Parhelion

Please help me figure out whether I'm going crazy! I remember reading either in the GR Press or the GRBJ (or somewhere else?) that the city was collecting and providing all these customer demographics for potential businesses to get them to open up shop. Please post a link if you read this, too, it's driving me crazy! Thanks in advance.

I'm officially excited for ArtPrize! I went to the WMCAT party tonight, and it had such a fun energy (and good art!). I plan to register tomorrow night at UICA, so I can finally vote "thumbs up" or "thumbs down". So fun! Good crowd, music and drinks (note to self: bring more cash for bar tickets). What are you all doing for ArtPrize? I'm organizing an ArtCrawl with several area companies on the 28th (each one picks a bar and a venue- fun!). I'm also hoping to buy a UICA limited edition t-shirt, although I'm worried they're already sold out. Otherwise, my plans are to (hopefully) host some guests the first weekend in October (I'm in Detroit for the first weekend, which is no fun!). I hope everything will stay open until then. My biggest spots I want to hit are the UICA, WMCAT, the Federal Building (also curated by UICA) and the BOB. Am I misssing a big venue? Any and all input appreciated!!!! Also, I can't wait to buy my ArtPrize wristband- you get a cool softcover book of the art and a LiveStrong-type bracelet that grants you access to special transportation and tours, as well as special treatment at 22 local merchants! One to note is Schuler's, which is allegedly giving a free cup of coffee to anyone with a bracelet; if that's true, I'm so in. Hooray for ArtPrize!

I'm going to the WMCAT preview tomorrow, I can't wait to see what is there! Sadly, I missed the UICA preview, but that is on the top of my list! I'm also interested in ActiveSpace, as it is progressing slowly but seems to have a lot of parties. Hipsters. Looking forward to a wonderful week, please post all pics for us to see!

Heard Rick DeVos speak about ArtPrize tonight. They are purposefully leaving it open for the community to create events and happenings around it. Contact me if you want to do a business networking ArtPrize Bar Crawl!!!!

I saw two ArtPrize artists and their volunteers creating an awesome mosaic on the side of the Children's Museum (facing Veteran's Park). So fun to watch. Here

I volunteered my place (a peck building loft/condo), but no one likes a place with no guaranteed parking or transportation. I can't guarantee that, I have to work to afford a place to support my family and the artist! Hopefully we'll find a match (looking for only one person because of space considerations).

I can't wait to see how ArtPrize is going to pepper the city with events, how they'll map it, how they'll run the voting, etc. It will be great fun to see the transformation in the city!!! I volunteered my place, but haven't had many hits yet (despite being 0 miles from ArtPrize); probably because I can't guarantee transportation or parking. Oh, well, hopefully something will work out. I know the UICA is looking for gallery sponsors- PM me and I can send you the gallery sponsorship package, it's a pretty sweet deal. One of my favorite artists is there, so I'll be sure to stop by several times! Perhaps ArtPeers can collectively sponsor a gallery there? I'm really just looking for an excuse to throw ArtPrize-related parties around the area during the contest. . . Or else the ArtPeers or UrbanPlanet could have an ArtPrize barcrawl. . . .

OK, Urban Planeteers, what are *you* doing to support/promote/utilize/protest ArtPrize? As a GR enthusiast, I'm on my employer's ArtPrize committee planning special events, and I'm thinking about being a host for an artist. However, I have to admit, when I look at the 300 artists, about 50% seem like they are from Michigan. Hopefully this gets a little more international (or even national). . . Regardless, I'm very excited to show off our lovely city to any and all tourists. I hope it is a big success, and will do all I can (short of skipping work!) to support it. PS- if any of you marketers/business owners need a line on some ArtPrize gallery sponsorship, I happen to know some venues that are looking. PM me for more info.

Local Mocha is the only place that's consistently open where you can buy (delicious) ice cream. Fantastic.

Any word on if/how the DDA could provide incentives to downtown retail? Perhaps a special tax break or something. . . we need more stores downtown! If anyone knows who I can contact to volunteer to work on this, please PM me. I called the DDA before, and never received a call back.

The Pita House is delicious!!! Does anyone know if the old CityMarket space (and perhaps, simultaneously, Little Bohemia) will be utilized for an ActiveSite Event? That would be fantastic.

Any word on this?

I watched a sporting event in there a couple of weeks ago, and it got pretty busy at the end of the weeknight. We just went in for drinks and appetizers, and I thought it was a nice addition to the downtown mix. In this economy, it's so exciting we're getting all this investment in our downtown.

I was walking on Monroe Center early in the morning on the 17th, and was blown away by the amount of space in that building! I really hope that and the former Little Bohemia space get some high-profile retail to accompany the new Mexican restaurant (in former Herkner's) and Mediterranean restaurant going in at Monroe Center and Ottawa. BTW, was anyone downtown last night for ACTIVESITE? It was an amazing turnout, every bar and restaurant were full, and there were hundreds of people milling around downtown, it was so exciting! I wish the City had a similar event that could draw retail customers.

Hopefully we'll stop by tonight, I'll try to report back! It'll just be a stop on our way to HopCat, but we'll try to hit it up on the way. . .