Downtown Birmingham/Bloomfield by Downtown Publications Inc.

BREAKTHROUGHS IN STROKE CARE. MADE POSSIBLE BY YOU. JIM HEFFERAN’S RECOVERY FROM STROKE WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY INDIVIDUALS HE HAD NEVER MET. The ones we call ENVISIONARIES – the employees and friends of Henry Ford Health System who are transforming the way we provide care through their giving. The treatment, methods and equipment Jim’s stroke team, including neurologist Dr. Panayiotis Mitsias, used to begin his road to recovery started with ENVISIONARIES like Mort and Brigitte Harris. Their generous gift to the Henry Ford Neuroscience Institute established the Harris Stroke Center and, as a result, many more patient recoveries to come.

Your gift can save lives. Learn more about how you can become an ENVISIONARY at henryford.com/giving or call (313) 876-1031.

Henry Ford Medical Group stroke specialist Panayiotis Mitsias, M.D., and Jim Hefferan, stroke survivor.

DOWNTOWN12.11

Sewer repair styrene concern When students were taken to the hospital after exposure to fumes from a sewer line repair, it raised questions about styrene used in the local project.

CRIME LOCATOR

33: Susie Schecter

CITY/TOWNSHIP

Spice & Tea Exchange; POGO; California Closets; Frank Street Bakery; Bloomfield Salon; My House of Style; McQueen's Carpet; My Cousin's New York Pizzeria

DISTRIBUTION: Mailedmonthlyatnocharge tohomesinBirmingham,BloomfieldTownship andBloomfieldHills.Additionalfreecopiesare distributedathighfoot-trafficlocations. Forthosenotresidinginthefree mail distribution area, paid subscriptionsareavailablefora $12 annual fee. Phone 248.792.6464 and request the Distribution department or go to our website (downtownpublications.com) and click on “subscriptions”inthetopindexandplaceyour orderon-lineorscantheQRCodehere.

Devoid of culinary vanity, it attracts foodsavvy clientele with its creative menu featuring fresh, local ingredients. Welcome to Café Muse in Royal Oak.

Time was when one Port image was lived out in winter by a roaring fireplace. OK, it’s winter, but the vision has definitely expanded.

SOCIAL LIGHTS

November election results; Ann Taylor Loft leaving; Walgreens taking Borders building; Griffin Claw Brewery in Rail District; Market bistro gets closer

BUSINESS MATTERS

The major food banks in southeast Michigan are responding to increasing demands in a dicey local economic climate.

FOCUS ON WINE

59: Alexandra Lasky

Food bank challenges

Local, state and federal officials are basically thwarting the will of the voters when it comes to medical marijuana.

FACES

Medical marijuana stall

AT THE TABLE

A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, presented in map format.

23: Emery King

29 35

THE COVER Architectural feature near Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills.

ENDNOTE

DOWNTOWN P U B L I C A T I O N S DOWNTOWNBIRMINGHAM/BLOOMFIELD 124WESTMAPLEROADBIRMINGHAM48009 P:248.792.6464 downtownpublications.com facebook.com/downtownpublications twitter.com/downtownpubs

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NewsStaff/Contributors:HillaryBrody, SallyGerak,Eleanor&RayHeald, AustenHohendorf,GarrettHohendorf, KathleenMeisner,LaurieTennent

DOWNTOWN

Society reporter Sally Gerak provides the latest news from the society and non-profit circuit as she covers major events of the past month.

Time to honor voters' wishes for medical marijuana; focus on the Birmingham Rail District

INCOMING: Wewelcomefeedbackonboth ourpublicationandgeneralissuesofconcern intheBirmingham/Bloomfieldcommunity.The traditional Letters to the Editor in Downtown are published in our Incoming section, and can include traditional letters or electronic communication.Youropinionscanbesentvia e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com; or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 West Maple Road, Birmingham MI, 48009. Letters must include your full name, address anddaytimephonenumberforverification.

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LET OUR COMPLIMENTARY PERSONAL STYLIST SERVICE HELP YOU WITH ALL OF YOUR HOLIDAY GIFT AND WARDROBE NEEDS UPCOMING EVENTS November 30-December 1

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hose of us at Downtown Publications were very excited in recent weeks to be able to announce our newest publication, The Guide 2012.

The Guide is designed to be a high-quality stock, convenient size annual publication that will serve as the definitive directory to the communities of Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills. This new publication joins the recently released Black Book of Non-Profits in our stable of special publications you will see us produce in the next year as we begin to expand our print offerings in the Birmingham/Bloomfield area. The initial response to our first annual issue of the Black Book has been heartening. So many of our readers have taken time to e-mail or phone with positive feedback, along with a number of non-profit community groups that appreciated our efforts to catalogue and give wide exposure to the fundraising activities of charities for the next year. In terms of The Guide, we expect the same type of strong response. We have designed a full-color publication that for these special local communities is more befitting than other directories in the past. We chose a heavier stock and a smaller, convenient size for The Guide because we know that during the course of the year, this special publication will be referenced repeatedly. The format (perfect bound) and stock are considerably more expensive than what other community directories have chosen but we think the investment in a more upscale product will be appreciated by local residents, who have come to expect nothing less from Downtown Publications. For those potential advertisers who are curious, our sales department has a limited number of copies of a prototype we have produced to show you our newest publication, although advertisers have already started making space commitments as soon as word began to spread that we were planning something of this nature. Specifications and ad rates can be found in the home page index (The Guide) of our website, downtownpublications.com. We think we are uniquely qualified to capture the essential information for the Birmingham/Bloomfield area. With our monthly newsmagazine, Downtown Birmingham/Bloomfield, we have established a track record of producing a quality, upscale editorial and advertising product that so many local residents tell us they look forward to receiving each month. We will be applying these same high standards to The Guide, 25,000 copies of which will be produced in late March of 2012, the majority of which will be mailed to residents in the area. The Guide will serve as the source of essential information for local residents and newcomers to the area. We will supply detailed information on local governments and both public and private schools, community profiles, houses of worship, along with a variety of information covering other important aspects of Birmingham/Bloomfield. We have priced advertising in The Guide at a level much more competitive than others who have tried to produce something similar in the past. And for businesses who would like us to create their ad, we are not charging for creative/production work. Additionally, we are offering special discounts for advertisers who make an early commitment to join us on the 2012 edition of The Guide. We are also offering attractive discounts for advertisers who pay prior to publication next March. Combined, you can reduce our more than competitive rates by another 20 percent. As you can imagine, our publishing group in downtown Birmingham is very enthused about our latest publication, the first of a number of special products we will be bringing to market in 2012. As always, I welcome your feedback. David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@downtownpublications.com

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Time will tell Most residents of Birmingham aren't so easily impressed by those who boast of their "philanthropic initiatives", their "contributions to local and regional charitable organizations" by their team of employees, management and owners, and least of all by their "millions of dollars" invested in the city for their commercial endeavors. While it may be "good news", as Mr. Telford eludes to in his letter (Downtown/Nov. 2011), it matters not when it pertains to night clubs that give the city and it's residents cause for concern with "incidents", however few, not experienced prior and not wanted in a residential community. It's not unusual in Birmingham that many of our business owners, as well as private residents, could make the same statements of their investments in the city and of their good deeds, but they don't find it necessary in order to persuade others that they're good people and good neighbors. If they are, it's simply evident. With the recent management shuffle by The Dali Group for The

Nannies article

SPEAK OUT We welcome your opinion on issues facing the Birmingham/Bloomfield communities. Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 West Maple Road, Birmingham MI 48009. While we don’t have a specific word limitation, we reserve the right to edit for length.

Thank you for your article on nannies (Downtown/Oct. 2011). I was pleased to see you highlight Tara Lindsay, a true career nanny. As a point of reference, some agency's like mine also screen the families. It is important that the nanny is safe. We also do not put any available jobs on the internet because we are truthful about what is available and jobs are very fluid. Carolyn Stulberg, Alexandria School

School wish list Hamilton Room and Chen Chow, time will tell if those changes will rid the night clubs of "incidents" that are common occurrences everywhere to venues of that nature. I think not. Alice Dinan-Thimm, Birmingham

Natalie Taylor You'd be amazed at how much goes on in Birmingham and Bloomfield. I covered Natalie Taylor (Downtown/

I operate a K-12 public school system. I wish to: • Receive full state aid for each student whether they are in kindergarten or high school. • Comply with all reports from the State but shield myself from them by hiring a management company, so there is no requirement to reveal profits or expenditures.

• Hold my board meetings in another state, so I can avoid public comment and scrutiny. • Pick and choose students, selecting students with higher incomes and fewer disabilities, so showing better achievement than other schools is easy. • Run only a K-5 program. That’s where all the money is. I can net at least $1,000 profit from each student. • Or run a cyber/online program where I spend as little as $164 per class and a total of $984 per pupil, so I can pocket the remaining $6700. • Finally, run this entire operation from Florida, so the money I make from Michigan students circulates in Florida’s economy, not in Michigan’s. Would you ever permit me to run that kind of outfit? Of course not. What I have just described is how charters and cybers operate either in Michigan or other states. This fairly represents a set of bills in the Michigan House pending imminent approval. If these bills do not align with your values, you need to get involved today. Michael V. Simeck, Superintendent, Berkley Schools

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WHAT COUNTS the most to these kids? Knowing somebody cares. Show them that their well being is important to you. You, your corporation or foundation can help us fight the obesity epidemic by donating at tchserves.org, calling 248-644-5832, or mailing a check to The Community House: 380 South Bates Street, Birmingham, MI 48009.

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Drug offenses

Arson

These are the crimes reported under select categories by police officials in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills through November 15, 2011. Placement of codes is approximate.

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n October 6, 2011, six people, five students and a staff member from Seaholm High School in Birmingham were taken to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak after the smell from nearby sewer repair work made them sick. The odor from the nearby sewer work, being done by the Oakland County Water Resources Commission on Lincoln Road, was from styrene.

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It's a chemical you've most likely never heard of, and it can hurt you. Styrene. It's an unsaturated liquid hydrocarbon that is a petroleum byproduct, and it's been commonly used in sewer repair work in North America for the last 40 years. It's easily combined and bonded to make plastics and resins, which is why it's been popular in sewer lining repair work. It bonds easily to the existing structure, and it quickly adapts and molds, preventing seepage of water through its molecular structure. It's always smelled really badly, like the inside of an auto body shop. But because styrene appeared to dissipate pretty quickly into the air, in the past no one has seemed terribly concerned about the odor. Reports from the Birmingham Fire Department are that the fire department and EMS crews were called to Seaholm early on the morning of October 6 because fumes from the sewer repair work had overtaken the entire western wing of the school. It was not the first day there had been issues from work being done on Lincoln and Cranbrook, but it was the first time that individuals actually became ill. As soon as staff and students arrived in the morning, complaints began about of a foul odor that originated from a nearby construction site where the styrene resin was being used. Some complainants said it smelled like solvent, airplane glue, or spray paint, giving them headaches, nausea, and causing dizziness. Birmingham Public School officials closed the school for the remainder of the day. “Many rooms in the building were deemed unusable due to the mild odor,” said an email the district sent out to parents the day of the evacuation. For decades, the public has been told not to worry about styrene, that it wouldn't hurt us. But on June 10, 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) added styrene to its latest Report on Carcinogens (RoC), which the department says is a science-based document that identifies chemicals and biological agents that put people at risk for cancer. While the school's email said it was due to a mild odor, and officials at the Oakland County Water Resources Commission said at the time the odor was not dangerous, Birmingham fire fighters called for assistance from the county's local haz mat unit, who wore protective gear. Their tests of the air quality within the school were that of the various chemicals in the air at that time, they were all at low levels. The Oakland County Water Resources Commission performs sewer repair work for local municipalities, and did the recently completed work on Lincoln Road, between Southfield and Cranbrook, with Birmingham doing the paving repairs. The Water Resources Commission is also doing a $2 million project in Bloomfield Township, which Bloomfield Township Fire Chief David Piche said they have received no complaints about, and $200,000 repair job in Bloomfield Hills, on Lahser Road between Quarton and Lone Pine roads. Sue Coffey, a Water Resources Commission manager and a civil engineer, speaking for

commissioner John McCullough, said, “It's not uncommon to have people complain about the odor, and we have had complaints (about the odor) from the public before, but we've never had people go to the hospital until this incident. Up to this point, it's really just been about odor. We've had complaints about eye irritation and gastroenterological problems, but nothing worse than that. It's never really been a public health concern.” But Coffey acknowledged that no one from the Water Resources Commission did a toxicity study on the air or water quality on the Lincoln Road site that day, even though a chemist was on site. “The concentrations measured are usually from the contractor,” she said. “The styrene was not measured at the time to know what the concentration was that day, but the process only produces one to three parts per million when you're exposed. That's a very low concentration of exposure to styrene.” But contrary to Coffey's statement, styrene, going back decades, has been a health concern, especially for those working with it every day. A 1990 California Department of Health Services report stated: Styrene most commonly affects the nervous system, causing symptoms similar to drunkenness, such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, clumsiness, and drowsiness. Styrene can also irritate your eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and skin. Styrene has been found to damage genetic material (chromosomes) in workers exposed while working in the reinforced plastics industry. Styrene, which is a colorless, oily liquid, is a chemical which most people can smell at levels below those which cause significant health effects. Its odor is reportedly sweet at very low concentrations, but becomes foul and pungent at higher concentrations, some of which still may be below the legal limits for exposure. The effects listed may start to occur at exposure levels of about 100 parts per million (in the air). It has been believed that short-term overexposure clears up fairly quickly, with few ramifications. Coffey said that the EPA does not have limits on styrene, but warns about occupational limits for workers dealing with styrene. She said that based on information provided to the department by the contractor the Water Resources Commission uses, Liqui-Force of Romulus, the short-term limit is 200 parts per million, with the longer term exposure limit at 100 parts per million. The long term limit is an eight-hour time period. Calls to Liqui-Force were not returned. Currently, the EPA has not given styrene a formal carcinogen classification, but notes that it is under review. However, the EPA does warn about styrene in the drinking water, noting that some people who drink water containing styrene in excess of the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for many years could have problems with their liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems. They note that the major source of styrene in drinking water is the discharge from rubber and plastic factories, and

leaching from landfills. But a meeting agenda from December 1, 2010 for Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Administration (MIOSHA), Agenda Item 5, stated that the Advisory Committee reviewed documentation regarding styrene exposure limits and changed it to 50 parts per million. Glen Appel, an engineer with the Oakland County Water Resources Commission, said that after the styrene liner is put inside an old sewer during repair work, then heated and flushed with water, the water goes into the sanitary sewer system directly to the Detroit water treatment plant, and then from there into one of the main water bodies. Coffey confirmed that. “The water is flushed through the system into the Detroit waste water treatment plant. But it's being treated, so it's not discharged directly into the river. But I don't know anything about the water and the discharge into the water.” “It (styrene) really smells worse than it is,” said Appel. “You smell it way ahead of it being there. You'll smell the styrene in the air, and it smells like an auto body shop, but it dissipates pretty quickly.” He noted that they often get complaints from residents when there is nearby sewer repair work being done, but he does not believe it's a problem, just a smell. “It's often from faulty traps in the house,” he said. “If there's no water in the trap, it dries out, and there's an odor. But this treatment has been used to line water pipes here for over 20 years.” Having done something for a long time doesn't mean it's been the right thing to do. Back in 1990, before there were a lot of health studies on styrene exposure, long-term exposure was a concern, as the California report said: Some studies suggest that repeated, frequent overexposure to organic solvents over months or years can have long-lasting and possibly permanent effects on the nervous system. The symptoms of these long-term effects include fatigue, poor coordination, difficulty in concentrating, loss of short-term memory, and personality changes such as increased anxiety, nervousness, and irritability. Even in 1990, there were carcinogen concerns because laboratory animals given oral doses of styrene developed cancer. Most humans do not ingest styrene; they inhale it. But the 1990 study said: “However, it can damage the chromosomes (genetic material) of workers even at exposure levels below 50 parts per million; this suggests that it may cause cancer and/or reproductive damage. Further studies in both animals and humans are needed to reach definite conclusions.” And now, in June 2011, the U.S. HHS announced that styrene is a likely carcinogen. That does not mean that styrene has absolutely been found to cause cancer, but that the agency finds it's reasonable to think that it may put people at risk for cancer. And that is causing concern not just to those of us who live near sewer repair work, but to the those who do cured-in-place-pipe sewer

It's not uncommon to have people complain about the odor, and we have had complaints (about the odor) from the public before, but we've never had people go to the hospital until this incident. Up to this point, it's really just been about odor.

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rehabilitation work because styrene is the primary ingredient used to manufacture the thermoset resins used for the work. Besides sewer rehabilitation work (which is what is primarily done in Oakland County to repair sewers), styrene is the key ingredient in the manufacture of products such as rubber, plastic, insulation, fiberglass, pipes, automobile parts, and carpet backing. The HHS designation could impact hundreds of consumer products, from styrofoam cups and take-out food containers, to state-of-the-art sports equipment. But rather than being concerned about the public and their workers' safety, NASSCO (National Association of Sewer Service Companies) is adamantly opposing the designation of styrene as a likely carcinogen for humans. “For now, we do not see any immediate changes in the use of styrenated resins in cured-in-place-pipe,” said NASSCO Executive Director Ted DeBoda, saying the industry should not rush to judgement, nor change a practice that has been in place for decades. A coalition of groups, from NASSCO to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, are fighting having styrene listed as a possible carcinogen, saying additional reviews are needed using a “rigorous unbiased transparent process.” They are asserting that the government used biased studies when determining styrene's carcinogenic properties, perhaps concerned about their lucrative industries. Cured in-place pipe technology was introduced 40 years ago, and is now a billion dollar industry which provides municipalities and private companies what has been considered an environmentally-sound way to rehabilitate old and failing underground sewer pipeline infrastructure at a cost savings versus completely replacing the entire pipe infrastructure. NASSCO's position is that there is no hard-core evidence that styrene, as it is currently being used in the CIPP process, poses any health hazards to workers, nor to the public. They repeatedly cite independent studies, notably one done in 2001 in Toronto, which concluded that there was no health hazard from styrene exposure. Yet, other, more recent studies, disprove the Toronto study, recognizing that both the public and workers are at risk from styrene. The 2001 pilot program in Toronto, which is the one cited by engineering companies, including Liqui-Force, put a sensor on cured in-place work on a pipeline and wrote that they did not detect a discernible amount of styrene. More recent studies challenge the Toronto study, including a thorough study from the Virginia Transportation Research Council done in 2004, which studied styrene concentrations in the drinking water in seven different areas after cured in-place pipe work. Their findings suggest that “the resin-saturated liner was not completely cured during the installation process and continued to leach styrene, perhaps through or around the inner membrane liner.” Despite the Oakland Water Resources Commission stating that styrene dissipates quickly, the Virginia study noted that the maximum duration that styrene was detected at any site was 88 days following the pipe work. “Styrene levels at five of the sites were higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's maximum contaminant level for drinking water of 0.1 milligram per liter.” Virginia officials say the elevated styrene levels may have happened from installation practices that perhaps did not capture all of the condensate liquid containing

styrene at the time of installation, or that uncured resin escaped from the liner during installation. They noted that there was also the possibility that the styrene lining did not cure in a satisfactory way, or that there may be some degree of permeability in the lining material. The report did not investigate the installation practices. Robert Sills, Toxic Unit Supervisor in the Air Quality Division of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), said, “Styrene can persist in the air for a long period of time. It's dispersed by the wind. The highest concentration is near the source of the installation, for the people doing the work, before it's been able to disperse into the air. But the primary concern with styrene is the cancer risk, which is recognized.” Sills noted that the toxic effects of exposure is that it can effect the central nervous system. “While short term it causes headaches and dizziness, long term it can cause problems with neuropathy, movement and coordination to the nervous system. That's where you're concerned about a worker's ability to walk in a coordinated effect, and their hand-eye coordination. And then, ultimately, there's cancer. The target organs that have been shown to have cancer from styrene are lung cancer, leukemia, and lymphosarcoma, which is cancer of the lymph nodes.” Sills said that the agency, at this point, cannot ban companies or industries from emitting a substance like styrene. “But we can put strict limits on how much of a chemical can be emitted into the air so that they can't be impacted more than 1 in 100,000 parts per million in a lifetime risk,” he said. There is another option to cured in-place pipe installation, and it is considered a more environmentally friendly technology. It is an epoxy pipe lining which is sprayed on for complete water infrastructure rehabilitation. Introduced in 2007 by a company called Nu Flow, they acquired a company called American Pipe Lining. Commonly referred to as “APL,” this company was the first to bring potable epoxy pipelining technology from Japan to North America’s commercial and residential markets, and the technology is currently being used by the U.S. government and military. They assert that the epoxy lining is used not only as a permanent solution to prevent corrosion and leaks, but can also be used as a preventative tool to preserve the life of existing piping systems. It generates no emissions into the water or air. When made aware of these findings, Coffey, of the Oakland County Water Resources Commission, said, “We're always concerned about public safety and worker safety. Mr. McCullough is always concerned about safety, about public safety and worker safety, and has tasked us with looking into this. It's why we have a safety coordinator on every site, and we are investigating these concerns.” She did re-emphasize, however, that while it's not uncommon for the public, especially nearby residents, to complain about the odor of styrene when sewer replacement work is being done, she said, “We've never had people go to the hospital until this incident (the Seaholm situation). It's not really been on our radar before to this degree. Now it's a real concern.” Coffey said she is not aware of any incidences of cancer among water resources commission workers who have worked with styrene over the years. “It's something we want to monitor more closely, and we want to look more closely how we rehabilitate sewers,” Coffey said. “We want to do what's right now that we're aware of it. We take these concerns very seriously.”

