March 2009
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Contributors: March 2009
Marco Marella, Nancy Nall Derringer, Molly Abraham
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We’ve Got Mail… March 2009
Praise us or pan us, but just put it down in words. Bravos or boos, we want to hear from you.
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It’s Time To Talk
A high-profile Washington, D.C., hostess once, when pressed for the secret to her great parties, advised handing guests a stiff drink the minute they step through the door.
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Hitting the Line
Detroit poet and singer/songwriter Blair — known primarily as an urban folk artist — drops his eighth release in April with a CD that defies expectation.
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Shop Well
Medical-center merchandise has evolved well beyond stuffed animals, chocolates, flowers, and vending-machine snacks. As a recent tour of area medical emporiums found, patients, visitors, and staff can browse boutiques and come away with, say, an aromatherapy diffuser or a stylish purse.
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A Cup of Kindness
When Carol Lufburrow began dining at a little vegetarian restaurant 15 years ago, she loved almost everything about it.
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Seeking Harmony
The classic image of an activist is a strident, in-your-face advocate. But gentle persuasion often works more effectively in winning people over to a cause, a fact that Alicia Skillman, the new executive director of the Triangle Foundation, a Detroit-based civil-rights advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, knows well.
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Speak Easy
The days when an American traveler could stride the globe speaking nothing but English have been over for some time, and an even more different era is dawning for younger Americans — when they may need a second language to fully live life in their own country.
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Why We’re Hooked on Hoops
In recent years, Detroit has become quite the in-vogue sports venue. We had a Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills Country Club in 2004, an All-Star Game at Comerica Park in 2005, and the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills last summer.
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Right on the Money
Banking mogul Don Davis marches to his own beat. Chairman of First Independence Bank, Michigan’s only African-American owned and operated commercial bank, Davis first made his mark in the music industry in the 1960s and ’70s at Motown, then as an independent music producer and, later, as a Stax records executive.
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Sixties Folklore
The Verona is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, but its pedigree in the history of Detroit music eclipses any architectural designation. From 1965 to 1967, Joni and Chuck Mitchell lived on the building’s fifth floor.
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Facing Forward
New and limited-edition cosmetics promise a bright springtime.
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Bright Forecast
Every year, the re-emergence of tulips and daffodils is rivaled by spring’s fresh crop of fashions in bright colors and new silhouettes.
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March Best Bets
Spring is all about fresh starts, so get planting, cooking, or shopping.
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Enchanted Forest
Like a director putting together a repertory theater ensemble, Brian Polcyn staffs the kitchen of the Forest Grill with people who are talented enough to take on a variety of roles and fill them seamlessly.
They switch positions regularly, moving from station to station, learning to be proficient with the grill, the clay oven, the sauté pans, the salads, and pastries, in the time-tested fashion of the classic European kitchen. -
Aged Gracefully
A warm home that had weathered seven decades provided a cozy harbor for a family looking to settle into a comfortable Midwestern dwelling.
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The Dark Days of the Black Legion
White supremacists of the 1930s maintained there was one sure way to identify a fellow member of the “master race” — blushing.
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All About Eve
In 2004, when Rick Halberg’s Northville restaurant, Emily’s, marked its 10th anniversary, chef/proprietor Halberg took his 14-member staff out for a celebratory dinner.
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ROAST
Celebrity Chef Michael Symon’s signature restaurant on the street level of the Westin Book Cadillac is a terrific addition to downtown’s dining options
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Andrew Ashmore and Brian and Lori Burke
Their stylish menus are enticing enough to attract a loyal clientele of discriminating diners, but no matter how expert they are, restaurant people like to take a break from their own kitchens for a taste of someone else’s cooking
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The Grapevine of Novi and Detroit Fish Market @ Paradise Valley
Lori and Brian Burke’s woodsy haven for wine and wine-compatible dishes has a charmingly unpretentious attitude, a creative menu of small plates, appetizer pizzas, salads, and cheese selections, and an extensive list of wines by the glass, the flight, or the bottle.
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Singing Spring’s Flavors
A salad with a good mix of the season’s bounty
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I Like Ike
“I like Ike” was the campaign slogan of Dwight D. Eisenhower (nicknamed Ike) and, judging by this downtown crowd on Woodward Avenue in front of Hudson’s, many Detroiters concurred, as the Republican presidential candidate waves with both hands to the masses.
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Arts & Entertainment
March 2009
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Shoe’s a Shoe In
Wayne State grad Nicole LaFave, a metro Detroit native and rising star in shoe design, is enjoying rave reviews of her recently unveiled luxury Omelle footwear line
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Driving Through Time
On Feb. 26, the Doubletree Guest Suites Fort Shelby in downtown Detroit held its “Driving Through Time” grand-opening celebration.
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Life Climb to Beat Breast Cancer
On Feb. 27, Champions for Life held the “Life Climb to Beat Breast Cancer” kickoff event at the Van Elslander Cancer Center in Grosse Pointe Woods.
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Glamorous Giving
On Feb. 26, ORT American hosted Glamorous Giving at Neiman Marcus at the Somerset Collection in Troy.
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Cirque de Monaco at The Roostertail
On Feb. 28, Cirque de Monaco was held at The Roostertail in Detroit and benefited the DIA.
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Henry Ford Macomb Medallion Ball
On March 1, “International” was the theme at the annual Henry Ford Macomb Medallion Ball.
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Jazz on the Vine
On March 6, Jazz on the Vine was held at the Fillmore in Detroit.
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MOCAD Soiree in Grosse Pointe Farms
On March 5, Jeffrey and Jessie Doan hosted an evening soiree in Grosse Pointe Farms to welcome new MOCAD director, Luis Croquer.
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Rubies of HOPE Ball
On March 7, Focus: HOPE held its Rubies of HOPE Ball at the Detroit Marriott, Renaissance Center.
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Women’s Power Breakfast
On March 11, the 16th annual Women’s Power Breakfast was held at the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit.
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Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan Cookie Gala
On March 11, the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan held their annual Cookie Gala at the Roostertail in Detroit.
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Detroit Home Design Awards 2009
On March 3, Detroit Home magazine celebrated the areas architects, artisans, and interior designers at the fifth-annual Detroit Home Design Awards.
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The American Girl Fashion Show
On March 13, the Junior League of Birmingham, Michigan, Inc., presented The American Girl Fashion Show at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham.
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2009 Restaurant of the Year
On March 22, guests gathered at the Forest Grill in Birmingham to celebrate that restaurant’s new status as Hour Detroit’s 2009 Restaurant of the Year.
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The Big Bash
On March 21, Affirmations, metro Detroit’s community center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, held “The Big Bash,” its annual gala at Motor City Casino in Detroit.
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Salute to Distinguished Warriors
On March 19, Detroit Urban League hosted the 30th annual “Salute to Distinguished Warriors” dinner at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center.