Pizza Pie!!!

It's been a little while since we've shared a restaurant with you. So I decided that it's time for me to share one of my favorite lunch spots! Seeing as how my favorite food is pizza (whose isn't!?!?) and this restaurant is an all you can eat pizza buffet, it's pretty obvious why I like it. The place I'm talking about is American Pie. Personally, I frequent the location on 12 Mile & Hoover. However, there are some other locations including Shelby Township and Garden City. 

When most people hear "pizza buffet" they automatically think of CiCi's. American Pie is the same concept as CiCi's. The main difference is that their pizza is actually pretty good! Their pizza buffet offers over 20 different choices that they rotate throughout the day. Some of the most popular ones are BLT, Mac & Cheese, Coney, Alfredo, Big Mac, California White and two of my favorites BBQ Chicken and Meat Lovers. They also have some everyday pizzas to go along with their crazy choices, like Plain Cheese or Pepperoni.

Speaking of crazy choices, American Pie offers a super spicy pizza that they call the Flame Thrower. They even have a "Flame Thrower" challenge. I'm not sure on all of the details, but I know they have been trying to get Man vs. Food to come by and take the challenge. I also know that the Flame Thrower Pizza looks way too spicy for me to ever try!

In addition to the great pizza pies, the buffet includes a pretty decent salad bar (I recommend the House Dressing), pasta and dessert pizzas. Occasionally they also have a baked potato bar and in the colder months they have a couple of different soups to choose from! To go along with their pasta, they offer a delicious meat sauce or a marinara sauce for the vegetarians! Speaking of vegetarians, there are a handful of pizzas here that you can enjoy too!

One of the biggest things that sells me on going to American Pie is that they are constantly switching out their pizzas and making fresh ones. There aren't nasty 3 hour old pizzas sitting up there. And, if you don't see your favorite when you first come in, by the time you are done with your first trip, you will most likely hear them announce that one of your favorites is fresh out of the oven! (The announcements are even goofy and fun!)

On top of the good food, there are a few other things that need to be said about American Pie. The atmosphere and staff make it fun and inviting. They have statues and pictures of super heroes, musicians and pop culture icons all over the place. There is also a small arcade in the back of the restaurant. You can definitely bring your kids, but if you don't have kids you will enjoy it as an adult too! Come on... It's all you can eat pizza...Who wouldn't enjoy that? If you aren't big on kids though, I suggest going at lunch time since there usually aren't many there at that time.


The prices to eat at American Pie are very reasonable. If you go for lunch, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. it's only about $6.50. If you go after 1 p.m. through dinner time, it's about $8. Those prices include pizza, pasta, salad, dessert and your drink. Plus, you don't have to tip! Can't really beat that! 

So, next time you are in the mood for lots of pizza, or if you can't decide what you're in the mood for, give American Pie a try.

~C

FRIDAY!!! WILSON, PBR & US!!!!!!!

Friday is almost here and we can't wait to party with you guys!!!

June 1st join us at The Pike Room for Wilson's Tour Kickoff! The guys will be hitting the stage with All's Quiet, Act as One, Tharsis They and Quicksand Swimclub. As if a Wilson show isn't a big enough party already, the first 90 people through the door will get a complimentary PBR! Rock & Roll and free beer! Hell yes!

We have big things in store for this night, so make sure you are there if you want to be a part of an awesome party and a kick ass video. Plus you get to party with yours truly and Wilson! Wilson, PBR & Hip In Detroit in one place! This is going to be insane!!!

Tickets are only $8 and it is an All Ages show. (Of course you have to be 21+ to get the complimentary PBR, though!) Do your self a favor and pick up a ticket ahead of time so you don't miss out! Tickets are available here! Make sure to head over to Facebook for more details on the event! While you are at it, RSVP and invite your friends! 

If you haven't seen Wilson yet, here's a taste of what you can look forward to:

PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Womp Womp Movement is Here!

This weekend there is another HUGE event going on. You probably won't run into us there though. It's Movement, also known as DEMF. The event features over 100 electronic music artists on 5 stages in Hart Plaza. I've heard from friends that attend every year, that if you are into electronic music, you have to go. Since I'm not, I won't be there. However, the event attracts over 100,000 people from all over the world. 

In addition to the main party at Movement, there are some other great after parties going on around town. The one that stood out the most to us is happening Saturday night at Club Waterfalls Ultra Lounge. It features Detroit native Jimmy Edgar along side many other DJs including our friends from Tour Detroit, Steven Robert with Erno the Inferno performing together as T&A and Joe Vargas. Cover is only $5 and re-entry is allowed. They claim they will have great drink prices, too!

Tonight there are a ton of Pre-Movement parties. However, we suggest that you head down to St. Andrew's for Funk Night DEMF Edition featuring DJ Head, DJ Frank Raines, Diamond D, Guilty Simpson and Will Sessions. Cover is $5 if you are 21+ or $10 if you are 18+. Make sure to say "hi" to our friend East Side John while you are there! 

Movement is going on Saturday - Monday. So if you love electro beatz, head down to Hart Plaza. Otherwise, you might want to stay away from the Riverfront this weekend.

~C

BLEDfest

Back for its 8th year, Bled Fest is set for a big day that you won't want to miss! Surprisingly, it started out as a basement show and pool party that has since turned into a midwest festival that has had some pretty big names, like Every Time I Die, The Black Dahlia Murder and Norma Jean. 

This year will be no exception. The lineup boasts over 50 bands, including some of our personal favorites- Wilson, Rival Summers, The Wonder Years, The Swellers, and Squid the Whale.