A coalition of groups, from NASSCO to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, are fighting having styrene listed as a possible carcinogen, saying additional reviews are needed.

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2002 built custom home overlooking Wing Lake. 5 Bedrooms, 5.2 Baths. Brazilian cherry & marble flooring. 1st & 2nd floor Master Suites. Outstanding Lower Level has Theatre, Rec & Fitness rooms, full Bath & 6th Bdr. option. Acre site, space for a pool. Also for lease $11,750/month.

2011 updates in pristine Bloomfield Hills transitional. Gracious foyer, high-ceilinged Living Room plus large bays in Dining Room & Library. Gourmet island Kitchen opens to Breakfast & Sun Rooms. 1st floor Master. 3 Bedroom Suites upstairs. Walkout with Family Room, Exercise Room & more.

Exceptional 2001 Tringali-designed English Tudor replica on 2.48 acres in Franklin Village. Gated drive opens to views of the slate roofed home with pond, fountain & arched walkways. Over 10,000 sq. ft. of luxury. Wine Cellar & Tasting Room. Two heated garages with capacity for 8 cars.

2004 built, in-town home with exceptional features and amenities. Gourmet island Kitchen, banquet sized Dining Room. Spacious Family Room overlooks multi-terraced yard. Lower Level features Rec Room, Theatre, Bar & Bath. 3 car garage with apartment above.

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Prominently gracing the North shore of Wing Lake, this outstanding 2000 built New England-style stone and cedar home is beyond compare. Over 10,000 sq. ft. of elegance and style in architecture and quality. Incredible walk-out Lower Level. 6 bedrooms including private apartment.

This historic property overlooking Wing Lake was restored & expanded in 2001 to extraordinary elegance & functionality. Over 6,000 sq. ft. with an additional 4,000 sq. ft. in a beautifully finished Lower Level. Wine Cellar. 1st floor Master Suite with fieldstone fireplace and Sitting Room.

Beautifully maintained & updated soft contemporary, 4 Bedroom ranch. Over 4,000 sq. ft. of living space. Newer Kitchen. Luxurious Master Bath. Indoor pool converts to banquet sized room for entertaining. Center, open-air courtyard.

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Beautiful colonial on nearly 2 acres in Chelmsleigh, one of Bloomfield’s most desirable neighborhoods. Majestic hilltop setting. Spacious entertaining areas. Family Room with fieldstone fireplace and 12’ pine ceiling. 5 bedrooms. First floor Master with Sitting Room. Deck, Terrace and Pool.

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End unit condo in the gated community of Woodlands on Gilbert Lake. Spacious 1st floor Master plus 2nd Bedroom suite, Library, Living Room, Dining Room & first floor Laundry. Fully finished walk out with Family Room, 3rd Bedroom Suite, Office and abundant storage.

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Selling Cottages to Castles for a combined five decades Lynn Baker

Deby Gannes

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Bloomfield Hills $699,900

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Enter the grand foyer with a one of a kind chandelier and sweeping staircase. Brand new, drop dead gorgeous custom library with cathedral ceiling. Great room with wall of windows, volume ceiling and fireplace surrounded by built ins. Kitchen and breakfast room overlooks private treed 1/2 acre lot with extensive professional landscaping. 1st floor master suite plus 3 additional bedrooms and 2 baths up. Finished walkout (1,700 sq. ft.) is light and bright. Paver patio, electric dog fence and 3 car garage. GOO211088645

Estate home in private gated community, The Hills of Lone Pine. Enjoy tranquil view of Minnow Lake from inside and deck across entire home’s lake side. Beautiful mature setting, sweeping lawn and exquisite landscaping. Custom cherry cabinets, granite and top of the line appliances in Chef’s kitchen. 3,441 sq. ft. with 4 bedrooms and 4-1/2 baths has 1st floor master suite with fabulous closet and bath. Finished walk out and 3 car garage. WIC2111108178

Original carriage house for the Chalmer’s Estate. Rich in history, renovated in 2007 with all of the details, charm & elegance to reflect the era. Oversize rooms, extensive limestone, hardwood, wainscoting and trim. First floor master plus 5 additional bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths, 3rd floor family room/game area, 7,611 sq. ft. Private, wooded 1.25 acre estate with perennial gardens and views/privileges on Chalmers Lake. CLA211114111

Birmingham $774,900

Bloomfield Hills $291,900

Oakland Township $639,900

Custom built home in desirable Birmingham neighborhood. Built in 1992 with all the custom features and architectural details you could imagine. 4,680 sq. ft. with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths and 2 lavs. Unbelievable master suite with 14’ x 13’ lounging area, enormous closet plus jack and jill and private suite up. Finished lower level with kitchen, bath, 2nd family room, exercise room and game room. Oversized Trex deck with spacious yard and perennial gardens. Short Sale. WES2110961654

Beautiful spacious 5 bedroom colonial with 2,485 square feet updated in 2007. Hardwood floors throughout. Updated baths and lav with granite counters, fireplaces in the family room and living room, kitchen has ceramic floor and counters. Fresh, neutral decor with Pottery Barn colors. Finished lower level with bath prep, all appliances included plus immediate occupancy. Fenced 1/2 acre private yard with many trees. HOI211118709

Former model, move right in. First floor master suite, 3,685 square feet with a total of 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and 2 lavs. Hardwood floors throughout 1st floor, volume ceilings, fireplace in great room and kitchen, granite counters, library with judges paneling and 2nd floor family room. Finished walkout (2,491 sq. ft.) with exercise space, game area, theatre room, full bar and bath. 2 decks, paver patio and private .50 acre lot with view of pond and fountain. 3 car garage. ADD211079987

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Emery King mery King flew around the world on Air Force One, became a trusted voice in the local community, and continues to speak to us on our health and well being. King worked as a network news correspondent covering the White House during the Reagan Administration, then came to Detroit, where he graced television sets as a knowledgeable news anchor for WDIV-TV (Channel 4) for 19 years. Today, his influence is still evident as a business owner and communications director for the Detroit Medical Center (DMC). “In 2005, I left television news and started to work for myself and entered into a relationship with the Detroit Medical Center,” King said. Kingberry Productions, a company King began with his wife Jacqueline in 1995, afforded him the opportunity to create documentaries that highlight issues he deems relevant in today’s society. “We realized we could produce some meaningful pieces.” Among Kingberry’s body of work, the company has produced a documentary addressing racism in labor unions as well as a documentary on Rosa Parks. “My interest (in addressing race) grows out of my life experience as a black person growing up in America. Many times racism is poorly reported, under reported and ignored. From a journalistic standpoint, I find it to be very relevant.” As a news anchor for WDIV-TV (Channel 4) for nearly two decades, King calls the opportunity to report in Detroit an honor and privilege. His most remarkable experience as a journalist, however, came during his years as a White House correspondent for NBC News. “That was, in many ways, the capstone of my journalism career,” King said. “It was a very heavy experience and incredibly educational. I had an

opportunity to witness history first-hand.” Despite differences in political ideologies, King said he greatly valued the kindness shown to him by both former President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan. “We didn’t agree politically at all, but I liked them very much,” King said. “Nancy Reagan was especially kind to me and the opportunity offered so many experiences.” In 2011, King was tapped by Detroit Mayor Dave Bing as a temporary communications consultant where he offered his expertise on the administration’s internal and external communications. Having built a resume peppered with incredible professional experiences, King now is a radio and TV presence for the DMC and has created a medical video library on the DMC website using his savvy reporting style. “I go into the operating room with surgeons and I interview surgeons and patients,” he said. “It’s been quite phenomenal.” Despite his exceptional achievements, King attributes all of his success to his wife, Jacqueline. “Jackie has done everything for me in my life,” he said. “She keeps me balanced. She knows me better than I know myself. I credit her with everything that is good that has happened in my life. Fortunately, my daughter takes after her mother.” The Kings have lived in Bloomfield Township for 13 years and King said he is grateful for all that the Detroit area has brought to his life. “I love the people of the city and the opportunities it presented to me,” he said. “There is a very rich, meaningful life for us here.” Story: Katey Meisner

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STATE MARIJUANA INITIATIVE TAKES A HIT

BY LISA BRODY

This is a story about how the government, from local municipalities to federal officials, are for all intents and purposes ignoring and overturning voter mandates. This is a story about how the will of the people is being disregarded, here in Michigan where 63 percent of the population in late 2008 supported a ballot proposal that made medical marijuana legal, and in a number of states where similar issues have had the support of the electorate. It is a story about how the age-old “War on Drugs” continues to dominate the thinking in political, legal and law enforcement circles, despite growing scientific evidence and

public support for allowing the use of marijuana as part of compassionate care for those ill and suffering from long-term, degenerative diseases. In November 2008, 63 percent of the population of the state of Michigan voted for a ballot proposal which made medical marijuana legal, with an approved card issued by the state. Michigan became the 13th state at the time to legally approve the use and dispensation of medical marijuana, and is now one of 15 states and one federal district (Washington D.C.). Ballot Proposal 08-1, known as the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, became law in April, 2009. The act stated specifically that it was “A legislative initiative to permit the use and cultivation of marijuana for specified medical conditions.” The law is vague, stating that patients must get appropriate documentation from an approved physician (not necessarily their own), and then be approved by Michigan Department of Community Health, which then issues them a permit card to allow them to use it as

medicine. The physician must state in writing that the patient has a qualifying debilitating medical condition and that medical marijuana may mitigate the symptoms or effects of that condition. The Michigan Department of Community Health also issues a caregiver card, allowing caregivers to grow or acquire 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and grow up to 12 marijuana plants for a qualifying patient. One individual caregiver can assist up to five patients, who can be a relative, friend, associate or other known relation, as long as they've never been convicted of a felony drug offense. If a caregiver also has a state issued patient card, then one caregiver can have a total of 72 plants. From the start, local, state and federal officials gave conflicting signals about the new law. In 2009, the Obama administration announced it would shift their enforcement from the Bush administration's frequent raids on distributors of medical marijuana, saying they would respect states' rights on the issue. All well and good until this year when the

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feds began to reverse course and started a heated campaign, first in California, to pursue medical marijuana dispensaries, landlords who rent space to such operations and quite possibly the media who sell ad space to dispensaries. In Oakland County, the story is pretty much the same. Sixty six percent of general election voters supported the compassionate use of medical marijuana. In Birmingham, 70 percent of voters approved it; 62 percent of Bloomfield Hills and 63 percent of Bloomfield Township voters said 'yes' at the polls. When you speak with these municipalities, these facts are not debated. Yet Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills have created and approved ordinances which prohibit the usage and dispensation of medical marijuana, and Bloomfield Township has an approved ordinance where state registered patients must register at the township police department in order to use the medicine in their own homes.Their law prohibits any cultivation and/or distribution activity in the township by any caregiver or patient, in direct conflict with the state Michigan Medical Marijuana law. The local communities are joined by a number of others in Oakland County that immediately moved to pass local ordinances restricting the voterapproved initiative, often times under the guise that they were simply setting rules, against the background of a loosely-written state ballot issue, to prohibit any activity that conflicted with what federal law says is illegal. Through the local ordinances, access to medical marijuana became even more restricted. Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper sees the situation in simple terms: “The act (Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008) was approved by voters because of compassion. Most compassionate people say if you need help, you should use what you can. But what this has turned into, with over 100,000 users, most of them between the ages of 18 and 30, who are getting them primarily from dispensaries, is something very different.” The American Civil Liberties (ACLU) joined the fray in late 2010, filing lawsuits to challenge the local municipal ordinances but the group's legal actions may prove moot, thanks to Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, a long-time opponent of medical marijuana who led the charge against the ballot issue in 2008. Schuette's opposition has not changed and in fact was bolstered with a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling on August 24, 2011, that medical marijuana cannot be sold through private shops, after Schuette had Compassionate Apothecary in Mount Pleasant shut down as a “public nuisance.” A three-judge panel ruled that the medical marijuana law, as well as the state's public health code, does not allow people to sell marijuana to each other, even if they have state-issued marijuana cards. “The 'medical use' of marijuana does not include patient-to-patient 'sales' of marijuana. Defendants, therefore, have no authority under the (law) to operate a marijuana dispensary that actively engages in and carries out patient-to-patient sales,” said judges Joel Hoekstra, Christopher Murray and Cynthia Diane Stephens, in their ruling on People of State of Michigan v. Ryan Michael Bylsma. Bylsma was charged with manufacturing marijuana because he had 88 plants in one growing facility, which was in violation of the 12

plant per patient rule in the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. The court concluded that caregivers may not possess plants grown for registered qualifying patients who are not officially connected to the caregiver through the state's registration process; caregivers who do not comply with the 12 plant per patient limit are not entitled to have a positive defense; and the state may file drug possession and manufacturing charges against registered patients and caregivers who do not adhere to the 12 plant per patient limit. Schuette praised the decision, saying, “This law is narrowly tailored to help those with serious debilitating illnesses, but criminals are exploiting it to construct massive grow operations. I applaud the court's decision because it echoes the concerns of the public and law enforcement by protecting public safety.” In June 2011, Schuette concluded in Attorney General Opinion 7259 that the act does not permit collective growing or sharing of marijuana plants between caregivers and unconnected patients or other caregivers. Schuette determined that the act requires each patient's plants to be grown and maintained in a separate enclosed, locked facility that is only accessible to the registered patient or the patient's registered caregiver, despite the fact that a caregiver can have up to five patients. In essence, the two decisions have closed down all of the state's dispensaries.

Yet, based on the public's overwhelming support of medical marijuana as evidenced by the voter mandate in November 2008, and the lack of an outcry against it since, it is uncertain where Schuette is hearing those concerns from the public. If anything, positive sentiments appear to continue to be growing towards the compassionate care medical marijuana engenders for suffering patients. “The public is becoming more educated and supportive as they are seeing their grandmother have a cookie and sleep without pain that night,” said Matthew Abel, a medical marijuana rights attorney in Detroit. “Medical marijuana has value. There are people opposed to it who say it doesn't, but that ship sailed on a long time ago.” While Abel acknowledges there are abuses to the new system, he said “There are thousands of people who are following the law, and often we don't hear about them. Perhaps it would be better to make violations of the law more like civil

infractions, so that if someone growing their own 12 plants for medical marijuana has an unlocked gate, they would get a citation, like a traffic ticket, vs. someone who has thousands of plants too many. Right now, prosecutors are not differentiating between them, bringing down the full wrath of law enforcement on them.” “What happened here is that the statute did not provide for dispensaries,” said Oakland County's Cooper. “It's a statute of exceptions, and if you comply to the specifications, then you won't be prosecuted. The problem you have with dispensaries is the interplay we have with the federal government. In Michigan, you have to be licensed. And to be licensed, you have to comply with federal law. The reality is, you cannot supply a Schedule 1 substance as medicine. A pharmacist cannot dispense it. Doctors cannot prescribe it. They write that it may have a palliative effect. It was very clear to me looking at the statute. Then you may have people with criminal backgrounds or people out of money who may be dispensing it. Many local dispensaries were charging patients an outrageous amount of money, and exploiting patients. The statute provided for growth. But it provided for growing their own in the privacy of their own home, and if they were not able to, then caregivers were able to do it for them.” “This is the chicken-and-egg problem. If you have the right to possess it, then you necessarily have the right to access it. If you're a registered patient, you can get it from a designated person, but how can the designated person get it?” asked Paul Tylenda, a Grosse Pointe Park attorney. “It's like the right to keep and bear guns. If the gun stores are not allowed to sell you guns, what does that do to your right to have guns?” Tylenda said that most politicians, prosecutors and law enforcement people understand this. They also recognize that in most areas, “more people voted for the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act than for them, so politicians don't want to offend anybody, and are more than willing to let law enforcement and the courts work the situation out. That way they can say, 'Don't blame me.'” State legislators have hesitated in addressing fissures in the law, preferring to let the courts and local municipalities deal with it, until they could no longer turn their heads away. State Rep. Chuck Moss (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township) agreed last winter. “It's reached crisis stage for local municipalities. I'm hearing that from all 11 of my communities,” he said. “It's time for Lansing to create a framework for legal marijuana as medicine,” he stated. “The people approved a broad law, and are asking where the law is. The prosecutor and the sheriff are doing their job; now we're going to have to do our job with the new leadership in Lansing. We don't want judges to make this stuff up. It's our job as legislators. Now, it's not only on the front burner, it's boiled over.” In spring 2011, several bills were introduced in both the state Senate and House, the majority of which will restrict usage; prohibit the ability of dispensaries to dispense medical marijuana; prohibit the formation of medical marijuana clubs; codify the definition of a physician-patient relationship; prohibit advertising of medical marijuana services; permit medical marijuana registries to be available to law enforcement; and

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set qualifications of primary caregivers. While it is progress that bills have been introduced, all have been stuck in their respective chamber's judiciary committee since introduction. “They're not respecting the plain language of the law or the intent of the law,” Abel said. “I would say they are not respecting the will of their constituents. People just do not want other people using marijuana. They do not care if it helps people. They view it as the downfall of Western civilization. Former (Detroit) Chief of Police Isaiah MacKinnon just came out and said he's supportive of medical marijuana. When the cops are supporting it, it's time to approve it.” Ben Rice, a Santa Cruz, CA criminal defense attorney specializing in medical marijuana issues, noted that California has had the same issues as Michigan. “Our law was first passed in 1996, to allow patients and doctors to make their own compassionate decisions, and numerous people have benefitted,” he said. “But nowhere was there a definition of how to get it if you couldn't grow your own, and many of the sickest people are less likely to be able to grow it themselves. In 2004, California finally passed a law, SB 420, to clarify it, and it did help, but it left a lot of gray areas, regarding if you can have large collectives and dispensaries, and whether people can be paid to grow it. There's been a question of how people can be compensated that's legal, and how can money be changed hands. Some rulings say yes, others don't. And judges differ in their interpretations.” California, and medical marijuana nationwide, is under siege. After a two-year reprieve by the Obama administration, where Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. issued a memo outlining a shift in the enforcement of federal drug laws, this summer the administration switched gears and appears to be pursuing medical marijuana dispensaries with a vengeance. The crackdown first began in earnest in California in 2002, with ultimately what became a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2005, Gonzales v. Raich. The case determined that under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Congress may criminalize the production and use of home-grown marijuana even where the states approve its use for medicinal purposes. It began when the defendant, Angel Raich, who used home-grown medical marijuana in California, sued the federal government after the Butte County Sheriff's Department and agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) destroyed all six of California resident Diane Monson's marijuana plants because they were illegal Schedule 1 drugs under the federal Controlled Substances Act. Raich and Monson sued, claiming that enforcing the Controlled Substance Act against them violated the Commerce Clause; their right to due process; the Ninth Amendment, which addresses the rights of individuals not otherwise enumerated in the Constitution; the Tenth Amendment, which states that powers not granted to the federal government nor prohibited to the states are reserved to the states or the people; and the doctrine of medicinal purposes. Raich's physician stated that without marijuana her life was threatened with excruciating pain, and that Raich had tried dozens of prescription medications for her numerous conditions but she was allergic to most of them. Monson suffered from chronic pain due to a car accident, and she used

marijuana to relieve the pain and muscle spasms around her spine. The government's case centered around The Controlled Substances Act, which does not recognize the medical use of marijuana. The Supreme Court's decision was based on the fact that it conceded that Congress has the power to control or ban marijuana for non-medical uses, and therefore, banning the growing of marijuana for medical uses, they reasoned, was a permissible way of preventing or limiting access to marijuana for other uses. So the Supreme Court's decision to bar the use of medical marijuana for qualified patients is an effort to curtail illegal marijuana trafficking. In July, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rejected a 2002 formal citizen petition to reschedule marijuana to make it available for medicinal use. The Obama administration rejected the petition, claiming marijuana “has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States...it lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision...(and) has a high potential for abuse.”

