The Paper - December 2010

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THE PAPER

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■ inside / december ■ 5: MAIL BAG Bloomfield Township Supervisor David Payne, and Richard Rosenbaum

■ SNAPSHOTS ■ 7: Benjamin Bator ■ 39: Jack Keenan

■ 27: BUSINESS NOTES Modern Monogram; Bella Piatti; New Life Natural Health Center; Masri Clinic; The Moose Preserve; Real Ryder Revolution; and more

■ 30: COUNTY Pact to lower election costs for locals; at least two vying for Johnson’s job; new HCMA director named

■ 31: STATE Increased DUI penalties; DIA, zoo tax legislation passes; alcohol sales rules expected to change

■ 33: MUNICIPAL Senior Center policies amended; City expects court refund; Medical marijuana cultivation banned; Political sign debate in city; New parking structure lights; CDBG funds awarded; and more

■ 38: EDUCATION District revisits plan for new high school

■ 40: EATING OUT A directory of places where you can dine out

■ 41: PREP’S PLACE Chef John Prepolec offers culinary tips and tricks

■9

■ 43: THE COMMUNITY HOUSE The President and CEO of the Community House, Shelley Roberts, on what’s coming up in the weeks ahead

AREA RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS

We wondered how the economic climate has impacted places of worship in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, particularly with regards to their membership. We found that the answer to that question depends on who you ask.

■ 44: SOCIAL SCENE Orchards Children’s Services fundraiser

■ 46: FINAL WORD Our thoughts on legislation that would provide for new DIA and Detroit Zoo property taxes, as well as the debate about political sign regulations in Bloomfield Hills

■ OUR COVER

■ 16: ANTIQUE SHOPS IN BIRMINGHAM

■ 22: LATEST TRENDS IN ADVERTISING

■ 41: STRESS-FREE HOLIDAY MEALS

People have long accented their homes and individual rooms with relics from times gone by. Find out about the offerings at a variety of antique shops in the Birmingham-Bloomfield area.

A sluggish economy has been tough on advertising and marketing firms. Learn how area agencies are coping, and what the hottest new advertising strategies are.

Worried about spending hours slaving away over a stove just to create that perfect holiday meal?

Don’t be. Johnny Prep provides a series of simple tips to keep you from getting too worked up.

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THE PAPER

Birmingham’s Pierce Street in the downtown area is aglow with holiday cheer in this 2009 photograph. Cover art and photography by Amy K. Lockard.

DECEMBER 2010

■ mail bag Markus will be missed From Bloomfield Township Supervisor David Payne: It's not only the City of Birmingham that will experience the loss of a great leader when (City Manager) Tom Markus retires this month. People in Bloomfield Township and other cities, villages and townships throughout the county will miss him. Tom has been a catalyst for sparking innovative change and community collaborations throughout his 21-year tenure as city manager of one of the premier cities in the state. He has always held high standards for providing top quality public services and he has a long history of working cooperatively for the benefit of both Birmingham and its neighbors.

My relationship with Tom began years ago when Birmingham and Bloomfield Township needed to work together on a variety of municipal projects. His expertise on everything from planning and zoning to water and sewer issues was readily apparent. My professional high regard for him grew to personal respect and admiration when I realized how committed he was to serving the citizens of Birmingham. He worked with great determination to not only get things done, but to get things done well. He never rested until problems were solved and a fair resolution was reached.

Birmingham and Bloomfield Township have distinctly different characters. Birmingham is a sophisticated city with a bustling downtown. Bloomfield Township, even with its healthy business areas, is known prima-

PAPER

B I R M I N G H A M • B LO O M F I E L D

rily for its spacious and quiet residential neighborhoods.

Residents of the two areas, however, share the same community values. They go to many of the same schools and places of worship and volunteer for the same good causes. They patronize the same businesses and share similar income and education levels. Above all, when it comes to their local governments, they expect the same high quality public services.

Tom Markus clearly understood that. He also understood that to deliver the best to Birmingham, cooperating and collaborating with other communities was necessary. A few examples: In the 1990s Birmingham worked with Bloomfield Township to build one of the largest retention treatment basins in the region.

Tom continued to strongly advocate for the quality of the water of the Rouge River. He supported the Birmingham Area Cable Board in its innovative proposal to contract with Bloomfield Community Television for local programming, a partnership that is now in its 10th year. Tom worked tirelessly on an in-depth study that evaluated the feasibility of sharing police and fire services. As a result, the communities are actively discussing combining dispatch services, which would lead to cost reductions without sacrificing service levels for either Birmingham or Bloomfield Township.

The City of Birmingham has a history of finding and retaining talented and strong city managers. Prior to Tom Markus' 21 years, Robert Kenning was city manager for 24 years before he retired. That rare stability has

Talk to Birmingham-Bloomfield Your opinions are important so let us know what you think. Mail Bag provides our readers with a forum to express their thoughts on important issues. We reserve the right to edit all letters.

Letters for Mail Bag should be submitted by mid-month to appear in the next issue and must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. Only the writer's name and community will be printed.

Letters can be sent via e-mail to news@thescngroup.com, submitted through the website for The Paper (oaklandpaper.com) or by mail to P.O. Box 14, Union Lake, MI 48387. ■

been instrumental in Birmingham's growth. The city's elected commissioners, over the past 4.5 decades, are to be commended for their wisdom in recognizing quality and keeping the right people in place.

I want to congratulate Tom on an outstanding career here and extend my best wishes for future success in Iowa City. His leadership has set a fine example for all men and women in public service. Birmingham has flourished under him and Bloomfield Township has greatly benefited from his global view of local issues. I have appreciated the opportunity to work with him and will miss him. ■

You can't fool all people From Richard Rosenbaum, Bloomfield Hills: The defeat of the main Bloomfield Hills School District millage proposal reminds me that "You can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time but, you can't fool all the people all the time." ■

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■ snapshot

benjamin bator

B

irmingham entrepreneur Benjamin Bator wasn't actively looking for the type of success he found when he was in college pursuing a law degree. Instead, it found him.

At 24, Bator launched textsfromlastnight.com, a website that rakes in over $1 million in revenue a year.

He founded the company with his partner Lauren Leto, a friend he met while attending Michigan State University. After enrolling in Wayne State University's law school on a full-ride scholarship, he and Lauren brainstormed the idea of designing the website which features user-submitted text messages — many of which are not for those who are easily offended, or even perhaps a bit squeamish.

"We talked about random projects and then I took a bunch of our friends' texts and put up a blog. From there, we expanded and spread the word on Facebook and Twitter," he said.

By the time the website was redesigned in 2009, it was an enormous success.

"It was only a week when we had over 1 million hits," he said. "It was picked up by every media outlet."

Bator said one of the website's turning points was during college finals week.

"You put a bunch of kids with laptops in the library, and they start sharing it and then an entire library would find out. It's a discovery process that happens — viral growth."

The target demographic of the website is between the ages of 18 and 24, while the second-largest age group is between 25 and 35.

"We monitor the site mainly to make sure no one makes them up, to keep it authentic," he said. "We mainly look for things that make us laugh, cringe or think."

Subject matter has a tendency to be adult-themed, with texts about sex, drugs, drinking, embarrassing moments and bad decisions.

One of Bator's favorite submissions to his creation is: "I'm paying a homeless guy $20 to follow me around bars tonight with a boombox playing the theme to Rocky."

Other include: "Apparently I kept telling people I was a tennis pro again," and "I will pay you if you can come get me. He just suggested that we would have a hockey-themed wedding."

Bator says the site gets about 1.5 billion page views per month coming from 236 countries and territories.

The company now profits from major advertisers like movie production companies, mobile phone applications, and the American Apparel company.

"We wanted our advertisements to resonate more with our audience," he said.

Bator had intentions of returning to law school, but success reeled him in when he published an anthology of Texts From Last Night submissions.

Now he's put his dreams of getting juris doctorate in the rearview mirror.

"I kept putting it on hold, but now I'm in second year of being off and no plans to go back to law school," he said.

Nowadays, Bator is collaborating on a television series for Fox, produced by Happy Madison, Adam Sandler's production company which is tentatively slated to air in 2011. He's also busy with speaking engagements at colleges all over the U.S. "I speak on what it's like to be 24 and running a multi-million dollar company and how the simplest ideas executed properly can be turned into something real and fun," he said.

— Leslie Shepard-Owsley — The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard

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DECEMBER 2010

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ith over 30 religious institutions representing 17 denominations, the Birmingham and Bloomfield communities are steeped in religious communities and histories. The 32 religious institutions located within Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Bloomfield Township are all well-established, with the majority of them being part of the community for at least 40 years. Some congregations have been in the area before Michigan became a state — including the First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, which is the oldest at 175 years, and the Muslim Unity Center in Bloomfield Hills, which was established in 1830.

While some religious institutions report a varying ebb and flow of membership numbers, none expect to open new congregations or close down existing ones in the foreseeable future.

There are 19 religious institutions currently located in either Bloomfield Hills or Bloomfield Township, while there are 13 located in Birmingham.

According to the Archdiocese of Detroit, there are five Catholic parishes in the Birmingham and Bloomfield communities. Three of them — St. Hugo of the Hills, St. Owen, and St. Regis — are located in Bloomfield Hills. In Birmingham, the two parishes are St. Columban and Holy Name.

There are six Lutheran churches within Birmingham and Bloomfield Township. Four of them belong to the Lutheran Church of Missouri Synod. These include the Cross of Christ in Bloomfield Hills; and the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Our Savior Lutheran Church of Deaf, and Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, all three in Birmingham.

The Our Savior Lutheran Church of Deaf is one of two Deaf Lutheran congregations in Michigan and has been worshiping at Redeemer since the fall of 2002, when Redeemer provided the Deaf Church with office and worship space.

The other two Lutheran churches are a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Both St. Andrew and Beautiful Savior are located in Bloomfield Hills.

Two Jewish synagogues are located in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills. The Birmingham-Bloomfield Chai Center is located in Birmingham, while Temple Beth El is situated in Bloomfield Hills.

The Unity Center in Bloomfield Hills is the only mosque located in the Birmingham-Bloomfield area.

According to the Detroit Conference of the United Methodist Church, there are three Methodist churches in the communities: St. Paul's United Methodist in Bloomfield Hills, and Embury United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church in Birmingham, which is the largest Methodist church in the entire Detroit Conference with over 3,200 members.

St. James Episcopal Church in Birmingham is one of three Episcopalian churches in the area. The other two — Nativity Episcopal and Christ Church Cranbrook — are situated in Bloomfield Hills.

There are three different types of Baptist churches in these three communities. Bloomfield Hills Baptist Church belongs to the North American Baptist Conference, while First Baptist Church in Birmingham belongs to American Baptist Churches USA. Grace Baptist in Birmingham is an independent Baptist church.

According to the Presbyter of Detroit, Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham have two Presbyterian churches: Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Hills and First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham. www.oaklandpaper.com

Temple Beth El

Two congregational churches can be found within Bloomfield Hills. The Congregational Church of Birmingham located in Bloomfield Hills is a part of the United Church of Christ. The Pilgrim Congregational Church in Bloomfield Hills is a member of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC).

Birmingham Unitarian in Bloomfield Hills is one of the five Unitarian churches located in southeastern Michigan. The other four are located in Farmington Hills, Troy, Grosse Pointe, and Detroit. Birmingham Unitarian is also one of the larger Unitarian Universalist congregations in the United States with 500 members, according to church administrator Lisa Crawford.

Bloomfield Hills has the only Greek Orthodox Church in the area, St. George, according to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit.

Kingdom Hall Jehovah's Witnesses has one congregation located in Bloomfield Hills, while the First Church of Christ Scientist has one in Birmingham.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has five meeting houses in Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, and Bloomfield Township. The LDS Detroit Michigan Temple is also located in Bloomfield Hills.

Although there may be an opening for churches of other faiths to expand in the area, the congregations already in Birmingham and Bloomfield don't expect to add any more churches in the near future.

"We have a decent concentration of members in those areas, but we don't need to add a church there," said Chad Woltemath, vice president of finance and director of the General Services Department for the Lutheran Church of Missouri Synod. "We don't plan to add churches just to add churches."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints first sends out missionaries to prosthelytize in an area, according to media manager Buddy Blankenfeld. The missionaries decide on an area's need for a building based on the interest and growth of the local congregation. andy Jensen, office manager at the Presbyter of Detroit, said she doesn't expect to see a new local church established in the foreseeable future because there is no need to, especially with several existing Presbyterian churches in the areas surrounding Bloomfield and Birmingham.

"We have churches in Troy, Rochester, Orchard Lake, and West Bloomfield, in addition to the two in those areas," Jensen said. "Adding a church all depends on the demographics and geography of the area. For example, there is only one Presbyterian church in Brighton and one in Howell. There is no need to add another in the area because then the churches are sitting on top of each other and it will cost more money.

There are at least six churches within a 2- or 3-mile radius of Kirk in the Hills and First Presbyterian."

Rector Gary Hall of Christ Church Cranbrook agrees.

"We have enough churches," he said. "There are at least another five within the surrounding areas."

One of those is St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, which is located just over the border in Troy.

Although some congregations have no plans to add any more buildings soon, they have said they would be open to the idea if there was enough support and interest.

"Absolutely we will launch another church if there is a chance in the future," said Pastor Don McKay of the Bloomfield Hills Baptist Church.

"Our conference is all about launching satellite churches. If there is enough support in the area to launch one, absolutely (we will)." ❯

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First United Methodist

The Muslim Unity Center

Crawford of the Birmingham Unitarian church said she also doesn't rule out expansion.

"I think it's possible. If we were to grow more, we might add a sister church," she said.

While most area congregations don't feel the need to expand in the near future, officials also believe there's no reason to close any institutions in the area. ichael Benghiat, director of community marketing at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, said that while some "congregations may be shrinking or merging in the Detroit area, none are completely folding" in the Bloomfield or Birmingham communities.

Paul Thomas, director of communications for the Detroit Conference of the United Methodist Church, also said he doesn't see any Methodist churches closing in the area.

"No churches are slated for closing or are even on that track," he said.

"It's a pretty stable situation right now. Embury is the smallest of the group and is partnered with two other churches in Royal Oak and Waterford. They all share a pastor because they are small congregations."

While Trinity Lutheran recently closed in nearby Berkley, Woltemath said he doesn't see that happening in the Bloomfield-Birmingham area.

"Those churches seem to be doing very well self-governing and handling their finances," he said.

According to officials, most of the congregations have remained stable, although there has been a recent decline in attendance over the past few years.

Jensen of the Presbyter of Detroit said a study is under way to determine why membership numbers have been decreasing.

"There is nothing concrete," she said. "There is only speculation, such as people are breaking away from the traditional church. That has been the most speculated about. Ten years ago, we had a theory about people being 'unchurched.' But that isn't really true. People just stopped going to the main denominational churches. They started going to one-of-a-kind churches, neighborhood churches — ones not really affiliated with a main organization."

Some congregations have seen a decrease in membership that directly relates to church actions, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

In August 2009, the ELCA voted to allow a congregation to call a pastor who was involved in a same-sex relationship. A congregation "calls" a pastor when they are in the process of hiring a new one.

According to the ELCA Southeast Michigan Synod's director of communications, Robin McCants, "This has been the major issue. It has caused a lot of challenges for members of the ELCA." Meanwhile, other churches feel there are number of factors at work with the decline in membership.

Woltemath of the Lutheran Church of Missouri Synod said the church body as a whole has been decreasing, and he doesn't think southeast Michigan would be any different.

"There's a lot of studies being conducted," he said. "So far, a lot of it involves the demographics of the church body. We are burying more members than we are baptizing. Also, families are no longer having five or six kids. There could be a lot of reasons, including that we have lost members who have moved to other states because they lost their jobs."

Ned McGrath, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Detroit, said if membership numbers have decreased, it is "because people have moved away to find jobs."

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www.oaklandpaper.com

St. Hugo of the Hills

In the Birmingham-Bloomfield area, numbers have decreased in some parishes and increased in others. According to Anne Calahan of the Archdiosese of Detroit's Communications Department, the increases and decreases seem to have balanced each other out. The overall membership in the area has stayed more or less the same.

While Thomas said he has seen attendance and membership in the Detroit area's Methodist churches decline over the past four decades, he said he hasn't seen the rate of decline increase dramatically with the amount of people leaving Michigan.

Thomas said he believes there are two main reasons why members are leaving the denomination, and he said the church is working on reinventing itself to address those reasons.

"Now we are moving from a church that is institutional to a church more active in its community," he said. "As with all things, if you have been around long enough, things get comfortable ... churches get comfortable. Most churches decline when they stop interacting with the community. It's standard church practice — not just the Methodist church. We got stuck in a cycle. We need to reconnect with the community."

Church Christ Cranbrook has seen an increase in attendance precisely because its rectors have reached out to the community.

"We have put a lot more energy into reaching out to the people and letting them know we are here," Hall said. "We are doing more in the area and trying to make the Church more welcoming and user-friendly. It's kind of an intimidating building. I also think the hard economic times have affected the congregation members. All the clergy have talked to people who are dealing with a lot of stress. People have been pretty open about expressing the challenges they are facing."

Others congregations have seen a decline because they lack a permanent minister or pastor, such as the Pilgrim Congregational Church. irmingham Unitarian went through a similar decline two years ago with the retirement of its minister of 23 years. While they are still waiting for a settled minister, a recent consulting minister, the Rev. Dr. Kathy Hurt, has made a difference in attendance numbers, according to Crawford.

"Our services keep getting larger and larger," she said. "I do believe women bring something different to the position. Rev. Hurt really balances spirituality with intellectualism. People are requesting copies of her sermon and discussing them."

Crawford said she also attributes the recent increase in members with the church's mission to reach out more to the community through social networking.

