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DOWNTOWN09.12

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Sound and silence in the local environs Downtown takes sound meter readings from a number of local places to see how Birmingham and Bloomfield stack up on the noise front.

CRIME LOCATOR

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43: Tim Yanke

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For those not residing in the free mail distribution area, paid subscriptions are available for a $12 annual fee.

Phone 248.792.6464 and request the Distribution department or go to our website (downtownpublications.com) and click on “subscriptions” in the top index and place your order on-line or scan the QR Code here.

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Cranbrook House Gardens, Bloomfield Hills.

Downtown photo/Hayley Beitman.

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Publisher: David Hohendorf Ad Manager: Jill Cesarz Sales Staff: Leo Calhoun Graphics/IT Manager: Chris Grammer

News Editor: Lisa Brody News Staff/Contributors: Hayley Beitman, Hillary Brody, Sally Gerak, Eleanor & Ray Heald, Austen Hohendorf, Garrett Hohendorf, Kathleen Meisner, Laurie Tennent

DOWNTOWN

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

ENDNOTE

THE COVER

Four file for two Birmingham seats ; Bloomfield Hills has six candidates for three seats; building sale falls through.

DISTRIBUTION: Mailed monthly at no charge to homes in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills. Additional free copies are distributed at high foot-traffic locations.

Antiques, Arts and Beyond; Acupuncture Wellness; Harp's; Abood Law Firm; Le Salon; First Preferred Mortgage; Heavy Weight Enterprises.

SOCIAL LIGHTS

Francesca's signs lease; more attention to alleyways; South license revocation and possible deal; Paul Cicchini move planned; parking meter payments go mobile; and more.

EDUCATION

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Celebrity chef Rick Halberg is reaching out to an urban clientele with his opening of the Ferndale Local Kitchen & Bar.

BUSINESS MATTERS

71: Danielle Ryan

59

Always an expensive venture, the election contests of 2012 have proven to be costly for the candidates.

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FACES

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Election spending

AT THE TABLE

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

33: Susan Shapiro

Confronting the bullies

Local schools have been dealing with the issue of bullying, even before the new state law required most to develop formal policies.

Birmingham City Commission should respect Class C liquor holders; extend open carry restrictions.

INCOMING: We welcome feedback on both our publication and general issues of concern in the Birmingham/Bloomfield community. The traditional Letters to the Editor in Downtown are published in our Incoming section, and can include traditional letters or electronic communication. Your opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com; or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 West Maple Road, Birmingham MI, 48009.

Letters must include your full name, address and daytime phone number for verification.

09.12

FROM THE PUBLISHER

L

ike most people, I suspect, at this point in the national election cycle I have grown weary of the constant sound bites from the presidential campaigns.

While I have a strong fascination with the marketing of the candidates, in recent presidential elections I bemoan the lack of substance dished out to the general public. Part of my lack of excitement no doubt is a result of the never ending debates that droned on ad nauseam this past year on the Republican side of the ticket. And as both a student of politics and of journalism, I suspect the shift from print as the main source of information to television as the key conduit for the masses nowadays has also dampened my enthusiasm for election years because the broadcast medium gives little more than glib comments without much substance.

Don't get me wrong. I still find a certain amount of joy in being part of the print side of the equation when it comes to an election year on the local level and I still hold in high regard our democratic system that provides for the public choice of candidates. But I have been covering local, county, state, and congressional elections for 19 election cycles in Michigan, so there is the realization that it's an imperfect system at best.

My love for coverage of politics, just to date myself, began back in the early 1970's. For those caught up in the more conservative (Tea Party) and anti-government movements today, my first real taste of politics beyond the anti-war movement of the 1960's was the anti-tax movements of the 70's. It was a thrill of sorts to meet and provide in-depth coverage of a Michigan drain commissioner, Robert Tisch, who pushed for stringent anti-tax limitation at that time, which thankfully was rejected by voters except for some western portions of Oakland County and outstate areas.

Then there was the more reasonable proposal put forth by Farmington Hills insurance executive Richard Headlee for an overhaul of government financing and tax limitation, a ballot issue that barely passed but under which we are still governed.

I also had the good fortune of being able to cover state legislative issues during the William Milliken gubernatorial years when I came to Oakland County in 1973. Still one of my favorite governors, I had the opportunity to sit down with Milliken on a few occasions, both at his capitol office and here in Oakland. Likewise, I developed an appreciation for Jim Blanchard, from Oakland County, who served as governor from 1983-1991. His time in Lansing was even more exciting for a journalist from this area because a number of county residents were named to key administrative positions during his two terms, which meant great access to the policy makers at the state level.

My interest in the government process and elections goes back a number of years, which is why to this day I still believe that publications play an important role in the local process.

All of this leads up to our plans for coverage of the November election this year. We will be starting to gather candidate information for the general election in the coming weeks, from state representative, key county administrative offices like county executive, clerk, and county commission races.

Downtown will be following our pattern from recent elections with detailed coverage and candidate positions, gleaned from both in-person interviews and questionnaires, posted on our website, along with audio from some of the interviews. Then we will be offering our opinions, as one of many voices in the community, on who we think would be voters' best bet on the November ballot.

For me, this will be the 20th election cycle of coverage here in Oakland, and at Downtown we are looking forward to being the dominant news source for the local residents, so stay connected with our website, downtownpublications.com. In fact, if you have not yet signed up on our website for our e-mail alerts, do so now so that you will be notified as we start to supply candidate information a few weeks ahead of the November election.

As always, I welcome your feedback.

David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@downtownpublications.com

INCOMING Positive Detroit changes Bravo from Downtown (or Midtown) Detroit to Downtown Birmingham/ Bloomfield for your thorough and unbiased review of today’s Detroit (August, 2012). How refreshing to see a suburban newspaper that celebrates the positive changes in the city rather than simply regurgitating its many acknowledged problems.

Change is coming every day in Detroit, positive change that is palpable and holds exciting hope for the future. While it’s unlikely we’ll ever see the heady days of the ‘50s where a heavily employed, well-paid 2 million population base cranked out cars and trucks that Americans raced to buy, the city is looking in new directions for health care, education, green technology and entrepreneurial start-ups to take their place. New businesses, restaurants, successful sports teams and a refreshed Eastern Market, along with revitalized cultural institutions – the DIA, DSO, Michigan Opera Theatre and Science Center – are giving thousands of people reasons to come back into the city to live, to work and to play.

Roger Penske, Peter Karmanos, Mike Ilitch and Dan Gilbert, all suburbanites as your article notes, are pouring their money and their hearts into Detroit and leaving vivid fingerprints wherever they go. They recognize as not many do that even the best suburbs, and Detroit has more than its share of them, are like a wheel – the spokes need a center to revolve around. Without Detroit there would be no Metro Airport, no major cultural institutions, arts community, sports teams, zoo, or even network television and radio stations and daily (or semi-daily) newspapers.

The city and the suburbs need

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each other. Suburbanites need to take another look at the city just as city folk are visiting, shopping and eating in the suburbs. It’s time again to be One Detroit.

As a business owner in the city, I appreciate your story for selfish reasons. But as a citizen of the greater Detroit area I appreciate it for shining a spotlight on what can be Detroit’s future, one that in time we can finally all be proud of – and play a part in - again.

Bud Liebler, Bloomfield Hills, Owner, The Whitney restaurant, Detroit

Rhetoric, junk science Thank you for featuring Planned Parenthood in your May, 2012 edition, an organization that deserves support for their tireless dedication to providing comprehensive health care for thousands of women and families across Michigan.

Unfortunately, the response letter written by Michael Brennan, chairman of an organization called Mother and Unborn Baby Care, was full of political rhetoric and references to junk science.

Planned Parenthood centers, along with the many independent clinics in Michigan, are invaluable to the increasing numbers of women and men without the resources to access reliable and consistent reproductive health care. These clinics provide birth control, services and exams on a sliding scale so that this necessary health care is affordable.

Realistically, women spend the majority of their lives trying to manage the spacing of their children and avoid an untimely pregnancy, so birth control is a fundamental component of our health care. The fact of the matter is that the incidence of abortion is greatly reduced when women can avoid an unplanned pregnancy, so any organization with a mission to end

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Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 West Maple Road, Birmingham MI 48009.

abortion but until we begin to address the issue in medical terms instead of political terms, until we begin to let women and their families handle their health care issues without interference by legislators and organizations with an ideological agenda, we won’t make any progress. We curtail the need for abortion when we make sure women have access to reliable information and affordable birth control, and for that I commend Planned Parenthood and all of the local independent centers and clinics that brave the political and social backlash to provide these necessary services.

Shelli Weisberg, Birmingham

While we don’t have a specific word limitation, we reserve the right to edit for length.

Personnel not the problem

abortion should be supportive of the very health care that Planned Parenthood and other such clinics offer.

These clinics, and specifically Planned Parenthood, have helped stop more abortions than all of the anti-abortion zealots and misguided laws passed over the past 20 years put together, simply by providing women with honest, reliable health care and access to birth control.

In his letter, Mr. Brennan draws some insulting and frankly sickening comparisons to Nazi henchman, and continues his fear campaign by making reference to links between breast cancer and abortions and the use of birth control. For those of us familiar with the rhetoric, we know that such medical links are bogus and have been soundly refuted, and that cancer risks are related to the fluctuating estrogen levels women experience throughout their reproductive years, but others may not be aware. There is no link between abortion and cancer, and the science around birth control and breast cancer is controlled by dosage.

No woman wants to have an

It's unfortunate that Lisa Brody, in her (August, 2012) article "Mid-season status report a mixed bag," failed to interview returning personnel whom she partly blames for the delay in "the consistency of menu items" at the (municipal) golf courses.

As she notes, the two Birmingham (golf courses have) recorded the largest number of rounds of golf in the last 10 years. It only makes sense that if the only staff person is attending a busy sign-in desk, he or she can't be making and serving sandwiches at the same time.

As a regular at the courses, I'm aware of the pride and professionalism that these front desk workers have in their jobs. Since " the sole reason for the delay in rolling out the food," is cited as a lack of personnel, perhaps before the new model was implemented, additional new hires should have been in place to help take on this additional and time-consuming role.

Let's not blame a mindset on personnel when it's clear that problems exist beyond their control.

Gayann Brook, Birmingham

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SOUNDS SILENCE AND

THE WORLD IS A NOISY PLACE

BY LISA BRODY

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humping music. The stunning roar of the crowd at a sporting event. Cacophonous sounds and driving beats. Bar noises, kitchen tools clanking, the hushed din of intimate conversations bouncing off of solid surface walls and open ceilings. Horns blasting, dogs barking, babies crying, balls bouncing, teammates yelling, mothers calling, siblings fighting, fathers loudly responding. The sounds of a city.

Loud noises are the soundtrack to our lives,

the music of 21st century life in modern America. We take for granted that many restaurants we go into will be loud and noisy, a symbol of their success as flagrant as the women in them dangling Louis Vuitton purses.

Many stores amp the music up to get shoppers excited to spend. Exercise gets us going pumped up at higher volumes, and if we're running alone, we have the music privately tucked into our ears via earbuds. Yet the melody remains just as loud, propelling us forward.

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We're hearing everything, yet listening to less and less, primarily because all of these louder sounds constitute noise pollution which is causing a startling amount of noise-related hearing loss. If a restaurant you walk into is too loud for you to talk to your dinner companion, imagine what the noise level is doing to your waitperson over his or her shift.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), noise, or unwanted sound, is one of the most common health problems in American workplaces. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSHA) said they estimate that 30 million American workers currently are exposed to “hazardous noise, which can cause hearing loss, create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, interfere with communication, and contribute to accidents and injuries by making it difficult to hear warning signals.”

It's estimated that approximately 15 percent of the population is hearing-impaired to some degree. OSHA noted that approximately 28 million Americans already have some amount of hearing loss, some of which is caused by heredity, disease or physical trauma. The remainder is due to exposure to excessive noise at work.

Interestingly, those affected include teenagers, of which nearly 20 percent are already experiencing some level of hearing loss, people aged 19 to 44, which is the most common period for the onset of hearing loss, and the elderly. Rick Neitzel, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Risk Science Center, who recently did a study of 4,500 New York City residents and workers on their noise level exposure, said, “90 percent of New Yorkers, from all socioeconomic levels, are at risk of hearing loss. I was pretty stunned to discover that.”

Noise is measured in units of sound pressure levels that are called decibels, named after Alexander Graham Bell, using A-weighted sound levels, noted as dBA, OSHA notes, because they closely match the perception of loudness of the human ear. “Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale which means that a small change in the number of decibels results in a huge change in the amount of noise and the potential damage to a person's hearing,” OSHA explains.

“I believe the average level people should be exposed to is below 70 dBA, which is the same as a slightly raised speaking voice,” Neitzel said. “At that sustained exposed level, someone is at no risk of hearing loss.”

Thad Shegos, a sales associate from Fenton who has worked at the Somerset Collection Abercrombie & Fitch store for four years, said loud music the store is known for doesn't really bother him. A decibel reading of the store performed by Downtown Publications registered 88 dBA. “It actually makes me work faster and better,” Shegos asserted.

“The music never gives me a headache. After about an hour-and-ahalf, I just start to tune it out.”

At Hollister, also at Somerset Collection, where the decibel reading was 82 dBA, Alex, a company manager, said, “The music never bothers me. I've had no hearing affected” over the six years she has worked for the store.

