An Afternoon of Poetry in Detroit

Three new collections of poetry by Michiganders

“Publishing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.” ―Don Marquis

On Saturday afternoon, I had the opportunity to attend a poetry reading in Detroit presented by Lynch and Sons Fund for the Arts and Wayne State University Press. The event featured three poets, Keith Taylor, Cindy Morgan Hunter, and Jim Daniels, reading from their newest collections of poetry. Each collection was published through Wayne State's Made in Michigan Writers Series, which publishes poetry, essays, creative nonfiction, and short fiction by Michigan writers.

Keith Taylor

Keith Taylor

Keith Taylor has published several poetry collections and teaches creative writing at the University of Michigan. He read from his newest collection of poetry, The Bird-While. Before reading his poems, he explained that he borrowed the title of his collection from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson described a "bird-while" as "the space most of the wild birds will allow you to make your observations on them when they alight near you in the woods." 

Each of the poems Taylor read is a brief, but thorough, view of both human nature and actual nature. He read about his daughter's narcolepsy, a hummingbird that stops its work to watch a jet fly overhead, young scientists talking about life as information, and the day the trees in his yard were uprooted by a storm. 

Cindy Hunter Morgan

Cindy Hunter Morgan

Cindy Hunter Morgan is a native Michigander who teaches creative writing at Michigan State University and has authored two award-winning chapbooks. Hunter Morgan read from Harborless, her collection of poems about Great Lakes shipwrecks. The Great Lakes are the resting grounds for more than 6,000 shipwrecks and 30,000 mariners, and Hunter Morgan gives a humanizing glimpse into what might have been the final moments of more than thirty of these wrecks.

Before reading each poem, Hunter Morgan gave a brief history of the shipwreck itself. One ship caught fire carrying a cargo of peaches, and Hunter Morgan captures the smells, sights, and sounds of a ship full of peaches going up in flames. Another ship carried Christmas trees from the Upper Peninsula to Chicago, where families waited at the docks to purchase trees that never arrived. Hunter Morgan used the pantoum poetic form for this Christmas tree ship poem, Rouse Simmons, 1912. A pantoum consists of four-line stanzas in which the second and fourth lines of each stanza serve as the first and third lines of the next stanza. In this case, it gives the poem the wave-like effect intended by Hunter Morgan, as if the debris from the ship were bobbing up and down in the rolling waves.

Jim Daniels

Jim Daniels

Jim Daniels is a Detroit native and professor of creative writing at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Daniels explained that, despite living in Pittsburgh for more than thirty years, he always returns inland to Detroit. So he titled his latest collection of poems Rowing Inland. The poems he read gave glimpses of the Metro Detroit of Daniels's youth and his relationships with his family then and today.

When he read about driving the gridded streets of Detroit and ending up in Canada, Daniels's personal words felt personal to me, for I know these streets and drove them aimlessly as a teenager. His poem Hard Candy is about a family secret and the hard candy his grandmother kept in a metal dish. I remembered how both my grandmothers kept dishes of hard candy, and I wondered what sorrows and secrets they kept locked away.

The Venue

The former Kresge estate

The reading was hosted at the former Kresge estate in Detroit's Arden Park neighborhood. Paddy Lynch, of the Lynch and Sons Fund for the Arts family, purchased the house in 2011 and has brought it back to its original glory. Besides the Kresges, who founded K-Mart, the house's street once was populated with famous Detroit families like the Dodges and Fishers. 

Despite the grandeur of the home, the event was intimate. My wife, Allison, and I were able to speak to all three poets, and we found each of them to be friendly and unpretentious, normal people with extraordinary voices. The reading itself was in a basement room adorned with artwork along the walls. The poets and speakers stood in front of a mural that Paddy said reminds him of Ezra Pound's poem The River Merchant's Wife: A Letter. Paddy read Pound's poem at the end of the night in honor of his parents, who will be celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary this year.

Thomas Lynch, Paddy's uncle and a renowned writer in his own right, spoke before the readers. He depicted the struggle for poets to find audiences (and recited the Don Marquis quote above), and discussed the importance of poetry and the arts in our fractured society. His sense of humor shone as he joked that the poetry reading was a success because the attendees outnumbered the poets. 