The hard economic times may also be a factor in the increase in attendance.

"With the economic times, people have been more vocal about their hardships and are looking for a place to find community," she said. "When people are going through a tough time, they find a bond with the spiritual community."

Pastor Wesley Babian of the First Baptist Church has also seen an increase in the congregation due in part to the economic times. He also attributes the increase in people migrating to their church because of the stance of the ministry and their way of life.

Although some congregations have seen decreases in attendance and others increases, all the religious institutions are well-established in the community and look to remain so in the foreseeable future, allowing Birmingham and Bloomfield to maintain a diverse religious character. â–

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DECEMBER 2010

T

he odyssey of seeking out treasure dates back to the era when pirates sailed the high seas. Nowadays, foraging through antique store collections is one way to satisfy that thrill of the hunt. The antique aficionado is drawn to relics by their beauty, timelessness, or perhaps the intrigue of the historical reference. Sometimes a piece resonates with a person's childhood.

Each antique has a voice that speaks. It's the warmth of old things — owning a piece with a living history intrinsically attached. With collectibles, it's the passion of piece-mealing a collection over time, whether it's of coins, stamps or costume jewelry.

Today's collector may be galvanized by the eco-friendly benefits of salvaging items from previous generations.

The antique dealer's knowledge is a lifelong scholarly pursuit. Many dealers have put in years of research and have an "eye" for what to buy.

Antiques are defined as works of art that are 100 years old or older. Vintage items are harder to define, but most antique dealers agree on the period from 1940-1980. These pieces are characterized by maturity, excellence, and enduring appeal.

The main characteristics dealers look for include condition, patina, and quality of craftsmanship.

Yet in today's somber economy, even the most covetous piece must be cast aside due to the shift in the antique market.

Subsequently, American antique dealers have expanded their inventory beyond traditional furniture and decorative arts.

According to Darlene Heinz, co-owner of Nostalgia Antique Appraisal Services in Bloomfield and member of the National Board of International Society of Appraisers, while there currently is a downward trend in the antique furniture market, smaller items — pottery, porcelain, crystal, vases, porcelain clocks and ceramics — are holding their own.

She also noted that decorative art crafted in bronze, silver and brass is still a lucrative investment. For value confirmations, she advises clients to do their due diligence in researching an item prior to purchase.

"A client should do some preliminary research on the best market to buy, by checking the condition and if the piece has a history; but the most important thing is that a client should buy what they love," Heinz said.

A novice in antique collecting should check the hardware, the finish, general wear, and construction of the item to verify its authenticity.

Still uncertain? Ask questions of reputable sources in the field, such as curators or collectors. Then check pricing and make the rounds to compare.

The Birmingham and Bloomfield area has a bevy of antique stores that carry pieces ranging from trinkets to high-end, ornate sculptures and furniture from as early as the 1600s all the way to vintage collectibles from the 1960s.

The following is not a complete list of antique shops in Birmingham and Bloomfield, but rather a representation of the antique finds available to area residents hitting the pavement to find a bargain. ❯

Classic Country Antiques

Crimson Rose Antiques

DeWinter’s Antiques & Art Gallery

Merwin’s Antiques Gallery

Dede & Jim Taylor Antiques

David Wachler & Sons

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380 South Bates Street, Birmingham, MI 48009 s WWW COMMUNITYHOUSE COM A community funded organization December, 2010 Dear Friends: We want to thank all of you who have been so generous this year in supporting The Community House, ďŹ nancially and physically, and encourage those who have not yet given to consider doing so.

For over 87 years, The Community House has stood strong providing 800 quality programs at low or no cost annually, a state-of-the-art nationally accredited early childhood center, and outreach programs including a middle school leadership program, a student art show and parenting programs. In addition, through its sponsorship of eight special groups, it has provided a haven for senior men, women, and area newcomers; valued diversity; promoted inclusion; and worked to erase illiteracy. It has also enabled the work of area service clubs such as Rotary, Kiwanis, Optimists and Lions which meet at The Community House on a regular basis.

As Birmingham City Manager Tom Markus said: “The Community House is a value added member of the greater community. It has been and continues to be the focal point of our area. From daycare services to senior services and every generation in between, The Community House truly serves the community as ‘our House.’ To have such a wonderful service provided that is independent of local government support is unique to our community.�

The truth is‌The Community House cannot do it without your help!

You may be wondering why. You may be thinking, “I take a class at The Community House and pay my registration fee. Aren’t I doing my share?�

Before answering this question, we want to make certain that you know the following: — Continuing education is typically subsidized by something other than registration fees, and The Community House’s continuing education must also be subsidized.

Although registration fees cover direct costs, they do not cover indirect costs including the maintenance of the historic building. — The cost of The Community House’s free outreach programming and support of its sponsored groups exceeds $500,000 annually. — The Community House receives no tax funds from federal, state, county or local governments, including the City of Birmingham, and no United Way funding.

We rely on community support to bridge the gap.

We encourage you to go to The Community House website, www.communityhouse.com or call 248.644.5832 to make a donation this year.

Sincerely,

CHAIR, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Donald J. Kunz PRESIDENT AND CEO Shelley Roberts

18

Christa and Greg Schwartz 2010 Annual Fund Drive Chairs THE PAPER

DECEMBER 2010

CRIMSON ROSE ANTIQUES 205 Pierce Street • Birmingham Proprietor Sandra McElroy has owned the quaint store for 16 years, transplanting it from Franklin.

She became enthralled with antiques after going through a local antique show.

"I got hooked and started doing shows featuring beaded purses," she said.

Her store is unique in that it houses 12 dealers she sublets to and mainly showcases a menagerie of items from the 1800s to 1930s.

"I'm very selective on what dealers I rent space to," she said. "The individual collections give customers a nice variety to choose from."

McElroy said she hasn't noted a specific recent trend in the antique market. She features small pieces of furniture, crystal, porcelain, pottery, silver, and sterling jewelry, as well as fine and costume jewelry.

She said Tiffin glass from the 1930s, including vases and powder jars, are popular sellers today.

Jewelry prices vary anywhere from $20 to $5,000.

"My items are not super high-end. Rather, they are mid- to high-end, just more on the quality, affordable side," she said.

Due to the economy, McElroy said she maintains a cost competitive edge to draw more clients.

Before the dip in the economy, she sold a lot of Majolica, a form of pottery from the Victorian era that is painted in brilliant colors and overlayed with rich glazes. It's extremely collectable.

She employs "pickers," people throughout the U.S. who pan the country for unique pieces at reasonable rates and ship them to her.

"They know me so well they now just ship me items because they know my taste," McElroy said.

She also stocks her inventory via house calls, consignments, or people liquidating their estates.

Sometimes she picks items up at trio of local shows she attends each year.

She currently holds an inventory of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Tony Burch handbags, along with some furs.

Her jewelry ranges from the 1870s to the 1930s, with a few pieces from the 1790s. A showcase called the snake pit displays an assortment of snake skin jewelry. She also has fine jewelry pieces of gold, diamond and precious stones like cocktail rings from the 1950s and a throng of aquamarine, amethyst and turquoise jewelry. Other selections range from rhinestone pendant necklaces, charm bracelets, and some antique cameos.

"Some people have an eye for buying good merchandise and we have a good group who knows how to pick beautiful things," she said.

One showcase display features Bohemian deep crimson garnets from the 1870s.

"There's a big difference from old and new garnets. The new ones are more orange."

On rare occasions, she gets her hands on Georgian jewelry from the 1790s that she said are "rare, crudely cut but still beautiful and quite primitive."

In one dealer's showcase is a sampling of Miriam Haskell, a renowned designer from the 1940s and 1950s that McElroy said is considered top of the line and museum quality. Bracelets range from $375 to $425 and the necklaces are about $695 each.

Apart from jewelry, a top seller in the shop, McElroy has a smattering of Tiffin items like chintz, solid-colored bowls, a covered candy dish, vases and powder boxes, rare finds. There are hand-painted German porcelain, French Lalique pieces from the art deco era between 1920 and 1930, as well as depression etched glass also from the 1930s.

This-n-that items line the shelves like teapots, cups and saucers, cast iron door stops, and figurals.

Hanging in gentle folds are delicate handkerchiefs, each one distinctly different. They are but one sampling of her linen and lace collections. Victorian prints from the late 1800s, Bohemian decanters from turn of the century, Ormolu French dresser trays and whimsical items like an owl bottle opener are also on display. www.oaklandpaper.com

Take your pick from hand-blown Venetian stems from the turn of the century or "lustres" mantel decorations or pedestal vases with many hanging crystal prisms. McElroy also has a wide range of pottery, copperware and Roseville earthenware, as well as prized Rookwood items.

"We have something for everybody," she said.

McElroy said though antiquing is a lost art, superior quality makes for a sound investment.

"Everything made today is cookie-cutter and lacks quality. Antiques are superior quality and a good value that hedges against inflation," she said.

DEDE & JIM TAYLOR ANTIQUES 251 Merrill, Suite 205 • Birmingham Married couple Dede and Jim Taylor comprise a seasoned team of antique dealers who have been in the business for nearly 40 years. They began selling antiques in Troy before relocating to Birmingham 15 years ago.

Dede is a third-generation antique dealer — both her mother and grandmother were in the business.

She grew up learning to cherish antiques and was provided a strong foundation before striking out on her own.

The couple's eclectic inventory is best described as a little of everything.

"We specialize in beautiful antiques like American or English small pieces of furniture and do a lot in silver because it's luxurious and holds value," Jim said.

Dede added that while some dealers specialize only in American or English items, the Taylors don't limit themselves.

"We do continental sales," she said. "We know what to buy and how to price from the years of experience in the trade."

Prices vary from under $50 and range into the thousands.

Like McElroy, the Taylors employ pickers to purchase merchandise, mostly on the east coast.

They also travel to England once a year.

"We hunt here, there and everywhere," Dede said.

The Taylors depend on long-standing relatonships both with decorators and a loyal clientele.

They sell many of their antiques to complement contemporary pieces.

"Modern designs can be set off with antiques or you can have a home with antiques all the way through," Dede said. "We could decorate a complete room with one-of-a-kind-furniture, lighting and accessories."

Their shop is packed with items ranging from 1840 to 1940. Each item has a story to tell and the Taylors like to pass that history along as an added bonus.

Some of their inventory includes lamps, candlesticks, Chinese continental porcelain, silver tea sets, oil on canvas portraits, jewelry, and tea caddies.

"The English kept their tea locked to keep from the servants in tea caddies," Dede said. "They also had Tantalus, liquor bottles that were locked. The term is used after the word 'tantalize' since the servants couldn't get to it."

Dede said English Staffordshire kitchenware made between the 1840s and 1890s in vivid blue and white is a hot commodity. Customers can choose from a collection of figurines, plates, tea pots, and platters. One client gobbled up a large inventory of teapots with finial birds to line the top of her kitchen cabinets. Each costs about $675.

"Her cupboards were stark white, so the teapots really popped. It's a good example of taking a contemporary design and adding antiques to set off what you have beautifully," Dede said.

Another whimsical item on display is called a posy holder or tussie mussie. Ladies carried these small silver items like women today carry purses.

"They would hold flowers in them as part of their garb. The more money you had, the more posies you would have," Dede said. "This trend started when sanitary conditions weren't good. They would hold them close to their noses."

THE PAPER

These rare object d'arts, although small, range from $895 to $1,095. Today, brides use them to hold their bouquets.

Other showcase pieces are crafted from exotic woods like burl wood, rosewood and fruitwood.

"Just last month we sold a museum-quality burl wood ladies' French desk dated in the 1860s for a few thousand dollars," Jim said.

Though they have on hand a few books from the 1800s, Dede said there are purveyors out there who deal strictly in antique books.

"Paper tends to be pricey," she said.

The store also features several finespun wool and silk embroidery pictures. One example is the sampler and silk embroidery, an extremely sophisticated form of decorative art stitched by young children at school under the tutelage of a needlework instructress. They were used to teach lettering, design, pictorial composition and moral values.

"Needlepoint was as important in school as reading and writing," Dede said. "We have some samplers from the 19th century and as early as the 18th century. If they have a name and date, it's worth more — just like if there is a picture or border on it, it's worth more or if there's provenance (family history), again then it's worth more."

Dede said some of the more popular items in the shop include perfume bottles and napkin rings.

"We've had a run on napkin rings due to green thinking," she said. "Instead of using paper napkins, they are using cloth and the rings are great gifts."

MERWIN’S ANTIQUES GALLERY 588 North Old Woodward Ave • Birmingham Ronald Winter is renowned in the community for his expertise and longevity. His store has been in the same locale for over 22 years and is one of the last stores standing in what used to be called Gallery Gulch.

"There was a strip of antique shops along Old Woodward comprised of art galleries and antiques stores," be said. "On my block, there were five elegant antique shops and I'm the only one left. Now it's hair salons and a mix of stores. Nowadays, there are a lot of individual antique shops going out of business."

Winter specializes in 18th-20th century antiques in tandem with mid-century modern (1946-1964) pieces. He also showcases period jewelry, silver, bronze, porcelain, and furniture.

Prominent names that pop out are Tiffany, Cartier, Stuben, Meisen, Dresden, Copeland, Royal Dutton, Amari and Herman Miller. They are all on display in some form or another.

Winter said jewelry is a top seller, especially 1950s period pieces by Tiffany and Cartier.

"There is intrinsic value to jewelry and silver," Winter said.

Artworks like oil on canvas, lithographs, and prints are also big sellers. Most of the inventory is European paintings from the 18th to 20th centuries, but Winter has several Herman Miller pop art works from the 1970s.

While Winter said he still gravitates toward the 18th century French and English items, this generation isn't interested.

"The new collector is younger and not into the earlier stuff like their parents are, but things cycle and will come back around," he said.

Case in point: He cites a vintage Laverne Lucite bench as selling the minute it came through the store's door.

Winter's rock solid reputation draws local celebrities such as former Detriot Red Wings Steve Yzerman and Sergei Federov. He rarely has to leave his shop to stock an inventory, but before he purchases from a client, he recommends they have the piece officially appraised.

"Basically people bring things in or I'll go to the house and buy them," be said. "I used to go do a lot of out-of-town shows, but now I just do some local ones. Many of the shows closed because dealers can't afford to go out of state."

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Art Deco French Chagreen cabinet crafted in sharkskin and ivory that originally sold at Harrods of London for $48,000; an entire 18th century Rose Medallion place setting; Majolica pottery, and Meisen porcelain, figurines and formal dining ware dated between the 18th and 19th century.

One unique and very rare item is a Picasso terra cotta and black turned pitcher priced at $12,000.

Winter also pointed out a unique and sentimental signature item that may well be synonymous with the shop itself. Under a host of antiques sits a mahogany French Empire mechanical desk from the 1820s with a double locking system. On one side it has gilded bronze and hand-painted seasonal scenes encircled in laurel wreaths, a landmark at Merwin's for years.

Silver teapots, vases, crystal chandeliers, Persian and Oriental rugs, and showcases of pottery and ceramics fill the store.

"I've created some great collections for people in the area," he said. "I have a half-dozen regular customers who come in every Saturday and have been loyal customers for 30 years. I've furnished their entire homes."

CLASSIC COUNTRY ANTIQUES 2003 Cole St • Birmingham A savvy and respected business woman in Birmingham for 26 years, proprietor Betty Mason has carved out her niche in the antique market by providing English imports and American furniture and accessories, mainly vintage or industrial antiques.

"Not a lot of shops carry this look," she said. "It's rather specialized."

The majority of her business is transacted through interior designers, but Mason still gets business from pedestrian traffic, as well.

"This combination appeals to a broader range of people like decorators and designers, not just antique dealers," she said.

Mason said she prides herself on her selectiveness, and purchases all merchandise herself on her jaunts across the country. Her industrial items are functional and interesting. She insists each piece must have a certain look so it can blend into a home seamlessly. Her customers have come to anticipate something new and unusual each time they visit.

"I have a discerning eye," she said.

Industrial artifacts combine functionality with elegant style. All are made for a purpose, but the best examples have design elements which lift them out of the ordinary.

Mason found a trendy film reel that could be used as a decorative wall hanging in a media room, a few primitive signs, and some whimsical architectural fragments. Also on display is a grinding stone with an industrial base that could be converted into a table, in addition to an early arch window grill cover with new contemporary housing.

"It's a combination of new and old which makes it more versatile," she said.

A marble font once used to hold holy water in a church has a contemporary feel today.

"Just because something is old doesn't make it great. It has to have something going for it," she said.

The shop's popularity has spread to different venues in recent years. Magazines have used Mason's items for photo shoots, and when a movie is being filmed on location, they turn to Mason because of her originality.

"They bought and rented some furniture because my things are fun and primitive," Mason said.

DEWINTER’S ANTIQUES AND ART GALLERY 251 Merrill Street, Suite 210 • Birmingham Tony DeWinter's antique gallery is home to highquality and investment-grade antiques from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. He remembers being around antiques and collectibles from a young age.

"My mother owned a high-end art gallery in the www.oaklandpaper.com

1940s and 1950s, so I grew up with antiques," he said.

DeWinter expanded his gallery about four months ago to double its size. Ornate and compelling pieces of art such as oil on canvas paintings, bronze and marble statues, and English regency furniture are on display.

The oldest piece in the store is from the 1650s, an oil on canvas brood of cats. Other oil on canvas works include pieces by the illustrious Italian artist Cipriani, who was renowned in 1890s, and a portrait by the respected British artist William Salter, a member of the Royal Society of British Artists who exhibited in the Royal Academy from 1825 to 1845.

Moreover, DeWinter carries a diverse grouping of clocks ranging from 18th century French mantle clocks to early 19th century bronze and marble clocks, some adorned with santos figures, as well as English, Irish and Dutch long case clocks from the early 18th century.