New Hollister employee Alexandria Jensen, on her third day with the casual wear chain, disagreed. “Sometimes the noise gets to me.

It's only my third day, so I think I need to get some ear plugs,” she said.

“The brain can tune it out, the rest of the body can't,” Neitzel said.

“If someone says it's not bothering them, either the brain is tuning it out, or they may already be partially deaf.

“Music is funny,” Neitzel continued. “If it were an industrial sound, people would say 'turn it down.' But because it's music, they try to tune it out or say to themselves, how bad can it be. It can be bad.”

Michael Seidman, MD, an ear, noise and throat specialist with Henry Ford Hospital West Bloomfield, wrote a book, “Save Your

Hearing Now”, and is a consultant with the U.S. military on hearing loss and disabilities. “Hearing loss and tinnitus are the number one and two disabilities in the U.S. military right now for our soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. It's a $1 billion a year issue,” Seidman said. “It's also one of the top ten leading work injuries” in the general population, all because “it's a noisy environment. Noise is endemic. You turn up your music loud, you put your car top down.

It's all noisy.”

Seidman concurs with Neitzel that, despite what waitresses, salespeople and adolescents assert, “You can't tune it out. It's there in your ears and it's causing problems. Our kids are listening to iPods, and I'm seeing 20 and 30-year-olds with the hearing of 50year-olds.”

Those iconic Apple earbuds, which come with your iPod or iPhone, may actually be doing tremendous damage to your ear, Neitzel said. “In our New York City study, almost 80 percent of the study was over the safe level for hearing loss due to music. People can get a whopping amount of damage due to iPods or MP3 players.”

Neitzel said the earphone device through which we listen to our music can make a huge difference. “Standard ear buds are not very good because they put as much music into your ear as into the room.

That's why you can often hear the music from someone walking past you. So you turn up the volume to hear the music better,” he said. A better choice is sound blocking or noise-isolating earphones. “Those are somewhat akin to putting on earplugs with music in them. It can block out the noise around you so you can listen to music at a much lower volume and be safe from noise damage.”

Neitzel also cautions hunters and others using firearms about the tremendous damage that can be caused to hearing from firing a gun.

“A single gun shot can cause irreparable and permanent hearing loss,” he said. “Wearing special hearing protection when shooting guns is one of the most important behaviors people (using firearms) can use.”

Within the workplace, Seidman said 45 percent of carpenters experience significant hearing loss; among plumbers, 48 percent; of Iraqi Freedom veterans, he said, 12 to 13 percent experience significant hearing loss. According to OSHA, among the job hazards for waitresses, excessive and constant noise is one of the primary cause of job stress and fatigue, ranking right up there with sexual harassment, burns, varicose veins, repetitive stress injuries and slippery floors.

“If you or I go in for an hour, it's not as big a deal,” said Neitzel.

“For those working there, it's the same as working in a factory, and they have to have been trained on how to protect themselves, given earplugs and earmuffs. Restaurants and retailers do not do that.

They have no hearing loss protection and no training whatsoever.”

So why is the music and sound so loud at so many restaurants?

One factor is due to fashionable design, which features harder surfaces, bare floors, tables and chairs, woods, marbles and granites, and exposed ceilings, all of which cause sounds to bounce off of the surfaces. Carpet, lush soft fabrics, lower ceilings, and booths all absorb sound. Add music in the background and several TVs, plus a thriving crowd on a busy night, and you've got noise.

“If you go in to Redcoat Tavern or Social Kitchen, you can't even have a conversation,” Seidman said. “You're causing noise-induced hearing loss which you don't even see right away.”

Social registered an 86 dBA on a recent Sunday night in August.

A busy Friday or Saturday night would likely register over 100, said Seidman.

Katherine Buttigieg, manager of Social, said, “Noise doesn't really bother me. I've been doing this for 15 years. It is what it is. With a large group of people, noise levels are higher but it's because the people are louder, not the music. I haven't heard any negativity from the customers or staff about the noise; we have a young staff, so everyone understands. On Friday and Saturday nights, we play more

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upbeat music, and try to keep it around 132 beats per minute.”

Theo Shegos, the Abercrombie & Fitch sales associate at Restaurant designer Ron Rea of Ron & Roman of Birmingham, Somerset, finds the music helps at the cash register. “I find that who designed Social Kitchen as well as numerous Birmingham and when the music is up louder, people buy more. At first, I thought the Bloomfield dining locales, said, “We like noise, but uncomfortable music really bothered people, but they really like it. Usually females, noise is not good. Someone walking in can be turned off by too noisy high schoolers and moms, start dancing, depending on the song.” a place.”

As to the assertion that parents give their children their credit Rea said his firm waits until a place is finished, and then has a card to use because they can't stand the noise level, Shegos sound engineer come in with disagrees. “When parents his decimeter. “He goes give them their credit cards, around and tells us, if you put it's not because of the music something here, here and or the smell,” he asserts, “it's owntown Publications staffers took noise decibel level here. because they want to go to readings at numerous locations around Birmingham, “There's a product called Nordstrom's to shop for Bloomfield Township and Troy, at places where residents shop, Sonex that is used in themselves.” dine, work and play. soundproofing music booths, Hearing loss is only one From popular restaurants to stores, and gyms to a preschool and we use that material byproduct of excessive noise play area, noise level readings were taken to see what kind of when we need it,” Rea said. exposure. Tinnitus, or ringing racket visitors and workers are confronted with on a daily basis, “It works everywhere. in the ears, is most frequently some at dangerous levels to ongoing health and hearing.

Deafening isn't good. You caused by noise-induced Decibel levels were measured on iPhones using the Decibel want to be able to talk to hearing loss, and is so Meter Pro app at various times during the month of August. your companions. But common that about 20 Experts say safe, normal decibel readings should ideally be in the because you don't know percent of those between 55 mid-60s to mid-70s, and not exceed 85 decibels over an 8-hour exactly how a place is going and 65 in general good health work shift. to sound until it's done, it's report some level of tinnitus.

Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham 55 better to fix it after than Yet, every day about 2 million Abercrombie & Fitch, Somerset Collection, Troy (adult store) 88 before because it's a waste of Americans have tinnitus so money to do it first. You just badly that they cannot (children's store) 87 don't know all of the spots function.

Axis Music Academy, Birmingham until people are in it. Because Excessive noise is also inside studio, three people (singer, guitar player) 73 you don't want complaints. responsible for other bodily Beau Jack's, Bloomfield Township, 74 It's the hospitality business. harm.

Experts are seeing Cafe Via, Birmingham And when people are incidents of increased outside 73 drinking, it gets noisy.” cardiovascular disease, high inside, near bar, during lunch 83 Which is the point for bars blood pressure, increased Center for Yoga, Birmingham studio with music 75 and restaurants because it lipids, depression, anxiety, Chen Chow, Birmingham (on a Sunday night) 68 increases the time people eat dementia, sleep disturbances Equilibrium Mind Body Spirit pilates studio, Bloomfield Township and drink. A 1985 study done and stress among those who during Xtend class 84 at Fairfield University in work and are exposed to long Glenning Power Tools, Birmingham Connecticut, cited recently periods of loud noises. circular saw cutting wood 109 “There are a lot of by the New York Times, circular saw on no wood 107 problems within the United reported that diners ate faster Happy Dino preschool play area, Birmingham 60 States due to excessive when the background music Hollister, Somerset Collection, Troy 82 noise,” Neitzel noted. “Noise was sped up, from 3.83 to 4.4 Mitchell's Fish Market, Birmingham 80 may be a cause of increased bites per minutes. With the Nordstrom's, Somerset Collection, Troy 75 cardiovascular disease, heart volume cranked up to 88 Pierce Street Garage construction, Birmingham 106 attacks, high blood pressure, decibels, imbibers ordered an Pogo, Birmingham 70 depression, and sleep average of 3.4 drinks and Powerhouse Gym, Birmingham 80 disturbances. As a scientist, finished in 11.5 minutes, it would be interesting to me versus ordering 2.6 drinks Red the Salon, Birmingham 88 to look at how noise over 14.5 minutes when the Revive, Birmingham 70 influences cardiovascular music was only at 72 Revive Street, Birmingham 76 disease and sleep decibels.

Somerset Collection North, general mall 75 disturbances. But poor sleep Some stores, rather than a Social Kitchen & Bar, Birmingham 86 is a known indicator of soothing atmosphere to invite Urban Outfitters, Somerset Collection, Troy 76 cardiovascular disease.” you to come in and part with Vinsetta Garage, Berkley 93 Seidman, who implants your pennies, believe in Zazios, Birmingham 75 the Envoy Esteem pumping you to spend by implantable hearing device blasting the music. Teen in patients, especially military vets, cautions, “Age, genetics, and emporiums Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister take pride in their noise can take a toll, and the only way to stop hearing loss is to loud, blaring tunes that often drive parents out while the kids stay prevent it. Like too much smoking, too much eating, and too much behind with the credit cards. of other things, people need to use ear plugs when they're in high Alex, the Hollister manager at Somerset, did acknowledge the trend. “Many parents often do give their credit cards to their kids and decibel environments.

“Why would you want to wear a hearing aid if you don't have leave,” she said. “If they stay, parents do want to shop quickly to get – Additional reporting by Hayley Beitman to?” out.”

Decibel level readings

D

BULLYING POLICIES WHAT THE LOCAL SCHOOLS ARE DOING

BY LISA BRODY

B

y any other name, a bully is still a bully. The dictionary defines a bully as someone who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker than them, a way of using superior strength or influence to intimidate someone.

Bullying is behavior which can happen at any age. A tyrannical boss can badger and torment you through your work day; a friend can forcefully coerce you into doing something you instinctively know you shouldn't. Both are grown up examples of bullying.

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Bullying is often experienced in the confines of school hallways, classrooms and playgrounds, where we want to believe our children to be safest. Children can be the victims of outright acts of bullying, or more subtle acts of intimidation. Sometimes it's visible on the outside for all to recognize; other times, the scars are invisible for the eye to see.

Many schools, especially in the Birmingham and Bloomfield area, have long had policies prohibiting bullying at school, as well as defining what they consider bullying to be, while others say they know it when they see it. With unacceptable incidents of bullying occurring in all areas of the state, on December 6, 2011, the Michigan state legislature passed “Matt's Safe School Law.” The legislation amended the revised school code for all public and charter schools in the state and required that they adopt a policy by July 6, 2012, that prohibits bullying at school.

The law was named after Matt Epling, a Michigan student who committed suicide in 2002 after enduring prolonged bullying.

T

he state law requires school districts to have a policy which includes a statement prohibiting the bullying of a student. There must be a statement prohibiting retaliation or false accusation against a target of bullying, a witness, or another person with information about an act of bullying. The law says a provision must be included indicating that all pupils are protected under the policy, and that bullying is equally prohibited without regard of its subject matter or motivating animus. There must be identification, by job title, of the school officials responsible for ensuring that the policy is implemented in the district, as well as a statement in the policy of how the policy is to be publicized.

Also required is a stated procedure in the law for providing notification to the parent or legal guardian of a victim of bullying, as well as the parent or legal guardian of a perpetrator of the bullying. The district must have a procedure for reporting an act of bullying, as well as a procedure for the prompt investigation of a related complaint, identifying either the principal of the school or the principal's designee as the person responsible for the investigation.

The policy must have a procedure for each public school to document any prohibited incident that is reported, and a procedure to report all verified incidents of bullying, and the resulting consequences, including discipline and referrals, to the board of the school district on an annual basis. Furthermore, the state legislature encourages the board of directors of schools to include in all bullying policies provisions to form bullying prevention task forces, programs, teen courts, and other initiatives involving school staff, pupils, school

clubs, and other student groups, administrators, volunteers, parents, law enforcement, community members, and any other stakeholders. The law requires annual training for administrators, school employees, and volunteers who have significant contact with pupils on preventing, identifying, responding to, and reporting incidents of bullying.

There is a requirement for educational programs for students and parents on how to prevent, identify, respond to and report incidents of bullying and cyberbullying.

“We knew that most schools in the state already had a bullying policy, but we wanted to make sure all bullying would be excluded.

There are 553 public school districts as well as charter schools, and we want them to be able to tweak the policies to make the most sense for their districts,” said state Sen. John Pappageorge (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township). “Bullying is bullying no matter who is the instigator. “ “Gov. (Rick) Snyder had taken a strong stance on it (bullying), and felt it was a priority and this protection was needed,” said state Rep. Chuck Moss (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township). “I think this policy will make a difference. The schools need to take a hand and not make light of it. Years ago, they took the attitude that kids will be kids, and to let kids work it out. But it's about dominance. You tell kids in school they must behave but you need to provide safety for all kids in their classrooms. We must protect them.”

Paul Jacobs PhD., a Bingham Farms psychologist, emphatically agrees. “The impact of bullying is extreme on bullied kids,” he said. “They lose their self-esteem and where they fit into the world. During adolescence, teasing acts as a wedge and makes them feel like an outsider, and can cause them to isolate themselves socially. It can have a lifelong effect. Many adults do not live up to their potential because they were bullied as youths. It has robbed them of their potential because of their lack of self esteem.

It leads to depression, anxiety, and in the extreme, it can lead to suicide.”

“One of the most difficult aspects of bullying is that it's relentless. It puts someone in a constant state of fear,” said Birmingham psychologist Sonia Pone, PhD., MSW. “It's pretty pervasive. So many victims state they have irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, anxiety, stress, things that are adult problems that are now being seen by children.