The reading was a reminder of Michigan's natural beauty and the humanity of its residents. I look forward to seeing what other writers Lynch and Sons Fund for the Arts and the Made in Michigan Writers Series will uncover. 

At the end of the night, I walked out of the reading with a signed copy of each poetry collection, beautiful broadsides of the poets' works by three letterpress studios, and the echoes of rose petals.

The broadsides

The Freep Film Festival

I finally made it to my first Freep Film Festival. This annual Detroit event is presented by the Detroit Free Press and Michigan.com, and various theaters in Detroit and Royal Oak.

Unfortunately, I was only able to see one film because of my schedule and because a couple of films I wanted to see were sold out. However, I luckily had seen and reviewed two of the films before, Superior and Exported From Michigan.

Although most of the films have a Michigan connection, I wanted to see one that specifically focused on Michiganders, so I chose Accidental Activists. This film explores the journey of two women, Jayne and April DeBoer-Rowse, who tried to challenge Michigan's adoption laws so they could have equal parenting rights to their children. When U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Friedman told their attorneys that Michigan's adoption law wasn't the problem, they then found themselves challenging Michigan's same-sex marriage ban and ending up on the winning side of last year's U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage throughout the United States.

The film was directed by Mandi Wright of the Detroit Free Press, and she does an excellent job getting inside the everyday lives of the DeBoer-Rowses and the whirlwind of becoming unwitting but unwavering champions of a crusade that they initially had no intention of undertaking.

Following the film, Free Press columnist Brian Dickerson led a discussion with April and Jayne DeBoer-Rowse, their attorneys, Dana Nessel and Carole Stanyar, Judge Friedman, and Wright. The discussion shed light on the filming process and each panelist's feelings about the film and the lawsuit's path through the justice system.

The Detroit Institute of Arts hosted the film and helped make it a great experience. Next year, I hope to attend more than one screening at this fantastic festival.

For more information about Accidental Activists, click here.

For my previous reviews of Superior and Exported From Michigan, click here and here.

Q&A: Exported From Michigan's Jon Vander Pol

Exported From Michigan is a documentary about the people and businesses in Michigan who are making strides to bring the state's economy back. Michigan native Jon Vander Pol directed the film and agreed to discuss his documentary with me.

Jon Vander Pol at the World Solar Challenge in Darwin, Australia

Was there any one person who served as your inspiration to make Exported From Michigan?

I was inspired to respond to the Chrysler “Imported From Detroit” campaign to make a positive film showing authentic stories of real people and companies who are creating innovative solutions to these social and economic problems. It’s a positive film. It’s not anti-Chrysler, but it bugged me that Chrysler was trying to trick people into buying emotional stock in their company when there are so many other Michigan businesses worth celebrating. Exported From Michigan highlights the people and organizations who are proving themselves worthy of believing in for the long term.

Where did you come up with the funding for the documentary?

Financing an independent film is one of the hardest parts; even with me and most of the crew working for free it still isn't cheap to make a movie. I fund-raised continuously for three years to cover the production expenses. Through the help of 17 private investors, a successful kickstarter campaign and a very generous grant from MSHDA, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, we were able to complete the film.

What is your background as a filmmaker?

I’ve always been intrigued by the power of story to inspire people, especially in the documentary format. I got a degree in digital filmmaking from the Art Institute of Colorado in 2007 and after working as a crew member on other people’s projects for years, I set out to tell Michigan’s comeback story in a feature-length documentary in February of 2011. It took 3.5 years to finish the film, and it premiered at the Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids on June 28th of 2014.

Exported From Michigan: The Fall and Rise of the Great Lakes State

Exported From Michigan at the Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids

"There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still." -Franklin Roosevelt

Over a period of a few decades, Michigan's economy went from one of the country's strongest to one its most depressed. Michigan became complacent, stood still, and lost its innovative edge. After years of its industries drying up or moving jobs out of state, many people looked around and thought, "What happened and what do we do to fix this?"

Grand Rapids native Jon Vander Pol's documentary Exported From Michigan explores the many Michiganders who are answering these questions and creating new and innovative ways for Michigan's economy to move forward. The film does not cast blame but instead preaches hope through the stories of Michiganders from varied backgrounds who believe in the state's future.