His French art glass pieces hail from the Art Nouveau and French Dominance periods, while several of his Russian pieces bear the name of one very famous jewelry house: Fabergé.

Some specific pieces inlcude a Japanese cloisonné vase from the 1840s and an Austrian amphora vase decorated with a holly and leaf pattern and adorned with jewels from the Art Nouveau period.

"These are one-of-a-kind pieces, not mass produced," DeWinter said. "I base my pricing on condition, rarity, and if it's investment-grade, museum-quality."

He deters from online purchases, instead using his expertise to purchase specifically from longstanding dealers. He also travels to London and Paris several times a year in search of top-shelf items.

JONES-KEENA & COMPANY 2292 Cole St • Birmingham The mother and daughter team of Lucy Earl and Nicole Withers opened their elegant but quaint design boutique about eight years ago in downtown Birmingham before relocating to the Rail District.

"We wanted better parking and the rent is appealing," Withers said. "We like it here with it being a destination shopping area."

The store gets a steady stream of business due to pedestrian traffic, in tandem with designers who use it as a resource.

"Our merchandise is a mix from all different periods," Withers said.

Jones-Keena specializes in interior design — namely art, accessories, and antiques. Their mission is to transform inner environments into vibrant living spaces that are in harmony with people's lifestyles.

Earl and Withers travel all over the U.S. and Europe in search of unique accessories and musthave furniture.

"We are avid collectors," Withers said.

She recently displayed a Brittany wedding chest priced at $6,720. It hails from the late 1800s and is hand carved from fruitwood, an exotic wood that was a signature of that period.

She also is featuring a mid-century Italian mahogany table with an ebony inlay. The smooth finish and unusual markings make it an elegant piece of art. From the Art Deco era, a French mirror with gilded wood goes for $1,020, while two breathtaking Italian crystal sconces are priced at $1,250 each.

Oriental art pieces stick out, such as a pair of porcelain Foo Dog urns hand-painted in brilliant blue and stark white. The urns could be used to flank a fireplace or be strategically placed anywhere in a home for added elegance.

The store also features grape hods — which were once used to haul fruit and were strapped to a picker's back — made out of copper. Withers said that these antiques could very easily be repurposed to serve a more modern use.

According to Withers, today's collector is looking THE PAPER

for an extraordinary piece as the centerpiece of the room and is using decorations more sparingly under a "less-is-more" mentality.

"People are nesting and wanting to spruce up because they can't move, so they're using antiques as a focal point or as a means to make their home eclectic," Withers said. "People don't want as many knickknacks anymore, just a few things. They are making the most of their modern accessories and lighting in concert with antiques."

DAVID WACHLER & SONS 100 S. Old Woodward Ave • Birmingham A landmark in Birmingham for nearly 30 years, David Wachler & Sons has earned a sterling reputation for its business ethic and superior custom designs.

David Wachler started the business over 90 years ago. He emigrated from Germany where he was an apprentice and went on to become a master craftsman and jeweler known for his original designs.

"It was unusual to manufacture for the public at that time," said Buzz Wachler, David Wachler's grandson and a certified gemologist on staff.

Today Wachler & Sons continues to have a lucrative business despite the downturn in the economy.

"Everyone has been affected by the economy, but that's why estate jewelry is stronger. People are selling their jewelry and then buying at a better price," Buzz said.

The Wachler name is nationally and internationally renowned. They were the first to win the prestigious Diamond International Award and have earned numerous other accolades such as the Pearl Design Award.

Their estate collection features antique jewelry typically attained from people coming into the store or by attending various shows. Much of the business is conducted through consignment.

"The customer can either have us buy it outright or by consignment, but we often get them more money if we have more time to sell," Gary Wachler said.

Due to the high value of gold, jewelry is selling well overall, Buzz said.

The estate collection is a mix of diamonds and precious stones. Tiers of rings, pendants, pins, wrist and pocket watches, and bracelets sparkle in their cases.

"We have some artistic pieces from early 1900s to late 1900s, as well as some from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s," said Gary, the ringleader of the estate collection.

Some unique estate collection pieces in the showcases include an exquisite 5.28-carat, pearshaped diamond ring bearing the price of $45,000; and a moonstone ring set in gold, which was originally designed by David Wachler in the early 1970s.

Apart from jewelry, the estate collection carries unique sports memorabilia. Recently, a 1949 Heisman Trophy was sold. They also have a Michigan State University Spartans 10-karat gold 2000 Cottonbowl Championship ring and a silver and gemstone trophy manufactured by Sy and Wagner Silversmiths that was presented to Bernhard Knoblauch by Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Chancelor of Germany.

Price is based on a number of factors including what the going rate is in the market, the type of metal and stones, how easy or difficult it would be to sell the piece, and what price the jeweler thinks he can get for the item.

"That's where estate jewelry comes into play — you can get a good deal," Buzz said. "We try to be open-minded and want to offer an array of items to our customers. They can spend a lot or a little, depending on their taste."

Other Birmingham stores that sell a sprinkling of antiques, and are worth a look, include Legacy Jewelry; Azar's Oriental Rugs; and the Birmingham Design Store. ■ 21

By Alex Lundberg

P

art art, part science, the practice of advertising has changed a great deal over the years as consumers' perceptions and attitudes have shifted with the times. The days of street barkers and paid touts have given way to online viral marketing and laser-precise, audience-specific ad campaigns. However, the main objective has remained the same — convincing people to purchase one product over another in an ever-widening spectrum of choices.

The hard economy has been tough on advertising and marketing firms. With fewer dollars to hire employees and maintain offices, businesses have fewer resources to put the word out about their products and services to the buying public.

Harris Marketing Group CEO Janice Rosenhaus said recent upheavals in the Birmingham firm's traditional clients like General Motors and Chrysler have forced a change in strategy.

"We're going to continue to work with our clients in Michigan, but we're pursuing others," she said. "Now we're working with Jaguar in New Jersey."

Harris has always worked on the national level — one has to as a vendor for Big 3 domestic auto companies — but now she said her company is out there pursuing clients whose operations are based outside of Michigan. Still, there have been cuts.

"We're working more hours. The staff is smaller," Rosenhaus said.

"But we don't really have a middle layer. There are no support people. On the other hand, the number of agencies that have closed has allowed us to pick up some fantastic people. We're working harder, we've gotten better and we're more focused."

It can't rain forever, and Rosenhaus said she's looking forward to the economy rebounding and the firm eventually picking up new business clients and new staff. She added that there have been some changes made since the collapse of the economy, and those changes will be common operating policy from now on.

"We're not going to have 80 percent of our business from one client," Rosenhaus said. "We're looking to diversify and take what we know to other industries."

She said she's also learned to have the shelves stocked, as it were, so the company can be prepared for future disasters. Harris Marketing Group is her company, 100 percent, and having deep pockets has helped the company weather the economic storm.

"You need to have the financial wherewithal, strong cash flow and financial resources because the banks aren't lending," she said.

Jerry Silecchia, owner and president of Silecchia Inc. in Birmingham, said print, radio and TV are still the cornerstone of ad buys, but the Internet is growing more and more as a venue for advertising.

"People are looking at the Internet as a way of doing things cheaper," he said. "They're extending into the Internet with social media like Facebook and Twitter. It's where the clients want to be. They want to be on YouTube, as well. It's virtually free."

He said a lot of his clients will put their web address into their traditional ads in print and on TV and back their efforts in those media with offerings on YouTube. They'll create a TV commercial and then post a copy of it on YouTube that has a link to take viewers to their official website.

The ads are shot in high-definition so they look good on smaller screens and, since better screens are becoming more and more common — it's hard to buy a cathode-ray tube monitor anymore — the ads are playing well. The Internet also gives his clients more freedom to get their messages across without the strictures imposed by traditional media.

"You can shoot in a longer format," he said. "If you're doing TV, you're shooting for 30 seconds or a minute. If you go longer the stations will cut you off. Online, you can offer a longer commercial. YouTube is very user-friendly. You can watch at your own pace, back it up and re-watch things you want to see again."

The near-universality of the Internet has changed sales, he said, because the customer has an easier time getting more information about products. People don't leap off their couches and run out to the store, he said. More than ever, customers are doing research before they break out the wallet for a purchase, and the Internet allows companies to put out more information than they'd ever be able to get across in a TV spot

or even a print ad.

"They'll get on Google Adwords," Silecchia said. "The more times it gets clicked, the closer to the top of the list the link gets. When you're on the top of the list, you're in a better position to get clicked. If you're on the third page of search results, not so much."

In Adwords, advertisers select the words that best apply to their ads and also select the maximum amount they will pay per click. When a user searches on Google, ads that contain the selected words are shown as sponsored links on the right side of the screen and sometimes above the main search results.

The placement of the ads — first, second or third, etc. — on the list generally dictates which will be clicked first and a premium is paid for higher placement. The advertiser pays for the number of clicks they get, which is the cornerstone of Google's revenues.

He said there's still a good market for traditional media in advertising but nearly everything is accompanied by some kind of Internet presence.

Some of his clients are trying to break into apps as a way to get their products and services in front of potential clients.

Nancy Rosen, president of Nancy Rosen & Company Inc. in Birmingham, has been in advertising for more than 25 years and has seen the transition from traditional media to the Internet and to social media.

"The Internet, in my opinion, started as a place for information and then turned into a kind of phone book," she said. "Now it's targeted marketing."

She said her clients use technology to put a razor-sharp point on their advertisements.

"A client who is selling a particular brand of salad dressing can use online advertising to target a consumer who buys that particular brand of salad dressing," Rosen said. "I work with a homebuilder who works in Birmingham and only wants to advertise to people who live in Birmingham and who only want to look at homes in Birmingham."

She said there have never really been "mass marketing" campaigns.

Everything has always been pitched to a particular market rather than to an undifferentiated mass of people. The Ford Motor Co. product on ESPN gets a different advertising spin than it gets during Oprah's show.

The difference now is just how tight the target market is defined.

It's all about awareness — how well people know a product or service exists — and reach, which is how far the advertiser wants their message to go. She said the old saying in advertising is that half of a company's marketing budget is wasted, so the trick is knowing which half.

"You've only got so much money in the budget," Rosen said. "There are so many more choices now and you have to be smarter about where you spend your money. You've got to identify your target audience and work to reach them and create awareness."

But doesn't going after a very finely defined niche audience miss out on potential customers who fall outside those exact parameters? Rosen said the 80-20 rule is still very much in effect and it's wise to bet that way with advertising dollars.

"You get 80 percent of your business from 20 percent of your customers," she said. "Most of the people who go to home and garden shows are homeowners. If your business is in home and garden goods and services, that's where you want to be."

This is why, she said, GM has a blog of its own and a presence on Facebook.

"People are only going to 'friend' the companies they really like," she said.

Barbara Yolles, chief marketing officer for the Birmingham firm of McCann Erickson Advertising, said traditional media isn't going anywhere in the age of the Internet. It's just changing.

"I don't see it going away. I see it as part of the ecosystem," she said.

"Traditional media casts a wide net and reaches a lot of people."

She said traditional media remain vital since they're still the venues that have the ability to catch someone who is physically on the way to purchase one item or another. But while they're the wide net, the Internet is the way to be more precise. As the web can be used to make a more efficient use of the advertising dollar, it can also be used to turn the consumer into more than just a customer. The web can turn a customer into an advocate. ❯

Kevin Cristbrook Associate Broker

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"You can educate the customer to feel better about the brand, understand it and why it's better," Yolles said. "Digital really helps (a business) when the consumer becomes an evangelizer for a brand."

Viral advertising — the spreading of a brand's message outside of the brand's efforts — has really been around for years. She said investment companies spend millions of dollars putting the word out about the value of going with a big, established firm, but that's nothing compared to the word of an uncompensated user.

"The big firm spends a lot of money, but your mother's hairdresser's uncle is a rich man and his word is going to carry a lot of weight," she said.

"Word of mouth has a great influence on the consumer. When someone recognizes a brand, or doesn't recognize a brand, it can make or break the brand. The more you can generate positive word of mouth, the more consumers you can attract."

The word of mouth, in this case, is the user-generated website. But for every personal site that extols the virtues of a particular product, there's a equal and opposite reaction that gets generated by a website that tears a product down.

Yolles said companies will have to direct their public relations efforts toward the web to counteract that kind of negative brand image.

Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce (BBCC) President Joe Bauman said his office gives a lot of advice to businesses of all kinds these days. He said they end up doing a lot of advising on how to get the most out of social media platforms.

"We're teaching people how to reach their customers," he said. "We've got people who use social media in their personal lives and there are people who only know what they've heard on TV." Members come to the BBCC offices to get coaching on Facebook as well as Linkedin, which is more geared toward businesses. Bauman said they work to help their members build profiles, get business-to-business interaction and build up their testimonials relevant to their businesses.

What's interesting to him is that while online ads are an annoyance to most surfers, they aren't so much on the BBCC website.

"Most people hate online advertising," Bauman said. "On our website, it's expected. People who come to the chamber's site expect to find ads here because they came looking for businesses."

A lot of the businesses coming to the BBCC for help these days are ultrasmall businesses owned by people who saw their regular jobs evaporate and have struck out on their own. They come to the chamber looking for advice on advertising and almost every other topic a small business owner can encounter.

"People come with questions about advertising or marketing and we direct them to the Service Corps of Retired Executives," Bauman said. "They offer one-to-one counseling to members for free. Over the last year, we've been getting people from businesses with 10 people or less where everyone is wearing more than one hat."

Of course, some advertising is seasonal and the mid-term elections represented a bonanza for television stations across the country. Spending on the 2010 election, by some accounts, topped $4 billion.

While a record amount of money got spent this election year, a lot of money didn't get spent.

Silecchia said he's glad that the political season is finally over — it was getting in the way of his business.

"The political advertising was driving me crazy," he said. "My clients' ads were getting bounced off the air unless they were willing to spend more."

He said he'd talked to a programmer at WXYZ-TV who said the station received $500,000 in orders for ad time in the last week of October. As a result, he said fewer than half of the ads he was trying to air got on TV as planned.

"I'll probably make that business back in November," Silecchia said. "But the clients who wanted to hold a big sale in October probably won't get their (business) back." ■

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THE PAPER

DECEMBER 2010

■ business notes

Modern Monogram is your one-stop shop for elegant and contemporary personalized gifts including apparel and accessories for men, women and baby, luggage and travel accessories, linens and a menagerie of home accessories.

Sole proprietor Eva Meade opened up shop several months ago, but held a ribbon cutting in late October. It is Meade’s first store and a regeneration of the former Fushia Frog.

“I bought the equipment from the owner and have some of her items in the store, but my taste is more contemporary and a modern twist of a classic monogram,” Meade said.

Some unique gifts include ceramics, cuff links, jewelry, and childrens’ books, as well as a bevy of great hostess gifts.

“I also carry some unusual monogrammed items like cute long sleeved T-shirts with bold monogramming on the arms. Some of my candles are contemporary versions cased in light milk glass with gothic Swarovski crystals,” Meade said.

The 800-square-foot store is nestled between Esquire Cleaners and Masq Beauty at the corner of Oak and North Old Woodward.

“So far it’s doing well,” Meade said.

“I haven’t had much of an opportunity to advertise but am still managing to keep busy.”

Meade, a native Birmingham resident, enjoys the walkability of the community and the network of local shops.

“My kids go to school here and so I know a lot of the community and have always liked shopping locally,” she said.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Monday-Friday. As the holidays approach, Meade plans to expand on those hours.

■ Birmingham may be rolling out the welcome mat to a new chic bistro in the very near future. Bob and Mindy VanHellemont, owners of Tallulah’s Wine Bar and Bistro, plan on opening Bella Piatti on Townsend Street across from the Townsend Hotel sometime this spring, depending on final approval by the City Commission.

The bistro will seat a maximum of 65 guests and another 10 at the bar. Plans also call for outdoor dining.

“It will be my take on northern Italian cooking,” Mindy VanHellemont said. “We’ll have a woodfire grill and will serve items like whole grilled fish, www.oaklandpaper.com

game, truffles, and polenta rather than pastas and pizzas types of things.”

Food, which will be both natural and sustainable, will be delivered fresh daily by local purveyors.

A full service bar will be stocked with the bistro’s specialty: Italian varietals.

The bistro promises to be airy with blends of neutrals and natural wood in the tradition of Milan or Tuscany.

“It will have a little sleeker feel,” Mindy VanHellenmont said. “The idea is to feature fresh, bright colors in a comfortable, but modern style.”

She also said she’s excited for the opportunity to bring another top-notch bistro into the city.

“The location is wonderful. It has the neighborhood feel, but not the hustle and bustle of the Old Woodward and Maple corridor. It’s lower-key with art galleries adding a distinct vibe to the whole thing.”

■ New Life Natural Health Center’s goal is “to be a source for optimal health for those who wish to seek it naturally.”

The center relocated in late October from Troy to 725 S. Adams, Suite 185, in Birmingham. Owner Terry Robinson is a natural therapist and registered practical nurse (RPN) certified in painless NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique) acupressure treatments.

“Our testing is completely painless,” Robinson said. “The testing is painless and takes about 15 minutes. Testing for allergies after taking a detailed health history, we check over 150 items including vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to see if they are being absorbed properly, food items and environmental agents to check for reactions and sensitivities.”

Once Robinson begins the acupressure techniques, the patient comes into contact with the allergen so she can reprogram the nervous system.

“It’s based on Chinese medicine techniques by unblocking Meridian channels,” she said.

Robinson has a sister office in Windsor, Ontario.

The office is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. For a consultation call (248) 792-2229.