Bled Fest is happening in only two days at the Hartland Performing Arts Center in Howell. It might be a little bit of a trek, but it'll totally be worth it. It's all ages, so I guess you'll have to bring your little brother or sister after all. Doors open at 11:30 and tickets are only $20 in advance, or $25 day of. Tickets are available fee-free online here. You can check out the full, awesome lineup on their website. If you're a Spotify nut like I'm becoming, you can even listen to the Bled Fest playlist here.

If you want to read more about Wilson, click here, or The Swellers (our first interview!), click here.

~B

WABiversary

Ferndale is the hip place to be these days. The city has been growing in popularity and it seems that every week another bar or business is opening its doors. With all the new bars and restaurants opening up, we tend to forget the good, old staples that made Ferndale the hip spot that it is! The Woodward Avenue Brewery, also known as the WAB, has always been one of my favorite spots in Ferndale. Not only is it a great place to try a house brewed beer but it features a wonderful kitchen that can whip up some great food! I love this bar so much that I even had my fourth 25th birthday there this past year (that’s right 25 for life bitches). I was able to reserve a space upstairs and order some catering to feed my guests while we rocked out to the jukebox and played a few rounds of pool. 

This week, the WAB will be celebrating its 15-year anniversary and they are going all out for this event. Not only will they continue to have half-off food on Mondays, but they are making changes to ensure that they are the place to be for years to come.  

The event is being billed as the '15th WABiversary' and starts at 11 a.m. this Thursday, May 24. For the day, all beer will be $1 from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. This includes two new beers that are being released by brew master Greg Burke. The new editions are WABST Green Ribbon, a light Bohemian pilsner; and a seasonal beer, Green Bullet, an organic west coast IPA. For this event, all ten draft handles will be pouring. If you don’t like what they make in house they always have two guest taps for you to try, and don’t forget liquor is always available! 

At 4, the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a cake cutting ceremony upstairs, this will include a free taco bar snack hour from 4- 7. You and some friends can stop in and have a taco any way you like it!

At 8, they will officially launch the new beers with a 'pint hoist' toast throughout the bar and two staffers will begin to DJ for the rest of the night. I know many of the workers there and I imagine their music tastes won't disappoint. 

As you walk in, you can show the door guy a print out or a phone picture of an image located on the WAB’s website. By doing this you will get a ticket to be entered into a contest to win free prizes including a few small gifts and two grand prize baskets. These winners will be announced from 9-11. So make sure you get there and get your raffle ticket before 9! 

At 10, they are featuring a coney bar for anyone that is hungry from all the great beers that they have been drinking. Stop in and make yourself a Detroit-style coney, don’t forget the spicy mustard!

If this wasn’t enough to get you in the door, there will also be an art show featuring work by the employees that will be serving you and have served you for the last 15 years. Many of the staffers at this establishment have been with the company from the start- and the service has never disappointed me! 

Then Friday, Saturday and Sunday they will continue the celebration with a beer special- all beer is only $2 a glass!  

To close out the weekend they are launching a new menu. They have kept a lot of our favorites like the nachos and cashew chicken sandwich, but added in some new items. This new menu promises to be more vegetarian friendly to stay with the times and vibe of Ferndale and its residents. You can see a new menu here.

Don’t forget, the WAB still features half off food on Mondays and as of May 22, the patio is open!

Stop in, have a drink and remember to tip your bar tenders well! 

Happy WABiversay! 

~S

Becca's Bored- World Goth Day?

I love the internet. You can find the most random, totally awesome things that you otherwise would have absolutely no idea of. Today is no exception and it is not even 9 yet. I woke up to find out that today is World Goth Day. Apparently every May 22 is World Goth Day. How did I not know this? Oh yeah, I'm not exactly into the whole goth thing. However, I find this pretty awesome for some reason. They even have awards! All you goth bands out there that were unaware of the existence of this day, you should strive for the best goth band of the 2000s next year. Is it still considered the 2000s and not the 2010s? It is a lot harder to classify decades in the 2000s than in the 1900s!

So, if you're into the whole goth thing, or not, check out their website, worldgothday.com, and download the free song made just for today or snatch up a sweet t-shirt or bag. Take a look at their Facebook, too, they have some amusing things posted.

Happy World Goth Day Kids!

~B

Help Cut Back on the Number of Homeless Pets

All About Animals Rescue is a wonderful organization that's goal is to have no more homeless pets. They strive towards meeting this goal by having a wonderful pet adoption and foster program, but they take it one step further. They also have 2 clinics that offer low cost spay/neutering (one in Warren and one in Auburn Hills) and now they have added a mobile unit too! 

One of the biggest contributors to homeless pets is unwanted litters and placement of these litters into homes that are not ready for a life long commitment to that animal. By simply getting your pet spayed or neutered you will help prevent strays, crowded shelters and unnecessary euthanasia of your pet's possible offspring. It is also beneficial to your pet's health and you won't have to worry about cleaning up after your female four legged friend. 

One reason that people avoid getting their pet spayed or neutered is because of the cost. Well, as I mentioned, All About Animals Rescue offers low cost services or you might even qualify for financial assistance for the procedure. I know it may sound sketchy... discounted medical procedures? However, All About Animals is a legit, professional organization. 

Their new mobile unit is allowing them to offer their services to those that might not be able to make it to one of their clinics. Starting today, All About Animals will have their Mobile Spay/Neuter Van at Cass City Cinema, across from Canine to Five. The unit will be there through Saturday. All services are performed by a licensed veterinarian. The cost is $80 for dogs and $40 for cats. If you can't afford that, there are some financial assistance programs available through them. That price sure is A LOT less than most vets charge though! If your pet is getting fixed, they can also receive low cost vaccines, heartworm testing, microchipping, flea prevention, heartworm prevention and deworming the same day! They have another great special going on too. If you have a litter of kittens, they are charging $40 to spay the mother and only $10 per kitten. That could save you and the future parents of those kitties a lot of money! 

