Metromix Invites You and Your Sweetie on a Dating Adventure

Metro Detroiters now have a new Web site to scope out for all the uber-cool places in our area to dine, have drinks, hear music, etc. As described on this site, Metromix Detroit is your one-stop local entertainment guide on where to go and what to do in Detroit, from the hottest restaurants and bars, to the latest in events, music, movies, style and TV.

If you and your significant other are adventurous and are looking for a good excuse to have a fun night out, then Metromix's Date Night Adventure is for you.

Here's what you have to do to take part in this mini excursion in your city of choice:

• Grab a digital camera
• Hit at least three places -- one must be a restaurant and other choices should be unique and adventurous (not just going to get ice cream).
• Put your writing cap on and put some words to your adventure. No need to be a pro -- just write a fun caption for each photo you take.

Have I interested you yet? If so, send an e-mail to bjhammerstein@metromix.com and give him a rundown of what your ideas are for the night out. BJ seems like a real down-to-earth guy, and because this is a new initiative, he's looking for any and all suggestions. Of course I already sent in my fav joints in D-town, Royal Oak and Ferndale! :)

Rockin' it Out Country Style at Coyote Joe's

So if it wasn't obvious enough from my post about the Downtown Hoedown, I am quite the fan of country music. I've heard about the country bar Coyote Joe's quite a few times, but never actually took the initiative to make the hike to 22 mile and Ryan -- until Friday night.

I must say that I was quite impressed. I would only (and I stress only!) recommend going there to someone who is a country fan. It's about as hick as it gets, and I loved every second of it! Perks about the place include $1 draft pints on Fridays from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. and Ladies Night on Thursdays (which includes free line dancing and $1 drinks). Not to mention, it's a fabulous place for people watching! A majority of the people there know different line dances, so it's really fun to kick back and watch...and if you're like me, it will motivate you to want to come out on Thursdays for the free line dancing lessons!

I was pretty much in heaven (please note that the Tigers actually WINNING this night contributed to the glory!) -- then the band came on and made the night 10 times better. They're a relatively new group with a super unique name -- Lady Antebellum. They rocked it out like they've been performing at concerts for years and years. Think Sugarland + Little Big Town. The group's debut album actually comes out this week. The single from the album is "Love Don't Live Here Anymore," and I heart it! The trio will be at the Hoedown on Friday, May 9.

To top off the night, as we (me, Sarah and Lyndsey) were walking out of the bar to go home, we just so happened to walk right by the band standing in front of their tour bus taking photos with fans. Lyndsey had already proclaimed her love for the lead singer (Charles Kelley, Josh Kelley's brother and Josh is married to Katherine Heigl) -- who by the way could pretty much be Ryan Gosling's twin. So I marched us right up to them to get a picture. All three of them were beyond nice, and as you can see from the photo above, we are now Lady Antebellum groupies!

All in all, the night was a blast...and I will definitely be back with the girls to learn the line dances and soak up all the glory of being a country music fan!

Amazing Oral Cancer Survivor Touches Lives, Raises Awareness

**Photo courtesy of Katie Rausch, The Flint Journal

There's a favorite quote of mine that says people pass in and out of your life for a reason, and however long or short they stay, they were meant to make an impact. An amazing and spunky 73-year-old woman from Grand Blanc is someone who's been in my life for a short period of time, but has quickly nudged her way into my heart.

Rather than me going into detail on Beverly Dillon's story, I'd prefer you read it from this
Flint Journal article. I've worked with Bev for about a year now to raise awareness of oral cancer on behalf of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Bev willingly offers her time to help spread the word about oral cancer because she's all too familiar with the disease. Reading her story will undoubtedly touch you, but there's nothing like hearing it firsthand from her.

Bev has a bit of a lisp. It's barely detectable, but it's a constant reminder of the pain and suffering she endured. Yet you won't find her being silent. Bev tells her story to anyone who will listen -- and once she starts talking, she immediately draws you in. Her story is so compelling and heartfelt, that you literally feel the pain that enveloped her during the more than 30 doctor and dentist trips it took before the light finally turned on in someone's head and her oral cancer was discovered.