■ Chase Bank relocated its branch office from the area of Big Beaver and Woodward two miles north to a new, 4,230-square-foot facility at 39450 Woodward on the southeast corner of Long Lake Road on Nov. 1.

“We’ve picked a new location to make it even more convenient for customers to bank with Chase,” said Matthew Davis, who manages 128 southeast Michigan branches for Chase.

The bank plans to hold a public grand opening Dec. 4.

The current location at 37000 Woodward closed on Oct. 30. Chase has four other Bloomfield Hills branches and two locations in Birmingham.

Chase wanted to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere with its blue and tan color scheme, said branch manager Arnaud Diomande. Clients can relax in the customer comfort zone before an appointment with their banker in one of five client meeting rooms.

The branch’s 12 employees assist

customers with personal and business financial needs, including checking and savings accounts, loans, mortgages and investments. The branch also offers safe deposit boxes, a merchant teller window and an accessible teller window for handicapped persons.

The branch also offers envelope-free ATMs that accept up to 30 checks per deposit or 50 bills of U.S. currency. The ATMs rapidly calculate the deposit — typically in less than 60 seconds — and display images of the checks on both the screen and the printed receipt.

ATMs are located in the lobby and outside at a drive-up lane.

The branch’s lobby and drive-up lanes open at 9 a.m. six days a week.

They are open until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, open until 6:30 p.m. on Friday, and open until 2 p.m. on Saturday. The branch telephone number is (248) 642-1851.

■ The Masri Clinic plans to hold a ribbon cutting grand opening on Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. to celebrate the official opening of its second location at 373 South Old Woodward. Refreshments will be served.

The clinic, formerly Radiance MedSpa, is overseen by partners Fatina Masri, Haitham Masri and Raj Gupta, who are all board certified M.D.s working together in a multi-disciplinary clinic for laser and cosmetic surgery.

“We want to celebrate the official opening here in Birmingham, “ said Fatina Masri. “We have quite a few clients from these surrounding areas that would come to our Dearborn center (and) asked us to open a second location. The opportunity came up and we decided to expand.”

Masri Clinic offers a wide variety of plastic surgeries such rhinoplasty, facelifts, tummy tucks and breast augmentation. It is the only specialty cosmetic surgery clinic in Michigan featuring board certified physicians in facial plastic surgery, general plastic surgery, and aesthetic medicine.

Surgeries are performed in the privacy of Masri Clinic’s state-of-the-art, federallyapproved surgery center. Masri Clinic offers cosmetic procedures including Botox, Restylane, Thermage — a nonsurgical facelift — and FotoFacials.

Relax in any of their rejuvenating rooms like the infrared, steam, or massage and facial treatment rooms.

The Masri Clinic’s Esthetique Medi Spa offers services ranging from chemical peels and laser hair removal to facials and relaxing massages.

“We’re becoming increasingly busier every month,” said Fatina. “Dr. Masri is a well-established plastic surgeon. He isn’t starting from scratch — we have a client base that gets the word out.”

■ Birmingham is gearing up for the holiday season by hosting the first Birmingham Winter Markt on Friday, Dec. 3 through Sunday, Dec. 5 in Shain Park featuring local artisans, crafts people, non-profits and businesses.

The Winter Markt event is expected to usher in several thousand additional shoppers to the downtown area. There will be traditional European cuisine provided by the Community House, live entertainment, ice sculptures and other

THE PAPER

attractions, in addition to the city’s traditional Santa House and free horsedrawn carriage rides.

■ With tax season just around the corner, a new accounting and tax advisory firm, Fenner, Melstrom & Dooling, PLC, held an open house on Oct. 28 at their new Birmingham offices at 355 S. Old Woodward, Suite 200. 258-8900 ■ The Board of Directors of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA) recently announced award recipients for 2010 that included Jeffrey D. Bergeron of Birmingham and Sean P. Keenan of Bloomfield.

Bergeron earned the Distinguished Service Award for his leadership in the accounting profession and remarkable work ensuring positive relationships between the MACPA and Michigan’s largest accounting firms. He has also been a key advocate for legislation benefiting CPAs such as the CPA Mobility Act. Keenan was presented with the Distinguished Achievement Award for his outstanding leadership, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the organization as a past chair of the board and active participant in MACPA initiatives.

Keenan spearheaded MACPA’s involvement in the Komen Race for the Cure. A 30-year member of the MACPA, he has been a mentor, an ambassador for the accounting profession and perceived as an extraordinary role model.

■ For 20 years The Moose Preserve has been serving up wild game delicacies such as buffalo burgers, venison, chili, and its famous Road Kill Grill in the Bloomfield Hills area.

Owner Linda Egeland opened the business in November 1990 at the corner of Woodward and Square Lake.

At that time, the location was doomed to failure — four other restaurants nearby fell like dominoes. The Moose

Preserve is now celebrating its 20th anniversary having stemmed the passage of time and continues to draw residents from the Detroit area.

“Cliché as it sounds, all of our success is due, of course, to our staff,” Egeland said. “Currently we employ almost 300 people throughout our five operations, and many of them have worked for us for more than ten years, with some having worked for us more than 20. By channeling and focusing their work ethic and desire to be successful and advance themselves, we have been able to consistently satisfy our guest’s ever-increasing quality and value expectations.”

Egeland said that the clientele is 27

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diverse and loyal. “They’re informed, intelligent and have high expectations, which we like,” she said.

Apart from The Moose Preserve, Egeland owns five restaurants in the Detroit area, including Camp Ticonderoga in Troy; Deadwood Bar & Grill in Northville; Beaver Creek Tackle & Beer in Westland; and the Iroquois Club Fine Banquets in Bloomfield Hills.

While each restaurant has its distinct amenities, they all provide a casual, comfortable atmosphere, hunting-lodge interiors, inviting outdoor terraces, and varied menu offerings.

The menu includes fresh fish, barbecue ribs, burgers and Black Angus steaks, along with selective mainstream wild game items.

Unique to The Moose Preserve is the ever popular “Dog Wall” that features more than 1,850 — and counting — pictures of customers’ dogs from over the years.

“What started out as a single wall has now turned into more than a few, and provides much entertainment for guests of all ages as they look at the various photos or proudly point to the picture of their very own dog,” she said.

■ Real Ryder Revolution in Birmingham has successfully been pedaling uphill since its opening nearly a year ago. The indoor cycling fitness facility located at 555 S. Old Woodward is the only one of its kind in the area. To celebrate its

grand opening, the company held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 18.

“We had a soft opening initially now that we’re busy we wanted to hold a grand opening for Birmingham residents to see the class and get exposed to that,” said co-owner Traci Raitt.

The facility features a unique brand of bike for a whole body work out.

“The entire bike moves side to side similar to an outdoor ride and engages all muscle groups — core and upper body, not just cardio and legs,” Raitt said.

Owners Raitt, Leslee Blatnikoss, and Dan Barish joined forces to build a distinct workout facility aimed at providing fitness for all ages. The Birmingham location is the second facility for the trio; the other is in West Bloomfield.

“We own exclusive rights to these bikes,” Raitt said. “Once you sit on one, you will never want to sit on a spinning bike again. It takes cycling to a whole new level. You can burn 30 to 50 percent more calories on these bikes than on a traditional spinning bike.”

The Birmingham facility, situated on the building’s lower level, houses 20 bikes, mirrored walls, showers, bathrooms and changing areas for men and women. The rubber flooring is purposed to absorb moisture.

“The studio has a rustic look and the

THE PAPER

classes are conducted in black lighting so participants can focus on the mind and body connection,” Raitt said.

All instructors are CPR and “Mad Dog” — a highly reputable designation — certified.

There are a variety of classes to choose from, ranging from beginner level to advanced and appeal to all ages from 12 years old up to seniors.

Raitt said they like to mix up the intensity while having fun.

“Sometimes we’ll do party rides and watch music videos to have fun,” she said. “In our classes you can take it at your own intensity level — you’re in charge.”

The “next level” ride class is geared for the more seasoned athlete, said Raitt.

First visits to the facility are complementary for in-state residents.

Classes range from $16 for walk-ins or package deals can temper the price to $5 or $6 per class.

■ The Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce’s (BBCC) 63rd Annual Meeting Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at the Community House in Birmingham from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Chairperson Brian Henry will report on the chamber’s 2010 accomplishments and provide a program overview for 2011. Following the remarks, the 2010 First Citizen Award will be presented to an individual who has worked toward continually improving the quality of life in the two communities. In tandem, the BBCC will then present its 2010 Business Person of the Year Award to an individual who has demonstrated personal and professional leadership within the business or nonprofit community.

■ The Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce is also hosting its 63rd Holiday Mixer on Wednesday, Dec. 8 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the main dining room of the Birmingham Athletic Club located at 4033 W. Maple Road in Bloomfield Hills.

Celebrate the season with Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber members and other guests. Hors d’oeuvres and one drink ticket are included. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 on the day of the event. The venue can hold up to 80 people. For sponsorship information, call (248) 644-1700 ext. 24.

■ A pair of attorneys with Bloomfieldbased Ackerman Ackerman & Dynkowski, PC were elected to prominent positions over the last month.

Darius Dynkowski, a partner with the Bloomfield Hills firm, has been elected as group vice-chair of the Land Use and Environmental Group of the Real Property, Trust & Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association. Dynkowski currently serves on the Michigan State Board of Real Estate Appraisers and is a published author.

Anthony Bologna, one of the firm’s associate attorneys, was elected as vice hair of the Condemnation Committee of the Real Property, Trust & Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association. ■ DECEMBER 2010

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29

■ county Board renews pact to help drive down cost of elections

By Alex Lundberg In an ongoing effort to keep the cost of government down, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners has approved the extension of a program that makes holding elections cheaper for the county and its municipalities.

At their Wednesday, Nov. 3 meeting, county commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the vast majority of the county’s communities to get their ballots designed and election machinery programmed by Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Office staff.

The resolution outlines a threeyear contract that will replace an identical contract expiring this year.

The resolution states that county’s Elections Division is not only responsible for all state and federal elections, it is also qualified to program ballots and election machines for the county’s constituent communities. For about $300 per election, Oakland County communities can save thousands of dollars on every election they hold.

The county benefits from the deal as well, saving approximately $144,000 every two years by working with Oakland municipalities.

The contract renewal applies to 52 Oakland County communities.

County Director of Elections Joe Rozell said it wasn’t always this way.

“Prior to 2007, the county always had the responsibility for programming ballots for the August primary and the November general elections,” he said. “The local communities were responsible for their local elections that did not fall on the same dates.”

In this case, having the responsibility to program the ballots means picking up the tab from a private company. For the county, it turned out to be almost $150,000 every two years. Each community holding off-primary or off-general election was paying between $3,000 and $5,000 for every election.

Like home improvements and minor plumbing, putting elections together is cheaper to do yourself than through a contractor.

“By learning how to do this at the county level, the $300 per community (fee) we charge is for our costs alone,” Rozell said. “With the outside companies you’ve got a mark-up to generate revenue.”

County election workers have a software program that generates ballots, which they then proof read 30

Appointment pending Circuit judges to pick new county clerk

By Alex Lundberg

T

he election of Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Ruth Johnson as Michigan’s Secretary of State will leave a vacuum at the local level — one that has already attracted two high-profile candidates.

Johnson will be starting her new job in Lansing on Jan. 1. The process to fill her current post is already in effect and Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bill Bullard (R-Highland) and retired Circuit Court Judge Fred Mester have already thrown their hats into the ring to be considered for Johnson’s job.

Oakland County Circuit Court Chief Judge Nanci Grant said her office was collecting applications.

The deadline for applicants expired after press time.

“We will accept applications from eligible candidates through noon, Friday, Nov. 19,” she said.

“The (Circuit Court) bench as a group will review the applications and vote. No one person or committee will make that decision.”

Bullard said he’s been thinking about the move for some time.

He said he started thinking about vying for the position earlier this year when he heard that Johnson was running for the seat as the state’s top elections official.

“It’s an opportunity to represent more than a million people,” he said. “It’s a countywide office and an interesting challenge.”

For all of the offices he’s held over the years — including as Highland Township supervisor and a state lawmaker in both legislative chambers — clerk hasn’t been one of them. Still, he said he’s been involved in election issues for decades and is familiar

for errors. Then they program the specialized memory cards that go into the voting machines so they read the ballots correctly.

Oakland County is only one of a handful of counties programming its own ballots and voting machines.

“We’re the largest county in the state to provide this service,” Rozell said. “Maybe 20 or 25 counties in the whole state do this.”

Commissioner Marcia Gershenson (D-Bloomfield Township) said there

with the office, as well as the filing system involved in the office’s register of deeds operation.

Mester, who served on the bench for 27 years and still serves as a visiting judge for the court, said it would be an honor to step into the clerk’s job and follow in the footsteps of Johnson and former clerk Lynn Allen, who he had worked with in the past.

“When I was the court administrator I had several tasks and one of them was to work with the clerk (Allen) to create a new jury system under the circuit court,” he said. “I worked with (Allen) and we were able to create a great system.”

He also said he helped to make the Oakland County court the first fully-computerized court in the nation. Aside from being the court administrator, Mester has been a special grand juror for the U.S. in Hong Kong, a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Justice and an attorney for the Chrysler Corporation.

County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said he thinks Bullard is an excellent candidate for the clerk’s position. He said Bullard has a perspective that other potential candidates don’t have.

“He’s got a background that makes him uniquely qualified,” he said. “He’s been a legislator, and on the county commission. He knows more about that job than any layman. He has more experience than Ruth did when she took the job.”

Grant said she couldn’t comment on whether considering Mester’s candidacy constituted a conflict of interest for herself or the rest of the circuit court bench. ■

could be more agreements like this for other duplicated services.

Because the county commission has strong feelings on the importance of local control, commissioners aren’t actively pushing for more communities to take part, she said.

“We wait for the requests to come from the communities,” she said. “We have seminars and events where we highlight those kinds of agreements, and we’ve got a lot of services, but we don’t target

THE PAPER

communities to tell them specifically.”

The most visible service the county offers that communities contract for is police coverage. Some communities get their dispatching services performed by the county.

Others contract with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department for police services. ■

Moilanen tapped as new director of metroparks system

By Angela Niemi The Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMA) Board of Commissioners appointed David Moilanen as the organization’s new director on Thursday, Oct. 14.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be selected to lead such a prestigious regional park system,” said Moilanen, a 36-year HCMA employee. “I’m excited to work with dedicated commissioners and a team of staff who, together, strive to provide high-quality outdoor recreation and educational experiences for the people of southeast Michigan.”

Moilanen is taking over for Jayne Miller, who resigned last month the day after the HCMA board disagreed with her proposed plan to reorganize and downsize the parks system due to its expected $10-million loss in tax revenue in coming years.

After receiving his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Michigan and completing a year of law school, Moilanen realized he wanted to work outdoors. He began working parttime as a golf course maintenance worker at Kensington Metropark in 1974 while he returned to the University of Michigan for his bachelor’s in natural resources.

Since then, he worked as a parttime interpreter at the Kensington Nature Center, was hired full-time as the farm manager at Kensington’s Farm Center, became the HCMA’s public relations/information officer in 1991, was appointed the HCMA’s chief of interpretive services and public relations in 1999, and became deputy director in 2006.

Moilanen is eager to face new challenges as the HCMA’s director, although he realizes it won’t be easy.

“To have the opportunity to direct the parks’ future in this challenging time is exciting,” he said. “I’m concerned that the parks system will still be able to continue to provide all the activities and programs it has with the reduced revenue stream.” ■ DECEMBER 2010

■ state Penalties increased for driving with high blood-alcohol level

By Alex Lundberg There’s usually a bad end for people caught drinking and driving, but the penalty for being well over the legal blood-alcohol content (BAC) limit while driving has gone up considerably.

As of Oct. 31, a new law is in effect that ramps up the penalties for people who are more than twice the legal 0.08 percent BAC limit.

Drunk drivers with blood alcohol levels of 0.17 are now going to be subject to twice the legal hangover when they’re caught.

People caught with more than twice the allowed blood alcohol content now face up to 180 days in jail, a fine between $200 and $700, and up to a one-year license suspension with the possibility of restriction after 45 days.

These penalties are added to the previous penalties of up to 360 hours of community service, six points on their driving record, mandatory alcohol treatment programs, and paying the cost of prosecution.

People making the case that they need their cars are offered the chance to get an ignition interlock installed on their vehicle at their own expense.

The interlock requires that the driver blow into the device to start the car. If it registers more than a 0.025 BAC — a little less than onethird of the legal limit — the vehicle will not start. The interlock also requires periodic retests while driving longer periods and reports the time and date and all violations to the state.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said there are no shortage of drunk drivers out there who fit the profile the new law was created to address.

“One of our substations did a snapshot of all the people arrested for drunk driving,” he said. “At least 40 percent of those arrested for drunk driving came in at two times the limit or more.”

Someone who drinks and drives has a disregard for safety and the law, Bouchard said, but a stiffer penalty might cause them to take another look at what they’re doing and possibly reconsider their actions.

Of course, it might not.

“Any time you add a penalty, it’s one more thing on people’s minds,” Bouchard said. “But at two times the limit, they’re probably well beyond the ability to be in control. www.oaklandpaper.com

DIA, zoo tax collections Senate adopts authorizing legislation

Humphries to step down as DNRE’s director next year

By Angela Niemi

By Alex Lundberg

T

he state Senate has passed two bills that could result in additional funding for the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) and the Detroit Zoo. The state Senate voted last week to approve Senate Bill (SB) 1578 in a 35-2 vote. Senators also gave their blessing to SB 1579, which would permit additional Detroit Zoo funding, in a 33-4 vote. Both bills now head to the state House of Representatives for consideration.