But the DEA came to a totally different conclusion in the 1980s, under the Reagan administration, when they concluded, “Marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very ill people.” The National Cancer Institute, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, notes that marijuana may help people with nausea, loss of appetite, pain and insomnia. A decade ago the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, an independent non-profit organization begun in 1863 under President Lincoln, which works outside government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice to decision-makers and the public, determined that nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety “all can be mitigated by marijuana.” Even the medical journal the Lancet Neurology reported that marijuana's active components “inhibit pain in virtually every experimental pain paradigm.” “There is no drug testing for marijuana as a medicine going on here,” said Santa Cruz's Rice. “There are a lot of conspiracy theories as to why not. One major one says that pharmaceutical companies want control, and until they do, there won't be drug testing of marijuana.” Rice points out that there are 400 different

cannabinoids in a marijuana plant, with various cannabinoids helping different patients. “There needs to be testing done to determine what helps different patients,” he said. So why the flip flop on the part of the Obama administration after asserting in 2009 that they would not pursue medical marijuana dispensaries or patients? Paul Tylenda believes it's a control issue. Now that 15 states and the District of Columbia have all legalized medical marijuana, and some states, such as Colorado and California, are collecting a lot of taxes, the federal government wants to reassert itself and let the rest of us know who's boss—even if voters disagree. “This is to reign things back in because Holder's (2009) memo was misinterpreted. So for all of you dying cancer patients—go ahead and smoke your joint, but we didn't mean for this to become an industry. Because the industry is a threat. The industry is more accessible, and you're opening the door for criminal elements. On a nationwide level, the feds want you to know they're in control, and that marijuana is still illegal, and people are trying to make a profit on it, and they can't. The government doesn't want competition,” Tylenda said. “You cannot say to patients or old people you can have your meds, but we're not going to talk about how you're going to get them. Every other high-end vice has an industry for regulation—whether it's tobacco, pharmaceuticals, gambling, alcohol—anything controlled or addictive, is managed by the federal government. Until or unless the federal government can create a regulatory system for medical marijuana, there will be a 10th Amendment struggle between states and the federal government, and the federal government's ability to enforce it's own laws.” On October 7 of this year, the four U.S. Attorneys in California held a news conference in Sacramento to announce a series of measures to enforce federal laws in respect to commercial marijuana operations in California. U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner said, “California has long been the top source of marijuana for the nation. The DEA figures for 2009 indicate that 72 percent of the marijuana plants eradicated nationwide were located in California. In the last two years, however, there has been an explosion of marijuana production in the state. The primary factor behind this growth is money. The extraordinary profits generated by many marijuana stores has generated a frenzy of expansion and marketing reminiscent of the real estate boom. These businesses are more interested in maximizing their profit by promoting marijuana use than in treating the seriously ill who are in need of medical care. In our federal enforcement efforts, we are targeting operations involved in the commercial cultivation and sale of marijuana, not sick people.” Wagner said that one defendant recently charged told investigators they were making $30,000 to $50,000 per day selling marijuana. In another case, several men who claimed to have been growing marijuana for medicinal use under California law are alleged to have shipped it to distributors in other states. Bank records indicate they have deposits totaling almost $3 million at bank branches in Connecticut. In their effort to confiscate and eradicate these large-scale growers, Wagner said, “We have also sent warning letters to a significant number of property owners whose property is being used for commercial marijuana production or sales. Our objective is to deter illegal conduct, not to forfeit properties.”

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“Targeting landlords with forfeiture laws is fear mongering, and it's outrageous,” said California attorney Rice. “Going after landlords has always been an element of forfeiture law, but now the word is out that they're enforcing it,” said Grosse Pointe's Tylenda. “Michigan also has the same forfeiture law. Forfeiture laws allow a seizing agency a great incentive, because 80 percent of what's seized goes to the law enforcement agency, and 20 percent to the prosecutor's office. In most raids, they will seize anything that has 'flash' value—electronics, TVs, snowmobiles, ATVs, cars, the typical 'Miami Vice'-type of items that could be purchased with drug money.” Bob Filka, CEO of the Michigan Association of Home Builders, said, “I would be opposed to forfeiture of one of our members at that level. It's guilt by association, and it would set a terrible precedent.” An additional concern is the feds going after purveyors of advertising, be it print media, broadcast, radio, or Internet, which the District Attorney of Orange County, California has threatened. U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy, in a television interivew, said, “I’m not just seeing print advertising. I’m actually hearing radio and seeing TV advertising. It’s gone mainstream. Not only is it inappropriate – one has to wonder what kind of message we’re sending to our children – it’s against the law.” “We're conscious and we're very aware of the threat of the DA in Orange County,” said Tiffany Shackelford, executive director of Association of Alternative Newsmedia. “Our organization and our members that it applies to take it very seriously. To me, it seems very counterintuitive in an election year.” Cheryl Sadowski, vice president of communications for Newspaper Association of America, said, “We champion First Amendment issues on a national level.” “No newspapers that we know of have had any threats,” said Mike McClaren, executive director of Michigan Press Association. “Right now, medical marijuana is illegal in Michigan, and while there have been ads, there aren't any ads currently until all of the caregiver activity is sorted out. Before that, we would recommend to our members that it was best to vet their ads (with an attorney) before they ran because it (Michigan Medical Marijuana Act) was a new law. We certainly don't want our members to get in trouble.” One Michigan publisher, who did not want his name mentioned, noted that newspapers are protected by the First Amendment, and that he never takes blatantly illegal ads, but his publication, which accepts ads from dispensaries, reflects the community and he will not censor his advertisers. In the southeast Michigan area, there's no telling if the U.S. Attorney's office will follow the example set in California because attempts by Downtown to speak with local officials got tied up in the bureaucracy of clearing interviews with officials in Washington. So for now, no one knows where the Michigan story will go. State lawmakers aren't moving with any haste; the next move by federal law enforcement is still not defined and the Michigan Attorney General and the court system seem to be in control of the situation. Meanwhile, behind the scenes there is talk of supporters bringing another ballot issue, perhaps in 2012, that would legalize dispensaries and define some other grey areas. But the bottom line is that long-held views in political and law enforcement circles continue to generate fear that a relaxation relative to medical marijuana could be the start of something worse. The fear that marijuana is the gateway to harder drugs has been pervasive for two generations. Yet on November 3, 2011, Time Magazine published a study that showed legal medical marijuana doesn't encourage kids to smoke more pot—and that the results of the analysis by Mitch Earleywine, associate professor of psychology at the State University of New York-Albany, for the Marijuana Policy Project, discovered that marijuana smoking by 9th graders in California between 1996, when they passed their medical marijuana law, and 2004, had declined by 47 percent. That was a slightly steeper decline, Earleywine said, than was seen nationwide during the same period, but one that he had found in all of the states he had studied with medical marijuana laws. Dr. Esther Choo, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School, noted of the study, “Whether they are taking it for pain or for vomiting control or for appetite, this is not a group we think of as super inspiring for young people to take up their drug pattern.” Those type of results hold little comfort for Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper. “My job is the enforcement of the law, and my concern is the young people. I speak out against it because of the kids. We spends thousands and thousands of hours speaking to kids and telling them that pot is a gateway drug, and yet kids under 18 can get a card with two doctor's notes, and some parents will smoke it in front of their kids. That's what I'm concerned about—the change in people's attitudes.”

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Susie Schechter usie Schechter practiced law for 12 years after graduating from Duke University School of Law, but then turned her focus to work as a mother and social activist. A new door recently opened when she signed on as executive director of Reading Works, a non-profit organization that is helping to eradicate the obstacles of adult illiteracy. “Reading Works had gotten my resume and I got a call out of the blue,” Schechter said. “I was dumbfounded. I had no idea the amount of adults in our area who are functionally illiterate. I thought about all that I do that I take for granted.” Schechter considered her own children and how they depend on her to help with homework. “It got me fired up and very interested in the cause.” Schechter took the position and has since thrown herself into the movement. “The overall goal of Reading Works is to boost adult literacy in our area. We are looking at what is going wrong with the system.” While working with nine agencies in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, Reading Works discovered that there is very little public funding for literacy programs, Schechter said. “We are fundraising for these agencies and partnering with other service providers who can knock down obstacles. It could be as simple as providing transportation, helping with childcare or providing eyeglasses.” Prior to joining Reading Works, Schechter had begun to question her career path while working as an attorney. “When people asked me what I liked about my job, I couldn’t answer it the

way I wanted to,” Schechter said. “My husband Marc challenged me to find something that I can wake up in the morning and be really excited about.” After leaving the legal profession, the Bloomfield Hills resident became passionate about the effects of cigarette smoking as a result of losing her 52-year-old mother to lung cancer. “She was a cigarette smoker and she passed before she really got to know any of her grandkids,” she said. Before Reading Works, Schechter was involved with the American Lung Association and was instrumental in passing Michigan’s “smoke-free law” during her four year tenure. “I took my daughter, Annie, and we went to watch former Gov. Jennifer Granholm sign the bill. It was an incredible experience,” she said. “After being involved in a mission that was so meaningful, I wanted to continue doing something that felt that good.” Today, Schechter balances motherhood, her position with Reading Works, and serving on the board of the Jewish Fund. “It’s a juggle,” she said. “The house is a little messier, but my kids are very supportive and they see how excited I am about these issues.” Most important to Schechter is finding opportunities to fund a program that will allow local adults to learn and advance through Reading Works. “People can help by donating on our website (www.readingworksdetroit.org) or volunteering their time,” she said. “This is a real problem and it’s a problem that needs to be addressed.” Story: Katey Meisner

Photo: Laurie Tennent

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Hunger. It's not just the face of a starving African child with a distended belly. Here in the United States in 2010, 48.8 million Americans lived in food insecure households, meaning they aren't sure what and where they will be eating. That amounts to 14.5 percent of all households, made up of 32.6 million adults and 16.2 million children. “The face of hunger isn't the starving African child, which yes, does still exist. Here, in the U.S., we experience food insecurity, which isn't an issue of starvation. It's more an issue of 'I don't know what my next meal will be and what it will be. Will it be a piece of bread or a potato?' They often are eating badly, eating a lot of carbs to fill them up,” explained Lea Luger, development director of Yad Ezra, Michigan's only Kosher food pantry and a member Food Bank Council of Michigan. Anne Shenk, director of advancement at Gleaners, a community food bank serving southeastern Michigan, which provides food and money to food pantries, shelters, and other front line agencies, agreed with Luger. “We hear stories about people who are so hungry they pass out because they have gone for days without food,” Shenk said. “We've heard of the women who trained themselves to eat every other day so they could feed their kids everyday. We hear stories every day about seniors on fixed incomes, whose cost-of-living payments have not increased in years, like their Social Security benefits, which have not changed in several years, but food costs, heating bills, electrical bills, all of those expenses have all increased. So we hear all of the time about seniors without enough nutrition and medications. And now, with winter, it gets cold, and heating and light bills go up. People have to make choices between losing heat or electricity and Auburn Hills Christian Center having to go without a few meals.” 2592 W. Walton Sadly, especially since the Auburn Hills economic downturn of 2008 to the present, hunger and food insecurity Baldwin Center are not issues just of inner cities. The 1122 Perry St. face of food insecurity today can be Pontiac white or brown, old or young, male or female, yours or mine. In Oakland Calvary Christian Church County's District Nine, which 2203 E. 11 Mile Road includes Birmingham, Bloomfield Royal Oak Township and Bloomfield Hills, the current poverty rate is 9.8 percent, Closet of Hope Methodist Church equalling 63,426 people, a 1.6 26275 Northwestern Highway percentage increase from last year, Southfield according to the U.S. Census released on September 28, 2011. Of that, the Door of Faith Christian Church child poverty rate is 13.9 percent, or 511 S. Sanford 20,144 children 18 years and younger. Pontiac Women tend to experience poverty and hunger more than men do. First Baptist Church of Ferndale Across the globe, although women 1841 Pinecrest make up a little over half of the Ferndale world's population, they account for over 60 percent of the world's hungry Five Points Community Church population. Locally, 10.44 percent of 3411 E. Walton the district is comprised women, yet Auburn Hills 34.44 percent of women in the district are living with poverty and hunger. Johnson Memorial For African Americans in District 252 Wesson Nine, 13,636 were living in poverty Pontiac (20.4 percent of African Americans in the district), and 9,551 Latinos, or Lighthouse Pontiac 37.35 percent of the Hispanic 46156 Woodward community in the district, are Pontiac experiencing hunger and poverty. Of the Asian American community, 6.41 Oakland Church of Christ percent (3,249 people) were living in 23333 W. 10 Mile Road poverty and food insecurity. Southfield “Children and seniors are our most

vulnerable populations,” emphasized Shenk, “children, because if they do not get enough of the right foods and right nutritions, we know it has long lasting effects. There are both mental and physical developmental lapses. For seniors, they're also vulnerable because often they have weakened immune systems, and they may be frail. If they do not get the proper nutrition, they become even more vulnerable. If they already have diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, then an unreliable diet makes those conditions even worse.” Gleaners' mission for its 33 years of existence has been to fight hunger in southeastern Michigan. They have broad community support, both from donors, and from member agencies, which include over 552 partner pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, and Monroe Counties. Shenk said there are over 150 partners in Oakland County alone. “We provide enough food for 591,000 meals a week,” she said. In their fiscal year which ended September 30, 2011, they provided food, either donated and purchased, equalling 40 million pounds, an increase from 36 million pounds of food from 2009. “Our goal for fiscal year 2011-2012 is to do about 45 million pounds of food,” Shenk said. Another model of hunger rescue is Forgotten Harvest, which began in 1990, to relieve hunger in metropolitan Detroit by rescuing surplus, prepared and perishable food and donating it to emergency food providers. “We rescue food six days a week from 455 donors, produce, dairy, meats, bakery goods, everything, from grocery stores, dairies, farms, surplus food purveyors, wholesalers, OLHSA large entertainment venues, and 345 E. Nine Mile Road hotels, and we take that directly to Ferndale over 200 emergency food providers in the tri-county area,” said John Open Arms Food Pantry Owens, communications director for 451 W. Kennett Forgotten Harvest. “Twenty five Pontiac percent of the food that is produced in this country goes to a landfill. We Right Road Community rescue perfectly good food that is Development destined for the landfill.” 1560 Wordsworth Owens noted that in metro Detroit, Ferndale one in four children are facing hunger or food insecurity “while 25 Salvation Army Royal Oak percent of food in this country goes 3015 N. Main to waste. And a lot of the waste is Royal Oak before it even gets to the retail arena, because if it doesn't look St. Joseph Church 'perfect', it doesn't even go to the 1041 Vorheis Road store.” Pontiac This year, Owens said, they will distribute 23 million pounds of food, St. Joseph Family Support which translates into 23 million 3605 Livernois meals to hungry individuals. Troy Images of holiday tables laden with gargantuan golden turkeys, Yad Ezra pies of every color and hue, 2850 W. 11 Mile Road steaming urns of soup, baskets of Berkley rolls, platters of vegetables, stuffing, and potatoes are shattered when we Zion Community Enrichment think of some of our neighbors Center scrounging for a bite to eat. Shenk 20883 Reimanville noted that the needs have been Ferndale great for a while, certainly since the economic collapse of 2008, “but around the holidays it intensifies. Kids are home from school for a while, and there are no school meals. And the holidays are expensive for everyone, no matter

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what. A family budget tends to get stretched pretty thin.” She said that 2008 saw a big bump for Gleaners, “and once we were into 2009, the recession was pretty well entrenched and a recovery was a long way off—and it still is locally. The needs are consistent. We have increased our distribution.” Owens said that at Forgotten Harvest, despite rescuing more and more food, and building a 10,000 square foot refrigerated warehouse which can now take advantage of large quantities of surplus produce, “such as rescuing cucumbers that may not be the perfect size, or a surplus of tomatoes, and then we can stage out our deliveries by storing them for a little while,” he said, the need keeps growing. “It's just not enough,” Owens said. “Every day people call as the economy drags on, and there's no end in sight. It's something that people really had to reconcile with—that they're the face of hunger, not the homeless man living under the bridge. These are good people trying to survive, and our food can make a difference between feeding their family and staying in their home and paying their rent.” Like other food pantries, Yad Ezra's primary source of food and groceries is through Gleaners, which provides them with items for approximately 12 cents a pound, sometimes more, depending upon how much the item cost Gleaners or what the food pantry had to pay for it. If Gleaners receives a donation of something free, they pass that on to member agencies. “If there's a cost involved, there might be a handling fee, but it's much cheaper than going to Costco, Meijer, or Sam's Club,” Luger said. Food pantry clients must meet certain financial criteria in order to qualify as recipients. “When the economy tanked, we started seeing former donors in need,” Luger said. “It's been very hard for them to admit they need us and come to us. They don't always come every month because they think it's only for people who are really desperate, so they only come when they're really desperate. This demographic was blindsided, and they didn't know how to navigate the system on how to get help. They were very embarrassed, and they didn't want to ask for help. If you're losing your house, you don't want to think about what you're going to have for dinner.” While many people are currently suffering from food insecurity, others are privileged to enjoy the beauty of giving, whether as a large donor or a smaller participant. “The greatest sources of our funding provide more than 75 percent of our fundraising revenue. They're the bread and butter of our work,” said Shenk. “Any level of giving is appreciated, because for every dollar we get, we can provide three nutritious meals.” Gleaners has four large scale philanthropic events throughout the spring and summer each year, beginning with their Women's Power Breakfast, a veritable who's who of “movers and shakers who come from around the area to network,” Shenk said. Last April's event sold out with 450 women in attendance. An annual golf outing, called the Harvest Classic at Tam O'Shanter Country Club, is hosted by Bernie Smilovitz and WDIV-Channel 4 in September. In September there is also the Gleaners Iron Chef Competition at Rochester Hill's Bordine's, which mirrors a Livingston County Iron Chef event. “It's great for foodies, and totally in line with our mission,” Shenk said. Each of these events raises between $50,000 and $100,000 for Gleaners. Shenk also said people would not believe how much money children and school groups raise with their food drives. She said school and scout groups also come in and volunteer at Gleaners through their Kids Helping Kids program. “Children learn about hunger,” she said. “They get a lesson about what hunger is, or a lesson about nutrition, and do a volunteer project, so they really learn about giving back and helping others.” She said adults also do fun food drives, whether as a jeans day in the office, where everyone throws a few dollars in and donates to Gleaners, to bringing in canned goods, or having had a biker gang do a fundraiser. There was even a dinner party at a local home where everyone was invited to write a check for what they would have spent for dinner if they had gone out for dinner, and the hosts donated the group's total to Yad Ezra. “There has always been hunger in the suburbs and rural areas, but there's more of it now with everyone's standard of living having been taken down a notch,” said Shenk. “Until jobs are brought back to a higher level for a long while, it will continue to be that way. It's all about jobs.” downtownpublications.com

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CITY/ TOWNSHIP Planners approve bistro and brewery By Lisa Brody

