March 28th meet-up CANCELLED! I'm very sorry to announce that the March 28th meet-up is being cancelled. Due to circumstances beyond her control, Peregrine Kate is unable to attend, and as she was 1/4th of the committed attendees, it seemed prudent to cancel the meet-up, especially since the other committed attendees would be driving significant distances. I'm sure the three of us (and the two maybes) would be able to have a wonderful meet-up without Our Kate, but after much back and forth, PK and I (rather undemocratically!) made the decision to cancel the meet-up. However, as they say in infomercials,
Wait, there's more!
We have had a suggestion from 2thanks for an April meet-up: Sweet Potato Sensations, in Northwest Detroit (on Lahser, across from the Redford Theater). This restaurant is starting to create a lot of buzz, so it might be a great place for us to check out. Their website is here, although be forewarned that mouth-watering delights are pictured: Would you look at all that scrumptious food? (Note to self: It's probably not a good idea to write diaries when you haven't yet had lunch!)
In order to get back on track sooner, rather than later, I am proposing that we plan a meet-up at Sweet Potato Sensations on either April 11th or April 12th. Either of these dates has the advantage that they are a) after the holidays (Easter and Pesach); b) soon; and c) did I mention SOON? Sweet Potato Sensations has limited weekend hours (Saturday, 10-7 and Sunday, 11-5), so we can get together for brunch/lunch/supper and still leave ourselves time for other weekend activities (spring cleaning/taxes/actual fun stuff). I've posted a poll below; if there is a specific time (beyond the rather vague "brunch" or "late lunch/early dinner") that works best for you, please mention that in the comments.
Next on the agenda, after the April meet-up, is a group visit to the DIA to see the "Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Detroit" exhibit. This exhibit runs until July 12th, but it is a timed/scheduled exhibit requiring ticket purchases in advance. Ticket prices on weekends are $19, but if we get a group of 15 or more, the price is reduced to $16/person. Tickets are expected to sell quickly, and I suspect that the closer we get to summer, the faster they will go. I'm not going to suggest dates for this, but it would be helpful in the comments if you would indicate if you prefer early May, late May, or early June. And to whet your appetite (yikes, another food reference!) for this exhibit, here is the blurb from the DIA:
Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo were an explosive couple. He carried a pistol. She carried a flask. He romanticized Detroit. She rejected it. But what they shared was a belief in communism, a thirst for tequila and a passion for each other. Discover how they left their mark on Detroit. And how Detroit left its mark on their art. Exclusively on view at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Detroit brings together nearly 70 works of art that depict the evolution of these two extraordinary artists’ careers, including eight of Rivera’s epic preparatory drawings for the Detroit Industry murals and 23 pieces by Kahlo, whose work has never before been shown at the DIA.
That quote got me curious, so I did a little more digging about the exhibit. Linky goodness from the Freep here, which ties in history, then and now:
Review: 'Rivera & Kahlo' at DIA celebrates Detroit soul. This Freep article, also by Mark Stryker, provides more background information about the artists themselves, their art, and their impact on the art world:
Tale of two artists: Rivera and Kahlo together at DIA. These articles have me positively drooling (last eating reference, I promise) at the prospect of seeing the Rivera murals again, as well as my first chance to see Frida Kahlo's art up close and personal.
Please remember to indicate in your comments your preference for when to go to the DIA. And as always, this is an open thread, so anything goes...