Best of the Net 2/10-2/17

Traverse City Is For Lovers

Michigan has its share of romantic spots for Valentine's Day, and Travel + Leisure has named Traverse City as the 10th most romantic town in the United States, noting its romantic outdoors attractions. Travel + Leisure ranked cities based on the number of "romantic" spots, like romantic hotels, brunch spots, and picnic-friendly parks.

Run Kalamazoo

USA Today has named the Kalamazoo Marathon as one of 14 spring races all runners should try. The publication commends the marathon for its unique course through "the area's parks, trails, neighborhoods and downtown mall."

A Tree Farm In Detroit

Detroit has vacant land and blight, but instead of seeing failure, some entrepreneurs see opportunity. Hantz Farms LLC plans to open the nation's largest tree farm on 15 acres on Detroit's east side between Mack and Jefferson avenues near Pennsylvania Street. Crain's Detroit Business describes the company's struggle to start the farm and its ultimate plans for approximately 150 acres on the east side.

Making Films In Lansing

Major motion pictures have been shooting in Detroit over the last several years, but other areas of Michigan have growing filmmaking scenes as well. Capital Gains highlights the movie industry and the the growth of independent filmmakers in the Lansing area. The article also features the Capital City Film Festival and Fortnight Film Contest's contributions to Lansing's filmmaking scene.

Making A Difference In Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids Urban Innovative Exchange features local artist Hugo Claudin's efforts to help his community and to increase graduation rates for local high schools. Claudin works as a Natural Helper for the Believe 2 Become program that tries to "help children succeed through summer enrichment, after-school experiences for students, and workshops and mentoring for parents." Claudin also hopes to help his community by using his gallery to highlight and encourage local artists.

Spring Is In The Air

The boys of summer are back in action, as the Detroit Tigers have reported for Spring Training. The Tigers are hoping to make another run to the World Series and are staying warm in Lakeland, Fla., until Detroit thaws. Opening Day is on March 31, when the Tigers host the Royals.

New Year's Best of the Net 12/23-1/5

Happy New Year! A lot of good things happened in Michigan in 2013. Let's hope 2014 is even better for the Great Lakes State. The last week of 2013 and the first days of 2014 saw some good economic news and, of course, Michiganders doing good deeds during the holidays. Here are some of the best stories of the last two weeks.

Michigan Is Gaining Population

For years, Michigan has seen a population decline, but new reports show that migration from Michigan is halting and that the state has grown in population for the second straight year. United Van Lines released its 37th annual migration study showing that the number of inbound and outbound moves to Michigan were essentially equal. Crain's Detroit Business reports that this is the first time in 16 years that Michigan did not have more outbound migration than inbound migration.

Michigan also retained its spot as the ninth most populous state after increasing its population for the second straight year according to the Detroit Free Press. The Free Press cites U.S. Census Bureau data that shows the state had a slight gain of 13,103 residents or 0.1%.

Good Deeds During The Holidays

Although the Jewish and Muslim communities may not celebrate Christmas, nearly 1,000 members of three Jewish congregations and the Michigan Muslim Community Council spent December 25 serving meals at social services agencies throughout Metro Detroit. The Detroit News reported that the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit organized the event, called "Mitzvah Day." For more information about Mitzvah Day, click here.

One Metro Detroit boy decided to help people less fortunate when he was only six years old. The Detroit Free Press tells the story of Caleb White and how seeing a homeless person motivated him to spend each Christmas in Downtown Detroit to pass out presents to the city's homeless population. Caleb, who is eleven years old now, gave 150 care packages to homeless people this Christmas.

Walk Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor makes a lot of "best of" lists, and it now can include itself among the most walkable cities in the United States. Governing magazine ranks Ann Arbor as the fourth most walkable city, as measured by the U.S. Census Bureau. The bureau's statistics show that more than 15% of Ann Arborites walk to work. The list is dominated by towns with large universities, with Cambridge, Mass., Columbia, S.C., and Berkeley, Calif. ranked one through three.