State Sen. Nancy Cassis (RCommerce, Milford, Highland, White Lake, West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, Wixom, Walled Lake, Wolverine Lake) voted against both bills. State Sen. Deb Cherry (DWaterford) didn’t cast a vote on either bill on Wednesday, Nov. 10.

SB 1578, the Art Institute Authorities Act, would allow a county government to establish an art institute authority. The art institute authority could then go before voters to ask for a tax of up to 0.2 mills for up to 20 years.

If the tax is approved, the authority would be required to reimburse an effected county and municipalities for election costs.

A mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, which is generally equal to half the property’s market value.

The owner of a property with a taxable value of $100,000 ($200,000 market value) would pay an extra $20 in the first year of the levy if a 0.2-mill ballot question is authorized.

SB 1579 would allow the directors of the Detroit Zoo to ask voters to approve a second 0.1-mill levy, bringing that institution’s taxpayer-approved I’m not sure of what effect it will have.”

Anything that takes a drunk driver off the road, he said, is a good thing and maybe the news of the new penalties will provide some kind of a reminder to people who have had too much to drink.

What there isn’t going to be, he said, is any kind of local government windfall.

“Under the old penalty, if we write a local ticket, it goes to the local community,” he said. “If we write it instead of the State Police, it goes to

levy to 0.2 mills.

Cassis opposed the bill and said it was proof that allowing the Detroit Zoo to ask for a millage would lead to other institutions trying to do the same thing.

“Two years ago, the Senate Finance Committee approved letting the zoo ask voters for 0.1 mills to support it,” she said. “My concern at the time was that other organizations would see it as a good way to get money. Now the DIA wants 0.2 mills and, guess what? The zoo wants to ask for 0.2 mills, as well. Where is it going to stop?”

The requests would have to be approved by voters but Cassis said she’s not so sure a vote would accurately reflect the true wishes of the electorate. Voters could see the request on a primary election ballot rather than a general election ballot and the results could be skewed.

“If you put it on the ballot during a primary, you get fewer voters,” she said. “They used to pull that with school elections all the time.”

All of this is combined, she said, with the general inadvisability of asking for more tax dollars in the middle of a recession. She said higher taxes has the added unintentional effect of depressing charitable giving.

“With Michigan hiking taxes two years ago, the business and income taxes, combined with the incredible loss of jobs, there was less charitable giving,” she said.

“The state needs to re-examine the effect on peoples’ giving to charity. When taxes are high, they have less money to give to organizations like the DIA.” ■ the state.”

He said local communities will see a reduction in the drunk driving fines — a 40-percent reduction if the substation snapshot is accurate — because those tickets will be paid back to the state. Because the penalties exceed 90-day sentences, the people arrested for being that drunk will see their cases go on to the county prosecutors and the fees go to the state.

“It won’t change enforcement,” Bouchard said. ■

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Rebecca Humphries, the director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE), announced on Monday, Nov. 1 that she would be retiring her post at the end of the year.

Humphries will be the new director of operations at a Ducks Unlimited regional office. Ducks Unlimited is a non-profit group focusing on wetlands and waterfowl conservation.

According to Kristin Schrader, the Public Affairs Coordinator at Ducks Unlimited, Humphries will ultimately be responsible for wetland conservation delivery in 18 states.

“Becky is a wonderful fit for the position. She has lots of management experience at the DNRE,” Schrader said.

“It’s obviously a huge loss for the agency,” said Mary Dettloff, spokeswoman for the DNRE. “But it was too good of an opportunity for her to pass up.”

Dettloff said a lot of people felt that her retirement would coincide with the election of a new governor.

“Gov.-elect Snyder has the authority to appoint a new director, and Becky felt he would want to put someone in this job,” Dettloff said.

Humphries’s retirement will mark the end of a 32-year career with the DNRE. She started with the agency in 1978 as a property specialist with the Real Estate Division. In 1981, she transferred to the Wildlife Division where she became chief in 1998, and then in 2004, Humphries became the director of the DNRE. When the departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality were merged to form the DNRE, she was tapped as the DNRE director.

While Humphries will no longer work for the agency, she will still work with them.

“We work very closely with the DNRE. It’s not like Becky is leaving them forever and will never see them again,” Schrader said.

Schrader also said that Humphries appointment to regional director was “a big surprise to everybody” at Ducks Unlimited.

“We had no idea,” Schrader said, adding that she believes Humphries decision was related more to her professional career than to politics.

“She has such a good reputation across the (political) aisle and has a serious love for the wetlands. Not everybody has that passion.” ■ 31

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Sunday alcohol sale restrictions to be eased under bill

By Alex Lundberg The rules governing where and when people can purchase alcohol are expected to become relaxed under a bill liberalizing the sale and presentation of beer, wine and liquor that has cleared both chambers of the state Legislature.

Consumers will be able to buy alcohol on Sundays after 7 a.m., later on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day. The new rules will allow, for a $160 annual fee, grocery stores and stores that sell alcohol to offer free samples, restaurants to offer samples of their wine or beer to customers, and also allow wineries to impose a charge for people trying out their products in tasting rooms.

Currently, no alcohol sales are allowed before noon on Sundays, after 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and are prohibited on Christmas Day. A similar proposal was vetoed last month by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Spokesperson Katie Carey said there were provisions in that legislation that didn’t sit well with Granholm.

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“There was a catering permit that would have allowed an unlimited number of restaurants to deliver alcohol to off-premises locations. She thought that would be bad for small retailers,” Carey said. “She also felt the sampling size, (three servings of three ounces), was too large.”

There was another provision Granholm was certain would land the state in court. A measure that would give liquor licenses to certain colleges and universities and not others, Carey said, was sure to raise a cry of “no fair” from those left out.

Carey said the new bill has stripped out or changed these objectionable provisions. She said Granholm ix expected to sign the bill.

State Sen. Nancy Cassis (R-Novi) said she has issues with the bill. She is unhappy about a wholesale expansion of the alcohol trade in the state, and another provision that would allow nursing homes access to special liquor licenses.

“It’s a new class of liquor license.

It’s much less expensive than a regular one,” she said.

According to Cassis, the new licenses would allow private nursing homes and continuing care facilities to sell alcohol to residents. She said those licenses create “unfair competition for private business.” ■

DECEMBER 2010

■ municipal District court refunding money to Bloomfield Hills

By Alex Lundberg Cost-cutting measures and a close eye on the bottom line at the 48th District Court has yielded a windfall for the city of Bloomfield Hills.

The Bloomfield Hills City Commission learned at a Nov. 9 meeting that the city will be getting a refund of some of its court funding for 2010.

Nicole O’Dea, the 48th District Court’s financial director, said the 2010 court budget followed the lead of previous budgets in that it’s straightforward and transparent. She also said it reflects the court’s understanding of the state of affairs in its constituent communities.

“The court has been cognizant over the last eight to 10 years of the changes in the economic climate,” she said. “We’ve cut our full-time employees by 20 percent. There has been no new full-time hires in the last five years.”

She said the court has also modified employee benefit packages to hike co-pays and deductibles over the last nine years. The court no longer offers retirement benefits.

“We’re conscientious about every dime,” O’Dea said. “That way, we’re able to return some money to the communities.”

Based on Bloomfield Hills’ use of the court’s services, which is somewhere between 9.5 and 10 percent of the court’s total business, the city will get about $400,000 of its 2010 court allocation refunded.

Birmingham’s use of the court represents 16 percent of the court’s workload and Bloomfield Township and West Bloomfield each represent 37 percent. As the court has not made its budget presentations to those communities, it is withholding the amount of money those communities will be refunded until O’Dea’s office can meet with them.

Bloomfield Hills Mayor Michael McCready mentioned that the number of foreclosures in the area has dropped, and asked how much impact that had on court operations.

“Those cases are extremely laborintensive,” O’Dea said. “They’re also not revenue-generating cases. There are different fees involved with the cases but they are for the benefit of the parties involved (rather than the court or communities).”

O’Dea said the number of drunk driving cases were down from previous years’ figures. Although the shrinking number of drunk drivers will mean less in fees and fines for the court and city, she said everyone is happy about the trend and hopes it will continue. ■ www.oaklandpaper.com

Recently adopted changes in Bloomfield Township Senior Services policies were recommended in order to help improve the quality of programs, according to township officials. The changes are expected to take effect on Jan. 1, 2011.

Policy changes adopted by board Bloomfield township senior center’s regulations amended

By Angela Niemi

T

he Bloomfield Township Senior Services program has recently completed its first year in a new state-of-the-art facility, and now it’s time to implement new policies.

The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees voted Oct. 25 to approve policy changes as recommended by the program administrators and an Advisory Council.

“I think they all are needed and will help to improve the quality of the program for our seniors,” said Township Supervisor Dave Payne.

The changes in policy deal with residency, non-resident participation, drop-in fees, administrative fees, and grandfathered users.

While Bloomfield Township residents age 50 and older are eligible for participation in the program, the new policy clarifies the residency definition as a person who pays residential property taxes or resides in Bloomfield Township.

Proof of residency, such a driver’s license, state ID, township residential tax bill, or residential lease agreement is required.

If there are any concerns regarding residency, the new policy offers an appeals process involving the township supervisor, clerk, and senior services director.

In the past, non-residents have

been allowed to participate in classes, trips, and events held by the senior center as long as they paid an extra $5 fee. The new policy raises the non-resident fee to $10.

“It’s an issue of fairness,” said Christine Tvaroha, the director of Bloomfield Township Senior Services. “Taxpayers are already paying for the building and department.”

According to Tvaroha, allowing non-residents to register for these activities enables the center to meet class minimums often required by instructors. If that number is not met, the class is canceled. The same applies to day trips.

In order to ensure residents have first pick of the programs offered, the senior center’s registration software will place holds on nonresidents.

“This gives residents a two-week head start to register for the more popular classes,” Tvaroha said.

However, Tvaroha stressed the need for residents to register early.

Classes could be canceled if not enough people pre-register.

The new policy also eliminates drop-in activity fees for residents.

Drop-in activities include bridge, euchre, open swim and other noninstructional activities.

While non-residents are no longer

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able to participate in drop-in activities, residents are allowed to bring two guests to these activities if they pay a guest fee.

The fitness equipment remains available for residents’ use only.

The only exception for nonresident access to all senior center programs and facilities is those who have been grandfathered into the system.

Before the passage of the senior millage in 2004, senior services required the payment of membership fees to generate revenue, as well as receiving funds from various grants, fund-raisers, and area agencies. Non-residents were able to become members.

However, with the passage of the millage, Bloomfield Township property tax money began to pay for senior services, and membership became obsolete.

Of the current 6,000 profiles within the Bloomfield Township Senior Services’ registry software, 130 non-resident users are considered grandfathered, which allows them full use of fitness equipment and drop-in activities for an annual fee of $30.

Under the new policy, they will now pay an annual fee of $100 per household.

“Grandfathering came Page 34 ❯ 33

■ municipal ❯ Page 33 from people who have volunteered in our programs,” Tvaroha said. “Some have been here for 20 years. They worked on the millage and bond proposal. They have contributed significantly to the senior center.”

The bond proposal money was used to build the new senior center.

Before that, senior services used Bloomfield Hills Schools’ facilities.

Some residents at the Oct. 25 meeting stated their beliefs that the senior center should be restricted to resident use only, especially since they are the ones paying property taxes.

One resident suggested that the township board have a one-year trial allowing only residents to use the senior center.

Trustee Leo Savoie replied, “The board isn’t ready to kick out 130 seniors to the street when they’ve been using the facility for so long.”

Tvaroha also said she believed that some grandfathered members may not be willing to pay the $100 annual fee.

The fee is to make sure nonresidents aren’t paying less than the average township user pays through the millage, which is about $71.75.

“Any time there is a conversation about tax money, people want to make sure it’s used properly,” Tvaroha said. “People might be especially sensitive due to the recent controversy over who can use the township library.”

According to Tvaroha, 95 percent of the people participating at the senior center programs are Bloomfield Township residents.

The policy changes will take effect Jan. 1, 2011. ■

Lengthy talks yield medical marijuana cultivation ban

By Angela Niemi Medical marijuana caregivers are prohibited in Bloomfield Township after the Board of Trustees voted on Oct. 25 to approve two ordinances banning any marijuana cultivation.

The decision came after months of deliberation and two moratorium extensions.

Bloomfield Township, like other municipalities in the state, has been grappling with the medical marijuana issue since November 2008, when a majority of state voters cast ballots to make Michigan the 13th state in the nation to legalize marijuana for medical use.

The subsequently enacted Michigan Medical Marijuana Act requires patients to carry identification cards issued by the state, and mandates that caregivers grow only limited amounts of 34

Political sign controls Growth in postings prompts discussion

By Alex Lundberg

A

fter an election season that papered Bloomfield Hills with political signs for local, county and state races, the City Commission is considering regulating the way residents express their political allegiances.

At their Nov. 9 meeting, the Bloomfield Hills City Commission discussed potential remedies to a proliferation of political signs that cropped up the past few months.

The city’s governing body will decide what to do, if anything, after reviewing a few different options.

There hasn’t been an issue with the signs in previous elections, but this year was different.

City Attorney William Hampton said the city was “deluged” with political signs during the recent midterm election season between the regular races for the state and federal legislature and the three local ballot issues for Bloomfield Hills School District funding questions and the library millage.

Two of the proposals went down in defeat, while one succeeded.

Political signage has never been an issue before in Bloomfield Hills, but this year an overabundance of signs seemed to be an affront to aesthetics, according to Hampton.

“We’ve never had problems here because residents have always thought that if they put up signs, people would vote against (the issues or candidates) because of the clutter,” Hampton said. “In this last election, that changed.”

He did some research, and if the City Commission is interested in pursuing the matter further, there are examples of how neighboring communities regulate political signage. The question, as he put it, was whether the city would follow the lead of

marijuana for qualifying patients in an enclosed, locked facility. A caregiver can help up to five other patients and may grow 12 plants per patient.

However, township officials and police agree the state’s medical marijuana law is ambiguous.

“The law on the state level is written so loosely,” said Captain Steve Cook of the Bloomfield Township Police Department. “(The) problem is nobody knows which way to go, especially with the dispensary issue, as there is no dispensary section in this law.”

communities like Birmingham or follow West Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Township and actually craft sign ordinances.

“In Birmingham they urge residents to comply with guidelines, but they don’t enforce them,” he said. “(Provisions include) no signs until 30 days before an election, no signs three days after an election and nothing in the right-of-way.”

What Bloomfield Hills can’t do, he said, is regulate content of any kind because of First Amendment protections. What it can do, however, is regulate the size of signs and their placement.

Commissioner Sarah McClure said residents should have the right to put up whatever they want on their own property, but not necessarily on city-owned property or in the right-of-way.

City Manager Jay Cravens said rights-of-way don’t always provide an apples-to-apples comparison.

“The issue is practical enforcement,” he said. “To say a sign has to be a certain number of feet from the road is difficult.

On Woodward, the right of way is 200 feet. On Lone Pine, there would be no signs allowed at all in some places. I suggest we look at any ordinance in terms of number of feet from the road.”

Commissioner Patricia Hardy said the amount of political signs was a good indication for the community and not something she’d want to subject to the chilling effect of a city ordinance.

“I’m happy to see signs,” she said. “It shows that the residents are interested in several elections and not just the school and library issues. If we say people can’t have signs, we take away from the enthusiasm from people participating in the election. I like to see what the community is thinking about.” ■

While eight other states have authorized medical marijuana dispensaries, Michigan is not one of them. In fact, by law and as stated on the Michigan Department of Community Health website, “There is no place in the state of Michigan to legally purchase medical marijuana.”

“This is an ambiguous and poorly crafted law,” said Trustee Neal Barnett. “It’s been tough to make any ordinance based on this law, but we feel that we have created an ordinance that will allow residents to use medical marijuana, but at the

THE PAPER

same time maintain safety in the community.”

Ordinance 627 now prohibits any medical marijuana cultivation or distribution by any caregiver or patient. It allows up to two registered patients to use medical marijuana per residential dwelling.

Ordinance 628 states that violators are guilty of a misdemeanor offense.

Both ordinances require a qualifying medical marijuana patient to register with the Bloomfield Township Police Department and provide police with the only residential address in the township where the patient will be allowed to use medical marijuana.

Public safety has been the main concern when deciding to ban marijuana cultivation and making patients register, according to township officials.

To date, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Enforcement Team has received over 200 complaints about marijuana growing operations. All used the defense that they were growing marijuana for medical purposes; only one such claim was legitimate.

Under the state law, an approved caregiver is allowed to grow up to 60 plants, which can produce up to 28 pounds of marijuana four times a year. This leads to abuse of the law, according to Cook.

“This is way more than any patient needs,” he said. “What typically happens is the excess is illegally sold on the side.”

There were also concerns about a rise in crime in the township if marijuana cultivation is allowed.

Armed robbery of medical marijuana facilities happens frequently because cash and marijuana are located in one place. This makes it “easy pickings” for robbers, according to township officials.

Township attorney William Hamilton said requiring patients to register with police is for the benefit and safety of the overall community.

“We want to work in cooperation with registered residents,” Cook said. “Most of the time our undercover cops work off tips. These investigations take time and money, especially in these financial times. If I know a legal user is there, I can stop the investigation. We don’t have to go through the man hours and the steps to investigate.”

The registration requirement is also intended to enhance the safety of law enforcement personnel. The police take raids seriously, as drug dealers can be armed, sometimes with guns and crossbows.

“I believe we are through with this issue,” said Supervisor Dave Payne.

“I’m anxious to see what the state does to clean up the law because it’s a mess. The next session of the Legislature should provide more clarity by cleaning up areas that cause the system not to work.” ■ DECEMBER 2010

■ municipal Pierce Street structure slated for lighting upgrade

Construction work in 2011 expected to be lighter than 2010

By Alex Lundberg With the help of some federal stimulus dollars and a little more from a power company, Birmingham will soon be able to lower the cost of lighting one of the city’s major parking structures.

