Rockin’ Rockability

9 Nov

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Former Motowner Jessica Golden (left) returned home this week for the Detroit movie premiere of Los Wild Ones. Golden produced this documentary about the Rockability subculture of young musicians inspired by the 1950s. The movie chronicles Reb Kennedy and his wife (right) with their “family” of musicians all on Kennedy’s LA-based independent record label Wild Records.

Los Wild Ones is part of the the Uptown Film Festival in Birmingham, Mich.

The music is raw and intense, and the people showcased are better than reality TV.

Jessica Golden lives up to her name. The movie is gold.

Hats for the Holidays

6 Nov

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Motown fashion combines talents when Lolly Ella Jewelry in West Bloomfield partners with Detroit milliner Luke Song. Song gained international attention when he designed the hat for Detroit’s Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. Franklin wore his hat to the inauguration of President Barak Obama. Lolly Ella Jewelry and Luke Song will pair an exotic hat with a statement piece of jewelry perfect for the holiday celebrations. This event takes place Thursday, Nov. 21 beginning at 4 p.m., but internet shopping is available at both stores.

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Milan in Motown

2 Nov

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At the Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, Mich., I stumbled upon an elegant store — Carlo Pazolini. There is a wide variety of shoes for men and women as well as handbags and accessories.  The leather is soft and sumptuous, and the styles are exquisite. The store will be expanding in the U.S., but has more than 150 locations in Europe. According to the Carlo Pazolini website the company began in 1990 when the Carlo Pazolini trademark was registered in Italy. Check out the website design at Carlo Pazolini — that’s beautiful too!

Going Batty

30 Oct

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The Motown husband and wife team of Eva Meade and Rob Mies want us to know that bats are amazing creatures. They have co-authored the colorful, children’s book, BATS A to Z. “Our mission is to help children feel comfortable with bats and appreciate the role of bats in our ecosystem,” says co-author Mies.

Mies is the director of the non profit Organization for Bat Conservation and is one of the country’s leading researchers and experts on bats. This non-profit partners with the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

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According to co-author Meade, who designed the children’s alphabet book, “Many bats are in danger today because of forest destruction, pesticide use, and climate change.”

The book is delightful, educational and dispels all the scary myths of bats.

Shine on Shinola

20 Oct

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Have you been to Shinola to see the fabulous watches and bicycles? I have not been there yet, but the buzz is extraordinary. The products look fantastic. In today’s New York Times, the advertisement is eye catching with the tag line “Someday they’ll call Geneva the Detroit of Switzerland.”

Let me know if have a Shinola watch yet or have seen the stores in either New York or Detroit?

Fanciful Gourds

16 Oct

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Fall is here. Pumpkins and gourds are bountiful. And this photo says gourds can be gorgeous. Better Homes and Gardens featured this easy arrangement that everyone can do. Just cut off the top, hollow it out and use the gourds as vases. Volia!

Photo credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Beautifying Bennett

13 Oct

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Beaumont Health System’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery partnered with Playworks Detroit to transform the playground at Bennett Elementary School in Detroit into a colorful, safe space for play.

This community service project began as a vision of Harry N. Herkowitz, M.D., former chairman of Orthopaedic Surgery for Beaumont Health System, prior to his death in June. More than 20 Beaumont volunteers came together to make that vision a reality in honor of him.

Bennett Elementary School, located in Southwest Detroit, now has  a colorful home base circle, a hopscotch course, a foursquare court and a playground mural.

Jazzy Food

6 Oct

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I experienced Cliff Bell’s in downtown Detroit during restaurant week. The ambiance with flickering candles, mahogany tables and walls is reminiscent of a supper club in the 40s. The food was delicious. As we left, the band was entering. Cliff Bell’s is known for its smooth jazz music.  And nothing beats the Motown sound.

Below: Photography by Briana Snyder

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Bravo to Gail Simmons

24 Sep

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TV personality Gail Simmons talks with her mouth full, and she admits it. In fact, her newest book is Talking with My Mouth Full: My Life as as Professional Eater.  Simmons spoke at the Greater Detroit Chapter of Hadassah’s Opening Luncheon. She is featured in the photo with Detroit Chapter President Joan Epstein (left). The Canadian-born foodie studied anthropology but found her way to the magazine world by writing restaurant reviews. She is currently  the Special Projects Director  of Food & Wine magazine. Since 2006, she has been the host and judge of Top Chef. She credits her rise to fame due to her love of food.

Goodfellows Breakfast

23 Sep

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No kid should ever be without a Christmas. That’s the motto of the Old Newsboys’ Goodfellow Fund of Detroit. This year’s annual breakfast tribute honored Peter Karmanos Jr., the recently retired CEO of Compuware. Pete is a visionary and philanthropist along with his wife Danialle. The breakfast was held at the renovated Cobo Hall with beautiful vistas of the Detroit River. The choir from the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences entertained the crowd. In the top right photo Karmanos is with some of the students. Carmen Harlan and Devin Scillian from WDIV TV (top right) introduced Karmanos. In the lower left photo, Fox2 Detroit TV Anchor Huel Perkins interviews Mayor Dave Bing.

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