Thousands of kids wakeup each day afraid to go to school, and adults do not realize why because it's not visible. No one knows how it became so pervasive. But most people who are abused by their peers experience low selfesteem. Everyone has residue from when they were a child, and those who were bullied carry such a bigger burden.”

Both Birmingham Public Schools and Bloomfield Hills Schools had bullying policies prior to the enactment of Matt's Safe School Law, but both districts complied with the legislative mandates and redid their policies to strictly fulfill the state's decree. Paul D'Angelis, assistant superintendent with Birmingham Public Schools, said Birmingham had what they considered a pretty good bullying policy before the law was passed, “but we completely scrapped it because there were some very specific points made.”

He said that prior to the district's board of education seeing any of their preliminary policy versions, he and other administrators spoke with students at both Groves and Seaholm high schools, asking them what bullying feels like.

“We asked them, not so much what is written, but what do you think bullying is,” D'Angelis said. “We said, we know it happens.

Here's the official definition of harassment or intolerant behavior. Kids know when they're acting inappropriately.

“What they told us was that the must frustrating thing for them is when adults see, hear, or recognize (bullying behavior) and do not intervene,” D'Angelis continued. “They used the example of when kids throw around the word 'gay' in a classroom, saying, 'You're so gay,' towards a student, whether or not they believe a student is gay, and the teacher doesn't do anything. We learned that really upsets students. All students.”

Dr. Jacobs noted, “Teachers and administrators have to stand up and say 'gay' or 'faggot' and other words are no more acceptable than saying the 'n' word or an antisemitic slur. They have to stop it from happening.”

B

ob Maxfield, associate professor at Oakland University's Department of Educational Leadership, noted that the focus of bullying policies must be on students. “Your school has to be student-centered, and you've got to be committed to having every student accessible to all administrators in the building,” he said.

“It has to become part of the culture of the school, so that if you're doing something that supports bullying behavior, permits bigotry, prevents minority or gay students from being fully involved in the school, it's not a studentcentered school. The key is full engagement.

That is why having a bullying policy is so important.”

Birmingham's resultant policy, adopted April 17, enunciates clearly that: “Bullying or other aggressive behavior toward a student, whether by other students, staff, or third parties within the school community, including board members, parents, guests, contractors, vendors, and volunteers, is strictly prohibited. This prohibition includes written, physical, verbal,

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and psychological abuse, including hazing, gestures, comments, threats, or actions to a student, which cause or threaten to cause bodily harm, reasonable fear for personal safety or personal degradation.”

Bloomfield Hills Schools' anti-bullying policy, adopted June 7, states, “It is the policy of the Bloomfield Hills Schools to provide a safe educational environment for all students.

Bullying is prohibited. This policy shall be interpreted and enforced to protect all students and to equally prohibit bullying with motivating animus.”

As the district moves forward towards another school year, administrators note they already have many anti-bullying measures in effect at various schools, such as an empathybased program, called Steps to Respect, at Conant and Way Elementary Schools; SOAR, at Eastover Elementary, standing for selfcontrol, on task, acceptance, and respect.

Lone Pine Elementary features major antibullying efforts through the IB (International Baccalaureate) program Learner Profile and Attitudes, which is the goal of all IB programs.

Bloomfield Hills Middle School has a web mentor program, and they discuss the school's uniform code of student conduct with students annually. A cyber-bullying presentation is made to students by an attorney from the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office. West Hills Middle School has STARRR, Students and Teachers are Respectful, Responsible and Reflective, and they teach all sixth graders a cyber-bullying unit.

At the high school level, Lahser High School has hosted a three-day communication and leadership retreat for the last 27 years, helping to break down barriers between groups of students and improving communication skills. Andover High School has a group that intervenes with positive behavior to foster positive choices and positive relationships.

In Bloomfield Hills' policy, in addition to prohibiting bullying by students, there is a specific item regarding complaints of bullying by a staff member, which should be reported to the principal of the school building, with assurances that the report will be fully investigated.

C

harlie Shaw, headmaster of Cranbrook Schools Upper School in Bloomfield Hills, noting that sometimes a teacher can be perceived as an aggressor, said, “The family and student can feel that a school can be a harsh place to be. We work to sensitize faculty to all aspects of that. It's important for parents to communicate when they are detecting anger or hurt. It has to be brought to the attention of the department head or the mentor at a school like this, because displays of anger towards a student are not acceptable.”

Shaw said Cranbrook Schools has had written anti-bullying policies for at least the last 25 years, including a written policy parents have had to sign acknowledging the school's values.

“We've had a policy for years now because as an independent school with international boarders, we recognized that bullying is a symptom of cultural differences, and upon closer inspection, it is attributed to power differentials between groups,” Shaw stated. “It can also be seen in small groups and in teams.

For us, bullying arises from the misperceptions and insecurities adolescents have. It can even come from their homes. We work very hard with our student leadership, who have heard students saying to other students, when they come from Up North, from an Asian country, the Middle East, they need to be mindful of this group with an imbedded set of expectations from their home or home country.

Our main thrust is anticipating and helping to instruct our kids in achieving multicultural competency, in being proactive and not reactive.”

Susan Murphy, Director of External Affairs for Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, said the school has a zero tolerance policy towards bullying of any kind. “It's part of our culture which is woven through all of our grades,” she said. “The behavior expectation is set forth and defined in our student/parent handbook, and it speaks directly towards bullying, that bullying and other behaviors will not be tolerated.”

Murphy pointed out that people's definition of bullying has been broadened. “We're not a homogenous society and people's awareness has been raised. We work hard at being proactive, to cut off the behavior before it can start. We do a lot of professional development for faculty and staff so they're aware of it before it's happening, and can keep an eye out for any potential situation as it arises, in order to cut it off at the path.”

Murphy said that in all of the school's divisions, teachers and administrators meet with students in small groups or informal meetings. “We do age appropriate programs at all levels for our students, and we also make our programs available to our parent body.

Parents can also make us aware of incidents before they happen. In small groups of students, we ask them what would you do, how would you feel. Getting out ahead of the curve has been helpful in averting situations so that we have not needed to alert security (for any serious bulling situations).”

Roeper Schools in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills does not have a specific bullying policy, but rather community guidelines that both students and parents sign each year. “We want everyone to feel safe and learn freely,” said Carolyn Borman, acting head of the Middle School. “Anything that interfere's with someone's safety or feeling of

safety is interfering with someone's ability to learn.”

Borman said they react to the individual situation, and not a book of rules “because each situation and each child is different. We have to look at the situation and sit down with the child and work out a plan to make sure it does not happen again. We all know the children really well here, and we know their strengths and motivations. We give them tools to resolve their conflicts. It's a pretty tolerant place here. They expect and honor their differences here.”

A

cademy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills developed a behavior system about six years ago, said Cara Spicer, Lower School Administrator. “We developed and adopted a behavior rubrik, including bullying.

We do not call it bullying because children are humans, and too often when the word bullying is used, it doesn't allow for children to make mistakes, or to be perfect right off the bat.”

She said early on they had to determine what constituted bullying behavior and how to respond to the behavior. “We had to determine our line in the sand. We decided that nonverbal behavior—rolling of the eyes, gestures, things which can be very upsetting to other children, were not acceptable. We feel we must be very diligent and consistent with our teachers. As such a large school, we had to develop a variety of rubriks to match the different developmental levels of our students.

The consequences you give a six-year-old are not the same as you would give a 16-year old.

Also key is communication between students and parents, so they know what is expected of them, so that when a consequence happens, everyone is on the same page. It has led to a lot less problems because there is a lot less subjectivity involved.”

Dr. Pone praises that collaborative effort, noting that once the school was the island of sanity; “Today, one in three students have been bullied, have been the bully, or witnessed the bullying.”

She said that when a child comes to a parent and confides in them that they have been bullied, “the worst thing a parent can say is 'what did you do to them to have them do this to you?' You have to make sure you don't have an overly big emotional reaction because you will scare them, and they'll become more anxious and have greater anxiety.”

Instead, Pone said parents must listen to their child “regardless of how busy they are,” and react to the bullying. “You must have a clear understanding of what happened, where, and how often, before going to the school.

Then you can meet with the school and find out their anti-bullying policy. You have to make it clear to the school what is going on.

You have turned your child's safety over to them.”

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Despite schools' best efforts, bullying and harassment still occur. “One of the biggest places bullying happens is in (school) locker rooms because there is no teacher supervision,” Pone said.

“Parents must coach their kids, and empower their kids by role playing and teaching their kids on what to do, but parents cannot intervene and fight their battles for them,” Dr. Jacobs emphasized. “Fortunately, we're more aware about bullying. Once, we were taught to walk away. Now, it's believed kids should stand up to bullying, not with a physical fight—that's not acceptable—but by turning to them and confronting them with, 'What's your problem?' and 'Hey, you can't do that.'”

An area of bullying which all of the area's educators and administrators acknowledge has become a thorn in their side is cyber-bullying, where the repetitive harassment can be taken to a whole new level, invisibly to adult eyes, in a matter of seconds.

“My experience is that people often do not seem to know what cyberbullying is, and so they don't realize what they're doing is actually bullying,” said Janet Joiner, Wayne State University Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, School of Social Work. “It can be text messages with or without pictures, Facebook messages, or responding on someone's wall without realizing that everyone will read it. Posting items on websites, such as web-rating sites, like Ratemyprofessor.com, which are mostly uncensored, so the content can remain there for years, and one nasty comment can impact a professor's career and contract. What you post on Twitter is tied to your device (and) is tied to you. Everything has your fingerprint. In this day and age, with technology, if you post something, it will eventually catch up to you.”

“Some kids are very manipulative, and they do mix things up,” noted Roeper's Borman. “It happens very quickly. One push of a button can have terrible consequences for them.”

A

cademy of the Sacred Heart's Spicer concurs. “We do a lot of education up front, and our students sign a computer contract, which is part of our mission, regarding appropriate use of technology, and they're all held to those standards. Parents have to participate and uphold those values. They have to be vigilant. Our parents are also held to our mission.”

“I believe there is a limit to privacy when your child is hurting,” said Borman. “Parents must help their child work through their problems, and with texts, it's all there. You can tell your child, I will be reading all of your texts, especially for middle school kids. You say, 'I am the one responsible for you being safe, and if I have to read what's on your phone, I will.' Sometimes you have to take it out of their hands and remove their responsibility to keep them safe.”

Cranbrook's Shaw noted that the Internet has been a game changer.

“Schools have had to reinvent their responsiveness,” he said. “If we only go back to 2004, when Facebook was created, because prior to that kids had to go through laborious ways to share their emotions with one another. Now, it's done instantaneously by Facebook. We have learned we have to chase down dramas over photos and issues in bringing down their friends. In those instances, I will communicate directly with parents and encourage them to get their child's Facebook shut down.”

Shaw said he has seen instances where a student has sexted another student. Sexting is sending an inappropriate sexual photo of themselves—or someone else—via their phone. Once sent, it can go viral in moments.

“I've known of situations with those choices, and they're extreme, and they're not casual, and they're meant in hurtful ways or they become hurtful very quickly. We work very quickly; we talk endlessly about the proper use of technology. We front-load,” he said. “There are very forceful consequences (for sexting). They really bring a family to very significant reflection.”

“Cyber-bullying is such a sensitive issue for kids,” noted Birmingham Public Schools' D'Angelis. “They know it's wrong, and so often they want an adult to get involved.”

“When people are being cyber-bullied, they typically hide, they're ashamed and humiliated, so they stay in the shadows,” said Joiner. “Because it's cyber, it tends to be anonymous, and the bully can't see damage he or she is inflicting—they can't see the person crying, being depressed, not sleeping, contemplating suicide, so they go along thinking it's no big deal.

It's not until we feel empowered to step out of the shadows and speak up about it can we begin to address it, and heal.” downtownpublications.com

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FACES

Susan Shapiro

S

usan Shapiro, established journalism professor, author and writer who has been published in the New York Times and Washington Post, credits much of her success to her early days at Roeper School.

From discovering her own voice to creating her own success, Shapiro's lifelong journey of self-discovery began in 6th grade at the Roeper School where she took every English class offered and was encouraged to explore her passion for poetry.

“It was a fun, kooky, crazy atmosphere and everyone was in tune artistically and psychologically. Roeper completely nurtured your weirdness and was an extraordinary place,” she said. Shapiro describes attending the school she graduated from two years early as the best thing that every happened to her.

Shapiro's reality was turned upside down by the life-changing world of poetry. “I felt like I found God, and it was really a major huge change in my life and everything got better,” she said.

Shapiro brought her love for poetry to New York, where she earned her master's at New York University. “I was a little too weird for Michigan,” said the Bloomfield native. “Just kind of out there and wasn't in the box.”

As an aspiring writer, she lived in a living room on a futon for seven years studying poetry and earned only $500 for her first piece in Cosmopolitan Magazine. Luckily, she had the financial support of her parents through her early 20s, when she landed her first job at the New Yorker Magazine.

“I think I had too many words and wasn't a great poet but a failed poet

can be a wildly successful memoirist.” The New York Times, the Washington Post and Newsweek were only a few of the publications that took notice of her prodigious talent for confessional writing and published her work.

Never one to be pigeonholed, she became an author and published “Speed Shrinking”. After the rush of seeing her first book on the shelf, she continued writing comedic novels loosely based around some of her own obsessions, such as past relationships and a lifelong smoking addiction.