In addition to low cost spay and neuter procedures, All About Animals offers low cost vaccinations and wellness services. By low cost, I mean low cost. Most things cost $15 or less. That's pretty awesome! Occasionally they also have vaccination fairs at other sites with even lower costs! 

As their name suggests, All About Animals Rescue does more than offer low cost medical procedures. They also takes in strays and unwanted pets and help place them in forever homes. They have some real cuties right now! You can check out their entire list of adoptable pets here.

One other great service that they offer is Trap Neuter Return services for Feral cats. If you have some stray/feral cats around your home, AAAR will loan you a trap and you can then bring the kitty into their clinic to be neutered and vaccinated. Once the procedure is over and the cat is ready to go, you then release it back into it's outdoor home. This helps ensure that the kitty will be healthy and also that they won't make a bunch of other homeless kitties! 

So, as you can see this organization does a lot of great things for the community and for our pets. I have personally been to their Warren location before. I can tell you it is super clean and all of the people that work and volunteer for this organization truly love animals and make sure your pet is getting wonderful care. If you would like to make an appointment for the Mobile Spay/Neuter Van call (586) 879-1745. You can also make an appointment for the mobile unit and both clinics online here. Make sure to keep your furry friend healthy & happy and do your part to help cut down on homeless pets!

~C

Peace Love Spandex Takes Over Eastern Market!!!

This weekend was the kind of weekend that I dream about all year. I skipped around town and attended some great events. On Sunday, I decided to go down to the Eastern Market for the annual Flower Day extravaganza. 

During the weekend that Flower Day takes place, many Metro-Detroiters pack the streets of the Eastern Market and fill their trunks with all sorts of garden goodies to decorate their homes. It is always really enjoyable to walk around, grab some food off a cart and see the live acts that are playing in front of stores and in parking lots throughout the approximately 6 block radius. This year I went with a specific purpose; to finally show you the amazingness that is Peace Love Spandex.

New York and L.A. may be known for their pop up sales, but we want to be known for our pop up fashion shows. An idea that was not created in Michigan, but has spread around the city in popularity over the last few years. Angela McBride, designer and creative director of Peace Love Spandex, knows that in Detroit we love our music, our ladies and our spandex. She creates what are essentially pop up fashion shows at all types of events. When you combine great colorful clothing with good looking women and music, people turn their heads and pay attention. You may have seen her work featured over the last few years in a variety of places, including the covers of Real Detroit and on the racks at Incognito.

Today at the Eastern Market she teamed up with the crew over at the Division Street Boutique and Aptemal Clothing to fill the market with people dancing and having a good time. Once a crowd gathered, they opened the doors and let loose spandex clad models to walk down their impromptu “runway”. People got up and were cheering and dancing while girls strutted and showed off the newest designs from Peace Love Spandex. After they finished walking the “Runway” they all lined up and used the graffiti on the walls to take some great photos and Polaroids of the models in their outfits. We stuck around and took pictures of the whole event.  

For more information on Angela McBride and Peace Love Spandex, visit peacelovespandex.com. Also, make sure follow the master of it all on Twitter: @peaceluvspandex. You don't want to miss the next time she tweets out that she is taking over a space with her crazy crew and wild clothing!

Thanks for showing us a great time and letting us in to get a behind the scenes look at how Detroit does fashion!

~S

Feeling A Little Creepy With the Odd Hours

They say in the world of jobs, friends and success it's all about who you know. For some reason I just keep meeting the most interesting people who keep opening doors to meet more and more interesting people.

A few months ago we met Tunde Olaniran when he opened up for FLASHCLASH at the Magic Bag. He blew the crowds minds when he stepped on stage with his amazing voice, slick and perfect hair, and hot coordinated dancers. He made it clear that night that he was someone I needed to know more about! He is a stylist, an activist, and someone who is taking over this city one heart at a time.

This talented gentleman called me last week to let me know that he was going to be styling a photo shoot at Vogue Vintage for a band named Odd Hours, who are about to release a new EP. He sent over a confidential link to one of their songs and I was very interested in learning more about them. He was gracious enough to invite Hip in Detroit along to see what happens when three talented musicians, a talented artist and stylist and hot female photographer named Lisa Marie Krug, all put their minds together. 

Vogue Vintage is located just south of 696 on Woodward, basically right on the border of Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge. It is a large space filled with furniture, clothes, jewelry and lots of other trinkets from the past. I wanted to buy the whole store for the house that I do not have! I fell in love with a few rings that Tunde was using for the shoot and I adored the outfit that he had already put lead singer, Natasha Beste into. That girl knows how to rock a body suit. 

While Tunde and Lisa scouted out where they wanted to take the photos and what amazing pieces of furniture they would use, I got a chance to do a quick interview with the Odd Hours about who they are and what their plans are for the future.

Odd Hours is a three piece including Natasha Beste on vocal and keys, Mike Legue on drums, and Tim Jagielo on guitar. They have one EP out on their bandcamp now. 

Their EP drops on June 30 and they are playing The Old Miami. Hip in Detroit plans to be there to get you some live footage so you can see this band for yourselves. We thought the sneak peak of the record sounded great but the band says you have to see them live to get what they are all about. We 100% agree that live music is better than anything else, so we hope that you will come out to join us!

Tunde also has a show coming up at the June 29th at P.J.’s Lager House. We are planning to finally get that coveted interview with him. I hope you will also join us at this show! 