Market, a new bistro proposal for the former Root and Sprout location on N. Old Woodward, which is a 2012 bistro applicant, and Griffin Claw Brewery Company, a microbrewery, bar/restaurant, bottling facility, tasting room and beer garden, at 563 and 575 S. Eton in Birmingham's Rail District, were both approved by Birmingham's planning board on Wednesday, November 10, and will now proceed to the city commission for final approval. A second 2012 bistro applicant, Social Kitchen, a tapas-style concept proposed for 223 and 225 E. Maple in the Tokyo Sushi and former Subway location, was tabled until the December 14 meeting because the owners had recently changed architects, and the planning board received new drawings right before the meeting. Members of the board said they were not prepared to act without studying the revised proposal. Market, for the former Arkitektura and Root and Sprout location at 474 N. Old Woodward, was proposed by Luxe managers Joe and Kristin Bongiovanni, who said they envision a casual, easygoing atmosphere with rustic, warm, unpretentious food enhanced by wine. The menu would

have a Mediterranean flair, with a wood burning oven being the central focus. The Bongiovanni family own and operate Luxe and Salvatore Scallopini, and said they feel very committed to the north end of town. The Bongiovannis said the food, with its focus on a wood fire pizza oven and an eclectic mix of Mediterranean cuisine, is their primary focus, with wine and beer being a nice enhancement. “Our menu expectations are truly Mediterranean—Greece, Italy, Spain, and the Middle East.” Birmingham planner Matthew Baka presented to the board and audience the plans which were designed by Ron and Roman architects. The bistro would have 64 seats, with 10 at a bar near the front of the restaurant. There would be a prominent newlyconstructed outdoor deck with 40 seats wrapping around N. Old Woodward and Ravine. It would be covered by a wheat-colored canopy with interior LED lights. Little landscaping is proposed for the site other than flower pots for the deck. Baka noted the fire department had a concern regarding pedestrian access and egress from the deck, because as it is currently drawn, patrons can only come and go from the deck through the restaurant. For final site approval from the city commission, it was noted that there would need to be better access and an exit from the deck

without going through the building. He said the city's engineering department also was concerned that the deck was too close to the property line, and would need to be redrawn to be wholly within private property boundaries. The building backs up to a residential area, the so-called “Little San Francisco” neighborhood, and some residents expressed concerns about excessive traffic, cars using the neighborhood to cut through to Woodward, and illegal parking. The board noted their concerns, and unanimously approved Market's special land use permit and final site plan as a 2012 bistro. It now will move on to the Birmingham city commission for final approval. Griffin Claw Brewery Company had previously come before the planning board, but they deferred granting final approval for a special land use permit until certain details in the plans were rectified. According to planning director Jana Ecker, those requirements were completed, and she requested planning board members approve the final site plan and designs, and recommend approval for a special land use permit for the project, which the planning board did. Griffin Claw Brewery Company, to be built and developed by Norm LePage, owner of Big Rock Chop House, also on Eton, would be constructed on 1.52 acres in the Rail

Bike festival working out glitches for 2012 rganizers of the Birmingham Bike Festival, seeking approval to hold a second annual event on Sunday, August 26, 2012 in downtown Birmingham, initially met with resistance from residents in the Merrillwood Building at the Birmingham City Commission meeting on October 24, before receiving unanimous approval from commissioners on Monday, November 4, after Surnow met with representatives from the Merrillwood Building and the police department, and ironed out differences. On October 24, Jeff Surnow, owner of The Surnow Companies in downtown Birmingham, and the sponsor of the Birmingham Bike Festival, made a presentation to commissioners, acknowledging that there were a few glitches to work out for next year, such as emptying out extra trash cans in Shain Park. Commissioners were prepared at

that meeting to approve the bike festival, which was a family event with numerous amateur bike races, a children's race and a professional race. The festival donated proceeds to charity. However, Richard Weingartner, manager of the Merrillwood Building on Merrill, said that residents of his building were completely inconvenienced on the day of the race, unable to exit the parking garage, and they object to the current plan because it obstructs the entranceway to the building all day. “I'm concerned that the amended plan will not work,” he said. Commissioners questioned Surnow about the festival. He said there are

several races throughout the day, with breaks between them. The longest is the professional race, which lasts about an hour, but he said the racers are not on a specific street all of the time. He said the children's race proved to be the most popular, and that lasted 20 minutes. “The community races were so popular, and they're of shorter duration,” Surnow said. A suggestion was made to place a police officer at the Merrillwood building, especially at the garage to assist residents as they come and go that day. “During the art fairs and Dream Cruise, a police officer gingerly walks a

District. The site currently houses an office building and a surface parking lot. The proposed project will consist of one building, including the brewing and bottling facility, a bar/restaurant, a tasting room and beer garden. There would also be adjacent space for parking. A special land use permit, provided from the city commission upon final approval of the project, will be required to allow construction of the facility as it exceeds 6,000 square feet in size. A few neighbors were present at the meeting expressing concern about increased traffic, noise and odor from the brewery. Page had reassured the planning board at a previous meeting that beer brewing smells like bread baking because of the yeast in beer. As for traffic, planning board members noted it may be something to look at in the future as businesses and neighborhoods continue to integrate, but that it would likely never be completely gotten rid of. LePage said he had met with a neighborhood group to appease their worries, and will try to close outdoor operations on weekdays at 11 p.m. as a courtesy. LePage has acquired a microbrewery liquor license from the state for the new establishment. It will now go before the city commission for final site plan and special land use permit approval.

car through the event,” said police chief Don Studt. “With this race, there is a period of time when residents have to wait. But we can put an officer there. We just don't want a professional race to have to compete with a car on the street.” Commissioner Scott Moore requested assurances in writing from the organizers of the bike festival before the commission approved the festival for 2012. “I take these things seriously,” Surnow said on November 4. “The people from Merrillwood explained their concerns, and hopefully we worked them out.” Margaret Moss, resident manager for Merrillwood Apartments, told commissioners they were pleased with the conversations with Surnow. Surnow also said they have added some concerts featuring local musicians at the bandshell in Shain Park for the day. “We think it will add nicely to the event.” Commissioners agreed, unanimously approving the event.

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Walgreens taking over Border’s site Walgreens, the largest drug store chain in the country, has formerly made an application with the city of Birmingham's planning department for a special land use permit and final site plan review for the former Border's Books location at 34300 Woodward. Walgreens had previously given a letter of intent to a local development company representing the landlord, New York-based Related Real Estate. Border's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and could not find a white knight savior to rescue the former Ann Arbor-based book chain. The Woodward location was vacated in September. Walgreens is proposing to convert the 34,000 square foot retail location into a first floor pharmacy with a drive through in the rear of the building, and use the second floor as regional corporate offices. The application, according to Birmingham ordinances, requires review of the final site plan and special land use permit by the Birmingham Planning Board, which would then recommend approval to the city commission, especially regarding the inclusion of a drive through. Walgreens is scheduled to go before the planning board on Wednesday, December 14. Bob Bruner, Birmingham city manager, said that he and city planner Jana Ecker had met with Jason Horton, project manager from Lormax Stern, who is heading up the project for Related, and an architect from Rogvoy Architects in Bingham Farms. “They (Walgreens) would put regional offices upstairs, and downstairs would be the drugstore,” Bruner said. He said there would need to be minor renovations done to the building, such as adding more windows to conform to zoning ordinances enacted since the building was built for Borders. “The zoning ordinances were changed for the Triangle District Master Plan, to make the area more pedestrian friendly and more like the downtown area,” said Bruner. “From the meeting, it did not seem like our requirements would be a problem.” Walgreens is currently the largest drug store chain in the country, with almost 8,200 locations in all 50 states. They are headquartered in downtownpublications.com

Deerfield, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Walgreens has been looking at the Birmingham market for a while, with a prior deal to go into the first floor of the former Barclay Inn location failing to come to fruition. There is a Walgreens at 13 Mile and Woodward in Royal Oak but it services a different market. Bruner noted the proposal is a win-win for both the city and the drugstore chain. “We get to put this building back into use and they get to come to Birmingham,” he said.

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Birmingham is the place to enjoy the mood and delight of the holiday season with lots of joy and wonderful events, beginning with the lighting of the tree in Shain Park on Wednesday, November 23 at 6 p.m. Before sitting down with family and friends for a delicious meal on Thursday, November 24, Thanksgiving Day, the community comes together to welcome Santa to Birmingham. Mayor Mark Nickita and 105.1 FM's Jim Harper, just weeks before his retirement from radio, will light the statuesque evergreen tree in Shain Park, and be joined by the Birmingham Brass Band and carolers from Greenfield Elementary School Choir. Everyone is invited to enjoy free hot cocoa from Starbucks. Santa will then make his home for the holiday season in his charming home in Shain Park, located at the corner of Merrill and Henrietta. It will be open weekends through Christmas Eve. Nearby, catch a free horse and carriage ride through the streets of downtown Birmingham. On December 2, 3 and 4, the second annual Winter Markt will be held in Shain Park. It's a traditional German holiday market, featuring German style food and drink items, holiday greens, crafts, live reindeer, ice sculptures, warming stations, a Kinderhaus children's activity area and live entertainment. The Magic of Birmingham will return to the streets of downtown Birmingham on Saturday, December 10 and 17, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., where shopping “elves” will randomly gift shoppers, live carolers will be near the storefronts, along with other special events, all sponsored by Birmingham's Principal Shopping District. DOWNTOWN

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Beautification project complete

Honey Tree approved for tavern license By Lisa Brody

By Lisa Brody

Bloomfield Hills completed its Woodward Avenue beautification project in November when it planted 150 trees in the medians of Woodward Avenue, “from city sign to city sign,” said commissioner Sarah McClure, who helped spearhead the project. It was completely financed through private donations. “We did a soft approach, and we had about 40 donors, a mix of non-profits, businesses in the area, and some individuals, who donated about $65,000 to help us achieve this,” she said. MDOT also provided a grant of $15,000 to the city for the beautification project. “We have many pressing items on the city's budget over the next few years, so residents, businesses and nonprofits who were able and interested in greening up our city donated to the tree program, and that way we didn't have to use any tax dollars,” McClure said.

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oney Tree, a relatively new restaurant in Bloomfield Commons at Maple and Lahser in Bloomfield Township, was approved for a special land use request for a tavern liquor license at the township board meeting in late October. Bloomfield Township trustees voted 6-1 to approve the tavern liquor license, with trustee Brian Kepes voting against it. Once approved, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission will further investigate the establishment and make the final determination about awarding Honey Tree a tavern license. The Honey Tree is a family dining restaurant that offers soups, salads, gyros, wraps and burgers. The Bloomfield Township location is owned by the Goulas family, and they also own Honey Tree restaurants in Commerce Township, Novi and in the food court at the Somerset Collection. The Bloomfield Township restaurant has numerous flat screen TVs, and township clerk Jan Roncelli said they have patrons who requested beer or wine with their meals. A tavern license only permits beer or wine by the glass to be served in the establishment. Roncelli said Goulas reported the restaurant would serve 90 percent food, and 10 percent beer and wine. They still plan to close at 9 p.m., and do not intend to install a bar. Kepes said he objected to Honey Tree receiving a tavern license “because the intention of awarding is for a significant user, and not a moderate user. The intention is to award it to some place with an adult clientele, rather than a family restaurant that is a glorified coney island. I have a hard time also with its close proximity with Stroh's Ice Cream parlor, where kids hang out.”

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This program was chosen because many trees had been lost recently to age and disease, “and greening of the area is very important to our residents,” said McClure. Of the approximately 150 trees that were planted, there is a mix of varieties that are sustainable and native to Michigan, including maples, birch, spruce, flowering pears, and others. The city reserved approximately $5,000 of the donated money for future maintenance, although the tree installer is responsible for maintaining and warranting them for a period of time, as well as watering them. McClure said the tree installation went to the lowest bidder. Of the approximately 40 donors, some provided cash and some gave inkind donations, as John Scott, who owns a landscaping company did. McClure said he was very helpful in preparing landscaping plans Bloomfield Hills had to submit to MDOT, as Woodward Avenue is a state road. He also assisted city manager Jay Cravens and McClure in selecting which tree varieties would work best.

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Incumbents return; millages approved By Lisa Brody

Voters in Birmingham School District and Bloomfield Hills approved millages and returned city commissioners, library board members and school board trustees to office in the Tuesday, November 8 election. While voting was moderate on Tuesday, with approximately a 26 percent turnout at Birmingham's nine precincts, there was an 86 percent return on absentee ballots, with 1,511 of the 1,749 absentee ballots taken out returned, accounting for about 40 percent of the day's votes, and that appeared to make a difference for at least one of Birmingham's current city commissioners, who can thank absentee voters for returning him to office. Scott Moore, who was first elected in 1995, was returned for a fourth term, with 16.22 percent of the vote, or 2,056 votes. He won in all precincts and absentee ballots.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I said it in 1995, and I've felt it in each election since: I am humbled by the process,â&#x20AC;? Moore said election night. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My gratitude to the residents is both deep and profound. Now it is my responsibility to do my best.â&#x20AC;? Tom McDaniel received 1,982 votes, for 15.63 percent of the vote, to move on to his third term. George Dilgard won re-election to his second term with 1,906 votes and 15.03 percent of the tally, being firmly pushed over the edge by absentee voters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I'm very excited about winning re-election,â&#x20AC;? Dilgard said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The last four years have been terrific, and the four of us (incumbents) work very well together, and I expect we'll continue working in a positive direction.â&#x20AC;? Current mayor Gordon Rinschler was also re-elected, with 14.08 percent of the vote, and 1,785 votes. But until absentee ballots were finished being counted at about 10:45 p.m., it appeared Rinschler had lost, with challenger Vicki Walsh winning fourth place amongst precinct voters, where an election prognosticator noted gender was an issue amongst

school millage voters, especially at precincts with younger â&#x20AC;&#x153;helicopterâ&#x20AC;? mothers. Another challenger, Nicole Blank, who dropped out shortly after filing, garnered 505 votes without running, while James Foxley, who actively worked the streets and absentee voters to get into office, only received 673 votes, for 5.31 percent. Walsh, who had strong support from firefighters, came in sixth, with 11.41 percent of the vote and 1,446 votes. Doug Weaver, who some speculated spent over $10,000 in the election effort, was fifth, with 1,473 votes, for 11.62 percent of the vote. Steve Knox received 6.62 percent of the vote, with 839 votes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I'm pleased to be re-elected,â&#x20AC;? said Rinschler, after all the votes were counted. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It confirms we're doing a good job and going in the right direction.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was an interesting election. The challengers ran a good election, and I'm sure we'll see them at the next election. It's good to see the younger faces getting involved,â&#x20AC;? said McDaniel. Families in Birmingham Public

Schools will be comforted in knowing that the schools' millage passed with overwhelming support, 83.41 percent (10,297 votes) yes to 16.59 (2,048 votes) no. The new millage rate is 7.98 mills, which is a rollback of taxes based on the Headlee Amendment. This millage will be in effect for ten years, from July 1, 2012 until June 20, 2022, on non-homestead and commercial properties. It is estimated it will provide $6.6 million in revenues to the schools. "It's a zero tax increase," district spokesperson Marcia Wilkinson said. "It has always been renewed by our voters." Incumbent school board members Christopher Conti and Robert Lawrence were returned to their board seats, beating challenger John Connelly. Conti received 37.49 percent of the vote, with 6,107 votes; 5,523 voters, or 33.91 percent, returned Lawrence to his position. Connelly earned 28.26 percent, or 4,603 votes. For the Birmingham library board, current director David Underdown was re-elected with 24.23 percent,

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3 CANNED GOODS GETS YOU A 1,689 votes. Winning the election was newcomer James Suhay, with 29.9 percent and 2,084 votes, along with fellow rookie Robert Tera, who had 1,697 votes for 24.35 percent. Ruth Ploski, who did not campaign for the position, was ahead at the polls, but fell behind, with just 21.28 percent of the vote and 1,483 votes, once absentee ballots were counted. Birmingham voters overwhelmingly approved two charter amendments, one with 94.28 percent, the other with 96.37 percent of the vote. Each will provide for consistency with state charters, the first to change the deadline for filing for elections, and the other to bring the city's ballots in compliance with the state's. Bloomfield Hills residents narrowly passed a .39-mill dedicated tax which will allow them full library services at Birmingham's Baldwin Public Library beginning Tuesday, November 15. Bloomfield Hills City Clerk Amy Burton reported that 548 residents voted yes, while 509 voted no, for a 51.48 percent to 48.16 percent win. Residents have been without a library since 2004, when a long-term agreement with Bloomfield Township Public Library was dissolved after the city and the library could not come to an agreement over how much residents would pay for library services. Burton said the city saw a 30 percent voter turnout, with 16 percent of absentee voters returning ballots. “It's unbelievable. After three years and four years of debate, we prevailed,” said Larry Neal, who actively worked for a library for the city. “I am absolutely thrilled and delighted. It's a win for our entire city, and to me it's the start for a new generation of library users.” Bloomfield Hills city commissioner Pat Hardy echoed Neal's sentiments. “We are so happy. If you consider yourself a first class, quality community, you should have a library for the 25 percent of the community that are children,” she said.

Fall art fair to stay on Old Woodward A resolution for Common Ground to hold the 38th Annual Birmingham Street Art Fair on S. Old Woodward from Maple south to Brown on September 22 and 23, 2012, was unanimously approved by Birmingham city commissioners at their city commission meeting on November 14. This will be the third consecutive downtownpublications.com

year the art fair will be held on S. Old Woodward, after 35 years at Shain Park. It was initially moved to S. Old Woodward while Shain Park was under construction and undergoing a complete renovation. The first year, while artists and art fair promoters were pleased with the outcome of the fair, Birmingham retailers lining S. Old Woodward were displeased because booths blocked their storefronts. Representatives from Common Ground and the Guild of Artisans and Artists in Ann Arbor worked to create a different plan on S. Old Woodward, where booths would sit back to back, facing out toward the retailers, down the center of the street, leaving sidewalks clear for people to visit retailers, restaurants and coffee shops. Held this past September, it appeared to be a successful fair for attendees, artists, and Birmingham retailers, many of whom participated by having coordinating sales or sidewalk sales. A representative from Common Ground told commissioners, “We have successfully completed our 37th fair in Birmingham, and completed an evaluation of it on S. Old Woodward with the city clerk, chief of police, chief of fire department, Principal Shopping District (PSD) Director John Heiney, and the department of public works. We got no complaints, and the consensus was that way it was laid out way satisfactory to all parties. It will be laid out similarly this September. We actually prefer this location to Shain Park.” Commissioners were very enthusiastic about the layout of the fair and the ease of accessibility to both artists' booths and shops and restaurants. Mayor Mark Nickita said, “I thought your event was exceptional. Shain Park, as beautiful as it is, may not work perfectly for every event.” Commissioner Gordon Rinschler asked PSD director John Heiney if the PSD had thought of having a correlating event. “We do not have any immediate plans, but we are looking into it. Many retailers said they took advantage of the opportunity and it worked out really well for them. It did bring many customers into their stores,” he said. “The casual restaurants saw a big bump in business also.” Resident Dorothy Conrad noted young families with strollers and seniors in wheelchairs were able to navigate the fair very easily in the street, whereas the new configuration of Shain Park makes it more difficult to get around at an art fair.

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Ann Taylor Loft leaving Birmingham By Lisa Brody

Sales associates at the Birmingham location of Ann Taylor Loft were informed on Thursday, November 3 that the store would be closing on or about Saturday, January 21. For lease signs were put up at the store location, at the corner of Old Woodward and Maple roads in downtown Birmingham. A district manager came to Birmingham to personally inform the store manager and sales associates, and to present them with letters from the corporate office. Sales associates have been offered placement at another Loft location. The closest Loft location to downtown Birmingham is at the Somerset Collection in Troy. Steve Quintal of Central Park Properties, which owns the building Loft is in, said it was completely a corporate decision by Ann Taylor Loft to leave. “The lease was up a year ago. There was a mutual decision to have a year extension. For this past year, we gave them a rent reduction. We agreed to what I believe was a very fair price for this year. However, there was no effort on their part for a continuation beyond that at any price. There just was no discussion.” Quintal said Central Park Properties owner Ted Fuller intends to keep the space as retail, and while there are no solid prospects for the 55,000 square foot space, there are some interested parties. Prior to Ann Taylor Loft residing in the location, it was an Express for many years, and before that, a bank.