At a Monday, Nov. 8 meeting, the Birmingham City Commission approved a pact with a contractor to install new energy-efficient LED lighting in the Pierce Street parking structure. The whole project will come in at just over $256,000, nearly half of which will come from the federal government.

City Engineer Paul O’Meara said the money comes through the state, which is passing through funds from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the Obama Administration’s American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, known as the stimulus package.

“It’s going to replace almost all of the fluorescent fixtures, some of which have been in place since the 1980s, with high-efficiency LED lights,” he said. “There are some newer lights in the stair towers that were too new to throw out, so those will be staying.”

The new lights will have both motion sensors and photo sensors so they can self-adjust to different conditions. The photo sensors will let them change brightness with changing amounts of sunlight, and the motion sensors will let the lights dim themselves to a minimum setting when there’s no one in the deck and ramp up to full power when there are people coming in or going out.

The reason for the transition is energy and money savings.

“What I’ve seen on the LEDs is the energy savings could be substantial,” O’Meara said. “They could use as little as 20 percent as much energy as the lights that are there now. We’ll know better once they’re installed.”

The city will get $100,000 from the state pass-through of the federal grant funds and another $25,000 from Detroit Edison to get the work done. The city signed the contract to get the work started, will pay the entire cost of installation and will be reimbursed after the work is finished.

Installation of the lights is expected to be finished by April, but in order to get the federal grant money, the city had to throw the switch on the project before the end of the year.

Other Oakland County communities have embarked upon similar projects with federal grant funds. Waterford Township used the grant money to replace all of the old lighting around its Civic Center complex and also plans to erect electricity-generating wind turbines at two of its parks. ■ www.oaklandpaper.com

By Alex Lundberg

Birmingham’s Barnum Park (above) will be the site of a new outdoor ice rink this winter, thanks to financial donations from the community. The city is still accepting donations. (The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard)

Outdoor ice rink OK’d Park facility to be open Dec. 15-Feb. 15

By Alex Lundberg

B

orne on a wave of donated money, the residents of Birmingham will soon have a new outdoor ice rink at Barnum Park.

At their Monday, Nov. 8 meeting, members of the Birmingham City Commission gave their blessing to an openfield ice rink at the park.

The construction and maintenance of the rink will be entirely paid for through donations from city residents and businesses.

The Barnum Park rink will be open on a trial basis from Dec. 15 through Feb. 15.

Pierce-St. James Neighborhood Association President Janelle Boyce, also a member of the Birmingham Planning Board, said last month that individuals and groups have pledged significant financial support — far more than the 50-percent private contribution bar the commissioners suggested as a starting point.

By Monday’s meeting, the amount of donated money had blown past that halfway point and was still rising.

“We got $7,100 in donations even before the Commission voted,” Boyce said earlier this week. “How could they not approve it?”

The biggest donation by far was a $4,000 contribution from the Pierce Community Education Foundation. There will also be a donation from Sachse Construction, which has pledged to do the planning, engineering and construction of the ice rink.

Christian Wuerth, a management analyst in the office of City Manager Tom Markus, said the materials to construct the rink are on order now.

“We’re not just going to make

a puddle in the park. There’s the liner, boards and support brackets,” he said. “There are going to be clear markers where the rink is.”

He said it’s a nonstandard project — it never went through the budgeting process that other park projects are subjected to — but it could be in the future. If enough residents use the rink and like it, similar rinks could start popping up in other city parks in coming years.

In recent weeks, the City Commission said it was open to this kind of development in Birmingham but warned that it would have to be entirely paid for by residents and no city funds would be used to create, maintain or staff the rink.

The city already has an indoor ice rink and the new rink at Barnum will not have any of the amenities the existing rink has.

There will be no zamboni, no warming stations and no concession booth.

But it’s the lack of amenities that make the idea attractive to some.

“It’s something different,” Boyce said. “It’s fun to be out in the elements. The idea has played well in other communities where outdoor rinks are drawing families in.”

She said it’s also good to have a winter use for the parks so residents can get out of the house and into their community even when the snow is flying.

The city is still taking donations for the construction and maintenance of the Barnum Park ice rink. Donations can be sent to the city, care of Wuerth, with “Barnum ice rink” in the memo line. ■

THE PAPER

Residents of Bloomfield Hills endured orange cone conditions on six local roads this year and there will be more work done next year, but timing and economic forces will make 2011 a friendlier construction season on commuters traveling on city roads.

The 2010 construction season saw work done on Lone Pine Road from Lahser to Woodward and on Cranbrook Road north of Lone Pine to Tamarack Way. Projects were also done on Linda Court, Linda Lane, Linda Knoll and Cranbrook Court.

The projects also included work on five bridges and culverts in the city.

All of the projects were complete jobs, not simple resurfacing initiatives. In the case of some of the roads, construction crews went right down through the sand and gravel to completely replace all layers of the roadway’s structure — depending on the condition of each target area.

City Manager Jay Cravens said this year’s work, costing about $4 million altogether, was done with bond proceeds.

The city issued a 10-year, $10million bond to do road construction projects and this has been the most expensive project year to date because of the bridge projects.

“This was year No. 4, and year No. 5 and 6 are going to be scaled back because we used so much of the bond money this year,” he said. “(Next year) will probably be projects that involve water and sewer projects.”

The process of deciding what improvement work will happen next year will start very soon. Cravens said public hearings will be held and the 2011 projects will be identified as quickly as possible so the city can solicit bids and start work as soon as weather permits in the spring.

Consulting engineers with Hubbell, Roth and Clark have identified Orchard Ridge Road North, Epping Lane and Conge Drive, and the Orchard Ridge North culvert as preliminary candidates for work in 2011. They also recommend water main replacement on Epping, Conge, Orchard Ridge, and Ridgewood.

The order in which the road projects are presented to the commission for consideration is based on worst condition first, but an emergency dictated some of the work that was done this year.

The old mill race under Chesterfield Road collapsed in midApril, leaving a 6-foot-wide hole in the decking of the crossing, and forced immediate repairs. The situation caused the city to address repairs on all bridges and culverts in Bloomfield Hills. ■ 35

■ municipal Tim Hortons project draws large crowd to public hearing

By Angela Niemi Residents came out en masse to speak at a public hearing concerning the site plan and special land use approval for the development of a Tim Hortons restaurant near the southeast corner of Woodward Avenue and Square Lake Road at the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 8.

After the end of the 3.5-hour public hearing, the Board of Trustees decided to table the issue until the developer, Lalth Jonna of Square Lake Road Properties, LLC, requests to place it back on their agenda.

This is the second time the developer has approached the Board for approval to develop the former Bennigan’s site with a Tim Hortons.

On July 26, the Board denied the Tim Hortons site plan due to significant traffic safety issues that had not been addressed to the Board’s satisfaction.

The developer then submitted a new site plan for approval.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) had reviewed the plans and conceptually approved of both the site plan and roadway improvements to the existing driveways at Woodward and Square Lake.

A traffic study was also conducted by a township engineer and presented at the meeting showing the potential impact of adding a Tim Hortons.

The Board felt certain issues still needed to be addressed, including noise, odors, aesthetics, and hours of operation which had only been addressed by Colberry Hills Association residents that night.

Although the developer and his attorney felt they had met all the requirements set forth by the zoning ordinance and master plan, residents still had concerns that made them

emphatically opposed to the development of the restaurant.

In particular, the residents had concerns about noise level, even though the developer proposed placing the drive-through speaker box to the west side of the building facing the CVS. The speaker box would also have an automatic control feature that would adjust the outbound volume based on exterior ambient noise.

Residents were also wary of vehicle noise, especially considering the application for special land use approval to allow their hours operation to be 5 a.m. to midnight.

The current ordinance restricts commercial operations from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Residents are also concerned about the odors coming from the restaurant. Although Tim Hortons claims they bake all their food and do not fry or grill anything, residents are still concerned that future owners may institute frying or grilling practices.

Louise Dube, the resident most directly affected by the Tim Hortons because her property is 45 feet from where the Tim Hortons would be built, said her concerns by quoting a famous former governor.

“As Sarah Palin would say, ‘I can see Tim Hortons from my house,’ and furthermore, I can smell Tim Hortons from my porch,” Dube said.

Ken Denmark, who spoke on behalf of the Colberry Hills Association, added that the additional traffic would basically “imprison Mrs. Dube in her own home.”

Denmark also shared his concerns about the further decrease in home values if the Tim Hortons would be developed, as well as the increase in public safety risk with regards to both traffic and crime.

Many others also expressed their worries throughout the night, as well as their desire to have the Board deny the developer’s site plan and special land use.

However, Treasurer Dan Devine said the Board has to consider the

issue from not only the residents’ perspective, but also that of the developer.

“The township has an obligation to all property owners. Conditions have to be satisfied by the applicant in order for special land use. If they are, a denial of the request could be considered an abuse of discretion by the Board,” Devine said.

That could possibly result in a lawsuit against the township.

According to Devine, the developers believe they have fully met the conditions outlined by the zoning ordinance and master plan.

“A community can’t be 95 percent residential. You need some commercial properties to help sustain the community at large,” Devine said.

Devine further said the developer, who has owned the property since 2007, has exhausted many hours over the years trying to find a suitable and affordable project for this property.

“We have an obligation to all township residents, including business residents. This process is really a balancing act of all the property owners and the master plan. I really believe the developers and residents need to talk and try to work things out to their own satisfaction. The Board would rather affirm a decision that the afflicted parties came to rather than dictate one,” Devine stated.

Devine also hopes that the Board tabling the issue will allow the developers and residents a chance to discuss any further issues.

“We want to allow and encourage them to talk. Both sides have to live with what happens. At the end, whatever happens, there will still be owners on both sides of that wall,” Devine said. ■

Township approves $1.8 million for new pathway segments

By Angela Niemi

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The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees has approved constructing three miles of new path segments through the township’s 2011 safety path program, totaling an estimated $1.8 million.

The board’s approval came during their Oct. 25 meeting.

The paths will be constructed along 14 Mile Road from Telegraph to Crosswick, Covington Road from the Covington School to Endsleigh Drive, Telegraph Road from Orchard Way to Maple Road, Square Lake Road from Woodward to the Bloomfield Surf Club, and Square Lake Road from the International THE PAPER

Academy to Squirrel Road.

These new safety paths will be constructed in accordance with the community’s 2008 millage renewal.

Due to the unsteady economic climate, provisions are in place to solicit bids on each route as separate divisions under one contract, which would allow the township to defer construction of routes to the 2012 program if needed in order to fit the 2011 program’s budget.

According to Township Supervisor Dave Payne, this will be the 13th year Bloomfield Township will be constructing new safety paths.

“We want to be able to provide connectivity throughout the whole township,” Payne said.

In 2010, safety paths have been constructed or are in the process of being constructed along Long Lake Road, Franklin Road, Woodward Avenue, Square Lake Road, and Telegraph Road.

Residents have expressed interest in having additional paths constructed for safe pedestrian passage from neighborhoods to local points of interest, such as those along the Square Lake Road/I-75 business loop area.

“If there are requests from subdivision associations or groups of homeowners, we see if it is feasible to add the path. If it is, we amend our master plan,” Payne said.

Two of these new paths include one to the north side of Square Lake Road from Bloomfield Crossings to Opdyke Road. The estimated cost of this segment is $224,00.

The Board of Trustees approved adding this path as a “Future Potential Path” with the understanding that construction will not be planned unless funding is available after the currently proposed master plan routes are finished.

The other path is to the north side of Square Lake Road crossing from Opdyke Road to the Surf Club. The estimated construction cost of this path is $770,000 due to possible construction difficulties, since the path would have to cross railroad tracks and Square Lake Road.

However, since the north side of Square Lake Road east of the Surf Club is located in Pontiac, the path is not likely to be constructed by the township alone.

The board approved the recommendation to list this path as a “Future Potential Path” as opportunities may arise in the future for the township to partner with the city of Pontiac and Michigan Department of Transportation to fund construction, as the path extends outside the township’s jurisdiction. ■ DECEMBER 2010

■ municipal Museum, library, senior panel getting city’s CDBG funds

By Alex Lundberg The Birmingham City Commission has set its list of requests for 2011 federal grant funding to help pay for programs and public improvements to benefit the most vulnerable and isolated members of the community.

At their Oct. 25 meeting, commissioners approved plans for federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for the 2011 program year. The commission approved a list of projects totaling $37,495 for the coming year.

The funds will benefit the city’s historical museum, the library and the Birmingham Area Seniors Coordinating Council.

There will be barrier-free improvements made at the Allen House Museum to bring it up to Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, which will include ramp installation and new porch doors. The Baldwin Public Library will also get a replacement set of automatic doors.

The Allen House Museum allocation will be $17,246, while the Baldwin Public Library allocation will be $9,000.

The senior coordinating council will get $7,874 for yard service projects and $3,375 for senior outreach services. Coordinator Renee Cortright said there are a lot of services available for seniors and other residents.

“How many people we help depends on how many apply,” she said. “Some of them qualify based on income, others for disability. Sadly, not enough people come forward.”

The organization’s senior outreach program provides services to seniors and their families throughout the city. There are informational programs, weatherization services, home health services and support groups for people with early-stage memory loss and vision loss.

“In those programs we call people every day to make sure that everything is OK,” Cortright said.

“We have a supplemental insurance program for prescriptions.”

She said senior residents can get round-trip transportation service to doctor appointments and other engagements for $3, and one-way transport for $1. There is a durable medical equipment closet available so qualifying residents can get things like wheelchairs, walkers and shower seats on a loan basis.

“It’s all based on helping seniors www.oaklandpaper.com

As the road construction season wraps up at the end of November, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is scrambling to finish as much work as possible along the Telegraph Road corridor so there’s a minimal amount of work left to complete next year. MDOT Spokesperson Rob Morosi said work on the project is expected to end by Wednesday, Nov. 24. The lengthy and massive Telegraph Road improvement project involves the repair, reconstruction and resurfacing of 16 miles of roadway between Eight Mile and Square Lake roads. An unanticipated utility problem cropped up during the summer and put the $52-million project behind schedule. As a result, the northbound side of Telegraph from 12 Mile stretching up to Maple will have to be rebuilt next year. The stretch between Square Lake and Orchard Lake Roads (above) should be finished this week. (The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard)

stay independent and in their homes,” Cortright said. “It’s also there to help their families both living out of town and around here.

It’s a great service to the community.”

CDBG funds are federal monies administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development that must be used for activities that benefit seniors or low- and moderate-income persons. In addition, each activity must meet one of the following national objectives for the program: help in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight; or address community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community and for which other funding is not available. ■

Township CDBG funds proposed for home rehabilitation

By Angela Niemi The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees will be applying for 2011 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding totaling approximately $72,000 to be used primarily for minor repairs and rehabilitation on the homes of senior residents.

A public hearing for comment and review was expected to be held Monday, Nov. 22 before the Board of Trustees approved the application for the federal grant money to be submitted through Oakland County.

Currently, the program is designated for low-income seniors, ages 60 and older.

The hearing will allow residents to share their opinions on how the money should be used by the township, whether all funds should be allocated for minor home repairs for seniors or some funds should be designated for other low- to moderate-income households or even other public service projects such as Meals on Wheels.

Federal CDBG grants are administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). They must fund activities to provide affordable housing, antipoverty programs, and infrastructure development in low- to moderateincome areas of participating communities.

CDBG guidelines state that no more than 45 percent of a community’s allocation can go towards service organizations, and that at least 25 percent of the funds must be used to purchase and redevelop housing for households whose incomes don’t exceed 50 percent of the area’s median income.

This will be the township’s second year assisting qualified seniors with projects such as roof

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repairs, replacing hot water heaters, securing stairways, and rehabilitating bathrooms to make them more easily accessible.

“It’s really an effort to help seniors stay in their homes independently as long as possible,” said Treasurer Dan Devine.

Last year, the township assisted 12 households by making the homes safer and more energy-efficient through repairs to electrical wiring, plumbing, locks, and replacing heating and cooling systems.

“We are trying to make these homes safe and secure,” Tvaroha said. “And also to make energy saving improvements.”

The 2010 annual income limits set by HUD for Bloomfield Township were $27,950 for a two-person household and $24,450 for a singleperson household.

The average annual income of those helped last year was $20,000.

The average age of the resident was 76 years, while the average age of the house was 41 years. Those applying for assistance must submit proof of income.

A qualified person is allowed to receive up to $5,000-per-year twice in their lifetime for a total of $10,000. However, for people who need more assistance, Oakland County offers a low- to no-interest loan option, according to Tvaroha.

“We encourage residents needing more assistance to connect with the county,” Tvaroha said. ■ 37

■ education Bloomfield Hills district revisits plan for new high school

By Angela Niemi A 2.5-hour meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 16 marked the first of a series of discussions by Bloomfield Hills School District officials over plans to develop a single high school that reflects the views of the community.

In June, the Board of Education voted to combine Lahser and Andover high schools into one school on the Andover site, a move which, according to efficiency projections, would save the school district $2.5 million a year.

With enrollment declining in the two outdated schools built for 1,400 students and serving under 1,000, district officials thought a combined high school was the best choice to save money and offer more opportunities to students.

“Teachers and principals talked about lost opportunities to offer classes,” said Betsy Erickson, the school district’s director of communications and community relations. “We already shuttle 500 students between the two schools

because there aren’t enough students to offer certain classes in each school. Sports were another issue. Sometimes there wasn’t enough players to field a JV or freshman team. We have to look at this situation not as what is being lost but what we can now offer our students.”