A firm believer in education, Shapiro is a journalism teacher at New York University and the New School and also organizes an annual charity book reading every fall to raise money for Roeper scholarships.

Both writers by day and teachers by night, Shapiro and her husband Charlie Rubin define a great weekend as one when they can do nothing but relax and read at home in Greenwich Village. “My whole family is hilarious and I married a comedy writer!” Instead of a honeymoon, the newlyweds did a comedy writing seminar in Bloomfield Hills.

Though she has found great success in New York, she will always have a strong connection with Michigan through her best friends and family.

“In 10 years all my dreams came true. My dream home was expanded, I published eight books and finished two more, tripling my income,” she said. “My fantasy is if it stays this good that would be amazing. I feel very lucky and everything good happened because of my family.”

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WIN OR LOSE THE COST TO RUN FOR POLITICAL OFFICE

BY LISA BRODY

I

t can cost a lot of money to attain political office. It can also costs a lot of money to run for political office and not succeed.

For those who ran in the August 7 primary for local offices, in general it was an expensive endeavor. The state's campaign finance law requires all who ran for office in the state to report how much money they had raised and spent, in a pre-election campaign statement which was due Friday, July 27. Depending on which race,

candidates had to report the money their campaigns raised and spent either to the Michigan Secretary of State's office or the Oakland County Clerk's office.

The next campaign expense statement filing deadline in Michigan is Friday, September 6, so the picture for each campaign will most likely change with last minute contributions and expenses but the pre-primary report gives a good financial snapshot of the August primary races.

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Pre-primary reports show that many candidates loan their campaigns money to finance their quest for office, which is perfectly legal as long as it is reported. There is a long history in this country of self-funded candidates procuring their desired seat at the table. There is an equally long history of selffunded candidates who have spent, and failed to achieve, their desired goal of elected office.

Ross Perot, for example, in his failed thirdparty campaign for president in 1992, spent over $12 million of his own money.

Campaign finance refers to all of the money and funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties, or policies in any kind of electoral contest. They do not need to be spent on an individual campaign, but can be spent on referendums, such as ballot proposals, party activities, and party organizations which are funded by political spending.

Campaign finance spending must be publicly reported 11 days before the date of an election, for pre-election statements, and 30 days after the date of the election, postelection, as well as quarterly, in order to keep candidates, political action committees and donors honest and above board, as well as provide the public with their right to know who is financing the campaigns for office.

All political contributions or expenditures greater than $500 in a calendar year must be reported, according to the Michigan Secretary of State's website. However, candidates who have not raised $1,000 in the reporting period do not have to file a report. Candidates for statewide office, such as governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and supreme court justices all qualify for campaign spending reports, as do candidates for state legislative office, judicial office, and countywide office. Political action committees and legislative caucus committees, which are groups who join together to influence elections and accept contributions or make expenditures exceeding $500 in a calendar year, all must file campaign spending reports that are publicly accessible.

Downtown examined the campaign finance reports for numerous local campaigns whose races affect residents in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, and Bloomfield Township.

There were no statewide office candidates this primary, but we did examine the 40th District House of Representatives Republican primary race between Bloomfield Hills Commissioner Mike McCready, the ultimate winner, and Oakland County Commissioner David Potts, Birmingham Schools' Board of Education member Robert Lawrence, and attorney David Wolkinson, as well as the Oakland County 48th District Court race and the Sixth Circuit Court race.

On the county level, Downtown examined the race between current Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and his challenger E. Waddsworth Sherrod; the county prosecutor, treasurer, and clerk's races, and the two Oakland County commissioner races

pertinent to Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Bloomfield Township, District 12, between Republican Shelley Taub, the incumbent, and Paul Secrest, and District 13, between the incumbent, Marcia Gershenson (D) and her opponent, Al Zaparackas.

40th District House of Representatives The August primary race to determine the Republican general election candidate for the 40th District House of Representatives seat, currently filled by Rep. Chuck Moss (R ), who is term limited, was a competitive, and costly battle. Mike McCready was the winner of the Republican primary, and will face Democrat Dorian Coston in November for the right to represent Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, and Bloomfield Township in Lansing.

Coston reported that he did not raise any money, nor did he spend any. McCready raised a total of $62,600, $36,000 of which he loaned to his campaign in three separate transactions. The first was on May 28, when he gave his campaign $20,000; the second donation came on May 28, when he gave $10,000; and on June 29, he lent the campaign another $6,000. Most of his other donations were $500 and $100 gifts, with the exception of a $1,200 donation from Bloomfield Hills real estate developer Mike Kojaian.

In order to achieve his win, McCready spent $47,704, primarily with Marketing Research Group. He had an ending balance of $14,895 to go forward in the general election campaign.

McCready's opponent, Dave Potts, was the biggest spender in this primary election, raising a total of $114,025, of which $110,200 came from his own pocket. Potts spent $99,982 on his unsuccessful campaign, including $69,846 to the Ballot Box, a marketing and consulting firm. He had an ending balance of $13,917.

David Wolkinson had total outside contributions of almost $17,000, which came from individuals in small donations. He loaned his campaign $239,000, in the form of two loans, one for $199,000, the other for $40,000.

The $199,000 loan was paid back to Wolkinson during the reporting period.

Records show that Wolkinson spent $37,144 on his campaign, primarily for political consulting, marketing, and signage, leaving him with an ending balance of $19,824.

Robert Lawrence raised a total of $30,145, of which $25,000 came from the candidate. He spent $20,855 on his campaign. The largest expense was $10,000, which paid for sixmonth's worth of rent for campaign space.

After expenses, his ending balance was $9,289.

County Commissioners Residents in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, and Bloomfield Township will have two county commission races to focus on this November.

Most residents are in the newly-formed 12th District, which will feature Shelly Goodman Taub (R ) versus Paul Secrest (D), both of

Bloomfield Township. Taub has been a county commissioner for some of Bloomfield Township for several terms; redistricting combined her district with that of commissioner Dave Potts (R).

Neither candidate faced an opponent in the primary election August 7. Taub reported no contributions received in the January 2012 to July 27, 2012 period, although she had an ending balance from her previous report of $8,891. The report showed she had loaned her campaign $300. She had expenditures of $90, leaving her with an ending balance of $8,801 heading into the general election.

Secrest, a Chrysler retiree, loaned his campaign $5,000. His expenditures came to $2,850, of which a Valpak ad was his primary expense, for $1,920.

Marcia Gershenson, a Democrat and current commissioner, is running in the newly redistricted 13th District for the remaining portion of southwest Bloomfield Township. Her opponent, Al Zaparackas, waived the reporting request, as he did not raise in excess of $1,000.

Gershenson reported that she did not receive any contributions in the January 2012 to July 27, 2012 period, although she did receive a $2,000 refund from the Oakland County Democratic Caucus. She carried forward a balance of $12,033 from her previous reporting period. Her expenditures totaled $3,370, including a $2,000 payment to Meyer Associates for campaign help. She has an ending balance of $10,663 going into the November contest.

Countywide races Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson (R ), currently recuperating from a serious automobile accident, is expected to be well enough to compete in the November 6 general election, when he will square off for his sixth term as county executive against Democrat Kevin Howley. Patterson won the opportunity to run again for the position after beating Republican opponent E. Waddsworth Sherrod in the August primary. Sherrod did not file a campaign finance report, indicating he raised less than $1,000.

Patterson's candidate committee report in late July showed he had raised $204,210, against expenditures of $168,365. His committee had a balance of $163,564, leaving him with $199,409 at the end of July for the general election.

Patterson reached that goal with hundreds of small donations. He did, however, have several sizable contributions, most notably the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters, a PAC, which gave $6,000, and the owner and vice president of Absopure Water in Plymouth, William P. Young, who donated $3,400, and Michael Nagle, $2,000.

Patterson's other larger donors included Angela M. Young, a homemaker from Detroit who contributed $3,400; Avery Heningburg, an Ypsilanti businessman, $3,400; Bruce Kahn, a Birmingham attorney, $3,400; his partner,

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Bruce Seyburn, of West Bloomfield, also gave $3,400; Charles Becker, a Grosse Pointe businessman, $2,000; Christopher Masters, a CPA with Doeren Mayhew, $3,200; Christy Graber, of Montgomery, MI, president of Graber Pallet Co., $2,500; Colleen Ziegler, a Las Vegas homemaker, $3,400; Comerica PAC, $5,200; attorney Edward Ryder of Rochester, $3,000; Harold Dubrowsky of West Bloomfield, $3,400; Louise Garbarino, a Bloomfield Hills executive, $2,000; Michael Cox, attorney and former attorney general, $3,325; insurance man Paul Ziegler of Nevada, $3,400; Pratap Sathi of Novi, $3,400; Steven Gordon, president of Signature Associates in Southfield, $2,000; Ypsilanti nurse and gardener Vivienne Young, $3,400; WMI Pac of MI, $2,300.

Kevin Howley, the Democrat running against Patterson, raised a total of $73,988, against expenditures of $16,663, leaving him with an ending balance of $57,324. He did not have an opponent in the August primary.

Most of Howley's largest donations come from out-of-state, including from Richard Christensen, CEO of logyn in San Francisco, $3,400; Paul Secraw, president of Demand Integration in New Hope, Pennsylvania, who donated $2,400, and Eugene Bissell of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, who gave $2,000, as did Mathew Pepous of Washington/Arlington, Virginia, president of Greenfield Senior Living.

Jon Stryker, the Kalamazoo philanthropist, donated $3,400, and Nancy Katz of Plymouth, gave $2,400.

In other county races, Oakland County Clerk Bill Bullard, a Republican, will face off against Democrat Lisa Brown, currently a state representative, in November. As of July 27, Bullard had raised $37,835, and had an ending balance from the last report he had filed in January 2012, of $58,954. With expenditures during the reporting period of $24,515, Bullard had an ending balance of $72,272.

Brown had contributions of $34,245, and has given her current campaign $68,000 from her state House of Representatives war chest, which is legal to do, leaving her with total contributions of $102,245. Her expenditures totaled $9,844, leaving her campaign with an ending balance of $92,400.

Current Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper, a Democrat, will meet Republican Mike Bishop at the ballot box, in what already looks like it will be a very expensive duel.

Cooper had $26,216 which she carried forward from January 2012, coupled with contributions of $125,282. Her expenditures were $55,330, leaving her with an ending balance of $96,167.84 as she starts her general election campaign.

While both candidates for prosecutor have wide support from numerous donors within the county, especially a wide swath of the area's attorneys, Bishop in particular had several sizable donations, including a $1,000 infusion from the Mitten Men State PAC. C. Michael Kojaian, CEO of Kojaian Companies in

Bloomfield Hills, his son Mike Kojaian, and wife Elizabeth Ann, all of Bloomfield Hills, each gave $3,400 to Bishop's campaign, as did Jim Nicholson, president and CEO of PVS Chemicals, and his wife Ann. Birmingham attorney David Trott, Bloomfield Hills attorneys Doraid and David Mardigian, Grosse Pointe Shores attorney Robert G. Liggett, Orchard Lake attorney E. Powell Miller, and Paul Hodges, also of Orchard Lake, each donated $3,400. Ron Boji, president of Boji Group, and his wife Heather, of Orchard Lake, also each gave $3,400. Eric Doelle, of Bloomfield Hills, who owns a real estate holding company, made two donations to Bishop's campaign, for a total of $2,250.

Cooper's primary donation, $40,000 came in the form of a loan to her campaign from herself. While several construction PACs donated to Cooper's campaign, each individual donation was in the amount of $50 or $100, other than the Levin for Congress PAC, which gave $2,500. Larger donations to her campaign came from Paul Rosenbaum, president of Rentrak Corporation of Portland, Oregon, who contributed $2,500; Sheldon Yellen of Birmingham, CEO of Belfor, who provided $2,400 towards her re-election campaign; Orchard Lake attorney Robert Gittleman, $2,000; Huntington Woods attorney Lowell Friedman, $1,500; Birmingham attorney Mayer Morganroth, $1,000; Michael Pitt, a Huntington Woods attorney, $1,000; and Yasir Abulaban, owner of Universal Rehabilitation Services of Dearborn, $1,000.

In the Oakland County Treasurer's campaign, incumbent Andrew Meisner (D) received contributions of $97,149, which he coupled with a previous committee balance of $154,333. Meisner had expenditures of $45,972, leaving him with an ending balance of $205,510 to start the general election campaign against challenger Marty Knollenberg (R ).

Knollenberg, currently a state representative, entered the race with $124,594 from previous campaigns. He received $56,025 in contributions, and spent $47,250, leaving him with an ending balance of $133,368.

Oakland County court races A heated primary battle involving four candidates, including incumbent Diane D'Agostini, for an open seat in the 48th District Court left two candidates, D'Agostini and Josh Arnkoff, heading into the November election.

Gary Sanfield and Steven Schwartz also ran to replace D'Agostini on the bench.

D'Agostini raised a total of $99,261, and she spent $54,479. Of her various contributors, D'Agostini received $2,500 from the Signh PAC in Orchard Lake; $2,000 she loaned her own campaign; and $1,413 donated by Lorenzo D'Agostini, at the same address. She has $44,782 heading into the general election.

Arnkoff had contributions of $42,966 against expenditures of $31,433. He loaned his own campaign $1,580, and received several contributions of $1,000. His chief expense was

for consulting services with the Ballot Box, for $17,041.