That's the sad part about oral cancer -- it's often discovered in its later stages. Now more than ever, women and younger people are being affected by oral cancer. Oral cancer previously affected men over the age of 40, African Americans, smokers and heavy alcohol drinkers. To put the icing on the cake, now oral cancer is found to be associated with HPV. And still, many people don't know about it. Read this for more information about oral cancer, as well as information about a test that can detect oral cancer while it's still in its early stages.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, about 34,000 people will be affected by the disease this year, and approximately 8,000 will die. Today marks the beginning of National Oral Cancer Awareness Week (April 7-13), so now is a perfect time to become a little more familiar with the disease.

I hope I have the opportunity to work with Bev for many years to come. Every time I hear her tell her story, I learn something new. But the one thing she ALWAYS stresses is that in some ways, oral cancer was a blessing because it made her value life more than she ever had. Bev is always on-the-go, whether it's painting at art class, spending time with her grandchildren or meeting friends for breakfast. She's constantly interacting with people and enjoying life -- all the while finding new hearts to touch and new eyes to open. Bev is determined to raise awareness about oral cancer, and if more people like her start working to spread the awareness, then oral cancer will one day become as recognized and understood as breast cancer.

Next stop on the Beverly Dillon train -- Oprah (we hope!)

If I had my pick of one piece of advice that you can take from this post and from Beverly's story, then it would be this: Request an oral cancer exam from your dentist during every dental checkup.

Big Cat Shows Big Love

I am so amazed by this video that I had to stop everything that I'm doing and write a quick post on it.

Here's the story: The woman in the video found a sick, malnourished lion cub in the jungle. She took him home, fed him and raised him until he was too big to keep in the house. She then made arrangements with a zoo in Colombia to take the lion. The video shows the lion's reaction when his caretaker went to visit him at the zoo for the first time.

This video is sure to make you say "holy crap!" first, followed by a long "awwwwww." OK, well at least that's what me and my sidekick L. Pan did when we first watched it. But seriously -- what an amazing example of love and appreciation! Now if only humans were that appreciative all the time...

** Thanks to MAL for sending along. You know the way to my heart! **

Downtown Hoedown 2008

It doesn't get much better than this combo: free concerts, country music, Hart Plaza and all the people watching you can possibly handle! That my friends, is the Downtown Hoedown. The 26th annual 2008 Downtown Hoedown will take place May 9-11. Check out 99.5 WYCD's Web site for the entire three-day lineup.

I am really impressed with some of the artists that will be rockin' out at this year's Hoedown, such as Trisha Yearwood (seriously a country music legend!), Little Big Town, Chris Cagle, Jewel and Gretchen Wilson.

I myself was wondering how the Hoedown came to be, so here's a bit of the background. The Downtown Hoedown dates back to 1983 and is recognized as the largest country music festival of its kind in the world. It's regarded by the country music industry as the premier event to showcase new and seasoned artists. More than 800,000 people are expected to swarm Hart Plaza during the three-day concert. Something really interesting I didn't know is that some HUGE country artists got their start at the Hoedown, including my personal favs Rascal Flatts, Garth Brooks (rumor has it he may show up to cheer on wifey Trisha!), Reba McEntire and Big and Rich.

You can guarantee I will be there in my cowgirl hat singing at the top of my lungs! Even if you aren't a country music lover, it's a fun, FREE event and a great excuse to hang out in D-town for the day/evening.

Sidenote -- I HEART WYCD's morning show with Dr. Don, Grunwald, Rachael and Jason the 300-pound cowboy. By far one of the most hilarious morning shows that broadcasts to metro Detroit!

I Heart Petoskey!

I had an amazingly relaxing/stress-free weekend, and I felt compelled to document my experience in a post. I was a deprived child (OK that's exaggerating) and I never went camping up north or had the chance to see all the beauty that makes northern Michigan such a desirable tourist attraction. So finally, thanks to my wonderful MAL, I got the chance to take a trip up north to Petoskey. And also thanks to my lovely friend Becky for the great suggestion of staying at her place of employment, Stafford's Bay View Inn. Stafford's, which also owns two other properties in Petoskey, was the absolute picture-perfect place to stay for two people like myself and MAL who lead very busy, and often times stressful lives. It was peaceful, quaint, warm, extremely clean and just an overall great getaway destination. If you want the ultimate picturesque room, go for the aster suite 17! I would love to come back and visit in the summer when I can enjoy the non-iced-over lake, the lush foliage and restaurants on the bay.