According to Erickson, there is a common, understandable misconception about the Nov. 2 general election, which saw one high school project funding proposal fail while another one earned voter authorization.

“It was not about merging the two schools but about deciding what kind of learning environment we can make for these kids at the Andover site,” she said. “The school board already made their decision (to merge the schools).”

On Nov. 2, over 55 percent of the school district’s voters rejected a $73-million bond proposal that would have required a 1.43-mill debt retirement collection over 30 years, to help erect, furnish, and equip a new $97.5 million high school at the Andover site. Voters authorized renewal of a building and site sinking fund millage.

Erickson said she hopes meetings

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and focus group discussions planned over the next six months will result in the community learning together and determining “what they see will be the best way to proceed with the high school.”

She said the school district has received criticism in the past about processes not being inclusive, and that she hopes the district’s efforts to include the entire community over the next few months will address that particular concern.

“After six months, we hope to have a lot of the schematic design done on a high school that reflects the will of the community,” she said.

“We want lots of community involvement from the ground up, as far as the building, the teaching curriculum, and the community values.”

Community involvement started with approximately 200 people attending the “Learning in the Creative Age” community workshop and panel discussion held on Nov. 16, where attendees listened to a panel of educational experts, asked questions, and shared their concerns and hopes.

The panel of five experts included a former assistant superintendent from Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax, Va., consistently one of the top schools in the nation; a national educational consultant; architects Randy Fielding and Prakash Nair who have advised schools in over 31 countries; as well as an educational visionary from Britain who joined the meeting via Skype.

One of the important issues discussed was reimagining how to use spaces to fit 20 modes of learning, such as project-based performance, independent study, and peer tutoring.

Currently, teachers are utilizing those modes but in spaces not designed for teaching in those ways.

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point,” Erickson said. “He said, ‘Build a school that doesn’t put limits on learning.’ We don’t want to disadvantage the children because of the building’s limitations.”

District officials also informed the meeting attendees of a new crowd sourcing tool they have implemented, an online forum where people will be able to ask questions and have discussions online at www.fieldingnair.onlinetownhalls.com.

“It has the ability to allow people to rate each other’s comments,” Erickson said. “The most popular ideas rise to the top of the forum list. Interested people can dive deep into a conversation and respond to others. We believe it will make complex conversations more efficient. Everybody in the community should participate in this as it will help us to understand common ground areas and areas of disagreement.”

The main challenge of this approach will be bringing this information to people who don’t have access to the Internet, a hurdle which Erickson acknowledges.

However, this is just one tool to aid the multiple meetings and focus group discussions the school district will be hosting.

As for when a decision has to be made about the single high school, Erickson said there is no specific date set, “but every year it takes longer, we are giving up another $2.5 million.”

Erickson said district officials realize many emotions are involved in the merging of the schools.

“Of course there are going to be feelings of loss and emotion because two schools are closing as we know them, and they both have long histories of excellence and tradition,” she said. “But we have the opportunity to look forward and see what we can be. We can be instructionally excellent and see what is best for our children.” ■

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DECEMBER 2010

■ snapshot

jack keenan

I

f a picture is worth a 1,000 words, then John "Jack" Keenan's World War II sketches are priceless. Keenan’s book, "Drawing My Memories: A Soldier’s Sketchbook of WWII" was recently acquired by the University of Michigan William L. Clements Library for its WWII special collection and inducted into the U.S. Library of Congress.

The series of 160 sketches was compiled throughout his 4.5 years of military service. He sketched while training in the Mohave Desert, during bombardments in England, and while landing at Omaha Beach in France.

He sketched while crossing into Belgium, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, liberating concentration camps and during his furlough in Scotland.

Through every maneuver and bitter moment of war, while soldiers were falling left and right, Keenan kept the memories of his brothers in arms alive.

"It took me about a half- hour to sketch each one. I learned to go awful fast. I often drew on both sides to save paper," he said.

Keenan captured everyday events in a soldier's life using watercolors, pencil and ink. Few of Keenan's sketches reflect the bloody and utter travesty of war. However, in an anguishing watercolor of a dead soldier in the snow, his words speak volumes in the caption that reads: "This could be almost anybody."

He moved up the ranks to Master Sergeant of the 7th Armored

Division, Third Army, in combat under General George S. Patton. He spent 18 months overseas.

"If I had been in the infantry or artillery units, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to sketch," Keenan said.

WWII was permanently etched in Keenan’s memory.

"On D-Day, we were in our barracks in South England and some people said they could hear the bombardments so I stood by the front door and sketched the planes and gliders," he said.

After the war, he spent another 3.5 years as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Reserve. He was awarded six medals for meritorious servce as well as international honors.

Prior to WWII, Keenan attended Meinzinger Art School. Four days before he shipped out, he married his wife of 64 years, Ellen. Together they helped found Lighthouse of Pontiac and painted murals annually for the Bloomfield Township Library summer reading program.

The Keenan brood self-published the compilation of sketches. Only 50 copies of the book were printed and distributed at gratis.

Today he is 91 years old, the retired Creative Director and VicePresident of the Creative Group for J. Walter Thompson Advertising, a father of 10, the grandfather to 19 and great-grandfather to three.

— Leslie Shepard-Owsley — The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard

■ eating out The Eating Out directory for The Paper is just that, a guide to dining establishments where patrons can go to eat. Many, if not most, of these eateries also allow for take-out orders. If an establishment serves beer(B), wine(W) or liquor (L), the listing indicates such. Likewise, if breakfast (B), lunch (L) or dinner (D) is served, we indicate by code and then the days it is offered.

220: A one-of-a-kind Birmingham restaurant specializing in steaks and fresh seafood with an Italian flair, complemented by a fine selection of distinguished American, Italian and global wines. Located in the historic Edison Building in the heart of downtown Birmingham. B, W, L. L & D, Monday-Saturday. 220 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.2150.

Akshay Indian Cuisine: Featuring Indo Chinese, South Indian, Northern Indian and Tandoori (Clay Oven) dishes. Spicy flavors compliment the relaxed and elegant atmosphere. Reasonable pricing makes Akshay Indian Cuisine a local favorite. L & D, Tuesday Sunday. 1615 S. Opdyke Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.858.2315.

Andiamo: Andiamo’s offers Northern Italian decor amid a chic dining spot. A favorite among many area celebrities. Featuring traditional Italian dishes in an elegant dining room or live music in the lounge. An extensive wine list and selection of desserts. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.865.9300.

Beau Jacks: Known for its superior whitefish and popular salads, Beau Jacks offers certified black angus beef as well as vegetarian and heart-conscious items. The menu features chili, onion loaf, baked spinach and artichoke dip, croissants and wraps. B, W, L. L, MondaySaturday; D, daily. 4108 W. Maple, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630.

Beyond Juice: Offering Meal-in-a-Cup creations, sandwiches and a variety of desserts.

Greek, seasoned chicken, tuna and garden salads also available, along with homemade Belgian waffles and jumbo muffins. B & L, daily; D, Monday-Saturday. 270 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7078.

Big Boy: Big Boy features its classic diner burgers, breakfast specials and popular dessert menu. With its famous Big Boy sandwich and soup and salad bar, its a hometown diner for the whole family. B, L & D, daily. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.642.0717.

Big Rock Chophouse: Big Rock Chophouse’s 4-star, award-winning menu offers flavorful recipes centered around enormous, hand-cut aged steaks, lamb chops and fresh seafood.

Featuring an on-site brew house, the restaurant also boasts an extensive wine cellar, complete with more than 400 fine wine and champagne selections. B, W, L & D, MondaySaturday. 245 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.7774.

Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Featuring Japanese and American fusion-style fare, the cafe specializes in sushi, beef teriyaki, bibimbap and some kobe beef. The atmosphere is a relaxing, family-style environment. L & D, daily. 377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.8880.

Birmingham Tower Deli: Gourmet delicatessen located in downtown Birmingham features Boars Head meats and cheeses, soups, salads, burgers and pizza. Catering available. B, L & D, Monday-Friday. 280 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Ste. 105, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.9730.

Bloomfield Deli: With a large selection of

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sandwiches and wraps, Bloomfield Deli also offers several different varieties of grilled cheese sandwiches, grilled chicken wraps and breakfast sandwiches. Also offering fresh salads and a salad bar with 20 different vegetables and fruits. B & L, Monday-Friday. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.645.6879.

Boston Market: Features sirloin, beef brisket, turkey, meatloaf and rotisserie chicken. Boston Market offers soup, steamed vegetables, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and casseroles to pair with a main dish. L & D, daily. 42983 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.334.5559.

Brandy’s Steakhouse: A cozy ambiance, private dining room and traditional dishes can be expected at Brandy’s. Offering salads, seafood, pastas and Brandy’s signature steaks.

B,W,L. L, Monday-Saturday; D, daily. 1727 South Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.338.4300.

Breakaway Deli: Breakaway Deli features a variety of house sandwiches as well as a meatfree zone for vegetarians. B & L, MondaySaturday; D, Monday-Friday. 71 West Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.642.2900.

Brooklyn Pizza: Brooklyn Pizza features New York-style pizza by the slice, homemade cookies and ice cream. L & D, daily. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.258.6690.

Cafe Via: A high-end downtown eatery featuring an elegant setting as well as a patio courtyard. Grilled salmon, roasted chicken, crabcakes and lambchops are some favorites at Cafe Via. B, W, L. L & D, Monday-Saturday.

310 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.8800.

Cameron’s Steakhouse: Featuring dry aged and prime steak with an impressive wine list.

Cameron’s is a classic steakhouse. B, W, L. D, daily. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.723.1700.

Chen Chow Brasserie: The decor and menu selection at Chen Chow Brasserie create a most elegant dining experience. Main courses include Pan Seared Tofu, Tamarind Glazed Salmon, Miso Sea Bass, Steamed Halibut, Dashi & Udon and more. Extensive wine list.

B, W, L. D, daily. 260 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.2469.

China Village: A warm environment featuring China Village’s famous sesame and General Tso’s Chicken. L & D daily. 1655 Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.758.1221.

Cityscape Deli: Cityscape offers homemade soups and a wide variety of custom carved sandwiches, pasta salads, bean and couscous and Hungarian beef goulash. Homemade healthy sides compliment fresh deli sandwiches. B, L & D, Monday-Saturday. 877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.540.7220.

Cosi: With a signature flatbread, sandwiches, melts, soups, salads and a kids menu, Cosi offers options for all diners. B, W. B, L & D daily. 101 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.9200.

Crust: An upscale restaurant, with an open kitchen and dining room decor with natural wood elements. Full menu includes Neapolitan, thin crust pizzas, salads, sandwiches and small plates. B, W, L. L and D, daily.

6622 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301.

248.855.5855.

Deli Unique of Bloomfield Hills: A menu featuring eight different deli sandwiches and an extensive breakfast menu. B & L, daily. 39495

Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.646.7923.

Dick O’Dow’s: Offering Irish classics and home cooking, including stuffed chicken, wild Irish salmon and, of course, shepherd’s pie. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.1135.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Featuring a huge assortment of bagels, sandwiches and specialty coffees. B & L, daily. 176 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.594.9888.

Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Lebanese dishes from stuffed grape leaves to taboulee and humus. B, W, L. L & D, Monday Saturday.

263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2420.

Embers Deli & Restaurant: Pita sandwiches, soups, burgers, hot dogs and melts available.

An extensive breakfast menu includes egg specials, breakfast roll-ups, omelettes, breakfast sandwiches and sides. B &L, daily. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.645.1033.

Forest Grill: Forest Grill’s seasonal menu showcases house-made charcuterie, raw bar, clay oven-baked pizzas and traditional bistro dishes. Influenced by French, Italian and contemporary American cuisine with an emphasis on simplicity and flavor. Extensive wine list, including a number of regional wines from boutique vinters and Michigan vineyards. B, W, L. L, Monday-Friday; D, Monday-Saturday. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.258.9400.

Forté Restaurant: With beautiful decor and lavish cuisine, Forte offers a complete dining experience, including an extensive wine list.

Renowned chefs present a complete breakfast menu as well. B, W, L. B, L & D, daily. 201 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7300.

Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: An American steakhouse with a contemporary flair featuring aged prime beef, market fresh seafood and an award-winning wine list. B, W, L & D, daily. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134.

Fuddrucker ’s: With simple recipes and made-from-scratch buns, Fuddrucker’s offers burgers, chicken, fish, salad, and a kids menu.

B, W. L & D, daily. 42757 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.333.2400.

Greek Island Coney Restaurant: Featuring sandwiches, salads and Coney Island classics.

Breakfast is available anytime. B, L & D, daily.

221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.1222.

Hogan’s Restaurant: Casual atmosphere and homemade fare, Hogan’s offers steak, seafood, burgers, a vegetarian and children’s menu. A tavern-type environment is also available to patrons. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 6450 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.626.1800.

House of India: A casual dining experience with traditional east Indian fare featuring vegetarian plates and specialties such as lamb curry and Tandoori chicken. L & D, daily. 1615 S. Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.451.0201.

Hunter House Hamburgers: Featuring high quality, gourmet hamburgers. Recently voted Number One Burger in Michigan by Food Network Magazine and “20 Burgers You Must Eat Right Now” in June 2009 Gourmet Magazine. B, Monday-Saturday; L & D daily.

35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.7121.

IHOP: From creatively flavored pancakes to

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steaks, sandwiches and salads, IHOP is best known for its breakfast fare. B, L & D, daily.

2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.333.7522.

Jade Tiki Restaurant: Authentic Chinese cuisine serving signatures dishes like Sesame Chicken, General Tsao's Chicken, Szechwan Chicken, Sweet & Sour Pork, and Beef & Broccoli. Carry out available. B, L. L & D, daily.

3250 S. Boulevard, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.852.8181.

Kerby’s Koney Island: Kerby’s offers a special chili recipe, lean meats and a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner specialties. B, L, & D, daily. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills. 248.333.1166.

Kirk’s Open Pit Bar B Que: Serving barbecue ribs that are slow cooked and covered in a smoky sauce, Kirk’s also offers barbeque and broasted chicken, seafood, homemade macaroni and cheese, peach and apple cobbler, and sweet potato pies. B, L & D, Tuesday- Sunday.

33766 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.7010.

La Marsa: Authentic recipes are the secret ingredient for La Marsa's continued success.

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine is served in a casual dining atmosphere. From kabobs to rice pudding, fare is healthy and fresh. Signature items include tabboulli, hommous, lamb chops, and chicken kabobs. L & D, daily. 43259 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.5800.

Leo’s Coney Island: Greek specialties, burgers and coneys are offered along with omelettes, breakfast specials, soups and salads. B, L & D, daily. 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301 (248.646.8568) and at 154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.8568.

Little Daddy’s Parthenon: Featuring Greek fare, like hand-carved gyros, Little Daddy’s Parthenon offers oven roasted turkey, gourmet sandwiches and house-made food. B, L & D, daily.

39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.647.3400.

Max & Erma’s: Features a family-friendly environment with a variety of burgers, an assortment of salads and a signature tortilla soup, plus steaks, ribs and fajitas. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 250 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.1188.

Mirage Cafe: Mediterranean fare with healthy options and menu items made fresh daily. Among customer favorites are the chicken lemon rice and lentil soup, chicken shawarma and chicken cream chop. The cafe also offers Caribou Coffee, smoothies and an assortment of desserts. L & D, daily. 297 E. Maple Avenue, Birmingham 48009.

248.731.7768.

Mitchell’s Fish Market: Accepting daily delivery of a wide variety of fresh fish flown in from all coasts, the atmosphere is that of an upscale seafood restaurant. Also features a lively bar area. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.3663.

Mountain King: Chinese restaurant serving fried rice, sesame chicken, General Tso’s chicken and standard Chinese favorites. L & D, daily. 469 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2913.

New Bangkok Thai Bistro: Featuring a Thai atmosphere and variety of Thai specialties such as duck, noodles, seafood and curries.

Also offering soups, salads, fried rice and appetizers. B, Monday Thursday; L, Monday-Friday; D, daily. 183 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2181.

Northern Lakes Seafood Co: Serving a sig-

DECEMBER 2010

■ prep’s place Don’t get stressed over holiday meal

By Johnny Prep

T

is' the season to entertain. Fa la la la la, la la lala. Are you ready? Have you been planning the menus for months? Does the sheer notion of having your cooking scrutinized by people besides your family become a buzz kill for you?

Well, relax, relax, r e l a x !

Regardless of the holiday you celebrate, just remember it's a celebration.

You should be happy, happy, happy. Don't let the cooking thing get you down. It's all about the game plan. With a good game plan, life is good. Without one, not so much.

So let's talk strategy.

Make a good soup? Serve it! This will allow you to cook confidently, which is a major part of being able to relax.

HALF YOUR DISHES SHOULD BE 'DO AHEADS' Any way you look at it, a good holiday meal is at least four to eight hours of preparation. But that doesn't mean you have to spend all those hours the day of the event. If you do, you'll be too

you spend some time thinking about the sequence of what you are going to do the last couple of hours. Make sure you don't have too many last-minute tasks like making quick sauces as you are trying to sauté a delicate vegetable, and watch the garlic bread under the broiler at the same time. Don't do it to yourself. Just change the menu.

Buchede Noel is a classic holiday "do

HAVE ALL YOUR INGREDIENTS PREPPED BEFORE YOUR GUESTS ARRIVE

DON'T EXPERIMENT ON YOUR GUESTS Trying new recipes is a fun adventure that keeps your cooking juices flowing. It stirs creativity and expands your horizons. But what is the real benefit of experimenting when you're in the spotlight. Unless you just have an enthusiasm for risk, throw the experimenting out for your holiday entertaining. The best items to make are ones you have experience with and you know are good. Now if you must go with the hot new recipe, then do yourself some favors. Making it for yourself or your family once before you entertain takes the mystery and adventure out of the exercise — always a good idea. Next, it would be best if that new recipe was a "do ahead," a recipe that you make one or two days early. This way, if it doesn't turn out or you don't like it, then you just "can it" and make something else.

