The New Foodie Mecca

7 Jan

Yep, it’s Detroit. That’s according to this article in The Washington Post.  The Post touts Motown as the place for new restaurants and top chefs from across the country. But, Detroiters are already in the know.

Mark Guarino writes, “Detroit is in the midst of a culinary transformation.”

“Rock-bottom housing stock and an emerging generation of young restaurateurs and chefs settling in to experiment have brought new restaurants, breweries, tasting rooms, cocktail bars, pop-up events and quirky lunch spots promising nutritious food — in neighborhoods where the only option to eat had previously been fast food,” he adds.

Guarino lists many of the restaurants Motown Savvy has written about already like Chartreuse and Gold Cash Gold.

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And in today’s New York Times Style Section, there is an article on Shinola.

Great press, great city.

Healthy New Year: Finding a Greener Space

3 Jan

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So, let’s start this New Year off healthy. Joel Kahn, a Detroit cardiologist, opened up a Motown restaurant with his son Daniel. It’s GreenSpace Cafe  located in Ferndale, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Not only do you get to experience great food, you have the stamp of approval from a heart doctor.

The menu features some delicious vegan options like the teriyaki mushrooms (above) which are glazed with house-made bourbon teriyaki and garnished with Asian slaw, bib lettuce and chives.

Of course, there’s a Michigan salad with dried cherries and home-made cashew herb chevre. The root salad is another healthy choice.  A crowd pleaser is the pad thai, gluten free with rice noodles that can also be served nut free.

The unique feature is the raw juice bar complete with hard liquor. The number one selling drink is the Greenhouse made with gin, Drought #3  (apple, kale, lemon, celery & ginger), elderflower, orange and Cava.  A healthy cosmopolitan!

What are your healthy tips for starting off the New Year?

 

Holiday Cheer for the Homeless

23 Dec

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At this time of the year, there are wonderful stories about helping the homeless. My daughter-in-law shared a link from Upworthy about The Empowerment Plan. Motowner Veronika Scott (above) founded The Empowerment Plan. Veronika, who struggled with addictive parents, created a coat that turns into a sleeping bag. After sharing it with the homeless on the streets of Detroit, she realized they wanted jobs just as much as coats. She is employing them in the city. Her story is not new and can be found on many national sites, but needs to be shared. Here is a link to her inspiring narrative.

Spread the holiday cheer anyway you can!

Miami’s Marvelous Art Basel

8 Dec

I just returned from a weekend of fascinating art, people watching and fine food. I experienced Art Basel Miami. If you are an art collector or an art lover, this is the place to be. More than 250 international exhibits were on display featuring works from 2,000 plus artists. The modern and contemporary art was refreshing and funky. It’s the site for established artists as well as emerging artists.

Here are some examples:

 

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Clockwise: The top left is a mesh installation of a beautiful woman. Next is Motown gallery owner David Klein flanked by two Kelly Reemtsen oil paintings. The pepperoni pizza is by Peter Anton, and finally the ostrich is by Enrique Gomez de Molina.

I leave you with one last thought and theme of the weekend– Life is Beautiful.

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Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

22 Nov

Spice up Thanksgiving with these pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon frosting!

Vicki Brett-Gach's avatarAnn Arbor Vegan Kitchen

MINI-PUMPKIN CUPCAKES with CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

A few years ago, I shared my favorite recipe with readers for Pumpkin Muffins, but since I recently created this Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, these muffins have graduated all the way to cupcakes. My kids love them. Correction: LOVE them!

Allow me to backtrack for just a moment…

Kite Hill vegan cream cheese has been getting lots of attention lately, and there’s a really good reason for all this buzz. It’s delicious. What’s even more impressive to me is the ingredient list: almond milk, cultures, and that’s about it. The simplicity of ingredients and its delicate flavor actually inspired this delightful Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.

So here we go, just in time for Thanksgiving…the reintroduction of these pumpkin cuties, transformed into scrumptious mini cupcakes with this very easy and delicious frosting.

MINI PUMPKIN CUPCAKES (with CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING)

1 cup canned cooked pumpkin
6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 cup sucanat or organic…

View original post 190 more words

Hello Gorgeous: Wish List Makeup Products

14 Nov

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I just attended the beauty trend event “Hello Gorgeous” at Bloomingdales in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. I’m going to pass along the products highlighted for a flawless, chic look.

For skincare, Clarins super restorative serum was chosen to maintain your skin and reduce aging. Did you know that Clarins was the first plant-based cosmetic line? Clinque presented some sculpting products including a massage applicator. From Shiseido, ultimune was demonstrated.

Now you can spray on a foundation? Dior has air flash. It’s simple, fast and not sticky.

Lancome highlighted the Paris eye palette, while Estee Lauder demonstrated double wear makeup to go in a new innovative compact.

Of course, I made a purchase. My purchase was the Bobbie Brown serum corrector and concealer. Just what I need to get rid of the dark circles under my eyes and keep them bright.

MAC’s Holiday Magic Makeup

7 Nov

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It’s not too early to think about holiday makeup. Deck the halls with lip gloss, glittering eyes and colorful hues with MAC’s newest collection. The packaging is as pretty as the product. I especially liked the set that comes in a mini clutch (below). MAC sums up the collection as Irresistibly Charming.

 

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I like how Nordstrom highlights the collection. It’s so easy to see all the products. In the coming weeks, I will be posting about other makeup brands. What’s your favorite?

Taubman Art Collection Up for Auction

25 Oct

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Sotheby’s has the honor of auctioning a prized Motown icon’s art collection on Nov. 4th. It’s the personal collection of A. Alfred Taubman, the shopping mall magnate.  Peruse the three Sotheby’s  catalogues here and you will view a treasure trove of art spanning many art periods and artists from Dali to Degas to Modigliani (above.) The sale is valued at more than $500 million. The Detroit News reports that the proceeds of the sale will pay the estate taxes with the remainder funding the A.Alfred Taubman Foundation.

I had the opportunity to interview Taubman for Style magazine, which is no longer in publication. He was gracious, interesting and passionate about art and architecture. His philanthropy is boundless leaving a legacy at the University of Michigan, Detroit Institute of Art and College for Creative Studies to name a few. I’m certain his Foundation will continue the path of generous giving to the arts, education and medicine.

 

 

 

Chartreuse: A Colorful Restaurant

18 Oct

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The restaurant Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails adds to the list of the new hot spots in Motown. Located in Midtown, the decor is vivid with a wild shade of green — chartreuse.  The menu is creative as the decor. From the Lake Erie walleye to the duck confit to watermelon salad, the food is refreshing and delicious. And as you can see, very colorful.

Young Motown Entrepreneurs

11 Oct

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Grant Garbinski and Blake Dagenais combine art, story telling and commerce with their online site Maloh Art. These two college juniors created a company that sells artwork online, but what makes this site unique is the ability to find out what inspired and influenced the artist. For the artists, Maloh provides branding and marketing services.

At Maloh Art, every piece of art has a narrative, and they share the artists’ stories with the world. “It is not enough to sell beautiful art work; we ensure that our customers can share in the story.”

The butterfly and seahorse above are by Megan Swoyer. Read Megan’s art story here.

Being savvy entrepreneurs, they are also on kickstarter.

For more young motown entrepreneurs, you can always read  Crain’s Detroit Business for Crain’s 20 in their 20s, 40 under 40.

rachelmankowitz

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