Downtown Petoskey was also adorable. The mom-and-pop and boutique shops were perfect for a shop-a-holic like myself. I bought some really neat jewelry from Oliver's Trendz (they also have a shop in Birmingham). We went ice skating and sledding at the Winter Sports Park and had some grub and drinks at City Park Grill. One of the best attractions about the city is that it's really rich in history and every place seems to has its own little story.

So needless to say, I am happy to be back to my city life, but I really wish our mini-vaca could have lasted just a tad bit longer! Reality will hit hard tomorrow, but Petoskey definitely put a cushion under the rough week ahead :)

Cast Your Vote for a Local Hero

The American Red Cross of Southeastern Michigan currently is accepting nominations for the People's Choice Hero Awards. Six brave and selfless heroes from around southeast Michigan have been nominated for this year's award. The deadline for voting is 5 p.m. on March 14. The winner will be recognized March 27 at the Red Cross' 12th annual Hero Awards.

Here's a brief snapshot of the nominees:

• Ronald Mitchell, member of the Detroit Fire Department's Tactical Mobile Squad. He rescued his partner from a burning building.
• Zach Lazanja, a nine-year-old boy who saved his friend from drowning when he had a seizure in a swimming pool.
• April Fowlkes and Mindy Corby, members of women's pro football team Detroit Demolition. They caught a thief while he was trying to steal a teammate's car.
• Cary Thompson, a Royal Oak firefighter and instructor at Safety City USA. One of his students alerted her family that their house was on fire so they could quickly get to safety.
• Anthony Altovilla is devoting a year of his life to doing volunteer work with City Year in Detroit before heading off to college.

It was a really tough decision for me because in my opinion, all these nominees should be awarded for their heroic actions. I won't say who I voted for to avoid swaying any decisions, but I hope everyone who reads this takes the opportunity to vote for one of these amazing individuals!

Detroit Gets Love From Our Neighbors to the South

Add The BG (Bowling Green) News to the list of pubs outside of Detroit that are finding a reason to sing our praises! This article credits Detroit as "perfect for a day trip or weekend adventure." The article calls attention to places such as Midtown, the Majestic Theater's Magic Stick, Corktown and Mexicantown.

It's really refreshing to read articles like this one that combat all the negative publicity D-town has received in recent months (unfortunately for a variety of reasons that do not fall into the realm of this blog's topics!). So a big high-five to The Bowling Green News for showing O-H-I-O (I've been succumbed to being a partial OSU fan, I'm sorry!) that Detroit really does stand out from the crowd -- in a POSITIVE way!

Not All Talented Young Pros Leave MI

Contrary to the fact that a recent study says Michigan can't retain highly-skilled, educated workers, one Royal Oak company is doing just that -- pulling in young, talented workers from across the country. RTT USA, Inc. is a German-based company specializing in 3D visualization software that creates computer-generated renderings of products that are used in industrial design, marketing and advertising. This uber-cool company is rapidly making a mark on Oakland County and Michigan as a whole.

This is the type of story that needs to be told more often -- one that proves that Michigan is a desirable state for young, educated workers (especially in the tech/design industry). So if you're like me and are beyond exhausted of reading stories about Michigan's economic woes (or the 138595 billion stories about Detroit's mayor that you can't hide from unless you live under a rock), make an honest effort to read the positive stories about companies in our state that are thriving and prospering. You'll be surprised to find that there are an abundance of companies like RTT -- and many more whose stories have yet to be told.

David Beckham Shows Some Love for the D

OK -- so I'm completely confessing that I read this blog now and again (it's so hard not to!), but Pink is the New Blog posted photos of hotty soccer star David Beckham wearing a Detroit Tigers hat. David and his LA Galaxy team are in gorgeous Honolulu, HI prepping for a soccer tournament. So hats off to you Becks (although I can't STAND your wife!), for sporting your D-town pride all the way down in the islands of Hawaii!

Another interesting tidbit -- Trent, the self-proclaimed gossip regurgitator behind the blog, is a native-born Detroiter.