Loco’s Tex-Mex Grille offers salsa in the city every Saturday.
Another popular spot to listen to Latin music on Wednesday and Thursday is The Sky Club (above Sangria’s restaurant) in Royal Oak.

For more information you can check out http://salsadetroit.com or http://metrodetroitsalsa.com/

Below are some highlights from the contest.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, the media has been reporting about the activity going on in Detroit revolving around the creative community.  One of the biggest recent events was Dan Gilbert’s acquisition of the Madison Theatre Building, which can serve as a nucleus for Detroit startups.  Drinks x Design held their latest event at Skidmore Studio inside the Madison Building, where they had their open house.

Drinks x Design is a series of monthly events where the creative community can network and share in each others’ work.  This last event took place on Thursday, February 9th from 5:30-8:00PM.  The event began with an open house of Skidmore Studio and concluded at the Detroit Beer Company.

One of the high points of the Skidmore Studio open house was the speech by Skidmore president and CEO, Tim Smith, where he explained some of the reasoning behind their return to Detroit.

The tour of Skidmore Studio showed a space that was incredibly open.  The brick on the interior was exposed, which gave the location an industrial look but with some warmth.  Just walking through their studio, you could almost hear creativity bubbling in Detroit.

If you’re someone involved in the Detroit creative community or interested in learning more, this event can be a great opportunity to get an introduction.  To get more information, you can go to the Detroit Creative Corridor Center site or go to the Drinks x Design Facebook page.

After the race is over stick around for the St. Patrick’s Parade that will go down Michigan Avenue at 2:00pm.

By: Rhonda Gutierrez

I’ve been thinking about this question a lot lately. Could I possibly be a workaholic? It seems I am constantly looking for something to do or finding a shift to work. I love being home with my kids but they’re at school all day. I pick up extra shifts and volunteer for many acitivities. Writing for the magazine, taking care of the house and my family, college classes, substitute teaching and serving are keeping me very busy, but I still feel like I could be doing more.

The question is: Can we ever work enough? Endless school loans, bills, house repairs, car repairs, credit card payments, everyday necessities and oh, yes…GAS! It seems that no matter how many jobs I have and how much I earn, it’s never enough! I can’t seem to give myself a break.

Even when I’m at home, I’m listing textbooks on Amazon for sale or starting an auction on eBay®. I even found a way to make extra money during the holidays. Long hours in the kitchen making empanadas proved to be exhausting.

After much contemplation, I have come to realize that there will never be enough money and I must focus on doing what I love. The truth is that I love to work. I love to be busy. I love to feel like I am making a difference in this world. I’m hyper. I can’t even sit still without shaking my leg. My name is Rhonda Gutierrez and I am a workaholic.

“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have to admit that I wasn’t originally keen on watching The Grammys. Normally, the performances are either staid or crazy.  People that I feel should win awards end up getting robbed.  Need I remind you about Jethro Tull getting a Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Grammy back in 1988.  These are just a few of many reasons why I generally avoid them.  However, I had a few reasons to listen this year: the return of Adele and the tributes to Whitney Houston.

First of all, I thought that LL Cool J did a great job, as host.  He was subtly charming, yet really had the crowd going.  LL was neither boring nor crazy.  I applauded him for getting his prayer tribute in early so that, while tragic, her death wouldn’t cast too much of a shadow on the rest of the show.  As he reminded us, LL wanted the focus to be on the music.

I was really surprised by performances or appearances by acts that are outside of the typical Top 40 schlock.  Just earlier in the day, I had heard someone mention the Nashville duo, The Civil Wars.  I really ended up digging their bluegrass-folk stylings (only way that I can describe their sound).  Then, there was the combination of David Guetta, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown, alongside the grouping of deadmau5 and Foo Fighters.  House isn’t normally something that I listen to. Nonetheless, I found the music slinky and seductive.

Speaking of Foo Fighters, I was looking forward to their performance.  Over the years, I have become a progressively bigger fan, though first becoming familiar with them through their hit “Everlong.”  I was hoping that they’d play Walk” off of the Thor soundtrack?” Lo and behold, they not only performed it but kicked ass, as they whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

As for tender, this is a great work to describe Jennifer Hudson’s heartwrenching performance of the song that Whitney Houston made so famous, “I Will Always Love You.” As I heard her controlled performance, I could definitely see Houston’s influence. Hudson was subtle where necessary and, then, slowly unleashed her vocal power. This incredibly strong performance hit me in the gut and had me misty. Yes, I admit it.

