supino Pizza, even dropped everything one day to get the paper Charles needed for his credit card machine.

Most surprisingly, just as Charles was starting up, Torya Blanchard was opening another downtown crêpe place called Good Girls Go to Paris. Instead of treating Charles like a rival, Torya happily exchanged recipes with him, even coming in one day to help make his batter, an act of crêperie solidarity that would surely have made Detroit’s founder, Antoine de Lamothe Cadillac, extremely proud.

“They want their neighbor to make it,” he says. “It’s different from anywhere I’ve been. Here, your success is their success.” Even his suppliers have shown a generosity he finds surprising: the Avalon bakery charges him wholesale prices even if he orders just one loaf.

In other ways, too, Charles seems to have timed things well, opening just when Detroit residents with an agricultural bent were beginning to take advantage of the 40 square miles of unoccupied open land here, an area almost the size of San Francisco. Greg Willerer, for instance, sells Charles spinach, flowers and zucchini at an affordable price, all grown within the city limits. Charles also planted his own garden out by the patio, putting in tomatoes, basil, peppers, thyme, parsley and beets.

Maybe it’s that adage that nothing brings a community closer than having a common enemy. For the restaurateurs, the residents, the urban farmers and the community activists now working to reshape the city, the enemy is Detroit’s own reputation. They know they will succeed only if they are a part of a larger, collective success, one that makes downtown a thriving destination again, and so they’re working together to make it happen.

Which leads to another entrepreneurial advantage Detroit possesses: instantaneous and automatic publicity. “Open a business anywhere else, and no one will notice,” Charles said. “Open it in Detroit and everyone talks about it.”

Sure enough, people are now driving in regularly from affluent suburbs like Bloomfield Hills and Grosse Pointe to try his smoked-salmon crêpes and ratatouille, a considerable achievement considering many suburbanites come downtown only for Tigers games or a night at the symphony. While I was there, the place was bustling with a diverse crowd that seemed more than satisfied.

“This is the best restaurant ever. I would eat here all the time if I had more money,” beamed a woman dining alone at the bar.

“Somebody send that lady a dessert!” shouted Charles with a smile.

Toby Barlow is the author of “Sharp Teeth.”

 

Wayne State University: 10-week Art Therapy Workshop (children and adults)

 

Things to do at Detroit’s Arab American Museum

 

JOBS: Americorps & Scholarship program

I am looking to fill an additional five full time AmeriCorps positions to begin on December 1st.  Qualified candidates should have a Bachelors Degree in Social Work, Psychology or Education.  Experience in working with the homeless, at-risk youth and or teaching is highly desirable.  If you know of anyone who would be interested, please have them contact me directly.

 Thank you,

–
Joe Spain
Project Manager-AmeriCorps
Office 734-785-7705 ext. 7209
Cell 734-934-4312
Fax 734-285-5467

 

 

************************************************************

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS), funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established in 1999 to provide outstanding, low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American*, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline area of interest. Continuing Gates Millennium Scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following discipline areas: computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science. The goal of GMS is to promote academic excellence by providing thousands of outstanding students, who have significant financial need, the opportunity to reach their full potential.  Application deadline is January 11, 2010.  For more information, go to: http://www.gmsp.org/ 

Who’s Eligible?  Students are eligible to be considered for a GMS scholarship if they:

• Are African American, American Indian/Alaska Native*, Asian Pacific Islander American** or Hispanic American
• Are a citizen, national or legal permanent resident of the United States
• Have attained a cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 on an unweighted 4.0 scale or have earned a GED
• Will be enrolling for the first time at a U.S. accredited*** college or university as a full-time, degree-seeking, first-year student in the fall 2010
• Have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities
• Meet the Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria
• Have completed and submitted all three required forms (Nominee Personal Information Form, Nominator Form, and Recommender Form) by the deadline

 

 

University of Michigan: Moccasin Workshop

Learn how to make moccasins!  This is a two day workshop on November 20th and 22nd.  You must attend both workshops in order to participate and you must also sign up beforehand here by November 13th.  There are only 30 positions so sign up as soon as possible!

Dates: November 20th and 22nd
Time: 6pm-8pm
Location: Trotter Multicultural Center

University of Michigan
Cost: Free

 If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail alys@umich.edu

 

Fellowships

 

Kresge Artist Fellowships

Literary and performing artists in metropolitan Detroit can now apply for the 2010 Kresge Artist Fellowships at www.kresgeartsindetroit.org. Kresge Artist Fellowships are funded by The Kresge Foundation and administered by the College for Creative Studies, with professional development opportunities for the selected fellows provided by ArtServe Michigan.

The fellowships, of $25,000 each, provide support to 18 emerging and established artists living and working in metropolitan Detroit (Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties) whose commitment to innovation and artistic achievement are evident in the quality of their work.

The College for Creative Studies will host information sessions on December 7, 2009, and January 13, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. for those artists interested in applying for a fellowship. To RSVP and reserve your space, visit www.kresgeartsindetroit.org.

Applications are only available online and must be completed by Friday, February 26, 2010.

 The 2010 Kresge Artist Fellows will be announced in June 2010.

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The CDC Experience Applied Epidemiology Fellowship

  – Call for applications

Are you a medical student looking for something different to do next year?

• Are you curious about how public health and the CDC work?
• Do you want to work with state, local and international public health partners?
• Would you be interested in investigating outbreaks of tuberculosis among the homeless, or in a prison population?
• Or travelling to Southeast Asia to help set up a surveillance program for avian influenza?
• What about assessing risk factors for birth defects using national data bases?
• Or perhaps you would like to be at the forefront of injury prevention research?
• Or participate in the response to pandemics, such as H1N1 influenza?

Do you want an experience that offers an opportunity to enhance your research skills, build leadership potential, and improve your clinical acumen via a population health perspective, all by working on real-life problems?

Then consider applying to The CDC Experience!  The CDC Experience Applied Epidemiology Fellowship is a one-year fellowship tailored for rising 3rd- and 4th-year medical students, designed to increase the pool of physicians with a population health perspective. Nine competitively selected fellows spend 10–12 months at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offices in Atlanta, GA where they carry out epidemiologic analyses in various areas of public health. Examples of previous and current areas of concentration include viral and bacterial diseases, cardiovascular health, obesity prevention, birth defects, STDs, injury prevention, and air pollution and respiratory health.  To learn more about The CDC Experience Fellowship and to apply online, visit us at www.cdc.gov/CDCExperienceFellowship.  

Applications for next year’s fellowship class must be submitted by Friday December 4, 2009. Questions? Ask us at cdcexperience@cdcfoundation.org

 

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