STAY WITHIN YOURSELF You know what your sweet spot is in the kitchen. Whatever that sweet spot is, stay within it. What do you do best?

That's where you should focus. Take your strengths and make them the focal point of the menu. Are you a good baker? Are you good on the grill?

Maybe braised dishes are your thing.

nature lobster reuben for lunch and a Chilean sea bass for dinner. The seasonal menu includes a soft shell crab, lobster bisque and Columbia river king salmon. B, W, L. L, Monday-Friday; D, daily. 39495 North Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.646.0370.

Old Woodward Deli: With a wide variety of sandwiches, soups, and salads, Old Woodward Deli prides itself on delivering fresh and homemade meals. Reubens are the No. 1 best seller. Hours are 10 a.m.-2:45 p.m.

Tuesday-Friday. 768 N. Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.0768.

Olga’s Kitchen: Olga’s offers fresh and unique flavored appetizers, sandwiches, soups and salads. Grilled to-order Olga bread avail-

www.oaklandpaper.com

Take a peak at www.dartagnan.com or www.zingermansdeli.com. You can find everything from wild game, to truffles, to lamb tenderloins and they are delivered right to your door. Have a good conversation with your butcher or produce manager a couple of weeks ahead of time and see what cool things they can suggest. Word to the wise though: If you preorder something that is wrapped when you pick it up, make sure you unwrap it and look at it before you walk out of the store. I've been burned before. Shame on me!

Buchede Noel is a classic holiday “do ahead.” The chocolate Génoise cake is filled with expresso cream and topped with chocolate espresso butter cream frosting.

tired to enjoy yourself! So pick out half your dishes so they can be made at least one to two days ahead. Braised dishes, casseroles, soups, salad dressings, and desserts are all great candidates. If you can't make the whole dish, then just do the ingredient preparation.

Premix your seasoning for your meats.

Prepare condiments such as cranberries. Peel your potatoes and keep them in a container filled with water. As much as you can do ahead, do it! This will give you a lot more time to relax and enjoy yourself on the special day.

DRAFT OUT A TASK LIST WITH TIMES ASSIGNED FOR PREPARATION You don't have to get neurotic about this, but write down what you are goingi to do three days ahead, then two days ahead, a day ahead, and the day of the event. Include shopping so you can take that at a relaxed pace. Make sure

able. L & D daily. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500 and at 138 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2760.

Peabody’s: With rustic beams and subtle lighting, Peabody’s offers unique sandwiches and salads, along with fresh seafood, house prime rib, signature steaks and pastas. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 34965 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.5222.

Pancake House: Best known for breakfast fare, the Original Pancake House has a varied menu. B, L & D, daily. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.642.5775.

Panera Bread: A variety of soups, sandwich-

ahead." This chocolate Génoise cake is filled with espresso cream and topped with a chocolate espresso butter cream frosting. It can be made one to two days in advance. For more good holiday recipes, check out www.johnnyprep.com.

PUT EFFORT INTO FINDING QUALITY INGREDIENTS Shopping can be fun when you consider it a hunt for quality. It's a "do ahead" event, so plan ahead and make it fun. You can save a lot of money as well if you find the right sales. Remember, in fine restaurants as much effort is spent procuring the best ingredients as it is in preparing them. When you have great ingredients, you can cook simple recipes that require less effort and still wow your guests. It's a recipe for success. It's a fun time to find some special ingredients. There are some really cool companies that have great websites to shop from for specialty ingredients.

es and desserts., plus an on-site bakery. B, L & D, daily. 100 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48309. 248.203.7966 and at 2125 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.253.9877.

Pasta Fagioli: Pasta Fagioli brings the taste of southern Italy to every table. Offering a large variety of homemade pastas and unique entrees at moderate prices. Favorites include angel hair pasta infused with lobster, shrimp and portobello mushrooms tossed in fresh tomato basil sauce; spinach and ricotta ravioli; and a smorgasbord of chicken and veal dishes.

It's namesake soup, Pasta Fagioli, is comfort food for the soul. Delectable desserts such as Tiramisu and Ray's Ice Cream, and Spumoni, complement any meal. L & D, weekdays; D,

THE PAPER

There is a French cooking term called "misen place," which means everything in its place. It is something all good cooks do before beginning final preparation.

Have all your ingredients prepped and in easy-to-use containers. Have them set out in the areas they are going to be used. Oftentimes, your "misen place" is as beautiful as the meal itself. Have your cooking vessels and utensils in convenient places ready to go.

Schedule at least an hour of down time within two hours of your guests arriving. Put your feet up and relax those dogs. Take a hot shower or bath. Listen to some music or watch an entertaining show. But get yourself in the correct frame of mind to have fun. It's your holiday too, be good to yourself!

I entertain a lot for holidays. I really enjoy it. You should, too! Make your meals that beautiful sharing and bonding experience that they should be. Get yourself a good game plan and relax — you'll appreciate it. Bon appétit!

■ John Prepolec produces a cable television program, “Five Star Cooking at Home,” at Bloomfield Community Television. Comcast subscribers can see it in Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills on Channel 15 and in Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Franklin and Bingham Farms on Channel 18.

AT&T U-verse subscribers can see it on Channel 99. Times are Mondays at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. You can view it anytime online at the Bloomfield Township website, www.bloomfieldtwp.org/services/cable.

You can find his website at www.johnnyprep.com.

weekends. 2398 Franklin Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.332.1111.

Phoenicia: A special dining experience, Phoenicia offers all the traditional dishes of Lebanon. 588 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. B, W, L. L, MondayFriday; D, daily. 248.644.3122.

Pita Cafe: Middle Eastern fare featuring chicken shawarma, sweet salad, fattoush, Greek salad, lambchops, seafood and taboulee. Pita Cafe is known for its fantastic garlic spread. L & D, daily. 239 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.6999.

Pizza Papalis & Rio Wraps: Full menu includes rio wraps, pizzas, salads, soups, pasta

41

■ eating out and desserts; known for its Chicago-style deep dish pizza. L & D, daily. 4036 Telegraph Road, Ste.106, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.540.7722.

Qdoba: A one-of-a-kind Mexican grill restaurant, Qdoba features tacos, salads, nachos, quesadillas and more. L & D, daily. 795 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.988.8941.

Quattro Cucina Italiana: A high-end setting offering Osso Buco and Branzino filet among several signature Italian dishes. With a relaxing, open atmosphere, Quattro features a variety of pastas, soups, salads and an extensive wine list. B,W,L. L, Monday-Friday; D, daily. 203 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.606 Quiznos: A signature toasting style creates crisp edges, melted cheese, sizzling meat and warm bread. Choose from over 20 oventoasted subs, five flatbread chopped salads, 10 sammies, five torpedoes & bullets and soups.

Offering a full children’s menu and new, onsite catering. L & D daily. 185 N Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.540.7827.

Rio Wraps: Features burritos, salads and deli wraps. L & D, daily. 42805 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.540.7722.

Salvatore Scallopini: Salvatore Scallopini offers fresh prepared daily Italian dishes, appetizers and a variety of desserts. B, W. L & D, daily. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977.

Sandella’s Flatbread Cafe: A casual cafe offering health-conscious options. Grilled paninis, sandwiches, grilled flatbreads, chopped salads and quesadillas are featured. L & D daily. 172 North Old Woodward,

Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200 South: Gourmet southwest fare set in an atmosphere akin to South Beach Miami.

Homemade fare includes signature items such as swordfish, fish tacos, and grilled tuna. Large outdoor patio in front with a full length bar inside, private dining, and dancing club at the rear. Extensive wine and cocktail lists. B, W, L. L & D, daily. Open 7 days a week, 11 p.m.-2 a.m. 210 S. Old Woodward Ave., Ste. 100, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.8133.

Steve’s Deli: Classic and popular deli featuring a wide variety of soups, sandwiches and deserts. B, L & D, daily. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.932.0800.

Streetside Seafood: Streetside has developed a reputation for fresh fish, oysters and other seafood on a seasonal menu B,W,L. L, Monday-Friday; D, daily. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.9123.

Sushi Hana: Sushi Hana’s menu includes tempura, teriyakis, yakitori, fried egg, seafood, vegetables and more. Offers traditional Japanese fare as well as some Korean dishes. L, Monday-Friday; D, Monday-Saturday. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.333.3887.

Sy Thai Cafe: A casual dining atmosphere, Sy Thai serves orange duck, noodle dishes, stirfried mussels with onions and all the usual Thai classics. L & D, daily. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830.

Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: Featuring wine varieties from regions all over the world, Tallulah offers wine by the bottle, half bottle and glass. American fare is on the menu with a farm-to-table concept. Dishes are made fresh daily with organic, local products. Indoor and seasonal patio seating available. B, W, L. B, D,

Wednesday-Sunday. 155 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066.

The Corner Bar: Part of the Townsend Hotel complex, The Corner Bar offers a lighter fare from 5-7 p.m. that includes sliders and salads.

B, W, L. D, Wednesday-Saturday. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2958.

The Gallery Restaurant: Family restaurant in an art gallery environment offering full menu. American fare includes omelettes, sandwiches and a variety of salads. B, L & D, daily. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.851.0313.

The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: The Moose Preserve features a full menu, including fresh fish, barbecue ribs and certified black angus steak. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.858.7688.

The Phat Sammich: Offers 70 different sandwiches, five daily soup specials and salads.

Homemade fare is prepared fresh daily and weekday lunch delivery is available. L & D, daily. 34186 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0860 The Rugby Grille: Conveniently located inside Birmingham’s Townsend Hotel and offering a luxury dining experience. B, W, L. B, L & D, daily. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999.

Toast: With a modern retro style, Toast offers American dishes with a touch of southwestern taste, including signature breakfast food to burgers. B, W, L. B & L, daily; D, MondaySaturday. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278.

Tokyo Sushi & Grill: A cozy sushi bar offering sashimi, soba noodle dishes, teriyakis, tempura, all the traditional Japanese dishes, and, of course, sushi. L & D, daily. 225 E. Maple Rd., Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6501.

TOPZ: Offering homemade fare, featuring Michigan vendors and local Michigan products, TOPZ prides itself on its air-baked, non-fried fries, nuggets, onion rings, burgers, chili and soups. L & D, daily. 327 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.220.1108.

Whistle Stop Cafe: Voted among the best diners in America by Good Morning America, this eatery boasts of its local roots and feel. B & L, daily; D, Monday-Friday. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.5588.

Zazios: Featuring modern Italian cuisine along with an extensive wine list and an interactive Chef's Table. The 10,000-square-foot space boasts a bi-level kitchen, seating for 210, thermoelectric wine cellars, the Z Lounge, a 40seat bar with an extensive martini list, and private dining. Italian fare infused with a Mediterranean influence. Signature small plate items include seared sea scallops, polenta with telaggio fonduta, and crisp shrimp and calamari. Assaggini tastings, and pastas, seafood, and meat entrees available. B, W, L. D, daily.

34977 Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009.

248.530.6400.

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An eatery must be located in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township or Bloomfield Hills and must have tables where patrons can dine in. Send your information via fax (248.360.1220) or email to news@thescngroup.com.

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forzabirmingham.com THE PAPER

DECEMBER 2010

â– the community house

D

ecember is always very festive at The Community House. The House is decked out in magnolias and green and gold, which is perfect for our traditional setting. Even if you aren't coming here for a class or program, it's worthwhile to walk through The House just to get into the holiday spirit.

We have lots of holiday happenings at The Community House. The weekend of Friday, Dec. 3 will be very special.

From Friday, Dec. 3 to Sunday, Dec. 5, we will be participating in the first Birmingham Winter Markt.

During the Markt, The Community House will be providing traditional German food and drinks on our Van Dusen Terrace. The Markt, which is open from 3 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 4, and from noon to 4 p.m. on Dec. 5, will be great Shelley Roberts fun. It will include traditional holiday art, decorations and crafts, holiday greens, gifts and home accessories, live entertainment by local musicians and school groups, hot drinks, ice sculptures, the Santa House, a kids activity area, horse-drawn carriage rides, live reindeer, and more.

So far, there are 36 vendors including bakers, artisans, growers, and even a Christmas tree lot which will go on Merrill just east of Chester. Several Birmingham stores like Biggby Coffee, ArtLoft, Kilwin's, Oliver's Trendz, Lexi Drew, and La Belle Provence will also have booths.

Dec. 4 will be a full and fun day for those families attending Breakfast with Santa at The Community House. Sponsored by Birmingham Youth Assistance and The Community House, Breakfast with Santa will be held at The Community House at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $15 and include breakfast, entertainment including face painting and animal balloons, and a free gift from Santa.

Stay at The Community House and take our class on Christmas cookie decorating at 1 p.m. It's for parents and children ages 6 and over. Chef Pam Gustairs will provide hands-on Christmas cookie decorating demonstrations for parents and children. Each attendee will receive one-half dozen cookies to take home and two tried-and-true cookie recipes to bake and decorate more cookies at home before the holidays.

Then, walk outdoors and enjoy all the festivities of the Winter Markt. I can't think of a better family day.

Now, if you want to make healthy holiday treats, take our class "Calling All Raw Chocolate Lovahs!" Learn the history of cacao and how to make luscious raw chocolates including raw peppermint patties and triple "choco" brownies.

In addition to our classes, make the season special by joining us on our wonderful day trips. On Friday, Dec. 10, we'll travel to Ann Arbor with Michael Farrell and see Ann Arbor's abundance of historic architecture, including examples of residential, religious, commercial and educational structures.

We will enjoy lunch at Zingerman's.

On Sunday, Dec. 12, we will return to Ann Arbor to see "Much Ado About Nothing" at the Power Center. From the best seats in the house, we will enjoy this romantic comedy which is one of Shakespeare's most popular works. The trip includes a delicious brunch at the Gandy Dancer.

Also, it's time to plan to join us to see the spring Rehearsal Performances at the Detroit Opera House. Both are Friday matinees with the best seats. On April 8, we'll see The Magic Flute and on May 13, we'll see Rigoletto. Also on April 8, we will go to Toronto for an overnight trip to see "Billy Elliot." In addition, on May 20, we will go to Chicago for "Go Wright," where we will see rare interiors of private homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his contemporaries in Oak Park and River Forest, maintained in their original state.

Finally, from May 4-12, we will have a Sicily Adventure designed exclusively for The Community House travelers that sounds wonderful!

Think of The Community House for all of your holiday gifts. We have something for everyone on your list: cooking classes, dance classes, fitness classes, and our wonderful trips. Take your mother to the opera, your wife to see "Billy Elliot," and your spouse and parents to a trip to Sicily that they will never forget. For more information about our classes and trips or to buy gift certificates see www.communityhouse.com.

Finally, remember The Community House when you make your year-end donations. The Community House is a non-profit organization that doesn't receive tax funding and needs your support to continue providing quality programs for you, your family and our community.

Have a wonderful holiday season, and I look forward to seeing you at The Community House. â– Shelley Roberts is President and CEO of The Community House. www.oaklandpaper.com

THE PAPER

43

■ social scene

O

n Monday, Nov. 15, the Drew Stanton Foundation, High5ive teamed up with Orchards Children’s Services and Monica and Luciano Del Signore of Pizzeria Biga to raise funds for abused and neglected children for a holiday shopping experience.

Drew Stanton, Detroit Lions quarterback and Founder of the Drew Stanton Foundation High 5ive, and Michael Williams, CEO of Orchards Children’s Services in Southfield

Monica Del Signore with Lions servers for the night

Drew and Scott Simon with Lions Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh

Coco and Luciano Del Signore

Drew Stanton and Harleigh Meyer of West Bloomfield

Jennie Cascio, Drew Stanton, Pat Rosen and Tina Pohe

Lindsay Stern, Lions Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh and Jason Cox

Leon Tupper, Drew Stanton, Lauren Ford, Jillian Tupper and Cierra Colbert with Orchard Campaign support

Rob Rubick of Lapeer, Lions Broadcaster from ‘82-’89, with Lion Jason Fox 44

Tim Toone, a first-year wide receiver with the Lions said, “It has been a lot of fun to meet all the people here and to help serve them as they eat and support the charities.”

THE PAPER

The event at Pizzeria Big in Southfield drew more than 1,000 diners who were served by Detroit Lions and Red Wings players. Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard and Drew Miller were two servers, as well as Stanton and Lions teammates Jahvid Best; Tim Toone; Jason Fox; and Ndamukong Suh. These great guys gave up their evening to serve the patrons and fans custom-made pizzas.

Harleigh Meyer and her mom and dad, Rochelle and Barry, are big Lions fans and Harleigh was thrilled to meet Stanton, who was her server.

“It’s been a lot of fun tonight to meet all the people and help serve them as they support Orchards,” Toone said.

Kristin Stanton added, “Drew and I are so happy to be in our home town with the opportunity to give back to the community. We are thrilled with the turnout this evening and are so grateful to everyone who came out to support our cause.”

Brandon Scott of Orchards Children’s Services was responsible for introducing Director of Development Pamela Ayres to the Stantons. That meeting produced this event with such silent auction items as an autographed Kid Rock guitar, an autographed football from Michigan State University head coach Mark Dantonio, and a pair of Drew Stanton’s pink cleats from Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Everyone left Pizzeria Biga wellfed and fulfilled knowing they did their part to make the holiday season happier for kids less fortunate. Together, High5ive, Orchards and the Del Signore family were winners with Drew Stanton throwing the touchdown pass. ■ Article and photographs by Carrie Hall of Carrie Hall Photography, 586.943.6747, imagesbycarrie.com DECEMBER 2010