So all in all, I’d say that the Grammys were slightly above average: a solid 3-3.5 stars out of 5. With LL Cool J as host and the variety of overall good performances, I can definitely say that I was glad to have watched it. As LL said, it was all about the music.

Images:
DSCN0618_120212 by BeFrank, on Flickr

El Salon de Nuestra Cultura at Wayne State University will be screening the documentary film Precious Knowledge on February 17 at 6:00pm in General Lectures Room 150 (5045 Anthony Wayne).

Precious Knowledge is a documentary that showcases the story of the student leaders from Tucson High School while they fight to save their ethnic studies program.  Although the Mexican American Studies program was extremely successful, the Arizona lawmakers decided to shut the program down.

Before the film screening, Dr. John Leary from the Wayne State University Department of English will be leading a panel discussion.

Please bring a dish to share at the potluck.  Metered parking is available on Warren Ave and Anthony Wayne Dr, plus structure parking is available with a credit card or one card in Structure 2.

The special tour for two is $100 and includes chocolates, champagne, photo in Cinderella’s carriage and more. $50 is tax deductible as The Parade Company is a not for profit organization.

For more information visit The Parade Company or call 313.923.8368.

For more information visit Motown Winter Blast.

MotorCity Casino Hotel will once again hold one of Detroit’s hottest, highly-anticipated cultural events of the year. Fashion In Detroit, Michigan’s premier annual fashion event on Saturday, March 10, 2012.
Now in its 3rd year, Fashion In Detroit salutes the strong and vibrant Detroit fashion scene during a one-day event co-hosted by Project Runway’s Joe Faris, along with Ambassador Magazine Publisher and Jewelry Designer, Denise Ilitch. For the first time, the two business leaders in Michigan come together to present the brand’s strongest opening. Ilitch and Faris, both vocal advocates of Detroit’s urban renewal, believe the annual flagship event exemplifies the community’s commitment to the revitalization of the city. “It’s so exciting to be a part of promoting Detroit fashion,” said Ilitch.
Fashion In Detroit, co-created in 2009 by Joe Faris, was launched to put a fashion spotlight on Michigan, while creating a destination that showcases the talent of some of Detroit’s best designers. This year’s event is expected to draw national attention and over 2,000 attendees, including members of the press and fashion industry from around the world. “We will, once again, transform the Motor City into Fashion City,” said Faris.
The event will include 8 runway presentations by a collection of local and national designers, designer trunk shows/meet and greets, a “Market Detroit” pop-up shop, a Detroit sports lounge, a VIP private reception and an Afterglow bash. There will also be a social media lounge hosted by StyleCaster.com for online media and bloggers. The day’s admission ticket includes all fashion shows, gift bags, a souvenir guidebook/lookbook, entrance to the trunk shows and eligibility for high-end giveaways. FID will also give one talented Michigan-based fashion designer a grant to showcase his or her Fall/Winter 2012 collection to buyers and fashion industry insiders.
A portion of the FID proceeds will benefit the Ronald McDonald Houses of Detroit and Ann Arbor – The mission of the Ronald McDonald House is to provide families of children experiencing a serious illness or injury a “home away from home” that assists in alleviating the families’ emotional and financial stress. Learn more at http://www.rmh-annarbor.org.
Tickets start at $25 in advance with a VIP experience for $100. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations and Ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. The event is expected to sell out. Tickets are also available through the MotorCity Casino Hotel Box Office Friday-Sunday.

To keep up on the latest news and information be sure to “Like” Fashion In Detroit on Facebook and follow at @FashionNDetroit on Twitter. More details, including entertainment and participating designers, will be announced in the coming weeks. For a preview, photos, and more information, visit http://www.fashionindetroit.com.
Facebook: Fashion In Detroit
Twitter: FashionNDetroit
Blog: fashionindetroit.tumblr.com

For ticket information you can visit ticketmaster.