To find out more about the talented Lisa Marie Krug, and see more of her work go here. While you're at it, make sure you check out Whitdel Arts, too. Loved meeting you Lisa and hope we get to do more with you in the future!

~S

So Much To Do This Weekend!

This is one of those weekends where there is just way too much stuff going on. We thought we'd help you out a bit and put some of the things we think are worth checking out in a nice, convenient little package.   

Actorfest- Detroit: If you're thinking about acting, want to get involved in the movie-making industry, or if you are interested in trying to get Hollywood to come back to Michigan again, then you should check out Actorfest today. It's held at the awesome Raleigh Studios (where James Franco was filming the prequel to the Wizard of Oz last year) in Pontiac until 6 tonight. There will be workshops, casting calls, you name it. In particular, there is a casting call for a feature film, Category 6. So if you are looking to get some screen time, get up off your butt and head over there! Now! 

Meet Your Best Friend at the Detroit Zoo: Who doesn't love cute little puppies? I don't care who you are, puppies are always adorable. The Detroit Zoo is teaming up with the Michigan Humane Society and a bunch of local animal welfare organizations to host the annual event today and tomorrow from 10- 5. There will be hundreds of dogs, cats, puppies and kittens available for immediate adoption. If you're looking for a new, adorable friend, this is your place. 

Running With Panthers Final Show: A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of seeing and then interviewing the band Running With Panthers. Sadly, they are playing their last show tonight at St. Andrews with Little Ozzy. Make sure to see them one last time, and get some merch 50% off! 

The High Strung Record Release Show: We love The High Strung, and they are playing tonight at one of our favorite bars, The Loving Touch, to celebrate their new record! Check out the interview with Josh here and then head down there for some fun and to check out their new music! 

Rival Summers Record Release Show: The new record came out May 15 and is available to stream free here. Give it a listen and then go see the show at the Crofoot tonight with Shapes & Colors for $12.  

Peace Love Spandex Fashion Show: Peace Love Spandex will be having a couple fashion shows on Sunday at Eastern Market. The first one is at 2 and the second at 7. Trust us, you don't want to miss it!

Motor City ComicCon 2012: For all you nerds and comic book lovers. There will be dealers, merchandise and best of all- some celebrity guests! I know no one wants to miss out on their chance to finally see Peter Brady in real life. I'm sure that's the reason everyone will be going this weekend. Well, the event will be going on all weekend- Saturday 10:30- 6, Sunday 10:30- 5. A one-day ticket costs $25, or you can get a weekend ticket for $55. Visit their website here for more info. 

Flower Day at Eastern Market: It's sunny and warm and beautiful out! Which means it's the perfect day for an outing to Eastern Market to get some fresh fruits and veggies and whatever else your little heart desires, but especially flowers! Sunday is the annual Flower Day event. According to their website, over 200,000 people attend, but don't let that scare you out of getting some gorgeous flowers!

There are just not enough hours in the day! Wish we could go to everything, but alas, there are only so many hours in a day. Happy sunny, beautiful weekend to you!

Up For A Weird Night? Get Over to 'It Came From Planet B!'

If you're a fan of B-movies and just plain, weird things, then you don't want to miss 'It Came From Planet B!' The event is an interesting combination of theatre and circus-style performances that will recreate the famous alien invasions from classic B-movies, but live! They even encourage people to wear costumes to the show- sci-fi, military, mad scientist, small town America, you name it! Sounds pretty awesome, right?

There will be performances by the Detroit Fire Guild, Dakini, Detroit Burlesque Company, The Weird Sisters Circus, Leilani & Narayanaya and more! I for one know how awesome the Weird Sisters Circus performances are and you won't want to miss it!

The event is going on tonight, Friday, May 18, but don't worry if you can't make it tonight. It will also be on June 1 and 2. The whole thing will be at the Emerald Theatre in Mt. Clemens and doors are at 9, with curtains at 10. You can buy tickets online here for $15 in advance, or $20 at the door. Tickets are also available at Detroit Comics, Showtime Clothing, Acme Mercantile, Emerald Theatre Box Office and Lady Luck Piercing. 

For more info and a description of the performers, you can read about it here. 

So, if you are feeling a little weird, make sure to check this out!

~B

Another Fun Night @ Small's!!!

Last night I stopped by Small's to have a Hard Luck Root Beer Vodka cocktail and see Mark Lanegan perform at his sold out show. By eight o'clock the place was already bumping! The jukebox was spitting out some great music and everyone was having a good time.  

 

I really enjoyed Mark’s performance and had a great time at the show. I think a great sold out show at Small's is the place to be. I love this venue and bar. The sound is great and the extra room off to the side provides a little extra space so everyone can get a good view of the stage. I was especially surprised when the band started to play. I was still sitting at the bar when the show began, but I did not have to rush out of my seat. Small’s now has multiple TV’s in the main bar to make sure that you do not miss a second of the show when you need to go get a drink. I was so happy to see that they had added this new feature to the space! It definitely is a cool upgrade for a fan that doesn't want to miss a thing.

 

We took a few pictures of the crowd and the merch table, but were unable to get a clear picture of Mark performing. Not because we didn't have a great view but due to some very dark red lighting that was not made for my camera to capture.

 

 Small's has a few great shows coming up including our friends The Goddamn Gallows on May 24, Bars of Gold with The Fencemen, Pigeon and Golden Torso on May 25th, and Gentlemen Jesse & His Men, The Barreracudas, Feelings and Twine Time this Friday! I highly suggest getting either a large size PBR or a strong mixed drink with some Hard Luck Vodka and checking out a show at this space. 