Challenger Steven Schwartz raised $4,450, and spent $1,912 on his unsuccessful run for a judicial seat. Sanfield did not file a report.

The other judicial race Oakland County eyes are focused on is the Sixth Circuit Court race, where Edward Sosnick is retiring, leaving a seat on the bench open for a six-year term. Five candidates, Dan Christ, Sahera Housey, Karen McDonald, Jason Pernick and Layne Ashley Pernick all competed in the August primary. Christ and McDonald were the two biggest vote getters, meaning they will square off against one another in the November election.

McDonald raised a whopping $185,045, including a personal loan of $25,000, against expenditures of $134,783, leaving her with an ending balance of $50,179.

She received over a dozen contributions of $3,400, many from fellow attorneys, including Charles Bullock of Plymouth, and Steve Jalaba and Ira Jaffe of Southfield. Members of the Fisher philanthropic family, including Philip, Lauren, Marjorie and Amanda, each gave $3,400. Several members of the McKenzie Conway law firm each donated $3,400, including executive assistants, marketing, and IT personnel.

Her primary expenditures went towards printing, to Standard Printing, for $27, 279.

Christ raised $77,300, of which $27,500 was a direct loan. Other than a $2,000 contribution from Bloomfield Hills attorney Tom Kennedy, he received numerous small donations.

Christ spent $52,298, mostly for marketing and consulting work by Farmington Hills' Visual Group with which he spent $48,731. He has $25,001 left over from the primary campaign.

Housey amassed $132,843 in her effort to run for a seat on the bench, with almost $54,000 coming in a loan from Matthew Housey. All other fundraising efforts were in relatively small donations.

Housey spent $126,269 in her unsuccessful campaign. Of her expenditures, $10,475 went to repay a loan to Matthew Housey; $38,310 was paid to Impact Media Professionals, and $13,700 was spent with Practical Political Consulting.

Sakwa raised $61,928, and spent $58,299, ending with a balance of $3,629. Her contributions included an $11,000 loan to herself, a $3,100 donation from Beverly Hills advertising executive Sheldon Sakwa, and $2,000 each from Judith Greenberg and Howard Auerbach.

Her primary expenses were for a company called Winning Strategies, where she spent more than $44,000 of her campaign's funds.

Also attempting to make it to the general election in November, Pernick had $67,182 in campaign funds, including a $36,000 loan to himself. He had expenses of $54,552, of which almost $31,000 was spent with Pontiac Mailing Services. Pernick ended the primary campaign with a balance of $12,421.

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Tim Yanke

A

fter working in the corporate world for nearly 20 years, local Birmingham artist Tim Yanke traded his cubicle for creativity to become a full-time abstract painter. He hasn't looked back since.

Growing up the youngest of six, his natural artistic ability and love for music were influenced by his energetic childhood home, and with support from his father as a driving force, he began to excel artistically.

With an imaginative young mind, Yanke seized every chance he had to make art a daily part of his life. Using alphabetical order to his advantage, he saw sitting in the back of the class as the perfect opportunity to sketch and turned all his classes into art class.

“My classmates were fascinated by how I could draw and I became known as the artist at a young age.”

In high school, Yanke pursued in-depth art courses but didn't start painting until college. “I thought painting was ridiculous because it was something you had no control over. I always thought creativity came from a pencil or sketchpad,” he said. It was also in college that he was introduced to Impressionist artists whose work influenced him to depart from traditional norms.

“All those years prior I could render things to look just like them. We gauged how well you could draw to look like something but we missed the boat. It's about how well you can create something that is pleasing to the eye but doesn't render any content or imagery. We all have that abstract approach in us because we all once were children who grabbed crayons and went crazy in coloring books. Those were the ones that made it to the fridge.”

Whether it's painting hearts or painting from the heart, Yanke recognizes everyone's style is different, but as an abstract artist he said you will never find him painting “dime a dozen” cabins or puppies. “The more traditional the painting, the less memorable it becomes. Gutsy is to paint what's organic to me and not concern myself with conforming to society. If I paint what everyone else wants, next is the 9-5 job and I might as well be back in corporate America,” he reflected.

Leaving Ameritech after 18 years, he decided to try his luck turning his passion for creating abstract art into a career, and sold 23 out of 24 paintings at his first art fair. “Everything I was painting would sell,” he said. “I always wanted to be an artist but in reality, how many did you know? I never thought I would make a living as a painter.”

With an offer to show his work at Park West Gallery in Southfield, he became a full-time painter and opened his studio in Birmingham. “People stop by wondering what it is. I've got all these buffalo skulls and elk antlers I've picked up over the years,” Yanke said.

Personal treasures, loud music and tall ceilings transform the huge room into his creative outlet. “Just being in the studio is inspiration; it oozes with creative potential.”

Over the past few months, he has been working with Oakland/Livingston Human Services Agency, with preschoolers on a painting that will be auctioned to raise money for their school.

“This gives them the opportunity to get as crazy as they want and splatter the paint. They start off painting small circles and by the time they are done they're grinning ear-to-ear knowing they got the paint outside of the lines.”

Yanke said with art programs being pulled from schools, he hopes to continue fostering creativity in less fortunate environments.

As a self-proclaimed homebody, Yanke unwinds by relaxing at home.

“When I'm not on the road traveling, I'm painting, and when I'm not painting, I want to be home with my wife and kids.”

Standing alone at the top of his to-do list is opening a studio near the west coast while still residing in Birmingham.

“I try not to forecast things because then they become too planned, and checklists and formulas need to be applied. To be able to paint for a living and travel the world, it doesn't get any better than that,” he said. “No one's getting hurt, it's totally legal, and it's not fattening. It works.”

Story: Hayley Beitman

Photo: Laurie Tennent

CITY/ TOWNSHIP Revocation for South Bar delayed

By Lisa Brody

A public hearing scheduled for a possible liquor license revocation for South Bar at the August 13 Birmingham City Commission meeting was postponed when the attorney for the restaurant and the landlord proposed a possible deal that would allow the landlord to keep the license, while ensuring that South or another nightclub would never reopen again at the S. Old Woodward location.

Commissioners unanimously agreed to postpone the liquor license revocation hearing until August 27 to review the memorandum from Kelly Allen, attorney for both Woodward Tap, Inc., the entity doing business as South Bar; Essco of Birmingham, LLC, the landlord; and James Nicholas Enterprises LLC, all of whom use 210 S. Old Woodward in Birmingham as their address.

South Bar, the nightclub with a troubled history, announced on Tuesday, July 17, that it was closing its doors and planned to sell the business following a shooting incident outside of its establishment in the early morning hours of Monday, July 16, involving men who had left the bar. The most recent incident followed a shooting on S. Old Woodward in April by a woman who had left South. There had been several other fights and police incidents in the establishment's twoyear history.

While some members of the community objected to the postponement, asserting that the city has been dealing with problems with South for two years, commissioners listened to city manager Bob Bruner who said the postponement will allow the city and the commission time to research the information received from Allen, and to be better prepared for the public hearing.

“We received this proposal from Kelly late last week but we haven't had time to discuss or review it together,” Bruner said. “One of the reasons the city commission is not considering Ms. Allen's proposal (tonight) is because it was not included in the board packet and everyone did not get a chance to review it.”

“It's worth noting that all of the wheels came off on the morning of July 17, and we urge the city to work downtownpublications.com

Ordinance approved for license transfers

By Lisa Brody

T

he Birmingham City Commission unanimously approved on August 13 an ordinance requiring any and all transfers of ownership or location of a liquor license in the city to receive the prior approval of the city commission.

The ordinance was created in light of new regulations from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) which went into effect July 1, erasing local control from liquor license transfers. While the MLCC no longer mandates the city approve the transfer of a liquor license, the city commission and Birmingham Police Chief Don Studt said the ordinance was a way of reasserting local control, especially in light of issues surrounding the now-defunct South Bar. The ordinance was one of several proposed as the city seeks to regain control over the city's Class C quota liquor licenses. Several other ordinances will receive public hearings at the August 27 city commission meeting.

The landlord of the building at 210 S. Old Woodward, James Essaki, is currently marketing the property where South resided although with the newly approved ordinance, the city commission would have to approve the liquor license if it is not revoked following ongoing problems at South.

“We need to plug the hole first rather than figure out how to manage them after,” said Studt.

The ordinance would necessitate a police investigation prior to any transfer of ownership for any liquor license or location.

City attorney Tim Currier said that all liquor license transfers will require special land use permits (SLUPs) from the city commission before they go to the state liquor commission. “The MLCC will still honor the local ordinances even though they no longer require them,” Currier said.

“They thought they would streamline the process, but they've gummed it up. A lot of local municipalities are going through this same thing.”

with us to keep this license,” Allen said to the commission. “Mr. Essaki agrees to never have a nightclub again. He has dotted his i's and crossed his t's, and he is actively marketing the space.”

The memorandum to the city states that the liquor license has been put in escrow with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) as of August 9, and that the operators of South, Joe Spadafore and Steve Puertas, will never operate at the leased premises again. Allen stated that James Essaki, the landlord, had begun eviction proceedings on South, and therefore the liquor license reverts back to him, and the memorandum outlines that a new tenant or new licensee would not be permitted to operate a nightclub on the premises. Further, it states that the landlord or new licensee agrees to seek city approval for the transfer of an entertainment or dance permit for the location. They also agree that they would be subject to a special land use permit (SLUP) or contract as required by the city, even though it that is not required by the MLCC. Another proposal in the

memorandum is that the space could be subdivided into smaller spaces under the one liquor license, as the location, which can accommodate up to 600 people, is too large and can lead to potential problems.

While Birmingham can hold liquor license revocation hearings, they can only recommend that the liquor license be revoked; only the MLCC can actually revoke the license.

However, when proper documentation is received, the MLCC is required by law to hold a hearing to consider the resolution. The local legislative body will be notified of the hearing, and a representative of the body or its legal counsel can attend. The sole purpose of this hearing is to determine if the licensee was afforded “rudimentary due process” as required by the courts. If it is found that due process was given the licensee, the license is immediately revoked by the MLCC. Revocation is permanent, and the licensee loses all rights to the license, and cannot apply for another liquor license for two years.

“As a result, the licensee and/or the bank that has a property interest in this license would likely file a lawsuit against the city and the

DOWNTOWN

Michigan Liquor Control Commission if the Michigan Liquor Control Commission revokes the license.

There is simply too much money at stake for the licensee and/or the bank to relinquish their property interests in the license without a fight,” Bruner wrote in an e-mail. He noted it is impossible to predict how a lawsuit would turn out. “However, I believe it is fair to predict the judge would do everything within her or his power to compel the parties to reach an agreement without trying the case.

For these reasons and others, I believe entering into an agreement like the one outlined in the proposed memorandum of understanding is more advantageous for the city than pursuing revocation.”

Mayor Mark Nickita replied, “These are very serious negotiations, between many people who have very serious interests and very serious money involved. We are not pushing this off for two weeks. We have new information, and we want to review it seriously.”

Francesca's store joining Lululemon

By Lisa Brody

Francesca's, a national women's boutique which carries limited quantities of specially handpicked items of clothing, jewelry and accessories, signed a lease for the smaller space at the former Ann Taylor Loft location on S. Old Woodward in Birmingham, next to Starbucks.

Landlord Ted Fuller of Central Park Properties confirmed the lease signing.

Francesca's carries moderatelypriced dresses, skirts, pants, denim, cardigans, blazers, outerwear, shoes, accessories and jewelry, with a fun and youthful flair.

Fuller recently signed Lulemon Athletica, a line of yoga, running and activewear apparel for women and men, to the primary space in the former Ann Taylor Loft location at 101 S. Old Woodward. Lululemon, which also has a location at Somerset Collection South, is a well-known and popular brand of activewear for active lifestyle pursuits. According to the Lululemon website, they make technical athletic apparel for yoga, dancing, running “and most other sweaty pursuits.”

Both national retailers are expected to be open in time for the 2012 holiday season.

45

HERE'S TO SOCCER AND ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE OUR TOWN GREAT.

DERBY MIDDLE SCHOOL BIRMINGHAM MONDAY 11:15 AM

When it comes to our neighborhood, nobody knows and loves it like I do. So, if you're looking to find the perfect home - or, if you're selling, give me a call.

I'll guide you through the details and provide honest, informed advice. Oh, and speaking of details and advice, be sure to cheer for the kids as we say goodby to summer and hello to the new school year. Go United!

Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel

Lorraine Yalman Office: (248) 644-6300 Cell: (248) 425-7426 lyalman@cbwm.com

294 East Brown Street Birmingham, MI

KEEP IT LOCAL

Nearly 200 local businesses have thrown their support behind Downtown since the launch of our direct-mail monthly newsmagazine.

The only publication of its kind in Birmingham/Bloomfield. Over 25,000 homes and 800 free newsstands.

Quality editorial environment. Produced by local residents from offices in downtown Birmingham.

Join the local leaders in our October issue. Deadline Wednesday, September 19.

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Alleyways, vias ordinance coming An ordinance which would create an overlay for classifications for existing alleys, vias and passageways in downtown Birmingham was finalized and presented to the city's planning board on August 8, and will now go before the city commission for final approval.

The ordinance, created by the planning division, examines the existing alleys, vias and passageways and determine classifications for them. An overlay district allows for zoning and preservation ordinances to be developed.