New restaurant, banquet facility The Butterfly Group, a restaurant and banquet facility from the owners of Crave Restaurant and Lounge in Dearborn, has signed a lease in the building under construction at Big Beaver and Woodward in Bloomfield Township. The Butterfly Group has signed for approximately 11,856 square feet on the lower level of the building, which they will share with a bank, according to papers filed with the township. The proposal for the space is for a restaurant and a banquet facility with a dance floor. Crave is owned by Khalil Rhamadan. The Butterfly Group proposal was submitted in conjunction with Michael George. downtownpublications.com

The food is anticipated to be similar to Crave's, which is creative sushi and Mediterranean-infused cuisine. The building, now called 37000 Woodward, is anticipated to be approximately 63,000 square feet and is still under construction.

Redistricting plan allowed to stand By Lisa Brody

A three-judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that the way Oakland County redistricted for political districts can remain as approved by the county panel charged with the task after the most recent census. The judges, Deborah Servitto, Mark Cavanaugh and Cynthia Diane Stevens, voted unanimously in agreement with the five member Oakland County Apportionment Commission charged with redrawing the county's 25 commissioner districts. The plaintiffs, Oakland County Commissioner Dave Potts, Troy resident Janice Daniels and Southfield resident Mary Kathryn Decuir, had contended the Democratic members of the committee, which held the majority in the apportionment commission, “Intentionally and systematically designed and approved a district map aimed at effecting partisan political advantage.” They were represented by Mike Bishop, formerly state senate majority leader, now with Clark Hill of Birmingham. Both Bishop and Potts were out of town and could not be reached for comment on the results of the lawsuit. Andy Meisner, Oakland County Treasurer, a Democrat and member of the apportionment commission, said, “The state court of appeals ruled in a unanimous decision affirming what we've been saying all along, that we followed the legislative framework for doing redistricting. There is precedence for redistricting, and we followed it. That is what we maintained all along.” Oakland County has been a Republican stronghold for many years. Due to President Obama's coattail effect in 2008, Democrats won the majority for 2010's redistricting, completed in May. The commission comprised Meisner, prosecutor Jessica Cooper, Oakland County Democratic chairman Frank Houston, all Democrats, and Republican county clerk Bill Bullard and Oakland County Republican chairman Jim Thienel. DOWNTOWN

THE GUIDE 2012 BIRMINGHAM/BLOOMFIELD

Downtown Publications is excited to be presenting its newest publication for 2012, The Guide. Designed as a high-quality stock, convenient-size annual publication that will serve as the definitive directory to the communities of Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills. We have designed a publication that is more befitting these special communities, and we think we are uniquely qualified to capture the essential information for the Birmingham and Bloomfield area. With our monthly news magazine, Downtown, we have established a track record of producing a quality, upscale editorial and advertising product. We will be applying these same high standards to The Guide, 25,000 copies of which will be mailed in March 2012 to residents in the area. The Guide will serve as the source of essential information for local residents and newcomers to the area. Special early commitment and other advertising discounts of up to 20 percent are being offered, so start your planning now to be part of the special annual publication. Further detailed information can be obtained from Ad Manager Jill Cesarz by phoning 248.792.6464 or jillcesarz@downtownpublications.com, or scan the QR code at the bottom of this ad. Make sure your business is represented in The Guide 2012!

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BIRMINGHAM-BLOOMFIELD

REAL ESTATE TODAY Wealth-building at home Written by George Ulrych, Associate Broker

PG 56

George Ulrych cites low interest rates and depressed real estate values as some of the reasons to seize the opportunity to build wealth by investing in real estate.

Choosing a Realtor®: is it just about price? Written by Penny Toth, Realtor®

PG 56

Penny Toth asks: Should you go with the Realtor® who promises to sell your home for the highest SULFH" %DVLQJ \RXU GHFLVLRQ HQWLUHO\ RQ WKH SURPLVH RI D KLJK OLVWLQJ SULFH FRXOG EDFNŹUH

Determing a home’s value: going beyond square footage Written by Kathy Manoogian, Realtor®

PG 57

Kathy Manoogian explains why square footage is only part of the puzzle when determining a home’s selling price. Take a look at other variables that are just as important to consider.

Changes to appraisal rating process will affect lending Written by Robert Taylor, Residential Real Estate Concepts & Consultants, Associate Broker

PG 57

Robert Taylor explores how coming changes to the mortgage appraisal process will affect buyers and sellers in the year to come.

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Wealth-building at home by George Ulrych

balance our nation’s budget much less account for prior deficits. That can only mean one thing: our dollar will continue to devalue over the next several years. Historically, the best hedge an individual can make to protect oneself is to invest in something tangible. Real estate is the most tangible asset there is, and it also has functionality on a daily basis! Inflation With the Federal Reserve printing press rolling, inflation is surely around the corner. Prices for everything are bound to go up sooner or later. Locking into a low payment now for a home that will appreciate on its own merits and also be helped along the way by inflation, is a smart idea.

One of the contributions to our country’s financial crisis is the notion that our homes should be viewed as leveraged investments. Many are currently suggesting that our principle residences should be considered just that: a place to live…not an investment. While most advisors would agree with the statement, the fact remains that a home is frequently a family’s largest “investment” and as such, its contribution to one’s financial well-being should not be ignored. There are many non-financial reasons to invest in a home: security, control of one’s environment, freedom to make changes to the property and access to better neighborhoods, to name just a few. But in addition to those, the financial advantages are many. And, while we have advised for years that you should not try to time the market, there truly is no time better than now. Here are a few reasons why. Depressed Values Real estate values in Southeastern Michigan have fallen nearly 40 – 50% since their peak in 2004. Current housing prices reflect values that are below replacement cost. In simple terms, real estate is an unloved asset today which is selling at a tremendous discount by any measure of historical value. A key element in wealth-building via real estate is to buy during market low points like the one that exists today. Interest Rates Rates are now near an all-time low and according to Federal Reserve Chairman Bernacke, they will remain artificially low until 2013. This creates a great opportunity to lock in favorable interest rates for the long-term. Mortgage rates will not remain this low forever. Lending standards are tougher, but banks are loaning money to qualified borrowers. It’s time to take advantage if you are qualified. The Dollar Is there a way for our government to get us out of this national debt crisis outside of printing more money? It’s doubtful. Washington can’t seem to

To add it all up: having a depressed asset priced below replacement cost, artificially low interest rates, and a declining dollar with inflation on the horizon, signals that this could be the best home buying opportunity in decades. This is especially true for first-time buyers and buyers moving up. Sellers should also take comfort in knowing that there is currently an actual shortage of move-in ready homes available. Houses are selling briskly! We own our homes first as a place of shelter and for a sense of community. However, for most people, equity in their homes has been a substantial consideration in their retirement plans. Your home is still a great investment. The upcoming year may be the best year in the next ten or more to build wealth and recapture lost equity.

George Ulrych welcomes your comments: 248-433-5458 | gulrych@cbweirmanuel.com

Choosing a Realtor®: is it just about price? by Penny Toth

Once you’ve decided to sell your home, the next most important step is choosing a Realtor®. Maybe you start by interviewing three agents, and choose the one who enthusiastically promises the highest price. But wait. Realtors® don’t set value. The market does. If you base your agent selection on highest price, you may be very disappointed with the result. Is the Realtor® promising to sell your home at the highest price really in your corner? When a Realtor® uses that “carrot” to get your business, he may be puffing the value of your home just to get a listing. Experience has shown that over-pricing generally results in a lower final selling price. A

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good Realtor® will set the price that is right for the area, neighborhood, home – and current market! Ability to determine the right price at which to market your home is just one of the many skills an agent should have in his toolkit. A Full-Time Commitment Because of its flexibility, the real estate profession is filled with a variety of different agent profiles. Some work 60 hours per week and some simply dabble in the business. Most highly-skilled Realtors® are fully-engaged in the business on a full-time basis. Such an agent will most likely possess the necessary skills to properly market your home. Experience A Realtor® with years of experience in the business can be a plus. The more transactions an agent has under his belt, the more exposure he will have had to potential problems and may possess the know-how to solve them. But consider the agent who has been in the field a short time: he’s up-to-date on new policies and procedures, is willing to try new marketing ideas, and will work hard to prove himself to you. As long as a newer agent has the support of a good brokerage behind him, a “newbie” can be a good choice. Marketing Gone are the days of placing a sign in the front yard and waiting for potential buyers to show up. Today’s Realtor® needs to be a marketing guru or, at least needs to have an effective marketing team behind him. A solid marketing plan should be one of the core elements used in choosing the right agent/firm. Showcasing a home via brochures, staging, networking, Facebook, YouTube videos and Twitter is the sign of a proactive agent who understands and utilizes current marketing tools. Negotiating Negotiating skill is yet another core function you need on your team. The negotiation begins with the purchase agreement and sometimes doesn’t end until closing. Today’s transactions require constant attention through the inspection, appraisal and closing processes. Bottom Line When choosing a Realtor® to list your home, be careful not to put too much weight on the one promising the highest price. A successful and quick home sale comes from an agent who tells you the truth about your home’s value in our current market. The bottom line is the right agent will use his toolkit of knowledge, experience and resources to create an outstanding experience for you.

Penny Toth welcomes your comments: 248-433-5491 | ptoth@cbweirmanuel.com

Determing a homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value: going beyond square footage by Kathy Manoogian

When determining a homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value, many buyers and sellers put too much weight on square footage alone. While cost per square foot is an important consideration in determining value, it is not the only factor. Here are some others to consider: Location, Location, Location. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably the most often-heard phrase in real estate. Location is key. Each neighborhood within a city is unique and, as such, will command its own pricing. Some historic neighborhoods in Birmingham draw higher values due to prestige. Other neighborhoods may command a higher price because of the quality of construction, or community amenities. Location within the neighborhood itself is another variable. A home on the interior of a street is often perceived as more desirable than a home that sits on a busy corner. Curb Appeal & Property The immediate appeal of a homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exterior will often move a buyer to action. At first glance, a custom brick Tudor can often command more than an aluminum-sided Colonial. The cost difference between brick and siding is not always the issue. Historically, consumers have often found a brick home more visually appealing. Beyond that, buyers will respond to the type of lot including the backyard and the privacy it provides. Buyers will note whether it backs to woods or a commercial property. Something else to consider is the size of the lot. For example, in downtown Birmingham, land is at such a premium that buyers will pay considerably more for a larger lot. Floor Plan All things being equal, the flow of a home and size of rooms can dramatically affect the price. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular floor plans will often include open spaces, good traffic flow, and offer more functional utility. Buyers are looking away from compartmentalized rooms and spaces. Interior Finishes A home may be beautifully staged, but when buyers look beyond the fresh flowers and furniture, do they see upgrades? For example, marble and granite counters trump Formica. Custom wood cabinetry is far more expensive than laminate. School Districts One desirable community might include a number of school districts within its borders. Buyers will

often look at two comparable homes, each of which sits in a different school district within the same city. Better school scores may contribute to bringing one of those homes the higher selling price. Where Square Footage Does Matter The smallest house in a neighborhood will often sell for more dollars per square foot than the largest simply because of the fixed building costs, such as the cost of the land. For example, if a developer divides a parcel of land into equal sized lots and sells each lot for $300,000 to a builder, a 2000 square foot home will sell for more dollars per square foot than a similar home of 3000 square feet. Ready for Action The work of determining a homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value is best left in the hands of a professional RealtorÂŽ. There is an extensive process that involves research, price comparisons, and recent home sales in the area that a real estate professional uses as a basis when meeting with prospective buyers or sellers. The Birmingham and Bloomfield markets are complex, and diverse. Consider all of the factors that determine value, stay informed of local market trends, and utilize the knowledge of your RealtorÂŽ. Square footage is only part of the puzzle.

Kathy Manoogian welcomes your comments: 248-433-5483 | kmanoogian@cbweirmanuel.com

Changes to appraisal rating process will affect lending by Robert Taylor Is the estimated value of your current home or the one you are trying to purchase accurate? The current process for mortgage appraisals is undergoing an overhaul. Subjective descriptions and other nuances in the appraisal forms are being rewritten to create an appraisal process that is more uniform. These changes will have an impact on mortgage approval as well. What is an Appraisal? An appraisal is essentially the opinion of a trained professional (an appraiser) about what a home is worth, based on facts including condition and quality. The appraiser takes factual data points and converts them to a number, or home value. Appraisal Changes The current mortgage appraisal system is being replaced by a standardized system called Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD). This new system will

make the somewhat subjective process of mortgage appraisals more uniform. The new system will have ratings of C1 through C6 and Q1 through Q6, which assign a specific description for condition and quality of the home. Condition may refer to a home being updated or remodeled. Quality would take into account construction details. The new system is designed to eliminate previously subjective terms such as: â&#x20AC;&#x153;goodâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;fairâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;nicelyupdatedâ&#x20AC;? when describing a homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s condition. These terms will be replaced with the following: â&#x20AC;&#x153;not updated,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;updated,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;remodeled.â&#x20AC;? For example, the new, more objective determination of the definition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;not updatedâ&#x20AC;?: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Residential properties of fifteen years of age or less often reflect an original condition with no updating, if no major components have been replaced or updated. Those over fifteen years of age are also considered not updated if the appliances, fixtures, and finishes are predominately dated.â&#x20AC;? Better clarification of home descriptions should result in even more uniform and trustworthy home appraisals. How will this affect the lending process? Currently, it is not uncommon for a mortgage lender to sell a loan to another financial institution after closing.* However, under the new guidelines, if the originator plans to sell the mortgage to another lender, the appraisal must be reviewed prior to closing. This change will most likely lengthen the time it takes to close such loans. Buyers should note that lending changes will take effect starting December 1st for conventional loans and January 1st for FHA financing. The changes will impact all mortgage lending regardless of who originates the loan or whether it is a new mortgage, a second mortgage or a refinance. What does this mean and what should I do? This is actually good news for the Birmingham/ Bloomfield real estate market, because: 1. 2.

These changes will hold appraisers to a higher standard. These higher standards will provide a more accurate and trustworthy assigned value for your home.

Real estate consumers in this market should always consult with a trusted real estate advisor with specialized market knowledge of the area. Ask your real estate agent what they understand about the valuation process for mortgage lending and how it affects your outcome.

Robert Taylor welcomes your comments: 248-433-5432 | rtaylor@cbweirmanuel.com

* Many lenders including large banks, community banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers/bankers sell their loans into what is referred to as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;secondary market.â&#x20AC;? The two dominant buyers in the secondary market are the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Mortgage Corporation. Now under the control RI WKH )HGHUDO +RXVLQJ )LQDQFH $JHQF\ DQ LQGHSHQGHQW IHGHUDO DJHQF\ FUHDWHG LQ -XO\ RI WKHVH WZR FRUSRUDWLRQV ZHUH UHTXLUHG WR ÂżQG ZD\V WR VWDQGDUGL]H appraisals and to ensure they were not buying good loans on bad properties.

cbwm.com | 248-644-6300

Bringing Luxury Home

Bloomfield Hills | $2,150,000

Oxford Township | $1,350,000

1.7 secluded acres in Bloomfield Hills. Renovated in 2004. Island kitchen opens to wonderful family room & breakfast room. Walls of windows & doors across back of home, view of lovely grounds featuring pool, spa & resurfaced tennis court. Spacious master suite with his/her baths.

Fabulous equestrian farm on 14.66 picturesque acres. Spectacularly renovated & expanded for today’s living. Incredible attention to detail. Heated indoor arena w/observatory; outdoor arena, stables, paddocks; run-ins; wooded riding trails; luxurious swimming pool; garages for 8 cars.

For more information contact Brad Madding or Mary Frances McCaleb at 248-255-8809

For more information contact Deidre “Didi” Etue at 248-505-5754

West Bloomfield | $1,200,000

Bloomfield | $649,000

This newer architecturally unique farm-style home was built w/careful attention to detail, adhering to the look of authenticity & offering numerous amenities. Beautiful hickory floors, charming use of wood throughout. 3 fireplaces, two w/pewabic tile. Privately situated on 1.86 acres.

Gracious open floor plan with first floor master in desirable Lone Pine Road Estates. Gilbert Lake swim & boat privileges. Bedrooms have adjoining baths. Updates include bath, hardwood floors, patio & beautiful mill work. Wall of windows overlooks picturesque 1.6 wooded acres.

For more information contact Barbara Draplin at 248-433-5404

For more information contact Kathy Merlo at 248-709-0981

Bloomfield | $610,000

Bloomfield | $315,000

Professionally decorated. You will not believe how functional & cozy it is. Newer garage has upper level has a recreation room, kitchen, powder room & seating area. Surround sound in main house, above garage and outdoors. All newer driveways, landscaping & 2 buildable lots included.

Desirable Bennington Green Colonial on large lot. Bloomfield Schools. Immaculately maintained home with full basement. Mechanically sound, cosmetically neutral making it easy to adapt to new owners taste. Invest in an area that maintains its value & build your own family memories.

For more information contact Ann Klein at 248-701-9880

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FACES

Alexandra Lasky lexandra Lasky, fashion designer and CEO of Kefi by Alexandra, is earning accolades for her designs in New York City, but she was just a Cranbrook Kingswood high school student when she sold her first work of art. “The first painting that I actually sold was to Mr. (David) Tidwell, a religion teacher at Cranbrook,” Lasky said. “It was titled ‘Mermaid’ and he bought it for $100. I was more excited having him ask than getting the money for it.” As a little girl, Lasky was encouraged to develop her artistic talents by her mother and grandmother. “I was always interested in design,” she said. “I would do beading with my mother. My mother is a doctor, but she always had a passion for art and my grandmother was the first person to put a crayon in my hand.” As Lasky matured, she continued to enjoy beading and began pursuing other facets of art. Her years at Cranbrook proved to be the ideal setting to cultivate her talent for design. “They had so many opportunities and it’s such an inspiring campus,” she said. “I think I learned more at Cranbrook than I did at college.” After high school, Lasky began traveling all over the world, taking in cultures that inspired her designs. “Traveling has always been a huge passion of mine,” she said. “I went to Michigan State University, and it’s one of the best colleges for studying abroad.” Lasky traveled to Greece and spent two months living in Italy. “It was a life-changing experience. It gives you a different perspective on life.” Subsequent to graduating from Michigan State University, Lasky started

Kefi by Alexandra, a design company that offers artwork, photography, jewelry and fashion. “My jewelry designs are being sold at Jeanologie, a boutique in East Lansing, and I offer custom order (designs) from my website.” During September 2011 New York Fashion Week, Lasky was featured as an up-and-coming designer during an after party at a warehouse in SoHo. “I had six looks and I showcased jewelry and clothing,” Lasky said. “It made a lot of press and blogs. It was wonderful.” From that experience, Lasky was asked to return to New York and have her art showcased by musical group Smokey Robotic. “They will be taking some of my art pieces and putting them behind them on a projection as they perform. They’re also using my art on the cover of one of their musical singles.” The 23-year-old artist, world traveler and entrepreneur still calls Bloomfield Hills home and she has returned to her home town to serve as a camp counselor at Cranbrook. “Cranbrook is one of my favorite places. I love young kids and I felt it was a great way to give back to the community.” Lasky’s parents continue to support and inspire her to grow as both an artist and designer. “My parents have helped make this possible,” she said. “And, if my grandmother were still alive, I know she would be my biggest supporter.” Story: Katey Meisner

Photo: Laurie Tennent

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Rediscover the New & Improved

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PLACES TO EAT The Places To Eat for Downtown is a quick reference source to establishments offering a place for dining, either breakfast, lunch or dinner. The complete Places To Eat is available at downtownpublications.com and in an optimized format for your smart phone (downtownpublications.com/mobile), where you can actually map out locations and automatically dial a restaurant from our Places To Eat.

220: American. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 220 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.2150. Andiamo: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.865.9300. Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield township, 48304. 248.499.6867. Barrio Tacos & Tequila: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 203 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.6060. Beau Jacks: American. Lunch, MondaySaturday; Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 4108 W. Maple, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630. Bella Piatti: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 167 Townsend, Birmingham, 48009. 248.494.7110. Beyond Juice: Contemporary. Breakfast & Lunch daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 270 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7078.