 Another happy hump day for me!

~S

Mayer Hawthorne

Tuesday night, former local boy, Mayer Hawthorne also known as Andrew Mayer Cohen or Haircut, performed to a sold out crowd at the Majestic Theatre. He played for a solid hour and a half to a mixed ages crowd of people who had a great time dancing and watching the performance. I have to admit that I was not familiar with this act prior to going to the show, but halfway through the set I caught myself shaking my ass and having a great time! I loved that he had a lot of great things to say about Detroit, since he hasn't lived here since 2008. I also loved hearing him give a shout out to J Dilla, a local hip hop legend. His music could be described as soul music for 2012. It is very forward, but definitely has its roots in the performers of the past including Curtis Mayfield or Smokey Robinson. The famous Camera Jesus was there shooting photos. So keep checking out camerajesus.com to see when he puts some photos up from this show. All the performers wore some great suits that are worth checking out. We are glad that we got to see this former Ann Arbor boy play. He is doing this wonderful state proud!

 ~S

Hey! It's The Guys From Banana Airlines!

Sometimes, it's kind of funny how you meet people and what a small world Metro-Detroit really is. Recently, Christie and I went to the Detroit X Detroit show and saw The HandGrenades perform as The High Strung. After seeing their performance, I had to look up more of the actual band, and I really liked what I heard. Soon after this, I was working at my other job at a restaurant, and happened to wait on the singer of The High Strung! Well, me being as shy as I am, decided to say something to him despite probably sounding like a crazy stalker, and it led to an interview! Who would have thought!

Well, if you don't already know of them, you really need to look them up, or better yet, go see them on May 19th at The Loving Touch. The High Strung is a group of fun guys who play really good, fun tunes. If you don't believe me, you're crazy, but check out the interview with Josh Malerman now!  

HipInDetroit- You guys have been together for awhile now, how did you all meet? I know your Facebook says you are all former stewardesses for Banana Airlines, but somehow I feel like there is more to the story... 

Josh- We met in grade school. Chad (bass) was a friend of my younger brother's. Derek (drums) and I met in gym class or health class, I'm not sure anymore. The two of them were already playing, which for me was beyond strange. We met Palmer (guitar) at an archery show in West Michigan. He was the favorite, but lost when one of his arrows struck a balloon instead of the target. We were laughing about it afterwards and he said something that really excited me, he said, “I knew what I was doing, man, but I couldn't help myself. I just had to see that thing pop.” 

HipInDetroit- You seem like pretty fun guys, you must have some funny stories from being on tour, or just some nonsense I'm sure. Mind sharing one with us?   

Josh- We all went to jail once on the road, for inciting a 'riot,' We weren't even playing at the time. We were just playing a drinking game at the bar and suddenly, poof, we were in a plexiglass cell together. A friend/fan bailed us out. I wish we had the mugshots, except we don't photograph very well. 

HipInDetroit- You just released a new record, ¿Posible O' Imposible? How was it getting that together? Where can people find it?   

Josh- You can get in on iTunes, our website, the usual channels. It's at UHF on vinyl and other places, too. It was very exciting getting it together because I didn't completely realize we had a new album's worth of songs until it seemed time to make an album and then I looked down and thought, “Well, alright, we're all set then.” There was no way for me to know there were themes to the songs, that ideas popped up in each of them, lyrically. I don't know. I think getting an album together is always something like existence... you wake up and you might think, “Holy smokes, it's all still happening.” That's what it felt like when we started learning these songs. 

HipInDetroit- I see you have some shows coming up, in particular your record release show on May 19. Where is that going to be held? What are the details for it?   

Josh- Saturday, May 19th, The Loving Touch. The bill is this: The Good Things, The HandGrenades, Matt Jones and the Reconstruction, then the High Strung. Short sets. The details are, you should eat a pot brownie somewhere in The HandGrenades set so that by the time we play, you're out of your mind with silliness and I promise I'll make you laugh.

HipInDetroit- One of your songs, 'The Luck You Got,' from your new record is the theme song for the show 'Shameless,' which is AWESOME. I've only seen one episode, but that show is pretty crazy. How excited were you guys about that? Are you fans of the show (I'm sure you are now!)?   

Josh- Yes. We're fans. It's so dirty! My mother watches it because we do the theme song and sometimes I cringe, thinking, “Oh man! Mom just saw a woman give birth on television, too!” We were very excited. We'd just finished a practice when Derek got word that Showtime was interested. It's a great feeling, writing a theme song. Makes me feel something like the old-timey song-writers who took theme songs, holiday songs, and their own albums with equal fervor. Makes me feel classic somehow. 

HipInDetroit- Recently at the Detroit X Detroit show, we saw The HandGrenades perform as you. Must be pretty flattering! What did you think of their performance? How did they do in the wardrobe department? I remember them talking about how much Tom looked like you.   

Josh- Well, I will say he looked nothing like me. :) I will also say that the bass player who sang “Giant” sings it better than I do and when I saw him again I asked him for tips. I think it's possibly the most flattering thing that's ever happened to us. I love their band. They're playing with us at the ¿Posible? Release show at the Loving Touch, Saturday, May 19th.   

HipInDetroit- Between your website, Facebook, Myspace, Tumblr...you guys are all over the internet! And you have some pretty awesome, fun artwork on everything. Do you do it yourself or what? 

Josh- Derek had a hand in or actually made entirely the artwork for our first three albums. Then we asked a fella to do our fourth, I drew our fifth and Derek found a fella in Chattanooga to do ¿Posible o' Imposible? Derek is interested in those things, so it's something of a luxury, having a bandmate who likes doing this and does it well.   