Birmingham has numerous alleys, passageways and vias, some of which are traditional alleys, such as the Merrillwood/Pierce alley and Bates alley, and some which are pedestrian pathways, like the Social passage, Peabody alley, and Cafe Via passage.

In the Birmingham 2016 Plan, alleys behind commercial buildings were identified as underutilized assets within the city, and while the plan recognized the service function of alleys, it also noted that certain alleys are more pedestrian-oriented, and are untapped resources which can become focal points in the city and generate interest in the downtown.

“The 2016 Plan recommends the enhancement of passages to improve routes for pedestrians,” planning director Jana Ecker wrote in a

memorandum. She said the planning board has recommended including private vias in the draft of the ordinance as well as less developed connecting paths in the city. The ordinance includes lighting and landscaping improvements, signage identifying what is down the alley or passageway, and cross walk improvements. Ecker said there is a desire on the part of the planning board to require public rear entrances to stores and restaurants in an effort to create more active usage of the passageways and alleys.

Ecker presented the plan and proposed ordinance to Birmingham's Principal Shopping District board on August 2, “to see what you have to say about the proposed ordinance,” she told board members, who had a mixed reaction.

While many PSD board members were happy to hear that there would be more usable areas of Birmingham, questions were raised regarding the rear entrance issue, and if that would be a mandate or an encouragement.

It was noted that kitchens of restaurants are often situated near the rear, and it would not be inviting or safe to have patrons trudging through kitchens. Some retailers, such as Cheryl Daskas of Tender, noted that the rear entrance to her store, which opens to a traditional alley, is up a few steps, and the store's office, in the rear, is not a public space.

Questions were also raised with Ecker regarding how alley and passageway improvements were to

Paul Cicchini moving to former Blockbuster site

By Hayley Beitman

P

aul Cicchini Custom Clothier, a custom clothing store for men and women on the corner of 180 S. Old Woodward Avenue in Birmingham, is moving to the former Birmingham Blockbuster location at 494 S. Old Woodward Avenue this December.

The Blockbuster site has been vacant since July 2011, when the national chain began closing locations. Construction on the new Paul Cicchini location has started and the current store will remain open until late October or early November, according to manager Herman Master, who said he hopes the new store will be open to the public by late December.

The primary reason Paul Cicchini is making the

be funded. She said that the city commission may include it as part of the budget process for capital improvements, but as of now, “it's not part of a certain specified fund.”

Improving the alleys and passageways will be a bonus for merchants by allowing expansion into the alleys to do business, she said.

Parkmobile app now available You've circled around searching for the perfect parking spot in Birmingham and finally found it, only to discover you don't have any change. Good news. Your smartphone can rescue you from a dreaded Birmingham parking ticket.

Since August 14, the highly anticipated mobile app Parkmobile has been available at all parking meters in Birmingham. That means motorists can pay for their parking via their cell phones using Parkmobile's mobile applications for the iPhone, Android, Windows 7 and Blackberry smartphones. Merchants can also pay for their customer's parking on the Parkmobile website.

It's very easy to use the Parkmobile system. First, patrons need to register for free at www.parkmobile.com.

Once registered, you can use a smartphone app, the Internet, QR code, or call 800-280-4146 to pay for parking. Parkmobile users select the zone and parking space numbers that are printed on Parkmobile stickers on each meter. Adding more time to a

move is for parking and also to better serve clients, Masters said. “A lot of our customers shy away because of parking. We hear a lot of people say they drove by our store but couldn't find parking,” he said. “We're more of a destination store. We don't get a lot of walk-in traffic because it's hard to find parking and they can't get to us.” The new store will feature its own parking lot and Masters said he hopes it will encourage more of Cicchini's clients to come to Birmingham.

The new location will give the store 1,000 additional square feet to present more merchandise to shoppers. The store currently features both men's and women's clothes, and the new location will offer the ability to showcase a wider selection of both.

“It will be a much larger store, so it will have a much better layout. The store we have now is almost two different stores, so it will be one big store,” Master said.

meter is easy to do by phone, as long as it does not exceed the posted time limit. Text message alerts are available to let drivers know that their meter is about to expire.

"Parkmobile is very excited to launch our mobile payment parking service in Birmingham," said Albert Bogaard, CEO of Parkmobile USA, Inc. “With this technology, customers no longer have to search for change at their destination. Our mobile payment service is an example of another technology that can make our lives easier and more efficient.”

“It is our hope that the ease of parking will encourage people to stop in Birmingham. Whether it’s to shop, dine or play, a quick visit to Birmingham just got easier,” said Birmingham City Manager Robert Bruner.

Birmingham parking meters vary in time limits, and cost 50 cents to a dollar an hour, depending on the location. There is a minimal fee per transaction for Parkmobile, depending on how customers choose to use the service. A new Mobile Wallet payment option is expected to be available in September to provide parkers and merchants the opportunity to establish a virtual account in various amounts to minimize individual transaction fees.

Parking patrons may also continue to pay for meter time using coins.

Birmingham is the sixth Michigan city to offer Parkmobile, along with Ferndale, Dearborn, Grand Rapids, Petoskey and South Haven.

The new location will concentrate more on custom-made attire, and will feature clothing from different designers, as well as providing more women's clothing options. Master said the new Paul Cicchini will focus on two different ends of the fashion spectrum, from high-end, expensive designer fashions to more affordable options. “We are going to offer different price points, both higher and lower. Right now we are more across the board.

The new store will have higher than high and lower than low,” he said.

Paul Cicchini Custom Clothier currently carries custom made and ready-to-wear suits, tuxedos, trousers, shirts, ties, sport coats and overcoats.

Building manager Rick Weingartner of Paul H. Johnson, Inc., the current landlord for Paul Cicchini Custom Clothier, said there are a number of people looking at the Paul Cicchini space but a new tenant has not yet been determined.

SUCCESSFUL

AGENTS CHOOSE TO REPRESENT HALL & HUNTER.

MELINDA ALLEN LYNN BAKER GAYLE BARKER PATTY BLAIR MATT BLAUVELT CAROLYN BOWEN-KEATING JOAN BROWN NANCY BUCK JOANN BUESSER JOANNE CARTER LILA CASENAVE LOIS CASEY BECCA CHAPMAN RON CLEM MEREDITH COLBURN JEAN COLBY KEVIN CONWAY LANIE HARDY COSGROVE EMILY DAY SANDY DEMETRIOU CHRISTINE DRINKWATER CHRIS EDWARDS GINNY FISHER FRANK FLYNN JULIE FLYNN GORDON FOX DEBY GANNES HOLLY GEYER EVA GOREN JASON GORTON JANET GRAHAM PAM GRAY ESTER GREIG GAIL GROUT ANNA GULOYAN KRISTI HAMED KIM MINASIAN HAWES TIM HERTZLER SUSAN HILL SAL IMPASTATO SAM KLEM GILLIAN LAZAR JO LINCOLN DONYALE MAHORN VICKIE MCASKIN ALICE MCINTYRE BILL MEADE KELLY MOODY JOY MORRIS JOHN NEWMAN ELLEN NEWVILLE GARY NEWVILLE KARIN NIHLS RITA M. O’BRIEN TOM O’BRIEN KRISTIN PARENT AMY PARKER MONA PARLOVE SHONDELL PATTERSON DOROTHY PERROTTA MICHAEL PERROTTA NANCI RANDS NANCY REIZEN CHERYL RIBACK JERRY SCHMIDT LYNDA SCHRENK DANA SHAGENA SUE SIMON KELLY SMALL KURT SMITH PAM STOLER HEATHER VANHAAREN VIOLET VESTEVICH ADAM WAECHTER CHI-CHI WARD MADELON WARD TED WIDLUND DIANA WOLAK SCHMIDT BRAD WOLF DENNIS WOLF DEE WRIGHT AMY SUZANNE ZIMMER ELISE ZIMMERMANN DENISE ZUCKERMAN

W

ebster’s Dictionary defines “community” as “a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.”

While this definition is certainly correct, most of us view the communities in which we live in a much more personal way – after all, it’s where we choose to buy our homes, educate our children, work at our jobs, and socialize with family, friends and neighbors. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or a newcomer to the area, a sense of “community” is a sought-after goal of most every homeowner.

At Hall & Hunter, we not only understand the importance of community, but also share a commitment to “give back” to the areas in which we, too, live and work. This month, we are proud to sponsor two very special events to benefit The Community House of Birmingham and Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County:

ESTATES SALE OF ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES & TREASURES Saturday, September 15 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A one-day event in the north parking lot at Hall & Hunter Realtors, 442 S. Old Woodward in Birmingham, featuring fine furniture, antiques and other collectibles generously donated by clients and staff of Hall & Hunter, as well as the public. Admission is free. Proceeds from the sale will benefit Habitat for Humanity as they build homes – and rebuild lives – in Oakland County.

BIRMINGHAM HOUSE TOUR

Thursday, September 20 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A tour of eight unique homes ranging in style from traditional to contemporary. There will also be a lunch at The Community House from 11:30 to 1:00 and a tea from 3:00 to 4:30. Tickets for the Tour are $35 in advance ($45 day of ) and for the Lunch & Tour are $50 in advance ($60 day of ). Proceeds from the event will benefit programs at The Community House of Birmingham.

We invite you to join us in these events as we strive to improve the communities which we call “home.” If you would like more information, please give us a call at (248) 644-3500. Or visit us at HallandHunter.com

Dennis J. Wolf CEO/Owner Hall & Hunter Realtors

CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE

Bloomfield Hills $2,250,000

Bloomfield $1,545,000

Understated elegance throughout this majestic hilltop estate on 1.77 acres in the City of Bloomfield Hills. Outstanding country kitchen with wine cellar and fireplace. Breakfast area opens to expansive paver terrace. Master suite with stunning marble bath.

Illuminated tennis court and very private pool.

Fabulous 2000 addition and complete renovation of this classic Bloomfield Village home on picturesque site. Outstanding granite kitchen with professional appliances opens to spacious breakfast area and family room. Beautiful rear grounds.

Spectacular lower level with high ceilings, theatre, bar, rec room and fireplace.

Birmingham $875,000

Beverly Hills $649,000

Outstanding location and opportunity in the heart of Birmingham. Classic charm.

Main house with 1st floor master suite. Guest house with kitchen and full bath. 3 car garage plus office. Yard features exquisite perennial gardens. Impeccably maintained. All renovations and addition by Victor Saroki and Associates.

One of a kind custom architecture and interior design in this exceptional West Beverly home.

Meticulously renovated in ‘07 including gourmet kitchen with granite and stainless steel appliances. Opulent master retreat with huge walk in closet. Beautiful and secluded entertainer’s dream on a professionally landscaped lot.

Birmingham $450,000

Bloomfield $439,000

Move your family right into this 3 bedroom Poppleton Park colonial.

Large living room with fireplace, dining room with French door to home office. Many updates including granite kitchen with stainless appliances, master with professionally organized closets.

Newly refinished basement has recessed lighting and carpet.

New roof and paver patio.

Outstanding, complete 2008 cosmetic and mechanical renovation including kitchen with granite and stainless, family room with natural fireplace, master bath, windows, furnace, landscaping, deck and more.

Open, versatile floor plan.

Hardwood floors throughout.

Professionally finished lower level. Terrific location.

Bloomfield $349,900

Birmingham $269,900

Gracious quad in desirable location with loads of space.

Lovely, wooded 1/2 acre lot.

Spacious kitchen with breakfast nook. Possible au pair/in-law suite. Walk-out family room leads to new brick paver patio.

Hook ups are available for a possible 2nd floor laundry.

Basement access from the 3 car garage. Circular drive.

Lovingly maintained, pristine brick bungalow close to Birmingham Golf Course and Lincoln Hills and Birmingham schools. Very open kitchen to dining room, beautiful sun room, master bedroom with full private bath, hardwood floors, fireplace, deck and patio on a fenced, corner lot. All appliances included. 2 car attached garage.

CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE

442 S. Old Woodward Birmingham, MI 48009 248.644.3500 HallandHunter.com

NANCI J. RANDS & MEREDITH COLBURN

Recognized Leaders In Residential Real Estate Nanci New Price

Bloomfield $3,350,000

Birmingham $2,395,000

Prominently gracing the North shore of Wing Lake, this outstanding 2000 built home has over 10,000 sq. ft. of elegance and style in architecture, quality and detailed trim work. 6 Bedrooms, 6 full and 2 half Baths. Library with screened porch and “secret door” to a private Office. Island Kitchen with informal dining area. 2-story Living Room. Fabulous walk-out with Fitness Area, entertainer’s Kitchen, Rec Room, and a Guest Suite. Boat dock. 4 car garage. Additional private apartment. Also for lease: $20,000/month.

Remarkable 2004 built in-town home with exceptional features and amenities. Over 6800 sq. ft. of living space with additional 2900 sq. ft. in finished Lower Level. 6 Bedrooms, 6 Full and 2 Half Baths. Private apartment over 3 car garage. Stately Foyer with center staircase. Formal Living Room and banquet sized Dining Room. Gourmet Kitchen with over-sized granite island. Breakfast Room surrounded by glass on 3 sides with French doors to bluestone courtyard. Spacious Family Room overlooks outdoor living spaces. Generator.

BUILDING SITES Birmingham Lakefront $849,000

Last remaining vacant site directly on Quarton Lake.

Frontage and long views of the lake, park and waterfall. Walk-out site may accommodate up to a 9,000 sq. ft. residence on three levels.

