Having experienced a snowstorm and subsequently a 3-day power outage in Connecticut in late October 2011, I feel that Michigan winter has been very benevolent to me so far, allowing me to go to a variety of events in the past month. Here are some of the highlights:

Nov.17 Google Glass, MOCAD

The moment I heard about Google Glass team coming to MOCAD on Nov.16 to give a two-day free demo session, I RSVPed without even blinking an eye. I was so thrilled and couldn’t help telling everyone around me for the whole week.

Google Glass has more features than I thought, such as browsing websites and watching videos. As a map geek whose life is 99% dependent on maps, GPS and memory–the other 1% on asking people when none of them works–I had a blast using Google Map direction through the Glass. No more typing on the phone, no more folding and unfolding a map, just say “OK, Glass, get directions to …..” and look through the Glass.

I am happy not only because I finally tried Google Glass, but also because they came to Detroit, a city that has always been the hub of technology invention. In fact, the U.S. Patent and Trademark office opened its first satellite office in Detroit in 2012. I am looking forward to Detroit hosting more high-tech events!

Nov.22 AIREA Studio

I recently found a cool spot in Downtown: AIREA Studio, and brought my Challenge Detroit team to the space last Friday. It’s a open co-working space provided by furniture design company AIREA Inc for business development and product exposure. It’s open to the public Mon-Fri, 8.30 am – 5. 30 pm (closed for 1 hour during lunch time).

Nov.23 La Traviata, Opera House

Last Saturday night I went to the Detroit Opera House with a group of friends from an Italian meet-up to watch La Traviata, a tragic love story based in 19-century Paris.

(Image from Wikipedia)

It was my first time to the Opera House. The interior is breathtakingly beautiful and exquisite. The stage setting was equally delicate. A review from The Examiner gave a good summary of La Traviata in Detroit.

Nov. 24 Thanksgiving Potluck with fellows

Last Sunday Challenge Detroit fellows had a Thanksgiving Potluck in one of the adorable condos on Woodward Avenue near Comerica Park.

Photography by Jim Tumey. From Detroit Curbed

Not until everyone unveiled the food they brought did I realize that the fellows are not only talented at work, they are also super talented at cooking. In fact, the food was so good that we all forgot to take photos.

Three months into the program, three and a half months after I moved to Detroit, I finally started to feel a sense of belonging. I wonder what feelings I’ll have when I look at this photo at the end of the fellowship. Sentimental? Accomplished? I don’t know, but I think Detroit will become a place that I can call home.