Ideas For Next New Year's Eve

Why travel to New York's Times Square to huddle up with 200,000 people to watch performers badly lip sync songs when Michigan has plenty of New Year's Eve activities of its own? Two publications recently highlighted two of Michigan's ball drops.

The growth of Campus Martius in Detroit now offers Detroiters a ball drop of their own. Crain's Detroit Business recently highlighted the creators of Detroit's New Year's Eve ball, Erik and Israel Nordin, and their company, Detroit Design Center.

If you live near Ludington and want to experience a New Year's ball drop, you are in luck. Yahoo Travel listed Ludington's Mitten Bar as one of eight places to celebrate New Year's Eve that are better than Times Square. Customers can stay in Mitten Bar while watching Ludington's ball drop outside.

Great Lakes, Great Books

The Library of Michigan has released its 2014 list of notable Michigan Books. The list includes 20 books about Michigan people, places and events. The list includes a biography of former Detroit Tiger Mark Fidrych, a history of Chief Pontiac's Rebellion and a collection of poems and stories about the Upper Peninsula.

Grand Rapids Is A Best Buy

The Grand Rapids Business Journal reports that the Grand Rapids housing market is the number 11 best buy city for housing according to Forbes. Forbes determined that Grand Rapids was one of several cities with high job growth and undervalued home prices, making the city a good place to invest in a home. For the Forbes report, click here.

West Michigan Helps Detroit

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has expanded its operations to Detroit, according to a report by the Grand Rapids Business Journal. The Battle Creek-based foundation already supports Detroit financially (with $25 million in grants to Detroit last year alone), but now it has opened an office in Downtown Detroit to better assist the city's children and families. The foundation focuses on creating healthier and better educated children as well as providing resources to raise families above the poverty line.

Michigan State Wins The Rose Bowl

Coach Mark Dantonio's Michigan State Spartans won the Rose Bowl with their signature dominating defense. In the 100th Rose Bowl game, Michigan State proved they deserve mention as one of the nation's elite college football teams with their 24-20 victory over Stanford . The Spartans finished their season 13-1 and were a few plays (and questionable calls from the refs) from finishing their season undefeated. It would have been interesting to see their elite defense line up across from Florida State's explosive offense.

Congratulations to the Spartans on an amazing season!

104 Weekend Days in Michigan, Part IV

I already have listed weekend activities 1 through 26, 27 through 52 and 53 through 78 that I would try to do with 104 weekend days in Michigan. Today, I give you the last 26 days of Michigan fun. As with the previous posts, this list is in no particular order, and I have tried to include at least one activity from every corner of the state. 

Weekend Days 79-104

79. Play Baseball or Catch on Navin Field

Navin Field

Walking the hallowed grounds of the former Tiger Stadium (aka Navin Field) is staggering for any Detroit Tigers fan. When I visited in October, I was thrilled to be standing on the same field where so many baseball and football legends played for more than a century. I watched a pick-up game of baseball and wished I could step into the batter's box for an at bat. Thanks to the hard work of the Navin Field Grounds Crew to save the field from neglect, visitors can still play ball at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull.

For information about the old Tiger Stadium and the Navin Field Grounds crew, check out the documentary Stealing Home.

80. Kayak Copper Harbor

The Upper Peninsula offers so many outdoor activities, including kayaking. Copper Harbor is a great place for beginning kayakers to learn the ropes while taking in the natural beauty of the U.P. This community is at the farthest northern tip of the U.P. on Lake Superior. In addition to kayaking, Copper Harbor offers hiking and mountain biking trails. Read Things to Do in the U.P.'s review of a kayaking trip through the harbor here.

81. Drive M-22

The section of M-22 between Traverse City and Manistee along Lake Michigan is one of the most scenic roads in Michigan. AOL Autos named it one of the "Five Awesome American Roads to Drive in a Ragtop" this past Labor Day. The road passes by small towns, sand dunes and smaller inland lakes, providing drivers with stunning views of Lake Michigan.

82. Stroll through Dow Gardens

Midland's Dow Gardens offer "110 Acres of Nature's Beauty." Herbert H. Dow, the founder of Dow Chemical, developed the gardens with eight acres in 1899. Future generations of Dows continued to develop the gardens until they reached their current size. Dow Gardens offer a rose garden, trees, wildflowers, 18,000 tulips, a six-acre stream and a children's garden.