Bloomfield Lakefront $789,000

Beautiful wide lakefront acre site located on Gilbert Lake. Site will accommodate a walk-out.

Birmingham $1,150,000 Impeccable 2003 built Home in the Poppleton Park area. Spacious with a flowing layout. Wide crown moldings and cherry floors. Gourmet island Kitchen open to Family Room and stone fireplace. Handsome two-story cherry paneled Library.

Outstanding Master Suite includes a marble fireplace, skylit dressing area, huge closet and private Office. Elevator. 3 car garage. Backs to Nature Preserve.

Nanci J. Rands 248.701.9000

Bloomfield $276,000

Wooded 1.37 acre site in Gilbert Lake area. Newer construction in area with million dollar plus homes.

Home on property to be removed by buyer.

Bloomfield $1,149,000 Beautiful 2009 updated walkout Ranch with 136' Island Lake frontage and breathtaking views of Kirk in the Hills. Located on nearly 2 secluded acres with a gated entrance highlighted by a fountain. Open floor plan. Spacious Cherry Kitchen and breakfast area.

First Floor Master. Large terrace overlooks dock and sweeping lawn. Additional Bedrooms in Lower Level. Generator. Home lovely as is, with incredible opportunity to expand.

www.RandsColburn.com

CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE

Meredith Colburn 248.762.5319

NANCI J. RANDS & MEREDITH COLBURN

Client Service Excellence...

Proven Results Meredith

Bloomfield $2,250,000

Bloomfield $2,995,000

Experience understated elegance and warmth throughout this inviting hilltop Estate in the City of Bloomfield Hills. Situated on 1.77 sweeping acres with illuminated Tennis Court, expansive paver patios and private Pool. 5 Bedrooms, 5 full and 1 half Baths. A gracious Foyer opens to the formal Dining Room and sophisticated Living Room. Outstanding country Kitchen with Wine Cellar, Breakfast and Sitting Areas. Stunning Master Suite with luxurious marble Bath. Lower Level walk-out. 3 car garage. Generator. Close to Cranbrook.

On a private, landscaped hilltop overlooking Wing Lake, this historic property was restored and expanded in 2001 to extraordinary elegance and functionality. Over 6,000 sq. ft. with an additional 4,000 feet in the finished Lower Level. 3 Bedrooms, 5 Full and 2 Half Baths. Grand entry Foyer with domed rotunda. The Living Room is highlighted by a mural depicting Edsel Ford’s 1st transcontinental Model T journey. A 38-foot gallery leads to the 1st floor Master Suite. Wine Cellar and Tasting Room. 3 car garage.

Just Listed

Franklin $4,250,000

Bloomfield $1,545,000

Bloomfield $3,450,000

Exceptional 2001 Tringali-designed English Tudor replica on 2.48 acres in Franklin Village. Gated drive opens to views of the slate roofed home with pond, fountain and arched walkways. Over 10,000 sq. ft. of luxury with 4 Bedroom Suites, 4 full and 3 half Baths. Cook’s Kitchen. Lower Level with Wine Cellar and Tasting Room. 2 heated garages with capacity for 8 cars.

Fabulous 2000 addition and complete renovation of a classic Bloomfield Village Home on a picturesque acre. 5 Bedrooms, 5 full and 3 half Baths. Granite Kitchen opens to Breakfast Area and Family Room, all overlooking rear grounds. 1st Floor Bedroom used as Library. Spectacular Lower Level with Theatre, Bar and Rec Room. Oversized 2.5 Car Garage.

An incomparable Post Modern Masterpiece on 3.3 wooded acres.

Sophisticated and functional living spaces. Upper Level is a private Master retreat and includes a three-room Office. Finished walk-out Lower Level. 4 car garage. Pool and clay Tennis Court. A one-of-a-kind residence that is spectacular in daylight and when illuminated at night.

Nanci J. Rands 248.701.9000

www.RandsColburn.com

CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE

Meredith Colburn 248.762.5319

442 S. Old Woodward Birmingham, MI 48009

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CITY/ TOWNSHIP Water connection under discussion

By Hayley Beitman

Bloomfield Hills city commissioners unanimously agreed on Tuesday, August 14, to continue discussing Bloomfield Township's use of the city's South Oakland County Water Authority connection.

According to the proposed model presented at the meeting, integration of the two water system's would grant Bloomfield Township access to an area with the optimal connection located at Quarton Road and Chesterfield Road in Bloomfield Hills.

According to project manager James Burton of Hubbell, Roth & Clark (HRC), Bloomfield Township offered to fund the construction costs in exchange for use of the city's connection. He pointed out that this will save Bloomfield Hills between $250,000 and $350,000 in construction costs and both municipalities would benefit from the shared connection long term.

“While the construction cost is a

one time savings, both cities will benefit long term from less operation and maintenance fees. It's marginal and incremental but if we get pressures down, there will be less system problems,” Burton said.

HRC outlined additional potential benefits from combining the city and township's hydraulic water models into one proposed model for Burton to present to city commissioners. He stated the shared connection would provide a more robust backup water feed in the case of pressure loss.

Another benefit explained by Burton is that the proposed plan would lower very high sustained pressures caused by topographical differences of the area. These high pressures can cause damages to homes from water line breaks.

The new water district would not only lower pressure levels to make them more reasonable but would allow for levels to be increased in low pressure areas.

Bloomfield Hills and Bloomfield Township are both water customers of SOCWA, the South Oakland County Water Authority, which obtains water from the city of Detroit. SOCWA and

Detroit Water and Sewerage Departments are both under contract with the Oakland County Water Resources Commission.

Bloomfield Township agreed to work with the city to study the integration of the two water systems, a requirement when they became a customer of SOCWA, and has expressed interest in moving forward with the proposal.

Mayor Sarah McClure said the city of Bloomfield Hills would like to work in a cooperative way with the township, but must also ensure the agreement is in the best interest of the municipality.

Bloomfield Township Supervisor Leo Savoie sent a document to the city stating they would like to reach an agreement by November of 2012, so that improvements can be completed

by July 1, 2013.

Fashion's Night Out coming to downtown It's referred to as the night the catwalk meets the sidewalk—it's Fashion's Night Out in Birmingham.

This year the four-year-old event, now on every fashion lover's must do list, will be celebrated on Thursday, September 6 from 6 to 9 p.m., with lots of retailers participating.

Fashion's Night Out showcases the world of fashion and beauty, from haute couture to fast fashion, and brings attention to the major role fashion retailing plays in the economy.

It is celebrated not just in Birmingham and New York City, but in cities around the globe.

On September 6, merchants throughout Birmingham’s downtown area are participating by hosting in store events, showcasing new collections, serving food and drink, providing beauty makeovers, offering musical entertainment, and generally having one big chic-and-be seen party..

There will also be informal modeling at key downtown intersections.

The Birmingham Principal Shopping District (PSD), which helps host the evening, said that Birmingham merchants are still signing up for the event and determining their plans for the evening. Details can be found at www.enjoybirmingham/events.com.

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Erin Keating DeWald

A

fter growing up in the business, 10 years of full time experience, and learning from the best REALTORS in the area, Erin Keating DeWald is blazing her own path. In one of the most challenging markets of our time, Erin has tripled her production from 2009-2012 and has become one of SKBK Sotheby's International Realty top producing agents.

A love of the business, growing up in the area, persistence in an unpredictable market coupled with market knowledge, Erin has come full circle to give her clients a fresh approach in a new market.

ErinKeating-Dewald.skbk.com downtownpublications.com

248-259-3544 DOWNTOWN

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Bloomfield Hills okays political signs In time for the November general election, commissioners from Bloomfield Hills unanimously voted August 14 to adopt a proposed political sign ordinance which took effect immediately.

The approved ordinance serves as the city's first political sign ordinance.

The goal is to provide regulation regarding the orderly placement, display and removal of signs.

To comply, signs advocating a candidate, party or proposition should not exceed four square feet (with a maximum of two faces), and should not exceed three feet in residential areas and six feet in non-residential areas of the city. Illuminated signs in residential and non-residential areas are also prohibited.

Signs are prohibited in the median on Woodward Avenue and must remain at least 20 feet from any curb so as to not constitute a traffic hazard, including signs being fixed to a pole or tree within 20 feet of the

downtownpublications.com

curb. Mayor Sarah McClure said these regulations will help reduce clutter and improve visibility from the road.

Other regulations state the sign may not be placed on any city-owned properties or public right-of-way.

Lastly, signs must be taken down five business days after the election or an event takes place, unless the candidate was elected in the August primary and is running in the November election, in which case they may keep their sign up through November.

Signs of candidates who were not elected in this past August primary have already been taken down by the city.

At the August 14 city commission meeting, McClure said political sign compliance has not been a huge issue but it is an increasing one. She said she had recently seen areas with 20 to 30 different political signs.

Commission members added that residents have been respectful and it has not been a problem in residential areas. Other suggestions from the audience and city staff members

were not considered because they potentially violated freedom of speech rights.

Public safety chief Richard Matott asked for clarification on whether to cite a member of the political party or owner of the property if a sign is left up after five business days. McClure said the signs will probably just be taken down but situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Public safety open house to return Bloomfield Hills will restore its public safety open house at 45 East Long Lake Road for the first time in three years on Saturday, September 8.

Mayor Sarah McClure said that in a survey taken this spring, public safety education and enhanced community involvement were a few of the areas Bloomfield Hills residents indicated they would like to see improved.

“This afternoon of public safety will do all of those things,” she said.

According to McClure, the public safety department, comprising a

DOWNTOWN

combined police and fire department, used to host open houses a number of years ago but eliminated them because of financial constraints. “We felt this year we wanted to bring it back,” she said.

The event will offer fire station tours, real life scenarios and other educational activities to give children instruction on how to handle an emergency situation. Bloomfield Hills officers will be present to teach preventative measures and standard firefighting procedures. Officers will also lead hands-on situations like entering a mock smoke-filled room and sitting in a firetruck.

“It should be a nice event and there will be free hot dogs, food and drinks,” McClure said. With a tight city budget, the support and donations of many sponsors, like Northern Trust Bank in Bloomfield Hills and Templeton Building Company in Birmingham, will allow the event to take place for the first time in years.

Police Chief Richard Matott made the announcement at the Bloomfield Hills City Commission meeting on Tuesday, August 14.

55

Bloomfield

$1,300,000

West Bloomfield

$1,500,000

Magnificent 5,616 sq.ft. estate on 2 acres w/ manicured grounds & complete privacy. Ideal for entertaining! Majestic evergreen & pergola gardens & flowering trees. Kitchen with high end appliances, 3 bedrooms, (4th possible), hand-painted glazed walls, designer fixtures, sinks, tub, & lighting. Master suite, 1,000+ sq. ft., his/hers bathrooms, huge walk-in closet, coffee station, & sauna. Lake Privileges, Chalmers Lake. Bloomfield Hills schools.

212053488

Extraordinary one of a kind contemporary masterpiece! Private lakefront setting with over 350’ of water on 2 sides & views for all seasons. Tranquility & nature surround this open & spacious home.

Dramatic floor plan w/ soaring ceilings is great for entertaining, party for over 100 or dine for 50. Gracious master retreat, bedrooms with baths and separate apartment suite. Finished walkout, bar, spa room. Enjoy lakefront living!

212070483

Birmingham

Bloomfield

$1,275,000

Exceptional quality with incredible kitchen with stainless appl, granite counters, large breakfast room open to family room. Great flow for entertaining with high ceilings, hardwood floors, 3 fireplaces, custom trim & more. 5200 sq.ft, 4 bed, 3 1/2 baths w/ luxurious master that will take your breath away. Great location across from park & huge backyard. Just a short walk to town. 212080155

$1,650,000

Breathtaking newer construction located on a private cul-de-sac on spectacular island. 3 million to build. Custom Millwork, arched entry’s, gleaming hardwood floors & dramatic ceilings. Cherry staircase, premium kit cabinetry, granite counters & panoramic views of the lake. 2 master suites up & down, upper sitting room, Jack & Jill private suite. Finished walk-out prepped for kit, stone floors, wine cellar & full bath.

212081420

Max Broock Realtors Bloomfield Hills

Bingham Farms

$1,250,000

West Bloomfield

$1,350,000

This New England classic sits on 1.6 acres with Nantucket charm, wrap around veranda, widows peak, turret, copper gutters, 5,996 sqft, 5 bedrooms, 4 FL BTH, 2 HLF BTH, media room, 3 fireplaces 3 car garage, finished 3rd floor, stainless appliances, new roof in 2012, Birmingham Schools, seller is agent.

212036068

All sports Pine lakefront! Private lot, treed on both sides. Classic New England style, over 5,100 sq.ft. of living space. Two story foyer, marble & hardwood floors, crown moldings. Wonderful year round Florida room adjacent to kitchen. Finished walkout features handsome solid oak bar, sauna, recreation room, 5th bedroom & 2nd kitchen. 3 decks & hot tub overlooking lake. 4 car garage.

Bloomfield Hills schools!

212064962

Bloomfield

West Bloomfield

$1,750,000

Gated Heron Bay, 1.26 acres, private cul-de-sac. 7,000 sq.ft, 3 levels of glass facing 194’, all sports Upper Long Lake. Master ste w/ private deck & glass railing, marble bath. Plantation shutters, central vac, 2nd floor laundry. Corian kitchen, Sub Zero, Jenn Air appl. Library features custom built-ins. Indoor pool w/ waterfall, hot tub, sauna, stone work. Exercise room. Generator. Brick paver patio. An entertainers dream!

