Monday, September 16, 2013

Best of the Net 9/9-9/15

What??? Detroit Isn't Just A Jobless Wasteland???

Looking for a job? Want to live in a metro area with a low cost of living that you will not get in San Francisco, New York or DC? Well, I've got the perfect place for you...a little town called Detroit that TheAtlanticCities.com has named one of the top ten metro areas for recent college grads:
The good news is that Rustbelt metros like Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland appear to have turned the corner. These metros have a lot to offer highly educated recent grads: affordable housing, a low cost of living, authentic neighborhoods, and revitalizing cores, as well as a relatively high level of job openings for in fast-growing highly-educated fields. Metros many young and educated twenty-somethings have largely written off deserve a closer look from those seeking work in today's recovering but still tough job market.
Detroit might be 312 years old and may have been through some rough times, but it's rebounding like Dennis Rodman before he moved to Chicago and started hanging out with Korean dictators.

Exported From Michigan

Exported from Michigan is a full length documentary focusing on the ways Michiganders are using education, local economy and big business ideas to improve quality of life within the state. The documentary also aims to combat the national narrative of a hopeless Michigan by highlighting Michiganders who are creating solutions to their economic woes that other hard hit areas of the country can emulate.

The documentary is 75% completed and is seeking funding through a kickstarter campaign. Both the film's website and the kickstarter site contain trailers for the documentary that show the film's high production quality. If you would like to help fund the final 25% of the project, click here.

Detroit Bike City

The Motor City is becoming a cyclists' city through the efforts of local bike enthusiasts. Organizations such as Bike Detroit and Tour de Troit are promoting biking as an alternative way to commute and also are encouraging bicycle safety and the increase in greenways in Detroit.

Bike Detroit conducts rides through the city once or twice per week from March through October. Tour de Troit sponsors the largest cycling event in the city, the Tour de Troit Ride, and several other events throughout the year. This year's Tour de Troit is this Saturday, September 21. The event that interests me most, however, is Tour de Troit's Paczki Run through Hamtramck on Fat Tuesday. Paczki and beer for finishers! Where do I sign up?

Beards Brewery Believes It's Best

MLive.com is conducting a search for the Best Brewery in Michigan. MLive's John Gonzalez will visit 38 breweries throughout the state (tough job, but someone has to do it). In a preview of Gonzalez's tour, MLive writer Fritz Klug featured Petoskey's Beards Brewery.

Beards has a creative approach to the brewery business model. It is not a brewpub because they do not make their own food on site. Instead, customers are encouraged to bring their own food from other local businesses to enjoy while sipping Beards' brews. Customers can also bring in games, books and vinyl records that the brewery will play on an actual record player. Sounds like a must visit for any beer lover's trip to Petoskey.

Detroit Revitalizing Its Riverfront

When I was growing up in Metro Detroit in the 1980s, I remember being underwhelmed by Detroit's riverfront. Now, I am happy to see that there has been a significant transformation that has made the riverfront more pedestrian friendly. The positive changes along the river are primarily the result of efforts by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, the city's partnership with Kresge and General Motors.

This article details many of the conservancy's achievements along the water and contains a photo gallery highlighting the beautiful areas along the river.

The Rapid Transit System Is Grand

Michigan is a car state and might not be known for its public transit systems, but Grand Rapids has a transit system that is second to none. For the second time in ten years, the American Public Transportation Association named their transit system, The Rapid, as the Outstanding Mid-Sized Transportation System in the United States.

The Rapid provided 11.9 million rides in 2012, setting a record for the Grand Rapids metro area. The Rapid beat out 76 other midsized transit systems nationwide for the award.

Co-working And Working Out In Detroit

If you are looking to start up a business in Detroit, consider Bamboo Detroit. Bamboo provides office space in a collaborative environment to entrepreneurs. Bamboo operates out of the old Mannequin Building near Greektown on Brush Street. The low-cost office space allows entrepreneurs to focus on their ideas without worrying too much about paying rent. The monthly membership fee is a mere $99 per month.

After a long day working at Bamboo Detroit, these entrepreneurs will soon be able to head to Anytime Fitness in Downtown Detroit. Curbed confirms that the 24 hour fitness chain will be moving into the Security Trusts Lofts building with a scheduled opening of New Year's Day (perfect timing for those resolutions).

Lansing's Grand River Plant Celebrates One Millionth Car

Michigan may be building bike paths and mass transit systems, but it still builds cars. The Lansing State Journal reports Lansing's Grand River plant is going to build its one-millionth Cadillac today after opening just twelve years ago. The plant is an example of Michigan's ability to survive tough times, particularly GM's bankruptcy in 2009. Even though the workforce was reduced, the plant's workers kept building cars and weathered the bankruptcy storm. Now, the plant is rolling out a newly remodeled Cadillac CTS and soon will begin building the Chevrolet Camaro sports car.

Detroit's Delicious Deals

Mark your calendars. From October 10 through 16, thirteen Detroit bars and restaurants will be offering some of their finest food and drinks at excellent prices. Dine Drink Detroit is a cheaper alternative to Detroit's Restaurant Week (although that sounds wonderful too and runs from September 20-29).

No reservations are necessary at the establishments participating in Dine Drink Detroit. The event's website breaks down the restaurants into different categories so wine lovers, meat eaters and sports fans will know where to go to fill their needs.

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