HipInDetroit- One thing we like to ask everyone we talk to is what are your favorite places in Detroit? Favorite venue, restaurant, bar, etc.?   

Josh- John King Books is out of this world. There is another used book store near Wayne State. I was so excited once when I walked in there that I asked the guy how much for the entire horror section. I really like the Wayne State campus... and eating there... walking around. My favorite bar, though, is in Berkley. The Berkley Front. Just played in a pool tournament there. Made the final four but I was playing from behind all night... chipping away at leads.

There you have it folks. Get your butts down to The Loving Touch this Saturday and let Josh make you laugh, brownie or not! Hope to see you all there! And don't forget to get your copy of the new album while you're at it.

~B

Get Ready to Party with Wilson, PBR and Us !!!

We are so excited to announce that we have teamed up with our friends in Wilson and with PBR to bring you one hell of a party!

 
June 1st join us at The Pike Room for Wilson's Tour Kickoff, the party before the party! The guys will be hitting the stage with All's Quiet, Act as One, Tharsis They and Quicksand Swimclub. As if a Wilson show isn't a big enough party already, the first 90 people through the door will get a complimentary PBR! Rock & Roll and free beer! Hell yes!

We have big things in store for this night, so make sure you are there if you want to be a part of an awesome party and a kick ass video. Plus you get to party with yours truly and Wilson! Wilson, PBR & Hip In Detroit in one place! This is going to be insane!!!

Tickets are only $8 and it is an All Ages show. (Of course you have to be 21+ to get the complimentary PBR, though!) Do your self a favor and pick up a ticket ahead of time so you don't miss out and cry yourself to sleep on June 1st because everyone else is partying it up while you are at home washing your hair. Tickets are available here! Make sure to head over to Facebook for more details on the event! While you are at it, RSVP and invite your friends! 

If you haven't seen Wilson yet, here's a taste of what you can look forward to:

PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who Knew You Needed A Passport to Get to Midtown?

Since I finally joined the modern world and got a smartphone earlier this year, I've become a fan of Yelp. It really comes in handy when you're starving and want some delicious food, but nothing you know of sounds good, just Yelp it! Yah, I said that. I'm sorry. Anyway, Yelp really does come in handy and now they are doing something pretty cool in Detroit. They have what they are calling Yelp's Passport to Midtown! and it is going on May 14 until May 23.

Basically, there are tons of cool events going on to support local businesses in and around Midtown. There are so many good restaurants, bars and stores down there! There will be organized beer tours, dinners, doggie meet ups (I need to get myself a puppy and partake in this) and bike mechanic classes, plus much more! 

There are also special deals at many of the participating places. If you check-in on the Yelp app on your phone you can receive discounts like free coffee, discounts off your entire bill, free cookbook and free admission to the DIA, to name a few. Or, if you are not part of the modern world like me yet and can't check-in on your phone, you can just mention passport to get the deals. 

So, go down to Midtown and celebrate the city that you love and support all the local businesses. You can even create your own event, and if you do, let us know! We love finding out abut new, awesome places. Visit the event page here for a full list of the events and participating places and all the necessary info.

~B

Amanda Finos. A Real American Badass.

The world is fascinated by young successful people that 'make it' before they are 25. We make a huge deal out of the Justins and Britneys of the world and forget that No Doubt toured for 10 years and didn’t hit until Gwen was 27 years old! The older I get the more I realize why we are so fascinated by youth that are driven. Mainly, most youth have a lot of dreams and not a lot of drive. Thanks to electronics becoming more affordable and more advanced we have a new crop of kids who think they are D.J.’s, photographers, and solo artists before they have ever left their bedrooms. The reality is that it takes a lot of hard work to be a D.J., especially when you are true to the art and buy and bring your own records instead of plugging your Ipod into the input cable. It takes a lot of work to be a real photographer; you can’t just take pictures in black and white and think you’re ready for the cover of Rolling Stone. Frankly, it just takes a lot of work to do anything creative and artistic. It takes a lot of failures, bad sets and ugly photos to get something good.

I recently met an MSU graduate who stood out from the crop. I am getting used to everyone throwing me a line about what they are going to do someday, so when I met someone who was inspiring and ready to do something today, I tuned in and listened to what she had to say. I’m not sure if it was the hope in her eyes, the words that she spoke or the intelligence past her years that first tuned me onto Amanda, but when I actually saw some of the work that she had done, I knew that she was no bullshit artist.

Amanda is a 22 year old Michigan resident who graduated from MSU just a few weeks ago. She spent the last few years going from class to class and earning that piece of paper that so many young students think is way more important than it turns out to be. The difference between most students and Amanda is that she doesn’t see this as the end, but instead the beginning. In the words of Gwen Stefani, “Now that you got it, what are you going to do about it?”

Amanda is the kind of girl who grew up in the country and rides a Harley. She is a beautiful contradiction who is not afraid to take life by the balls. When I saw her musical-themed Harmony collection, I was speechless. I would own every one of those pieces in a dream world! I was able to check out her work on her website and then sit down to ask her some questions. I hope you will be as inspired by this young beautiful woman as I was! Read on for our interview. 

HipInDetroit- Why did you choose to major in Interior Design? Why furniture? What attracted you to this type of design work? 

Amanda- My Mom and Dad own their own custom metal fabrication business, which for a long time was run out of pull barns at our home. We live in the country, by the way. That man [her father] can make absolutely anything out of metal, but he mostly specializes in kitchens, stainless features, high-end custom furniture, and handrails. I grew up working in the shop cutting, welding and going to installations and absolutely loved it. That's how I got into furniture and interiors and I’ve been passionate about them ever since.