83. Go to a College Hockey Game

Yost Ice Arena at the University of Michigan

Michigan is a hotbed of college hockey with Division I teams at Michigan, Michigan State, Ferris State, Lake Superior State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan and Western Michigan. State schools have won a total of 19 NCAA championships with the University of Michigan leading the nation with 9 NCAA titles all-time. The in-state rivalries among these teams are intense and definitely worth watching.

84. See the Detroit River from a Kayak

There would be no Detroit without the Detroit River. The French chose the city's location because of its strategic location for the fur trade in the 18th Century. The river was first traveled by Native Americans and European explorers in small craft like canoes. Although the scenery may have changed in the last 300 years, modern explorers can rent a kayaks and canoes to view the river from a new angle.

Riverside Kayak is based out of Wyandotte, allowing visitors to see the Downriver section of the Detroit River, but the company also arranges tours of Detroit's canals and the Rouge River. Detroit River Sports is located on Belle Isle, allowing views of Belle Island and the Detroit riverfront.

104 Weekend Days in Michigan, Part III

I already have listed weekend activities 1 through 26 and 27 through 52 that I would try to do with 104 weekend days in Michigan. Today, I give you 26 more days of Michigan fun. As with the previous posts, this list is in no particular order, and I have tried to include at least one activity from every corner of the state. 

Weekend Days 53-78

53. See the Animals at the Detroit Zoo

Detroit Zoo Polar Bear Photo by A. Burtka

The Detroit Zoo is a must see for anyone visiting the Metro Detroit area. Located on Woodward Avenue and 10 Mile Road in Royal Oak, the zoo's 125 acres are home to more than 2,800 animals of 265 species. The zoo boasts the largest polar bear exhibit in North America, which is worth a visit alone. Kid friendly attractions include a carousel and a train that circles the zoo. In 2015, the zoo will open a state of the art penguin exhibit that looks like it will be breathtaking.

54. Enjoy the Cherry Festival

The biggest event of the year in Traverse City is the National Cherry Festival held each July. Dating back to 1925, the festival draws more than 500,000 visitors to the Grand Traverse area each year. The weeklong festival features more than 150 events including cherry-themed contests, like cherry pie eating, parades and music.

55. Remember Lake Erie

Of the four Great Lakes that touch Michigan, Lake Erie has the shortest Michigan shoreline and does not have the number of beaches that Lake Huron or Lake Michigan offer. However, Sterling State Park, Michigan's only state park on Lake Erie, does offer outdoor recreation for visitors to the Southeast corner of Michigan. The city of Luna Pier also offers fishing charters and boat rentals.

56. Explore Isle Royale

Isle Royale Photo via National Park Service

Isle Royale is the largest island in Lake Superior. It is one of the least visited spots in Michigan due to its location in the northern reaches of the lake and the fact that it is only accessible by sea plane or boat. This national park does not allow motorized vehicles, so visitors must hike through wilderness trails to get around. The advantage this park has over other national parks is the lack of throngs of tourists interrupting your enjoyment of nature.

Read this feature by Louise Knott-Ahern of the Lansing State Journal for an amazing narrative about the island and its wolf population. The photos by Rod Sanford are magnificent.

104 Weekend Days in Michigan, Part I

If you are lucky enough to live in Michigan, it is too easy to fall in love with your hometown and surrounding neighborhoods and to forget to explore the rest of the Great Lakes State. Despite spending the first 23 years of my life in Michigan, I did not spend enough time venturing outside of the familiar.

With 52 weekends per year, there are 104 work-free days to view the many outdoor activities and cultural attractions that Michigan offers. I have compiled the many things I would try to do with my 104 weekend days in Michigan, if I still lived there. The list is in no particular order, and I have tried to include at least one activity from every corner of the state. I have not done most of these before, and some I have already done but would love to do again.