Big Boy: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.642.0717. Big Rock Chophouse: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 245 South Eaton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.7774. Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.8880. Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.645.6879. Brooklyn Pizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6690. Cafe Via: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 310 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8800 Cameron’s Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.1700. Chen Chow Brasserie: Japanese. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 260 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.2469. China Village: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 1655 Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.758.1221. Cityscape Deli: Deli. Lunch & Dinner,

Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Beer. 877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220. Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.9766. Cosi: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 101 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.9200. Crust Pizza and Wine Bar: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6622 Telegraph, Bloomfield, 48301. 248.855.5855. Deli Unique of Bloomfield Hills: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 39495 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.7923. Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.1135. Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 176 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.9888. Also 4089 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.258.9939. Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2420. Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast &

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Lunch, daily. Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033. Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134. Forest Grill: American. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9400. Fox Grill: American. Lunch, Monday through Friday; Dinner, daily. Sunday brunch. Reservations. Liquor. 39556 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304. 248.792.6109. Fuddrucker’s: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Beer & wine. 42757 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.333.2400. Greek Island Coney Restaurant: Greek. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.1222. Hogan’s Restaurant: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6450 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.1800. Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111. House of India: Indian. Tuesday-Sunday; Lunch & Dinner. Reservations. 1615 Opdyke Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.451.0201. Hunter House Hamburgers: American. Breakfast, Monday-Saturday; Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.7121. IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. 248.333.7522. Kerby’s Koney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.1166. La Feast: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, daily. 297 East Maple, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7768. Leo’s Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.9707. Also 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.646.8568. Little Daddy’s Parthenon: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.647.3400. Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily; Late Night, 9 p.m.-closing. No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.6051. Max & Erma’s: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 250 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.1188. Mitchell’s Fish Market: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.3663. Mountain King: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 469 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2913. New Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday; Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily. No reservations. 183 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2181.

AT THE TABLE Inventive food at Café Muse

Boursin cheese and truffle oil, $10.25. Opt also for a side of housemade Pea Meal Bacon, $3.50. By Eleanor Heald Lunch sandwiches will keep you coming back often. The award winning Grilled 3-Cheese Sandwich, $7.95 is a combit was a comfy 20-seat spot opened in 2006, a short dis- nation of three cheeses – havarti (which makes it buttery), tance away from its current Royal Oak location. It relo- fontina (for its bite) and ooey gooey fresh mozzarella providcated in late 2008 to a larger 65-seat storefront bistro. ing a unique blend of flavors. All of the ingredients are Devoid of culinary vanity, it attracts a food-savvy clientele sourced locally, including the basil, tomatoes and organic with its creative menu featuring fresh, local ingredients. bread. The special ingredient is honey, which adds depth and provides a bridge between the tomato and basil. Welcome to Café Muse. The grilled 3-cheese sandwich first received national Chef-proprietor Greg Reyner and partner David Smith were among the first in the area to embrace the farm to attention from Esquire Magazine in March of 2008. It was table movement, showcasing locally produced organic included in a story featuring “the best sandwiches in ingredients. A formally trained chef from the Culinary and America.” After reading the Esquire Magazine article, Hospitality Institute of Chicago, Reyner says his menu Gayle King of The Oprah Winfrey Show decided that she needed to try the sandwich. She came inspirations come from great restauto Royal Oak and interviewed Chef rants he and Smith visit around the Reyner for the show. globe. As popular as that is with the lunch Although the menu specializes in bunch, Chef Reyner’s favorite is his comfort items, it’s more inventive than Toasted Peanut Butter, Jam & that with a push outside the comfort Mascarpone sandwich, $7.25. zone. So much so that Café Muse A large dinner menu is filled with received accolades from not only local “food for inspiration” that pushes the media, such as Metro Times, Hour, envelope. Chef begins his recommenReal Detroit, and WDIV’s Best of dations with a buttery and creamy Detroit, but also national raves from Mushrooms and Toast, $8 appetizer. Esquire Magazine, the Oprah Winfrey Sounds simple until you scan the Show and from Wine Spectator for its ingredients: exotic mushrooms, wine selections. Boursin cheese, grilled brioche (from Le Petit Prince bakery in Birmingham) Who's who and fried duck’s egg. Ann Arbor, Mich., native 42-yearEqually appealing is Dates, Chorizo, old Chef Reyner opened the smaller Chef/proprieter Greg Reyner and manager/somBacon and Chipotle Tomato Maple Café Muse after he ran a catering oper- melier Christian Stachel. Downtown photo: Ragout, $8. A play on a classic French ation for six years, followed by a short Laurie Tennent bistro salad is Baby Spinach (replacing stint in the hotel business. “I really wanted to own and cook in my own restaurant,” he says. traditional frisée), warm shallot dressing, pancetta, a fried He found the younger crowd frequenting Royal Oak hen’s egg and gorgonzola, $8. Although Chef Reyner’s favorite is the Slow Braised appealing as well as the possibility to acquire a bistro Rabbit, don’t overlook a host of other main courses ($12license. “A smaller restaurant can invest time in a particular $33), including a perennial cold weather favorite, Lamb dish,” he maintains. To drive home his point, he references Shank with fennel, carrots, cannellinis and tomato fond lié a dinner main course, Slow Braised Rabbit with house- (thickened sauce), $24. made chorizo, exotic mushrooms, rustic spaetzle and braised kale, $28. “It’s one of my favorite dishes. But it Sweet endings A short list of five desserts ($5-$7) completes an experitakes time to select, handle and prepare to insure that ence. Butterscotch Pudding ($5) is highlighted by sea salt, everything works in the flavor profile.” Thus the muse, featured in the name. A thoughtful toffee and Crème Chantilly. Yum. state as well as an artist’s inspiration. “Food is an inspiraCafé Muse, 418 South Washington, Royal Oak, tion,” Reyner reminds. General Manager and Wine Director Christian Stachel 248.544.4749. Breakfast and lunch daily 7:30 a.m.-3 completes the “trio” and has organized an inspired wine p.m. Dinner: Tuesday through Saturday 5-10 p.m. with list, thoughtfully ordered into white, rosé and red, by the reservations accepted. Metered street parking. glass ($7-$13) and then region by the bottle. Although the menu is not Italian-focused, the number of Italian wine QUICK BITES producers, of both red and white, is impressive. “Four ele- Townhouse (180 Pierce St., Birmingham 248.792.5241) is ments direct my choices,” Stachel says. “Elegance, purity, open again for brunch $10-$18. Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m.balance and harmony – to fully complement Chef Reyner’s 4:30 p.m. Lox & bagels, blueberry French toast and Lobster Benedict are among the favorites. food art.”

Menu Favorites Who knows the kitchen better than the chef? Given that premise, I worked my way through the menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner with Reyner. Ricotta and Lemon Pancakes with housemade blueberry maple syrup, $9.25 topped the sweet eye openers. Among breakfast savories is Ammoglio Sauce (tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil) Scramble with fresh mozzarella, $8.75. Then there’s Exotic Mushroom Scramble with

Stacked Deli (233 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham 248.593.5300) is now open for breakfast with gourmet-style omelets under $8 and other items, including pancakes, French toast, bagel sandwiches and grab ‘n go breakfast wraps under $7. Eleanor Heald is a nationally published writer who also writes the wine column in a double byline with her husband Ray for Downtown. Suggestions for Quick Bites section can be e-mailed to QuickBites@downtownpublications.com.

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FOCUS ON WINE A new view of Port serving preferences changed; have you? By Eleanor and Ray Heald

ime was when one Port image was lived out in winter by a roaring fireplace. OK, it’s winter, but the vision has expanded. Dominic Symington is a member of Portugal’s dominant wine family, supplying the world with many of its finest wines. We discussed service of Warre’s Port with him and discovered Port’s new appeal. Ports are fortified wines that are typically red, yet some are white. Sweet wines need not be cloying and Ports are not. These soft and rich delights are divided into two production methods: bottle aged or barrel aged. Vintage Ports and Single Quintas (vineyards) are bottled after only two years in cask and must be decanted before service to remove sediment precipitated during bottle aging. Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Ports remain in barrel for a longer period, are also vintage dated, but will generally not produce sediment because it formed in the barrel. To avoid decanting, LBV is the best choice. Since Warre’s 2000 LBV $32 is bottled earlier than most, it is possible that slight sediment requiring decanting may appear. After opening, a Port wine will remain sound for 10 days to two weeks. If a Vintage Port or Single Quinta is opened but not decanted, the wine will deteriorate much faster since the sediment with its tannins, acids and pigments oxidizes more quickly, producing unpleasant oxidized aromas and flavors within three to four days. Tawny Ports are barrel aged for extended periods producing 10-year, 20-year and even 30 or 40year Tawnys. They develop a dark amber color and a deliciously silky palate impression.

blended with several other white grape varieties and is normally chilled when served as an aperitif. “Once chilled, White Port makes a refreshing cocktail when mixed with Schweppes tonic and a squeeze of lime or sprig of mint,” Symington says. “Chilling a Port extends to Tawnys as well. We always serve Warre’s Otima 10-year Tawny $15 and at $24 Otima 20, chilled because of their delicate structure and flavors. If Tawnys are served too warm they become ethereal, the alcohol is subdued and masks the beautiful nuance of deli-

More Ports we like: Cockburns Special Reserve Porto $18, Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port $22, Croft Fine Ruby Porto $13, Croft Fine Tawny Port $13 and Fonseca Bin No. 27 $20 (wonderful with a chocolate dessert).

Serving Port Holiday season is an excellent time to serve Ports. Warre’s Fine White Porto $17 is principally malvasia fina

cate aromas that a Tawny provides.” Symington serves Tawny primarily as a dessert. It matches well with berry fruit, almonds or dark chocolate flavors. “Baked pears or apples, such as tarte tatin, that have caramelized in the oven, develop sugars that pair well with Tawny flavors. Other desserts include custards like Crème Brulée with burnt sugar crust or peeled and sliced oranges soaked in Tawny Port. My mother poured warm caramel sauce over a cold, peeled orange to yield a crunchy layer over the orange. It is superb with either Warre’s Tawny.” Chocolate harmonizes with Tawny Port. Symington suggests the percent of cacao should not be too high. “Certainly not more than 50 to 55 percent.” A vibrant ruby or young vintage Port accepts a higher percent cacao. “Cacao contains tannins with high acidity which present bitter characters to be avoided.” Port can accompany many types of cheese, yet not walnuts, often recommended by others, but not Symington. “The problem is that walnuts have a lot of tannin. Certain cheeses work better than others. Aged English Cheddar, Italian Parmigiano or Spanish Manchego pair well with Warre’s 2000

Northern Lakes Seafood Co.: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 39495 North Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.7900. Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 138 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2760. Also

2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500. Original Pancake House: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5775. Panera Bread: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 100 North

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) $32 or Warre’s 2007 Vintage Port $48. Soft, creamy cheeses like Camembert, Brie or Cambozola work well. “One of my favorite cheese pairings is an aged vintage like Warre’s 1985 Vintage Port $137 with a quality English Stilton and a fresh crisp apple. Spread a bit of Stilton on a slice of apple, take a bite and then taste the Port and hang on.” Symington would not pair Port with Chevre or Roquefort. Chevre requires a wine like sauvignon blanc or sparkling wine. Roquefort is too salty to marry well with any Port.

Faux Ports A recent consumer poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies found that Americans have strong feelings about the role of location in wine purchasing decisions. Port is a Portuguese product and can only represent its origin if, according to Paulo Pinto, Marketing Director Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto, “it carries the guarantee seal on the bottle neck.” California Ports are faux ports and do not carry the seal. “There is no alternative name for Port that fits well,” says Sam Heitner of the Champagne Bureau. Sparkling wine remains an ideal substitute category for a wine with bubbles that does not originate in the Champagne region of France. Yet, at the end of the day, it’s the consumer who makes a choice.” Top California sparkling wines for the holidays are produced by Schramsberg Vineyards. Try: Mirabelle Brut Rosé $27, 2007 Brut Rosé $41, 2008 Blanc de Blancs $36 and ultimate expressions 2004 J. Schram $100 and 2004 J. Schram Rosé $130. Eleanor & Ray Heald are contributing editors for the internationally respected Quarterly Review of Wines among other publications. Contact them by e-mail at focusonwine@aol.com.

Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.7966. Also 2125 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.253.9877. Peabody’s: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 34965 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.5222.

DOWNTOWN

Phoenicia: Middle Eastern. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 588 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.3122. Pita Cafe: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 239 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.6999. Qdoba: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 795 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.988.8941. Quiznos: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 185 N Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.540.7827. Salvatore Scallopini: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977. South: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.8133. Stacked Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Delivery available. No reservations. 233 North Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.5300. Steve’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301. 248.932.0800. Streetside Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.9123. Sushi Hana: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.3887. Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830. Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American. Dinner. Monday-Saturday. Sunday brunch. Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066. The Corner Bar: American. Dinner. Wednesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2958. The Gallery Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.  248.851.0313. The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7688. The Rugby Grille: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999. Toast: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278. Tokyo Sushi & Grill: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 225 E. Maple Rd., Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6501. Townhouse: American. Brunch, Saturday, Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 180 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.5241. Village Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 653 S. Adams. Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7964 Whistle Stop Cafe: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.5588 Zazios: Italian. Dinner daily. Reservations. Liquor. 34977 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, 48009. Phone: 248.530.6400 Zumba Mexican Grille: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No Reservations. 163 W. Maple Rd., Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.2775.

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BUSINESS MATTERS Spice & Tea Exchange A new shop is coming to Birmingham and bringing a little spice to the area. The Spice & Tea Exchange is slated to open at 175 West Maple Road, former home to Claire’s, by the end of November. “It’s officially opening on November 26,” said Amy Freeman, managing partner. “It’s an apothecary-type store. We have hundreds of spices, teas and accessories. We have over 65 handblended spice mixes that we make right there in the store.” Freeman, a Michigan native, said they have been trying to get a location in that part of Birmingham for over a year. “It was difficult to find, but we found the perfect opportunity and took it. The economy affected a lot of places, but Birmingham, not so much.” Freeman’s husband and business partner, Clay Freeman, said the store’s décor is mimicked after an 18th Century trading post. “We try to make the décor as authentic as possible,” he said. “Historically, it relates back to the old spice trading days.” The specialty shop will offer a variety of teas, sugars, olive oil blends and food seasonings. “We’ll have any type of blend that you can think of,” Clay said. The Spice & Tea Exchange has 24 locations in the U.S.

McQueen's Carpet closes McQueen’s Carpet, located at 746 East Maple Road in Birmingham, appears to have closed after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. “We have received several angry calls from customers who are looking for their carpet,” said Sheryl Geralds, operations director at the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber. “They are not part of the chamber, so I don’t have information on this business.” McQueen’s Carpet could not be reached for comment.

Paesano Akkashian firm Paesano Akkashian, a corporate, litigation and securities law firm, has recently opened at 132 North Old Woodward Avenue in Birmingham. “The area is nice and centrally located,” said Kristen Caleca, legal assistant for Paesano Akkashian. “It offers the boutique-style location that we were looking for.” Attorneys Anthony Paesano and Brian Akkashian previously practiced at separate law firms and recently partnered together to form Paesano Akkashian, Caleca said. “We’re downtownpublications.com

looking forward to working with new and exciting clientele from the area.”

Pizzeria closes My Cousin's New York Pizzeria at 42967 Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Hills has closed its doors. The owner of the pizzeria, located at Woodward Avenue and Square Lake Road, was unable to be reached for comment regarding the closure.

POGO under new ownership POGO, a skateboard, clothing and footwear boutique at 381 Hamilton Row, has recently reopened under new management. Brothers Jacob and Adam Bishop decided to open the Birmingham location after successfully running three footwear stores in Florida. “We saw a great open market for our business,” said Jacob. “This shop has been there for over 15 years; it’s got a great reputation and the owner of business was ready to move on at this point.” Known for carrying exclusive products, the Bishop brothers are carrying Nike SB, Nike Footwear and Jordan shoes. “We’ll have stuff you can’t find anywhere,” Jacob said. “We’ll have people driving from all over metro Detroit for these brands. There are different levels of exclusivity and we’re on top of the pyramid with the most elite products.” In addition to footwear, POGO will offer skateboards, accessories and attire in the newly revamped 1,100 square foot space. “We gave the store a great facelift,” Jacob said. “It’s really a hidden gem there on Hamilton and we’re excited to be a part of this.” Jacob and Adam are Michigan natives and sons of Alan Bishop, owner of Mr. Alan’s shoes and sportswear stores. “My dad is very excited,” Jacob said. “He loves that we’re coming back to Michigan. He’s a big supporter of us expanding and growing.” Jacob said he is looking forward to this new venture with his brother. “Adam is my partner in crime and my best friend. We’re attached at the hip.”

Spindler art at Scavolini Scavolini by Cucina Moda at 202 East Maple in Birmingham is showcasing the work of Michigan artist Lisa Spindler in their showroom through

January. “She has 18 pieces and they are all real life images,” said Niki Serras, owner of Scavolini. “They are photographs and have a more contemporary feel.” Spindler contacted the kitchen design company to inquire about showcasing her work, Serras said. “It didn’t spring up as a business endeavor. We feel deeply about her work and it was just a natural collaboration.” Spindler selected each piece to complement the kitchen vignettes in the Scavolini showroom. “Lisa is known for figurative photography and nudes,” Serras said, “but these are more botanical or organic in nature.”

California Closets open California Closets, a home design company, is now occupying the 2,200 square foot space at 33238 Woodward Avenue. “We have a showroom in Commerce and now we have a showroom in Birmingham,” said owner Sheilah Markham. The company offers in-home designs and renovations. “We do home offices, entertainment centers, garages and closets. We can send design consultants to (a client’s) home to evaluate their needs.” California Closets follows a project through from design to completion, Markham said. “The designer will sit with the client and show them what the project will look like on a 3-D rendering. We have our own installers on staff.” Markham has been a California Closets business owner with her husband, Ray, for 24 years. “Our business is really growing right now. We’re up 40 percent from last year.”

Bloomfield Salon relocates Bloomfield Salon has moved into the Sugarbush Plaza at 2448 Franklin Road in Bloomfield Township from their previous space at 39577 Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Hills. “We were there for 16 years, but our contract was up and I had to move,” said owner Yvonne Tallman. The new space, situated on the northwest corner of Square Lake and Franklin roads, is larger with better visibility to the public. “We were inside a building (at the previous location). Here, there are big windows and beautiful sunshine. Every client that walks in here thinks it’s wonderful.” Tallman began as a stylist in Bloomfield Township 18 years ago. “It’s just the hub of Michigan,” she said. “Birmingham and Bloomfield are the main hubs of Michigan and we have a lot of fun with our clients.” Bloomfield Salon

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staffs three stylists and one nail technician.

Fine jewelry trunk show My House Of Style, located at 574 North Old Woodward in Birmingham, will host a trunk show on Thursday, December 1 from 5-7:30 p.m. The show will introduce Melu Jewelry, a line of fine jewelry created by Kingswood School Cranbrook graduates Patty Solomon Freud of New York City and Joan Solomon Frank of Birmingham. Both will be on hand to meet and greet customers. “I’m very big on promoting local artists,” said Diane Harris, owner of My House of Style. “This line is very spiritual. They carry pieces meant to promote healing.” A percentage of all sales of jewelry and home accessories from the trunk show will benefit Imerman Angels, a charity created by Cranbrook alumnus and cancer survivor Jonny Imerman. My House of Style has had a storefront in Birmingham for two years. The jewelry store carries fashion and fine jewelry.

Frank Street Bakery opening Frank Street Bakery has taken over the space at 420 East Frank in Birmingham, former home of Cinderella’s Attic. The bakery is slated to open by the end of November. Husband and wife team Matt and Grace Dersa previously owned a small deli in Florida and chose to open Frank Street Bakery after moving back to Michigan. “Our son goes to Pierce Elementary and we wanted to work where we live. It’s a great community.” Frank Street Bakery will specialize in pies, cakes, cookies, cupcakes and chocolates. “We will also offer paninis, salads, soups and daily specials,” Grace said. “My husband’s signature item is going to be his Cuban sandwich on our Cuban bread.” The space has undergone complete renovations. “We put a kitchen in the back and we’re doing seating for 12,” Grace said. “It’s going to be a very comfortable and inviting atmosphere.” Business Matters for the Birmingham Bloomfield area are reported by Katey Meisner. Send items for consideration to KathleenMeisner@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.