HipInDetroit- What is your favorite project that you have completed so far? 

Amanda- My favorite project I've completed so far was The Harmony Collection, which I worked on for Independent Study. I chose to create my own course due to MSU's lack of furniture design courses. I created my own furniture pieces and featured them in a creative brochure. I love the pieces and my goal is to make them a real collection someday. 

HipInDetroit- I was looking through the designs featured on your website. Can you tell me about the Manta Pendant? It’s a neat design, how would you use a piece like that? 

Amanda- The Manta Pendant was a lighting design project we had to do for a nationwide design competition. Not many people seemed to enjoy this project due to a lack of electrical knowledge that would go into making a light fixture, but I LOVED it. The pendant is made for an office conference room and features interchangeable up and down lighting. It's also made from eco-friendly materials. This light could totally be put in production, right?

HipInDetroit- I was also blown away by your Harmony Collection line of furniture! Can you tell me a little bit about that? 

Amanda- All of the pieces were created using Google SketchUp and rendered with one of their awesome plug-ins. The brochures were done in Photoshop. If you can't tell already I'm OBSESSED with fonts, just an FYI. If you read all of the introductions to the pieces they are meant to be witty and feature real life scenarios. I had a lot of fun writing those! I can really see these pieces actually going to market; they're functional, stylish, and eco-friendly, too! My older projects were all done by hand (you can see some on my website) and are mostly rendered with watercolor. Watercolor is my favorite medium to work with, it's so fun! 

HipInDetroit- We noticed that you ride a motorcycle, not too many well rounded hot young ladies I know are into that. Can you tell me how you got into bikes? 

Amanda- Ah, the motorcycle! You know I never thought about riding a motorcycle until my Mom, yes my Mom, asked me if I'd want to get my license with her. She's always sat on the back of my dad's and one day she said, “screw it I want my own!” I'm quite the risk taker so I said why not. My mother, my best friend Melanie and myself all got our license last summer! I immediately fell in love with riding and got a bike a month later, my Mom also purchased one. My ride is a Harley Nightster 1200, sounds like a big bike but it's really the perfect size. I'm trying to inspire more girls to get out there and ride! You can find a picture of me riding in the Harley Commercials! 

HipInDetroit- Where do you see or want to see yourself and your business in 5 years? 

Amanda- I've been getting into television/movie set design for the past year and in the next 5 years I'd like to have a job in a production studio's art department. I would also like to have my own line of furniture, as well as doing interior design jobs on the side in my spare time. Did I mention I need to be busy all the time? I do, all the time, so bring on the projects people! 

HipInDetroit- How would someone get into contact with you if they had a project that they wanted to work on with you? 

Amanda- If you'd like to contact me, visit my website afdesignworks.com, where you can send a message right off the site or there's my email on there, as well.

Hip in Detroit- We always like to ask, what are some of your favorite local bands/venues/restaurants/ bars? 

Amanda- First and foremost, Detroit is awesome! For bars, I really enjoy getting a drink at The Sugar House their cocktails are amazing. Food wise I'm really into Greek food so I love hitting up Greek Town. Astoria Pastry Shop (in Royal Oak) is really good if you feel like being bad! Besides those places you can usually find me at St. Andrews watching my friend's bands or at weird events at The Fillmore. Ha! (This is a reference to where Amanda first met Hip in Detroit, the fated Detroit Music Awards!)

Congrats on being a beautiful charming creative and inspiring woman, you have a huge future ahead of you!

~S

MOM!!!!!!!!!!

There's one thing that everyone in the world has in common. We all have a mom. Some are better than others, but we all came from someone! We just wanted to take a second out of our day to thank all the moms out there, especially our 3 moms! You are all amazing! We love you! Happy Mother's Day! And we can't forget our Grandmas too! 

We'd also like to give a shout out to all of our other favorite moms out there...Elyse, Angela, Ramona, Kelly, Kim, Michelle & Kristen...just to name a few! We're glad that there are awesome moms like you guys out there! We're also glad you guys are willing to carry on the human race so we don't have to feel so bad about not doing it! You are all amazing women! Sleepless nights, labor, first words & first steps... you guys put up with the good and the bad. We commend you for it. And we also hope we never have to do it. Instead we'll just borrow your cute little ones from time to time and be those awesome "aunts". 

So moms, we hope you had a great day and felt a little extra special. For all of you out there that are reading this and just realizing it's Mother's Day... you're all jerks. Go call your mom or better yet, go give her a hug. I'm off to watch the finale of Desperate Housewives with my mom! What are we going to do on Sunday nights now!?!?! Happy Mother's Day everyone!!!

~C (and S&B)

It's a Sad, Sad Day.

This morning I woke up to one of the most upsetting emails. It contained the picture below. 

 

Could it be true!?!?!? All Betsey Johnson stores are closing!?!?!? Such a bummer! 

Honestly, it isn't that surprising. The last year or so I really haven't been impressed with her collections. But still! I can't believe they are going out of business! What girl isn't drawn to that bright pink store every time they walk into Somerset? Even girls like me, that don't like pink, can't stay away! Hell, I even know plenty of guys that enjoy going in there just to see the cute girls on staff. And let's be honest boys, if you buy a girl something Betsey for any occasion, they will love you forever. Or at least like you for a while.

Nonetheless, the store will be no more. As you can see on the flier, right now everything is 20-50% off. It sounds like Betsey's merchandise will still be available at department stores and a few of her shops in NYC might stay open. So at least we will still get to buy her gear. I will still miss going in to her stores and looking at all of the pretty and fun things, wishing that I could afford them all. 