The First 26 Weekend Days

1. Drive Across the Mackinac Bridge

Mackinac Bridge Photo by Jeffness

The Mackinac Bridge joins Michigan's two peninsulas and is the third longest suspension bridge in the world. It was the gateway to some of my favorite childhood vacations and the closest I ever came to flying while in my parents' car. If you have not seen it, you are missing out on a true engineering marvel.

2. Swim in Lake Superior

Lake Superior never gets warm, but during the late summer it becomes less cold. Unlike Lake Michigan or Lake Huron, most people probably visit the largest Great Lake to view its beauty with the understanding that they would never take the plunge into its waters. I have never swam in this lake, but it is there taunting me.

True thrill-seekers might consider jumping from a cliff into Lake Superior from the Black Rocks in Marquette.

3. Tour the Fisher Building

Detroit's Art Deco masterpiece is stunning from the outside, but it would be a mistake to see the exterior and not step inside to view its ornate interior. For an interesting review of a Fisher Building tour, read this post from Mitten History. For tour information through Pure Detroit, click here.

4. Visit Drummond Island

Michigan is known for its two peninsulas and its famous Mackinac Island, but with four Great Lakes surrounding it, the state has several islands that most Michiganders have never visited. Drummond Island sits across a small channel from the eastern tip of the Upper Peninsula. Accessible by ferry, the island is full of wildlife and a outdoor activities like camping, kayaking, fishing, hunting, birding and hiking. Visit the Drummond Island Tourism Association for more information.

Best of the Net 11/18-11/24

Kellogg Foundation Helps Kids

Battle Creek's W.K. Kellogg Foundation is selecting 100 people for fellowships to help vulnerable children and their families. The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that the fellows will primarily represent the priority areas of Michigan, Mississippi, New Orleans and New Mexico.

The Foundation will grant each fellow a $20,000 stipend and another $5,000 for a leadership project in the program's final year. The fellowship's three-year curriculum hopes to develop community leaders who will remove barriers to children's healthy development, academic success and economic security.

Literary Scene is Thriving in Detroit

Online magazine Ozy recently highlighted Detroit's literary scene. The excellent review reveals how Detroit often has been overlooked by publishers scheduling book tours and how Literary Detroit is promoting Detroit as a literary city. The volunteer organization hosts events for authors and serves as a network to connect readers with authors' works.

In addition to mentioning Literary Detroit and several authors and poets from Detroit, Ozy acknowledges InsideOut, a program that places professional writers in Detroit schools. The writers help students express themselves and provide opportunities for students to publish or perform their own work.

Grand Rapids Business Innovates

The Grand Rapid Business Journal reports that Grand Rapids-based Varsity News Network won the $500,000 grand prize at the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. According the article, investors from 77 global firms attended the competition and 50 companies competed for the grand prize.

Varsity News Network provides a platform for high school athletic departments to promote their athletics programs online. According to the company's website, it also provides opportunities for students to learn about writing, web design, marketing and entrepreneurship.

Flint is Growing...Produce

In the heart of an urban area, Flint River Farms is growing produce and teaching children about farming. Michigan Nightlight features the farm's history and outreach efforts within the community. The farm started in 2010 and provides education programs for children through the FoodCorps and edible flint programs.

The farm also sells its products to Flint restaurants and farmers markets. According to Roxanne Adair, one of the farm's founders, the farm also hopes to sell its produce in local stores that currently sell only junk food.

Michigan Starts Up

Michigan is full of opportunities for startups and entrepreneurs to gain help creating and building their businesses. Two recent options for startups to grow their businesses are Detroit Innovate and Startup Weekend.

Michipreneur reports that Detroit Innovate, an early stage fund, recently launched. According to the report, the fund will offer investments of $50,000 to $500,000 for healthcare, transportation and advanced manufacturing startups. The fund's website states that the fund is working to develop high-growth companies within the entire Detroit region.

Startup Weekend is a national organization that provides designers, marketers, developers and entrepreneurs the chance to share ideas, build networks and launch startups. Michipreneur reports that Startup Weekend recently concluded programs in Detroit and Kalamazoo and that it will be coming to Grand Rapids in January and Ann Arbor in February.

Mount Clemens Welcomes Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are moving into Mount Clemens according to a report by the Macomb Daily. Businesses are moving into empty offices due to low rents, the Clinton River waterfront and their proximity to the city's restaurants and bars.