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Christ Church Cranbrook!

There’s Something for Everyone at

An Advent Service

Sunday, Dec. 4 (10:00 am – 11:15 am) Join us for the this special service of anthems, hymns and readings highlighting the O Antiphons-- the seven references to the Messiah from the Old Testament. Featuring the CCC Choir and festival banners.

Tree Trimming and St. Nicholas Celebration

Sunday, Dec. 4 (11:30 am – following the 10:00 am service)

Join the children of CCC in a visit and a story by St. Nick. Help us decorate the tree and make special Advent crafts!

Advent by Candlelight

Monday, Dec. 5 (6:00 pm – 9:00 pm)

Join us for an elegant evening as we slow down and focus on the meaning of the season. Enjoy fellowship with other women and a program with inspirational speakers and beautiful music.

Salon Concert

Wednesday, Dec. 14 (4:00 – 5:00 pm) Come enjoy high tea and a free concert by the Christa Grix Jazz Harp Trio as they entertain you with an afternoon of holiday selections.

Festival of Gifts

Saturday & Sunday Dec. 10 & 11 (Saturday 5:00 pm; Sunday 10:00 am) Experience the reenactment of the Christmas Story as narrated and acted by our teenagers and live animals! Bring an unwrapped present to be distributed to needy children in the tri-county area. Embrace the true meaning of Christmas!

Blue Christmas Service

Sunday, Dec. 18 (4:00 pm – 5:00pm)

This special service offers comfort, hope and healing for all who are challenged by this holiday season.

Christmas Eve Services

Saturday, Dec. 24 (5:00 pm Children’s Service; 8:00 pm and 11:00 pm) Our 5:00 service is specially designed for families but all are welcome and will enjoy the telling of the Christmas story and the filling of the crèche by all of the children. The 8:00 and 11:00 services are more traditional and include the full choir and brass accompaniments.

Christmas Day Service

Sunday, Dec. 25 (10:00 am)

Join us on Christmas morning to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Christmas Brunch

Sunday, Dec. 25 (11:30 am - following the 10:00 am Christmas Day Service) Don’t spend Christmas alone. All are invited to join us in a wonderful brunch prepared and served by volunteers. (If you would like to volunteer for this special and heartwarming event, we would love to include you!!) Please RSVP to the church office.

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Sunday, Dec. 25 (5:00 – 7:00, every Sunday) A progressive, all-inclusive ancient/future worship experience geared toward young adults with music, dinner and child care.

470 Church Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304

248-644-5210 www.christchurchcranbrook.org

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e’ve done a lot in the past two months at The Community House. We’ve launched a new brand look; a new logo; a new tagline: Teach Connect Help; and a new website address: www.tchserves.org. In early 2012 we’ll have a redesigned website for a better customer experience. All of which better reflects our re-energized focus. Our exclusive iCount™/KidsCount wellness program to fight teen obesity is gaining speed, as we collaborate with multiple nonprofit agencies, where our iCount facilitators will help hundreds of underserved teens in Detroit. I strongly believe the iCount program could change the dynamics of the Detroit area’s young population from one of the unhealthiest in the nation, to a model for a nation of teens choosing to live a more vibrant lifestyle. In addition, we’re expanding our Business Education programs for the community with our Bulletproof Your Success™ lectures starting Camille Jayne on Wednesday, February 8, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (go to www.tchbulletproof.org to register), and going through September. Each lecture covers a “Success Cluster” packed with specific tools and processes that any business person needs to “bulletproof their business effectiveness.” The first lecture titled: “Are You Building Your Business or Just Paying For A Lot of Free Lunches?,” stresses how having a large network means nothing unless you turn that network into relationships, and those relationships into results. The lecture takes you through many of my defined tools, processes and case study examples of how using creative and service oriented processes are as critical to your success as are your persuasive talents. As part of the $35 lecture cost (which is a direct donation to our nonprofit TCH,), each attendee will get a personal Success Assessment Questionnaire indicating what “success bucket” they’re currently in. In the online Success Assessment, they rate their skills, leadership traits, management style, experiential and factual knowledge, as well as abilities/talents. Their answers will determine which “Success Bucket” they fall into at that point in time: Worker; Striver; Fabulous Contributor; Mover and Shaker or Corner Office/Killer Business Owner. As people tackle new challenges throughout their career, they will fall into different Success Buckets. Here are a few things people said about the Bulletproof Lectures from last year: “The Bulletproof Lectures were packed with nuts and bolts information that I find extremely relevant and easy to apply in everyday business situations. I walked away from each lecture with a great deal of applicable tools and information in a short period of time.” Mark Belzowski, CFO, GCube Insurance Services, Inc. “The Bulletproof Your Success™ teachings made me realize how I needed to rethink how I was approaching business, and importantly, myself. Camille’s style of teaching is nothing less than engrossing. She packed so many practical tools into each lecture that I could use immediately. For anyone looking to gain an essential edge in the business world, this information is essential.” Paul Schmidt, Sr Account Executive “I have had my PR agency for 25 years and so I do not consider myself a novice entrepreneur. Nevertheless, I jumped at the chance to attend the business lectures led by Camille Jayne because of my respect for her business and marketing savvy. I was not disappointed - Camille delivered a dynamic series of lectures that taught me business principles I never knew, and had impact because they were reinforced with intriguing personal case studies. This coupled with her engaging style and presentation skills made me want to come back for as many lectures as I could.” Hilary Kaye, Founder, HKA, Inc. Public Relations

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Here is the update on the recent social scene. Many more photos from each event appear online each week at downtownpublications.com where readers can sign up for an e-mail notice when the latest social scene column is posted. Past columns and photos are also archived at the website for Downtown.

CARE Night at Neiman Marcus

CARE Night at Neiman Marcus The fashionable crowd of 200 CARE House supporters was right at home at the gala fundraiser which Roz Jacobson and Elyse Sally Gerak Foltyn chaired at Neiman Marcus. After the very sociable cocktail hour on the first floor, they gathered on the second floor for the presentation of much-deserved awards to Art Van Elslander, Monica and Luciano Del Signore and Suzanne Russell. They also gave a standing ovation to departing executive director Pat Rosen following board chair Cathy Weissenborn’s description of Rosen’s style as “classy and fabulous.” The same adjectives describe the fashion show. Maggie Allesee then started the dedicated giving with a $1,000 donation. Subsequent pledges raised $17,000 of the event’s total of $95,000. And before the raffle winners were drawn, David Folytn uttered my favorite quote of the night. Speaking about himself, a big law firm chairman & CEO, and land developer Scott Jacobson, David praised their wives by declaring, ““We are two lucky boys.” Guests then capped the evening at an after hours dessert party on the third floor. CARE House’s next big event is the 16th Annual Circle of Friends Luncheon, at The Townsend Hotel on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Featured speaker Elizabeth Smart will meet benefactors the preceding evening at a social hosted by Vicki and Tom Celani. For an invitation call (248) 332.7173.

1. Sponsor Taubman’s Lisa Payne (center) with event co-chairs David & Elyse Foltyn of Birmingham. 2. Event co-chairs Roz (left) & Scott Jacobson of Birmingham with Julie & Bobby Taubman of Bloomfield. 3. CARE House executive director Pat Rosen and board chair Cathy Weissenborn of Bloomfield. 4. Honorees Art Van Elslander (left), Luciano & Monica Del Signore and Suzanne Russell of Bloomfield. 5. NM manager Renee Janovsky (left) of Grosse Pointe with Jim Prowse and Fair Radom of Bloomfield. 6. Auctioneer Charles Wickins (left) of Birmingham, Fabriola & Paul Stapleton of Grosse Pointe and Denise Abrash of Bloomfield. 7. Carrie Doelle (center) of Bloomfield with Treger Strasberg (left) and Barbara Yolles of Birmingham. 8. Kate Ostrove (left) of Birmingham, Kathy Broock Ballard of Orchard Lake, Nicole Eisenberg of Bloomfield and Barbara Jucka of Troy.

Preservation Bloomfield’s Evening at High Gate The 80 friends of Preservation Bloomfield who attended (@ $125 per person) Evening at High Gate are still talking about the warm hospitality Bobbi, Stephen and Ryan Polk extended to all. High Gate, which was built in 1914 and purchased in 1923 by Stephen Polk’s grandfather, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Many guests dressed in 20s vintage attire, appropriate to the house, the antiques, and the display of family memorabilia Ryan created. Builder Jim Jenereaux, who orchestrated the three-year addition project that respected the historic home’s origins, remembered the challenge of restoring and keeping the huge, marble-faced refrigerators. “Everything was built around them,” he said. And to thank the hosts for their overwhelming generosity from the very beginning of PB’s efforts, landscape architect Mike Dul sketched and framed a pen and ink drawing of the home. Proceeds from the very special evening, which was coordinated by Duffy Wineman, Nancy Boos, Patti Jessup, Judy Anderson, Carol Shaya, Shirley Maddalena, Sue Nine, Bee Engelhart and Pat Hardy, benefit the work of PB to restore and preserve the Barton Farmhouse and the Craig Log Cabin. The preservationists’ next fundraiser is the fourth Gingerbread Brunch, Friday, Dec.9. It will be preceded Thursday evening, Dec. 8 with The Family Hour. Call (248) 642-6923 or (248) 594-0692 for more information.

Preservation Bloomfield’s Evening at High Gate

1. Event chair Pat Hardy (center) with hosts Stephen & Bobbi Polk of Bloomfield. 2. Joan Gaston (left) and Mary Lou Janes of Bloomfield. 3. Builder Jim Jenereaux and his wife Judy of W. Bloomfield with Betty Bright of Bloomfield. 4. Patsy & Paul Hartmann of Bloomfield. 5. Anne Streng (left), Nancy Boos and Sandy Mackle of Bloomfield. 6. Ryan Polk with display of family memorabilia he created for the event.

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Benefit for Life Charity Reception The 200-plus loyal supporters of the Right to Life Michigan Educational Fund’s 14th Benefit for Life who cruised to Petruzzello’s Banquet Center in Troy knew they would have a great meal and see the new pro life TV ads, which the event helps fund. This year it netted $43,000-plus. They also knew there would be good music for the social hour, featuring pianist Andrea and trumpeter Brian Moon, and that they would get an update on Michigan’s abortion rate, the lowest since 1976. But most did not know how compelling the speaker, comedian Mike Williams would be. He began with comedy, concluding, “Life is too short not to laugh; life is too long not to laugh.” Then he noted that he was born into a poor family and told his moving adoption story. “I am a rescued kid…my mom gave me to the mailDOWNTOWN

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man,” he said. When he added that 14 years ago his wife and he adopted a biracial, pre-natal drug addicted eightmonth-old bundle of joy who is now a thriving teenager, you knew he wasn’t just all talk. Detroit Zoo Carousel Grand Opening The Detroit Zoological Society recently cut the ribbon on an enchanting new addition at the zoo and 215 people of all ages turned out for the event. After savoring some great chow in the Artic Grill, they gathered around a wood and brass, custom-designed carousel. Zoo director Ron Kagan noted that its 33 figures and ADA-compliant chariot are all handcarved and hand-painted. Figures include traditional carousel horses as well as exotic mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and a peacock chariot. “It celebrates the wonder and majesty of our wildlife,” he said. DZS president Gail Warden then thanked those who have sponsored a carousel figure ($10,000) and everybody went round and round to the old-fashioned calliope music. It will be open daily April through October A carousel ride costs $2 with zoo admission. It can also be rented for private parties, weddings and corporate functions. There are still eight figures which need sponsors. JVS Anniversary Celebrations The JVS 70th Anniversary and Annual Meeting attracted 180 supporters to Pine Lake Country Club last month. Many attended because the program also included a salute to JVS president and CEO Barbara Nuremberg, who was marking her 20th anniversary at the helm of the social service agency. According to outgoing board president Brian Meer, Nurenberg’s leadership was “…passionate and inspirational… instead of challenges, (she) saw opportunities and forged new relationships and opportunities for the most vulnerable people in our society.” Crazy Sexy Pink Fund Luncheon Congratulations to Molly MacDonald. The luncheon she staged at the Royal Park Hotel was sold out (400 people). Some of them came early for a private rockin’ and rollin’ yoga class with Birmingham’s Center for Yoga Jonny Kest. All applauded “Wellness Warrior” Kris Carr, who received The Pink Fund’s first annual National SurThrivor Award for “not wasting her cancer” by giving back through her books, blogs and www.crazysexylife.com platform. Monies raised from the event will go toward providing financial support to Michigan women in treatment for breast cancer. downtownpublications.com

Benefit for Life Charity Reception

1. Joe Knollenberg (left) of Bloomfield with honorary chairs Paul & Bernadette Barron of Metamora. 2. Amalia Raczkowski (left) of Farmington Hills and Dorothy Perrotta of Bloomfield. 3. Dan (left) & Katey Devine and Jane & David Buckley of Bloomfield. 4. Ed (left) & Nancy Schwartz of Bloomfield with Bridget & Jay Sawmiller of Birmingham. 5. Msgr. Chuck Kosanke (left) of Bloomfield with Mary Ann & Lou Hocker of Birmingham and committee member Karen Brown of Troy.

Detroit Zoo Carousel Grand Opening

3 1. Brian (left) & Rebecca McLennan Barens & Becky & Jim McLennan of Bloomfield (with carousel falcon they sponsored). 2. Bobbi & Stephen Polk of Bloomfield (Bobbi is on the sea turtle they sponsored). 3. Ashley & Hadley Crain of Bloomfield (on the sea horse the Crain family sponsored). 4. Max Rosenthal of Bloomfield (on the Tyrannosaurus Rex the Rosenthal family sponsored). 5. Chloe Kiriluk (left) with Jim & Cathy Rosenthal of Bloomfield.

4 JVS Anniversary Celebrations

1. Past JVS board president Nora & Guy Barron of Bloomfield. 2. Immediate past chair of the JVS board Brian Meer of W. Bloomfield, JVS president and CEO Barbara Nurenberg of Bloomfield and Greg Hirsch of Walled Lake. 3. Past board presidents Eugene Driker of Detroit and Linda & Tom Klein of Bloomfield.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Michigan Opera Theatre’s Opera Ball

1 1. Event chair Arnie Weingarden & his wife Joanne Danto of Birmingham. 2. Event designer Kevin McManamon (left) & David Ivinskas of Birmingham. 3. Committee member Joy Nachman (center) of Bloomfield with John & event co-chair Marlene Boll of Grosse Pointe. 4. 2010 event chair Rick Williams (center) with Jim & co-chair Patti Prowse of Bloomfield. 5. Gail Danto (left) of Bloomfield, Dr. Jann Devereux of Birmingham and Debbie Steingold of Bloomfield. 6. Rob Steingold (left), Dr. Art Roffey & Irving Shapiro of Bloomfield. 7. Valerie Straith (left), Judie Sherman and Karen Williams of Bloomfield. 8. Committee member Lynn Gandhi of Bloomfield. 9. Barbara Frankel (left) & her husband Ron Mihalac of W. Bloomfield, Hank & Pat Nichol of Birmingham and Bud Liebler of Bloomfield. 10. Sandy Duncan (left) of Bloomfield with Sandi & Claude Reitelman of Birmingham.

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Michigan Opera Theatre’s Opera Ball There is no charity gala in the area more elegant than the annual Opera Ball, especially since the magnificent Detroit Opera House opened and became its venue in 1996. This year 350 MOT supporters ($500 & up) partied the night away at the tables set on the temporary floor built over the theatre seats and another 100 Next Generation ticket holders watched them from the box seats. After Dan Stall conducted a brief live auction that raised $75,600, and Elliot Campbell’s name was drawn as the winner of two 52-card raffle, all watched a Cirque du Soleil acrobat cavort and listened to compelling vocal selections by soprano Andriana Churchman and baritone Marian Pop. Then all flocked to the dance floor on the stage made lively by the Sun Messengers with a backdrop from “Carmina Burana”, the opera which inspired the ball’s esthetics. The event raised $370,000, thanks in part to the beneficence of Ford and GM, according to general director David Di Chiera, who also praised the event co-chairs Arnie Weingarden and his wife Joanne Danto, whom he’s known since she was a 16-year old dancer. St. Hugo Altar Guild’s Viva la Fashion For 53 years the St. Hugo Altar Guild has staged a fashionable fall event to raise funds for the 20-plus charities it supports. This year it attracted 279 to Oakland Hills Country Club. Before lunch they conversed, bid $5,000 in a silent auction, and bought $10,650 worth of raffle tickets while John Sittard played the piano. Then Colleen Burcar emceed a brief program that included words of gratitude to Ceresnie & Offen Furs and Franklin Village Boutique’s Jane Roberts and Judy Shagena for providing the irresistible apparel modeled by guild members, and Quenlyn & Company for styling their hair and makeup. The popular event raised more than $50,000. Design Center’s Celebrations@home The 35 design talents who created outstanding vignettes for this third annual event of the Michigan Design Center proved that any excuse to celebrate can be a good one - Christmas, All Hallows Eve, Broadway, Andy Warhol’s birthday, an Italian anniversary, Mardi Gras, even, as Marianne Jones did, A Quiet Evening Alone with a Good Book. This year the pre12.11

view party, which attracted more than 420, also featured a silent auction with 100 percent of proceeds benefitting Variety, The Children’s Charity. Another 600-plus people came the next day for the Open House. It featured keynote presentations by Nino Salvaggio’s, Blumz by JRDesigns, and Joe Farris. All proceeds from the lectures also benefitted Variety. In addition, hundreds of toy donations were collected to benefit Variety’s Santa’s Workshop holiday gift-giving efforts. All guests were given ballots to register their favorite vignettes. When all the votes were counted the following awards were named: Design Inspiration to Dan Davis of Dan Davis Design for Oceans 2011; Crowd Pleaser to Ann-Marie Anton of It’s Personal Design for Hollywood Glamour; One in a Million to Valerie Young of Valerie Young Interiors for The Book Club Luncheon. And everybody picked up some great ideas for entertaining with style.

St. Hugo Altar Guild’s Viva la Fashion

1. Guild president Sandy Reso (left) of Clarkston and event co-chairs Karen Seitz & Loran Page of Bloomfield. 2. Committee member Mia Materka (left) of W. Bloomfield, emcee Colleen Burcar and Lisa Lemon of Bloomfield. 3. Auction chair Kathie McIntosh (left) of Bloomfield & Terry Kowalski of W. Bloomfield. 4. Mary Ann Kennedy (left) & her sister-in-law Kathleen Kennedy of Bloomfield. 5. Pam Surhigh (left), Ann Bartoli, Kim Thoresen and Diane Roelant of Bloomfield Hills.

Design Center’s Celebrations@home Shopping at SHE for the DIA Speaking of style, Sharon Eisenshtadt’s chic boutique (4076 W. Maple Road, Bloomfiel Hills) was a bustling place the two days she hosted designer Heike Jarick and offered to give the Detroit Institute of Arts a percentage of the sales proceeds. The timing was perfect for DIA supporters, like Founders Junior Council board members Nicole Wagner and Trish deWald, to find contemporary apparel, jewelry and accessories for the Nov. 12 Le Carnaval des ArtStars Gala at the museum. Ray Laethem Celebration with a Cause More than 450 well wishers from all over the area flocked to Ray Laethem Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram dealership for the grand opening celebration of the new facility on the Detroit-Grosse Pointe border. For the party, classic cars from the past joined new ChryslerSRT-series cars and SUV’s on the showroom floor. To salute the new union of Chrysler and Fiat, caterer Andiamo served Italianstyle Motown fare (think mini meatball sliders and Coneys smothered in Italian sausage marinara), while Simone Vitale made music. All paused to applaud Jeff and Alice Laethem’s presentation of a $5,000 check to Detroit PAL COO Tim Richey because, said Jeff, “Think Detroit PAL is all about helping kids…and kids are the cornerstone of our future.” downtownpublications.com

2 1. Designer Jane Synnestvedt (left) of Birmingham, Barbara Spencer of Bloomfield and collector Ben Hodges of NYC. 2. Designers Stephen Knollenberg (left) of Birmingham, Michael Coyne of Bloomfield and Marianne Jones of Birmingham. 3. Jim Adams (left) of Bloomfield and Julie Ritter of Birmingham. 4. Celebrating Broadway musicians Simone Vitale (left) of Bloomfield and Gary Shunk of Redford. 5. Debra & Ari Ribitwer of Bloomfield with Extraordinary Works’ Jim Earthorne of Northville.