If you want more info on Betsey's bankruptcy and store closings, here is a good article I found.

The two nearest Betsey Johnson stores are at Somerset Mall on the North side and Twelve Oaks in the newer addition by Nordstrom. If you need me in the next few weeks, I'm sure you can find me at the Somerset store pretty much every day!

~C

Rocking Out in my Living Room to the NEW Bill Bondsmen!

Does anyone else love getting snail mail as much as I do? I look forward to getting the mail everyday, which is weird because usually it is just a bunch of bills I wish I didn't have to pay. However, this week, when I opened up my box, there was a treasure inside- local band, Bill Bondsmen, had sent me their latest 7 inch to listen to and review. 

I am so honored that they would give me the opportunity to hear their music and add a very cool looking 7" to my collection. The record was recorded and mixed at Brooksfield Gentlemen’s Club in November of last year by Adam Cox. It was pressed at Archer Record Pressing and has a great cover that was screen printed by Jeff Arcel. I love when records are screen printed, it makes each one a little different and even more special. 

The 7" has a song on each side and has a really cool design on the actual record. The music is 100% punk rock at it’s best. I turned on the record and let it play while I worked and was happy to hear that it was full of heavy bass and lots of feedback at times. It made me excited to see these guys play the next time they have a show. 

The record is now available for $5 at Stormy Records, Dearborn Music and UHF. You can also send the money (cash or money order made to CASH) to them at 15106 Paris, Detroit, MI 48101 or email them at Billbondsmendetroit@gmail.com.

I would like to thank Tony, Jeff, Daniel, Rob, and Amado for sharing this with me. I give it a thumbs up. My initial reaction was, I wish there was more, so that in itself says a lot.To find out more about The Bill Bondsmen go here. We look forward to hearing more of you in the future.

~S

It May Not Be Summer Yet, But It Is Time For The Summer Pledge

During this year's Blowout we were introduced to the band The Summer Pledge. Well, actually a little while before the Blowout I came across the band in the wonderful world of the internet. Although the band has been around since 2007, I hadn't really heard much about them. Probably because they are on tour so much and because I fell off the face of the planet for awhile. Well, at least as far as music is concerned. The reason I initially decided to check out The Summer Pledge is because a friend of mine and Sadie's from college, Jeremy Demaske, is in the band. Along side Jeremy, is Dustin McLaughlin, Andrew Davis and Rob Wilson. After listening to these guys, I was really impressed and couldn't wait to check them out at the Blowout. In case you missed it, here is some footage from their set and an interview with the band at the Metro Times Blowout!

The Summer Pledge recently released their new full length, "Vessels". The CD is really good. Every time I listen to it though, there are two things that come to mind. Driving through the mountains with the windows down and drugs. Considering I don't do either of those things, I'm not quite sure why I think of those things. But, much like drugs, I was hooked with the first song on the album. The following 10 tracks were also good, but the first was definitely the best. Ok. Enough with the bad drug references. It's pretty obvious I don't know what I'm talking about. 

Anyways, the CD has 11 tracks on it. For the most part it is pretty mellow. It is a good mix of mysterious melodies, off-time beats and pure musical talent. If I were to compare The Summer Pledge to any band, it would have to be Brazil. Both bands are unique in their own right, but the vocals and somewhat eerie sound is very similar. Throughout college, Brazil was one of my favorite bands. So this is definitely a compliment. 

Thursday evening, The Summer Pledge is teaming up with their friends in FAWN and Reverend for their Album Release Show & Tour Kickoff. The show is at The Magic Stick Lounge and it's only $5 to get in. I definitely suggest that you make it out to this show and pick up their album. I guarantee it will be one of your favorites to listen to this summer. Especially if you are driving through the mountains with the windows down.

~C

You Left San Francisco to Come to Michigan???

Sunday's have become my movie-going night as of late, and I'm totally fine with that! I love movies and it's a great way to end a busy weekend! 

Last night, Christie and I finally made it to see The Five Year Engagement, starring Jason Segel and Emily Blunt. I really wanted to see this movie, even though I'm usually not in a hurry to see romantic comedies. This one was different though, because it was filmed here in Michigan, mainly in Ann Arbor. 

I think it's safe to say that we both liked the movie a lot. We were laughing pretty hard the whole way through. Don't get me wrong, like most romantic comedies, there are always a few sort of dull parts, but the funny parts far out weigh any dull moment there may have been. Jason Segel will always be hilarious to me.

The basic plot (if you want to see more about it, you can read our past article about the movie here) is that Emily Blunt and Jason Segel get engaged at the beginning of the movie, but end up having to move from San Francisco to Ann Arbor for Emily Blunt's job at the University of Michigan. Of course, Jason Segel's character hates Michigan at first. He gets a job at Zingermans, which I am ashamed to say I still haven't ever tried but is on my to-do list. I do love a good reuben and pickles. Anyway, the couple run into problems and keep postponing their wedding, for a total of five years.

I will admit I was a little bit worried about the movie being funny enough and there being too much lovey-dovey crap for me, but it really isn't like that at all. Jason Segel co-wrote it and the characters were cast pretty well. I don't know about you guys, but I have loved Rhys Ifans ever since he played that weird British guy in Notting Hill with the 'Fancy a Fuck?' t-shirt (hopefully someone knows what I'm talking about and I don't sound like a lunatic). I recommend checking it out. If nothing else, it's pretty cool to be able to watch a big movie at the theater and recognize most places in it. Ah, the beauty of movies made in Michigan!

Beware, watching this movie may cause a new found need to learn how to knit. You will see why. 

~B