The article features several of the entrepreneurs who recently have made Mount Clemens their home. Some of the newer businesses include architectural firms, software developers and marketing firms.
[Update: The link for this article from November 24 is no longer online].

Best of the Net 11/11-11/17

Detroit's Midtown Continues To Impress

Midtown Detroit, Inc. is a planning and development nonprofit organization working to maintain and revitalize the Midtown district in Detroit. Its efforts have helped Midtown become one of Detroit's success stories in recent years. MLive reports that the Urban Land Institute (ULI) has named Midtown Detroit, Inc. as one of twelve Global Award for Excellence winners.

According to the MLive report, ULI commended Midtown Detroit Inc. for its efforts with the Woodward Garden Block development, the Sugar Hill Art District, the Ellington and Whole Foods Market development, the Auburn and the Green Garage. In addition to these developments, Midtown offers many cultural attractions through the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Public Library and Wayne State University.

Midtown is not done reinventing itself though. Model D reports that a Knight Foundation grant will support the TechTown Living Room, a public space at Cass and Burroughs that will be available to the approximately 400 entrepreneurs who will be moving into the new TechTown co-working space in Midtown.

Filmmakers Feature U.P. Bike Trails

The Upper Peninsula offers an abundance of outdoor activities including the up-and-coming sport of snow biking. Clear and Cold Cinema is a U.P. production company that seeks to highlight the beauty of the U.P. Upper Peninsula's Second Wave reports that the production company is releasing a new film called Cold Rolled. The action-packed documentary features snow biking on the trails of Marquette's Noquemanon Trail Network.

For a brief trailer for the film, click here.

LaughFest Is Coming To Grand Rapids

Gilda's LaughFest, the annual comedy festival held in Grand Rapids since 2011, has announced its 2014 lineup. The Grand Rapids Business Journal reports that comedians Jay Leno, Lily Tomlin, Chris Tucker and Jim Gaffigan, among others, will be performing between March 6 and 16.

The festival raises funds for Gilda's Club Grand Rapids, which provides cancer, grief and emotional health support to the community. Gilda's Club is named in honor of legendary Michigan comedian and original Saturday Night Live cast member Gilda Radner.

To Be Should Not Be A Question

The original king of comedy (and tragedy), William Shakespeare, hopes to come to Detroit this summer. Shakespeare in Detroit (SiD) aims to bring three outdoor Shakespeare plays to the city in 2014. If SiD is able to stage the plays in Detroit, it will also hire Detroiters to prepare and perform in the productions. Last summer, the company produced Othello in Grand Circus Park.

However, the company needs help raising funds according to a report by Hell Yeah Detroit. Sam White, the founder of SiD, is asking for financial help through a Kickstarter campaign. If you would like to help, click here to see a video from White explaining her goals and to make a donation. As White explains in the video, other major cities have outdoor Shakespeare productions, and if it is good enough for them, it's good enough for Detroit.

A Flint Made Man Gives Back

Eric Woodyard is a journalist from Flint who refuses to believe that he succeeded despite growing up on Flint's north side. Instead, he believes his success is a result of the grit and toughness he developed while growing up in Flint. MLive highlights Woodyard's production of his short film "Flint Made Me." The film features interviews with people who inspired him and helped him obtain academic scholarships while also showing the neighborhood he grew up in.

Woodyard will use proceeds from the film to help fund a scholarship. For a preview of the film, click here.

Symphony Broadens Its Reach

The Grand Rapids Symphony is trying to gain interest from younger music lovers through its MySymphony360 program. The membership program is designed for professionals between the ages of 21 and 35. The Grand Rapids Business Journal reports that the symphony will offer discounted tickets to the program's members and that it hopes to partner with restaurants and bars to offer additional discounts to members on concert nights.

Detroit's Unseen Sights

Shinola, manufacturer of bicycles and luxury watches, is one of Detroit's newer businesses that is bringing jobs and positive press to the city. Sight Unseen asked Shinola's creative director Daniel Caudill to give snapshots of his new hometown. The story features several photos of Caudill's favorite places and businesses in Detroit and includes his commentary about why these places are special.