Shopping at SHE for the DIA 1. Cathy Forbes (left) of Franklin and Trish deWald of Royal Oak. 2. Boutique owner Sheila Eisenshtadt of Bloomfield (showing off a Heike Jarick reversible leather and fur vest). 3. Maria Mierzwa (left) of Sylvan Lake showing Sharon Eisenshtadt of Bloomfield her purchase.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Garden Club’s Katie Brown, LIVE

1. Celebrity speaker Katie Brown of NYC with event chair/club president Elise Hayes (left) and her sister Yvonne McCready of Bloomfield. 2. Past club presidents Sis Fisher (left), Ceceily O’Connor, Lynn Stinson, Judith Darin & Joanne Brody of Bloomfield. 3. Annie Margulis (left) of Bloomfield and Missy Mark of Birmingham. 4. Past presidents Judy McCarthy Lodish (left) of Birmingham, Stephanie Kempf of Bloomfield and Nora Tebben of Dryden. 5. Tori Sawula (left) & her mother Barbara Smith of Bloomfield. 6. Michelle Fredericks (left) & her mother Lois Fredericks Thornbury of Bloomfield with artist Lynn Duffey of Milford. 7. Kristi Hamed (left) of Bloomfield with Niki Gallaudet of Bingham Farms and Rita Buschmann of Bloomfield.

Variety’s Lights, Camera, Auction!

1. Event host Paul Glantz of Lake Angelus with filmmakers Amy (left) and Tina Weber of Birmingham. 2. Emagine Entertainment’s Ruth Daniels (left) of Farmington Hills with event co-chair Judy Solomon of Birmingham. 3. Event co-chair Michael Bressler (left) of Birmingham with Northern Lakes Seafood’s Travis Waynick and No. VI Chop House’s Jeremy Kalmas. 4. Event patrons Bruce (left) & Debbie Kridler of Bloomfield with Marshall Feuer of Farmington Hills. 5. Martin (left) & Patience Wright of Bloomfield with Paul Silverman of Franklin. 6. Fleming Steakhouse’s Jason Hayden (left) & Nathan Schwartz with event patrons Peggy & Dr. Mark Saffer of W. Bloomfield. 7. Jennifer Silverman (left) of Franklin and her mother Renee Dagher and Rick Pulford of Commerce Twp. 8. Raffle winner Mark Weiss of Southfield with Variety executive director Jennie Cascio of Bloomfield.

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Garden Club’s Katie Brown, LIVE Petoskey native Katie Brown, who has been promoting value-packed “dime store domesticity” since 1997, brought her winning personality and affordable decorating ideas to the MSU Management Education Center last month to benefit the Bloomfield Hills Garden Club. She was introduced by event chair Elise Hayes, whose friendship with Brown goes back to girlhood days Up North. “I married her high school ski coach,” Hayes confided to the 185 women gathered for the event, a demonstration lecture followed by lunch. While she created 13 quick and easy table decorations, Brown chatted candidly and affably, sharing some life lessons learned from her garden: variety produces strength; surround yourself with the best; you can’t be a control freak with Mother Nature. She also admitted that she’s thrilled her show, “Katie Brown Workshop” is on public television and that her home state retail giant Meijer is carrying her line of home and garden products. She also signed books before the luncheon, where every table had a different centerpiece. Only one person at a table could win it, an artfully arranged basket of Katie Brown products, but all guests got a Meijer tote bag containing a gift card and a selection of Katie Brown items. The event netted $10,000 for the garden club’s community projects which include the Belle Isle Daffodil Fund. Variety’s Lights, Camera, Auction! More than 350 attended Variety, The Children’s Charity’s Lights, Camera, Auction! event hosted by Paul Glantz at his Emagine Theatre in Novi’s Fountain Walk. Before taking in a choice of movies, which included Amy Weber’s award-winning “Annabelle and Bear”, they bid $5,200 in a silent auction, bought raffle tickets for Detroit Tigers playoff game tickets and savored great fare donated by the 29 generous restaurants recruited by Bob Golding.. They also donated enough money to give 27 bikes to needy and special needs children at the Bikes for Kids Party Dec. 7. The popular event netted $30,000. Bikes can still be donated by calling. Many in the crowd were talking about two recent, new Variety fundraisers. Big Bowl 2011 attracted 275 to the Emagine Star Lanes in Royal Oak for great food, a great party and bowling competition that 12.11

was won by the team from Sachse Construction. The Battle of the Country Clubs Chili Cook Off chaired by Connie Beckett and Kevin Dillon attracted 250 people to Bloomfield Open Hunt. Highlights included foot stomping music and chili cooked up by 10 chefs from area clubs. Their creations were judged by Annabel Cohen, Kate Lawson and Roop Raj, as well as the guests. The Critic’s Choice was Franklin Hills Country Club and the People’s choice went to Great Oaks Country Club. OUR TOWN Art Show & Sale events Since 1986, supporters of The Community House have organized a juried show and sale of Michigan art that attracts entries from professional and amateur artists alike. This year, 181 artists exhibited 356 objects, 65 of which had sold by show’s end. The majority (43) of those sales occurred during the Wednesday Opening Night Party, which is always a “must” on local social calendars. In addition to serious socializing, sipping, supping on Plum Market-catered, passed fare and viewing the art, some among the 400 guests also painted a square on the Liz Taylor portrait canvas designed by Tom Maniaci. Most stopped to greet honorary chair Patricia Hill Burnett, whose nephew Bill Burnett and his wife Miranda were the Benefactor Chairs. The show was open to the public all day Thursday and Friday, when it concluded with Art in Vogue, a spirited event that attracted 100 guests. It featured young women posing in fashions from local boutiques. Their makeup by Black the Salon and ensembles were inspired by the painting near which they posed. By evening’s end, the 2011 OUR TOWN had raised $50,000 for TCH outreach projects. Artists receiving a coveted Juror’s Award - $10,000 divided among awardees - were: Valerie Mann, James Fetter, Pamela Alexander, Ken Taylor, Karen Blackwood, Bill McNeece, Valerie McNeece, Barb Buchanan, Janice Degen, Greg Smitj, Megan Swoyer Garbinski and Kathleen McNamee. Connie McEwan received the Chair’s Award. When the show closed Tom Hale and Beverly Neumann had tied for the People’s Choice award. Art Museum New (…and Then) After being shuttered for two years while a $22-million, 20,000 downtownpublications.com

OUR TOWN Art Show & Sale events

3 1. Past event honoree Jeanne Hackett (left) and 2011 event honoree Patricia Hill Burnet of Bloomfield. 2. Artist Tom Maniaci (left) with Rich & event chair Becky Sorensen of Bloomfield and Pat Fenton of Birmingham. 3. Show juror Jane Dini of Grosse Pointe with committee member Barbara Heller of Birmingham. 4. Exhibitor Beth North with her husband John and exhibitor Lauri Dailey of Birmingham. 5. Commemorative tile artist Rachelle Nozero (left) of Novi with exhibitor Victor Ptyko & his wife Barbara Porter of Birmingham. 6. Committee member Gail Pope-Rashid with Milda Bublys of Bloomfield. 7. Jan (left) & exhibitor Bob Swanson with Pat & Jan Hartmann of Bloomfield. 8. Jack Marwil of Berkley and Duffy Wineman of Bloomfield.

OUR TOWN Art in Vogue

3 1. Event chair Megan Otzen (left) and her parents John & Michelle of Bloomfield. 2. Elizabeth Vernoesen (left) of Rochester and Julia Austin of Birmingham. 3. Katie Moore (left), Karen Swanson and Cindy Niekamp of Birmingham. 4. Madison Wayne (left) of Bloomfield and Ari Terebelo of Southfield. 5. Debbie Schrot (left) of Birmingham and Kellyjean Passage of Troy (in fashion from Saffron) painting: “Frida and Dali” by Nora Chapa Mendoza.

5 DOWNTOWN

SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK square feet Collections Wing was being added to the Cranbrook Art Museum, the treasure house of contemporary creative culture hosted a preview party last month. It enabled 300 museum loyalists to get a sneak peek at the new vaults where all museum objects are visible and accessible to students, scholars and visitors. Just like the party, classes will occur in view of, or actually inside, the museum’s glass-walled vaults, where the art will reside in custom cabinetry designed to display it exhibition-style at all times. The soiree featured a creative spin on a construction theme, with tables, chairs and buffet stations constructed of shipping crates and Cranbrook Academy of Art graduates like Bob Turek, Zac Ostrowski, Ben Teague, Jen Catron, Paul Outlaw and Arjen Noordeman providing music from innovative stages such as a ladder. Sensational entertainment, including academy students in skimpy bathing suits serving desserts, enlivened the event. “It’s a lot of fun to be connected to this place,” said Anita Damiani, a museum docent at the party. The expanded and renovated museum’s first exhibition, “No Object is an Island: New Dialogues with the Cranbrook Collection” opened on 1111-11 in conjunction with an elevenday program of events, lectures, films and performances—during which the museum will be open 11 hours each day. It will run through March 25, 2012. Don’t miss it.

Art Museum New (…and Then)

1. Honorary co-chair Maxine Frankel (left) & Lila Silverman of Bloomfield. 2. Vern & Evie Wheat of Birmingham. 3. Megan Garwood (left) of NYC with event chair Roz Jacobson and Erin Mayer of Birmingham. 4. Judy Anderson (center) with CEC president Rick & Sandy Nahm of Bloomfield. 5. Scott Jacobson (left) of Birmingham with Rebecca & Alan Ross of Bloomfield. 6. CAA ’09 Kelly & Sam Frank of Birmingham. 7. Mary Jane Molesky (left) of W. Bloomfield with honorary co-chair Bonnie Larson of Bloomfield and Sue Marx of Birmingham. 8. Mario & Anita Damiani of Bloomfield. 9. Carolyn Bellinson (left), Dede Feldman and Jonathan & Sheri Boos of Bloomfield. 10. Liz (left) & (holding Rafael) Brian Foltyn with his uncle David & Elyse Foltyn of Birmingham.

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DOWNTOWN

SOS Dancing with the Stars Chuck Bennett, Johnny Maalouf, Jackie Paige and Norman Yatooma – the judges for South Oakland Shelter’s Dancing with the Stars benefit, did not have an easy job. But they eventually did pick a winner from among the good sports who danced for the cause at the Townsend. Luigi Bruno Salon’s Katrina Malota, who had a spirited fan section in the audience of 300, bested Monica Del Signore, Terry Foster and Lila Lazarus. The show was the highlight of the evening, which also featured mega socializing, a strolling dinner and a silent auction that raised $13,000. Thanks to sponsors Norman Yatooma & Associates, Boutrous Companies, Gail & Rice, Universal McCann, Rx Catering, O’Brien Construction, Bacco Ristorante, and Beaumont Health System, the third annual event raised more than $75,000 to 12.11

help the homeless in our community. This success follows closely the naming of SOS as Michigan’s 2011 winner of Charter One’s Champions in Action® $25,000 grant. Wine & Dine in the D Sid Moss is a take action kind of guy who happens to like Michigan wines. Because the real estate developer is battling Multiple Myeloma, an incurable blood cancer with a relative low (38 percent) five-year survival rate, he decided to raise research money by staging the first benefit in Michigan for the MM Research Foundation. To do so, he got nine Michigan vineyards to bring their best wines to the Max Fisher Music Center for pairing with cuisine donated by 21 fine eateries. The classy yet informal affair attracted 320 of Moss’s friends and colleagues at $150 or $250 per person. They sipped and supped on the stroll as Ursala Walker sang jazzy vocals. They also bid nearly $8,000 in a silent auction and paused to hear Dr. Jeffrey Margolis and Dr. Michael Lill discuss the facts, myths and treatment options for Multiple Myeloma. The inaugural event raised $77,000 plus increased awareness of the disease. Classical Brunch The Community House October Classical Brunch attracted a nearcapacity crowd (150), including many youngsters, to hear French horn player David Everson and pianist Rob Conway perform. The next concert on Sunday, Dec. 11 will feature works from “Babar” and “The Toy Box” performed by pianist Sergei Kvitko and narrator Ken Beacher. For tickets go to or call (248) 644-5832. Kat Snips’ Purrrfect Writing Luncheon Kat Snips, a non-profit organization offering low cost spay and neutering services, benefited from a luncheon at Bloomfield Open Hunt. All 50 guests enjoyed an analysis of their handwriting samples by professional handwriting and document examiner Ruth Holmes. Holmes also shared interesting stories of her professional experiences. Counting the silent auction, the event raised more than $3,000 for the cause. Send ideas for this column to Sally Gerak, 28 Barbour Lane, Bloomfield Hills, 48304; email samgerak@aol.com or call 248.646.6390. downtownpublications.com

SOS Dancing with the Stars

2 1. Winning dancer Katrina Malota and her brother Martin of Birmingham. 2. George Boueri (left) of Novi with Samer Ghafari, Ben Sharley, Zak Yatim. Greg Shanaberger, Martin Malota & Peter Malota of Birmingham (the winning dancer’s fan club). 3. Event co-chairs Jennie & Bill Cook of Birmingham. 4. Emcee WXYZ’s Erin Nicole (left) with Monica Del Signore of Bloomfield. 5. Tom & SOS board president Tawnya Bender of Bloomfield. 6. Pam (left) & board member Ed Boutrous of Bloomfield with Larry & Debbie Jones of Shelby Twp. 7. David Fischer (left) & his wife Fox 2’s Jackie Paige of Bloomfield with dancer Terry Foster of W. Bloomfield and his professional partner Melissa Rollins of Bellville. 8. Alisa & John Locker of Birmingham.

Wine & Dine in the D

1. Event founder Sid Moss (center) of Bloomfield with honorary co-chairs Dr. Michael Lill (left) of Los Angeles, CA and Beaumont’s Dr.Jeffrey Margolis of W. Bloomfield. 2. Committee member Sharon Moss (left) of Bloomfield and daughters Michele Weingarden of Denver, CO holding 11-weeks-old Sabine, and Laurie Kinigstein of Santa Monica, CA. 3. Michael & Janie Roth of Bloomfield. 4. Sandra & Jonathan Green of Bloomfield. 5. Chris (left) & Marina Emde and committee members/sponsors Sharon & Marvin Walkon of Bloomfield. 6. Harry Rochelle (left) of Cherry Hills Valley, CO, Debra Feldman of Birmingham and Jerry Hoffman of Royal Oak.

5 DOWNTOWN

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ENDNOTE

Rail District economic development uring a recent joint Birmingham city commission/planning board workshop, city manager Bob Bruner pointed out in a discussion about bistro licenses that pushing to have bistros in the Rail District was really a moot point because bistro operators would not qualify for the $50,000 economic incentive they receive in the city's Central Business District and the fledging Triangle District because the Rail District does not have an economic development district. As the city seeks to continue to develop the eastern part of the city into a viable, vital component, it is necessary to create an economic development district for the Rail District. The Rail District boundaries on the north are Big Rock Chop House at Maple, ranging south to Lincoln Road, following down along Eton Road and east to the railroad tracks. Within its perimeter are industrial properties, a Birmingham Schools' former bus yard, a lumber yard, fledging boutiques, gyms and art galleries, photographer studios, architects, condos, apartments and lofts. It's a mixture of old and new; there is the iconic Whistle Stop restaurant, and the popular Goldfish Swim School. The area abuts neighborhoods with a mix of seniors who have been in their homes, tending them carefully, for decades, and young families eager to enjoy the fruits of Birmingham, from its

quality schools to its well-maintained parks, shops and restaurants. The city, from its professional leadership to the city commission and planning board, has identified the Rail District as an area poised for growth and development, to capitalize on its eclectic personality and economic potential. At a recent Rail District open house, some of the businesses and galleries opened their doors on a dark Thursday evening to guests. It was delightful to visit these new and struggling businesses, and see their wares. But a lack of lighting and signage prevented visitors from taking advantage of all of the establishments, which is a shame. Many just couldn't be found in the dark. Without signage, some are difficult to find in broad daylight. At the city's November planning board meeting, restaurateur Norm LePage, owner of Big Rock Chop House, presented plans for Griffin Claw Brewery Company, a new brewery, restaurant and tasting room at 563 and 575 S. Eton in the Rail District. While the planning board appeared excited about the project, which will encompass an acre-and-a-half of prime real estate in the Rail District, some neighboring residents, including owners of the Whistle Stop, spoke out about traffic concerns, parking worries, potential noise, and other concerns. Planning board members acknowledged that there is a lot of traffic on

Eton, but we must point out that Eton is a main road on the east side of Birmingham, and the Rail District area has never been a quiet neighborhood. There are train tracks abutting it, with trains coming through a few times a day. Big Rock Chop House was once a bustling train station. The entire area now referred to as the Rail District was once completely an industrial area, and yet people lived nearby, went to schools and parks there, and understood the nature of this part of Birmingham. Times change, and so do cities. Birmingham's desire to revitalize the area known as the Rail District is to be commended, as are its efforts to create another business district. What the Rail District does not have is a well-defined sense of how to develop, and that is because it does not have the economic tools it needs to fully accomplish those goals. An economic development district, or a downtown development district, similar to Birmingham's Principal Shopping District, would well serve the Rail District, and allow it to reach its proper maturation, with defined growth, rather than as a hodge-podge area with no clear sense of itself. The area needs proper signage for businesses, lighting, parking, and business incentives which other business districts in Birmingham have. It's time to do the same for the Rail District, and move it from its infancy, allowing it to grow to fruition.

Respect voters on compassionate care nough is enough. In November 2008, voters throughout the state of Michigan overwhelmingly approved, by a 63 percent vote, a proposal called the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, to allow for the legal use and dispensation of medical marijuana. Current Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, elected to his job in 2010, actively campaigned against the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act's approval, and since he has become attorney general, has waged an allout assault against growers, distributers, and now, patients who use medical marijuana, ruling recently that cops who return patients' individual medical marijuana to them can be prosecuted. It's time for Schuette, and other law enforcement officials, prosecutors and legislators who are on a rampage against the medicinal use of the drug to acknowledge the public's wishes for the medicinal use of marijuana. Like Inspector Javert's irrational lifelong quest to pursue and prosecute Jean Valjean in

Victor Hugo's novel Les Miserables after Valjean steals a loaf of bread to feed his daughter, Schuette's crusade, masquerading as part of the federal government's war against drugs, is misguided and meanspirited. We are talking about compassionate care of dying and chronically ill individuals who are finding palliative aid in their usage of medical marijuana, not stoners seeking to get high for the sake of a buzz. Like any law, there are some who are abusing the system, profiting and taking advantage of it. Prosecute themâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not the law-abiding patients, caregivers and distributers allowed by the law. It is also time for the legislators of this state, senators and representatives, Republicans and Democrats, to come to the table and create legislation to clarify the act, and represent the wishes of their voters. Current legislation, stalled in committees, is repressive and meant to deny patients, caregivers and distributors their right to medical marijuana. And voters, regardless if they are conservative or liberal, spoke very

clearly on that day in November 2008 when they voted for the compassionate use of medical marijuana. In traditionally Republican enclaves of Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township and Birmingham, the act was overwhelmingly supportedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Bloomfield Hills voters passed it with 62 percent of the vote; Bloomfield Township, 63 percent; and Birmingham voters, a resounding 70 percent. That's not a coattail effect from President Obama; that is people rising up and saying, we want medicine to make our loved ones feel better. A legislator's job is to represent his or her constituency. After passively sitting back and watching as law enforcement and prosecutors create a gladiator-like sport with medical marijuana participants, it's time for them to create laws which address the public's concerns and interests, get them out of committee, and pass them. Quickly. Because a one-man crusade goes against all of our interests, and our constitutionally-protected rights.

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