212078174

$1,199,000

Tobocman’s finest on spectacular Walnut Lk. Panoramic views overlooking the bay from almost every rm. High ceilings w/ flr to ceiling glass, incredible architectural detail. Custom built-ins & a 1st flr of endless silver Travertine slabs. Granite & Oak kitch, 2 Sub Zero’s, custom fixtures & impeccable condition. Dramatic grt rm/din rm w/ stnless fireplace & buffet. Elegant mstr ste, marble bths & amazing closets. A true masterpiece!

212083548

Proudly serving Michigan since 1895 4120 Telegraph Road I Bloomfield Hills, MI I 48302

(248) 644 - 4700

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58

4)837/)=

DOWNTOWN

09.12

EDUCATION School building deal falls through A proposed deal to sell the Birmingham Public Schools administrative building at 550 W. Merrill in Birmingham fell through at the end of the due diligence period, according to Birmingham Schools spokesperson Marcia Wilkinson.

The proposed sale of the administration building, for $2.05 million, had been to the Troy law firm Weber Olcese. Wilkinson said she did not have information as to why they did not complete the purchase of the building, and assistant superintendent for business services Debbie Piesz could not be reached for comment.

Birmingham Public Schools has been trying to sell the administration building on W. Merrill at Southfield Road for several years in an attempt to consolidate their administrative services and space into academic buildings, most notably into the Birmingham Conference Center on the Groves High School campus. They have had several offers which have not come to completion. Purchase prices have ranged from $1.8 million to $2.5 million.

Four candidates vying for two seats Four members of the Birmingham Public Schools' community have filed to run for two open seats on the district's board of trustee in November.

Board members Geri Rinschler and Michael Fenberg terms are expiring, and both have filed to run again to serve the district. They are facing competition from candidates Mary Katherine Blake and John Connelly.

Connelly ran unsuccessfully for a school board seat two years ago.

Rinschler is completing her fourth four-year term as a school board member, and Fenberg is finishing his second term.

“I am still passionate about volunteering for my community and school board,” Rinschler said. “I was part of the team that just hired our new superintendent, Dr. Nerad, and his philosophy is very much in line with mine, which is to get the community engaged.”

Birmingham Public Schools has more than 8,200 students in the district, with two high schools, Groves and Seaholm; an alternative high school, Lincoln Street Alternative High; two middle schools, Derby and downtownpublications.com

Berkshire; and a districtwide 3-8 grade school at Covington; eight elementary schools; and an early childhood center.

Six seeking three school board seats Six candidates have filed for three open Bloomfield Hills School Board seats in the November 6 general election.

Incumbents Ingrid Day, Robert Herner, and Joan Berendt have all filed to run for re-election as school board members. In addition, W.F. Wolgls and Jenny Greenwell, of Bloomfield Hills, and Howard Baron, a Bloomfield Township resident, have also filed to run for a seat on the school board.

Two of the three seats, those currently held by Day and Herner, are six-year terms. Day, Baron, and Wolgls have filed run for those two seats.

Berendt was appointed in 2011 until the next general election to fill former board member Kate Petterson's seat, which expires in 2014. Berendt, Herner and Greenwell have filed to run for the two-year term.

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59

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Bloomfield Hills $2,699,000 Fabulous custom designed French Country Classic on North course of Oakland Hills Country Club. Views of golf course from almost every window.

First floor master suite. Bonus/exercise room over garage and bedroom suite in finished lower level. Custom built lower level features wine cellar and tasting room, fireplace, stone floors and entertainment area. Five bedrooms with 4.3 baths. 212078802.

Oakland Township $1,375,000 Private gated community of newer estate homes. Completely updated in last few years. Spacious and open floor plan. Beautiful first floor master suite.

Finished lower level walkout includes kitchen and bedroom suite. Home sits on 1.74 acres with large private backyard. Extensive stone landscaping surrounds lovely pool. Six bedrooms with 5.2 baths. 212084777.

Ronni Keating and Erin Keating DeWald

SKBK Sotheby’s International Realty skbk.com

Birmingham, Michigan

248.644.7000 Equal Housing Opportunity

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Birmingham $3,275,000 Stunning custom in-town residence is the epitome of style and sophistication. Offering over 9,000 square footage of functional living space with details that exceed expectations. Sumptuous master suite, gourmet kitchen (as featured in a national publication as a "dream kitchen") finished lower level, elevator and loft space. Four Bedrooms with 5.2 baths. 212001452

Bloomfield Hills $875,000

Birmingham $581,000

Wonderful opportunity to own a PRIME piece of land in the HEART of the City of Bloomfield Hills. This lot is beautiful! Lots of trees, on 2.53 acres, give it a very "tucked away" feeling. What a fantastic site to build your dream home! 212017698

High style, open, flexible floor plan are just a few of the key features of this home. Located on an extra large lot, this home is fantastic! Gourmet kitchen with all the bells and whistles, Viking and Subzero. Custom cherry and limestone fireplace, hardwoods and great lighting. Yard is fenced and private. Two car attached garage, a RARE find for an in-town residence.

Five bedrooms with four baths. 212079280.

Sara Lipnitz

SKBK Sotheby’s International Realty skbk.com Equal Housing Opportunity

Birmingham, Michigan

248.644.7000

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Oakland Township $990,000 Beautifully tucked away Moceri custom built Colonial on private cul-de-sac that has it all! Very spacious, well done in every way. Grand foyer, two story living and great rooms, first floor master, fully finished walkout with second kitchen and recreation areas. This premium setting includes an in-ground pool, water features, pond, woods and peaceful vistas. This is a very special and elegant property in one of Oakland Township's celebrated neighborhoods. Builders own home. Four bedrooms with 4.2 baths. 212054779

Washington Township $850,000

Birmingham $215,000

Beautifully tucked away on over 2.5 acres Cul-de-sac lot. Updated throughout with impeccable taste. Open kitchen to great room with granite counters and top-of-the-line appliances. Brazilian Mahogany hardwood floors. Finished walkout with kitchen. Fabulous yard with in-ground salt water pool and 1,000 sq ft pool house with heat, gas fireplace, bar and bath. Cabana wired for TV, hot tub, waterfall and fire pit. Four car detached garage in addition to the two car attached. Six bedrooms with 3.2 baths. 212057949

Charming Ranch with a fabulous great room addition with sky lights, surround sound and beautiful fireplace. Newer hardwood floors and newer Anderson windows. Spacious kitchen with stainless appliances.

Neutral decor and move-in ready! Large fenced back yard with patio.

Ample attic storage space. Updated 150 AMPS electrical. Attached garage with additional attic space and breezeway. Three bedrooms with one bath.

212074947

Mike Cotter & Paula Law

SKBK Sotheby’s International Realty skbk.com

Birmingham, Michigan

248.644.7000 Equal Housing Opportunity

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Birmingham $1,350,000 Stunning home adorned with all of the finest finishes and materials. Grand two story limestone foyer opens to walnut floors throughout. Flowing first floor features John Morgan kitchen with double islands, enormous family room with custom built ins, elegant formal dining and living rooms. Finished daylight 2400 sq ft lower level with full bath and additional bedroom. Four bedrooms with 4.2 baths.. 212080247

Bloomfield $1,199,000 Don't miss this opportunity on this impeccably detailed designer's home. Function and beauty abound in this hill top masterpiece! Brazilian Teak hardwood floors, chef 's kitchen, sun filled breakfast nook and three fireplaces. Custom ceilings, iron staircase and built ins throughout. Master retreat with fireplace, claw foot tub, steam shower and custom closet all set on a wooded, private lot. Four bedrooms with 3.2 baths.

Renee Lossia Acho

SKBK Sotheby’s International Realty skbk.com Equal Housing Opportunity

Birmingham, Michigan

248.644.7000

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Bloomfield $3,200,000 Exquisite Bloomfield Estate built by artisans from around the world. This estate home is situated on over 1.2 acres with a walkout setting. Stunning manicured grounds. The first floor has second kitchen, dining and family rooms, billiards room, sauna, steam shower, full service bar, elevator and gym.

Five fireplaces. Six car garage. A very special home. Five bedrooms with 6.1 baths. 212065164

Bloomfield Hills $2,995,000

Birmingham $1,375,000

Elegant Bloomfield Hills Estate Home on over two manicured acres. This beautifully update home offers a grand entrance with marble flooring, four well appointed bedroom suites including master with marble bath and fireplace, large formal dining room and four car garage. Hardwood flooring throughout first floor. Finished lower with theater, bar and family room. Bonus third level! Also for Lease. Four bedrooms with 6.1 baths.

212022826

Spectacular condo at Birmingham's Waterfall Hill. Sophisticated home features open floor plan with hardwood floors throughout, large floor to ceiling windows, with lots of natural light. Architecture is conducive to either contemporary or traditional lifestyles. First floor master with spa bath, and two walk in closets. Granite kitchen with top of line appliance.

Finished with the highest quality materials. Three bedrooms with 3.1 baths. 212082985

Cindy Obron Kahn

SKBK Sotheby’s International Realty skbk.com

Birmingham, Michigan

248.644.7000 Equal Housing Opportunity

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Echo Township $2,995,000 Magnificent Northern Michigan Equestrian Estate, inspired Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Waters. The main residence consists of three levels, 5,000 sq ft of exquisite finishes featuring slate and wood floors, maple and cherry, fireplaces, waterfall with wall to wall circulating stream. State of the art nine stall stable with indoor arena, 3,000 feet of high end stable residence, private lake, "upscale cabin in the woods" for guests, car collectors garage. Spectcular 140 acres! Eight bedrooms with 8.2 baths. 212002561

Elba Township $1,161,000 Spectacular Country Estate Schooltz Custom Designed home on 124 beautiful acres with trails, river and covered bridge. Chef 's kitchen with keeping room, high end finishes and fireplace. Designer perfect great room with fireplace. Second kitchen and bedroom in walk out lower level with game room and family room. Generator, newer five stall horse barn and two pole barns. Five bedrooms with 5.1 baths. 212032928

David Busch

SKBK Sotheby’s International Realty skbk.com Equal Housing Opportunity

Birmingham, Michigan

248.644.7000

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Bloomfield $2,500,000 A truly distinctive residence designed by Dominick Tringali and constructed with great care by Kellett Construction. Situated on a picturesque 1.89 acre cul-de-sac parcel accented by the Rouge River; this five bedroom, six bathroom French manor home encompasses over 8500 square feet of living space on three above grade levels. Exquisite finishes include; mahogany library, first floor master suite, exercise room, hearth room, two kitchens, two bonus rooms, four car garage, blue stone terrace and screened porch. Many more amenities await your enjoyment. 212035436 Presented by Darlene Jackson

Lake Angelus Frontage $1,899,900 Fabulous views from every room from this beautiful hidden gem on the South Shore with 100' + lake frontage. This newer construction has almost 7,000 sq ft of living space. Finished walk out with 13' ceilings. Full deck and patio across the lake side of home. Sandy frontage with permanent dock to park all of your toys. Six bedrooms with 5.2 baths. 212050522. Presented by Lee Embrey

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Oakland Township $509,000 Well maintained home surrounded by gardens and trees features an open and spacious floor plan. The abundance of hardwood flooring, floor, wall and crown moldings along with cherry kitchen cabinets and granite counter tops makes this home very warm and inviting. The master suite with tray ceiling and bayed sitting room makes for a wonderful retreat. The lower level is beautifully finished with a wet bar, full bath and cedar closet. Four bedrooms with 3.1 baths. 212080489. Presented by Tony & Lisa Scaccia

Franklin Village $389,000

Farmington Hills $349,900

This home has been completely updated! With just over 2700 sq ft of living space on over a 1/2 acre of property is a decorators show piece. Hardwood floors throughout, updated kitchen, master bedroom with vaulted ceilings and en suite bath, large family room/great room with a walkout to the backyard, office/study and much more to list. Three bedrooms with 2.1 baths. 212086833. Presented by Dan Gutfreund

The epitome of a family home! Situated on a large lot deep within Independence Hills this home offers a main floor office/den, laundry, formal dining room and large family room with stone fireplace off kitchen. Large updated kitchen with granite counters and breakfast area with door walls to patio. Four bedrooms with 2.1 baths. 212083666.

Presented by Chris Johnson & Bill Tracy

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

Magnificent 1.4 Acres BLOOMFIELD Gracious custom home in sought after Chelmsleigh. Two first floor masters.

Nanny's suite. Unfinished bonus space offers 2,000 additional sq ft. Lower level walkout with sauna, library and kitchen.

Four bedrooms with 4.3 baths. 212067636. $895,000. Maureen Francis

Hummer Lake Frontage BRANDON TOWNSHIP Enjoy you own private fishing and golf on a 42 acre retreat. Brick two level Ranch with 5500 sq ft including a private guest wing.

Twelve acre private lake and two par three golf holes. 30 x 50 pole barn. Five bedroom with 4.2 baths. 212065181 $749,000. Bev McCotter

West Beverly Charmer BEVERLY HILLS VILLAGE Classic Mid-Century Brick and Aluminum home. Family room off eat-in kitchen with granite countertop. Partially finished basement, hardwood floors, wet plaster.

Door from family room to rear patio, lovely garden, mature trees. Four bedrooms with 2.1 baths. 212071237. $312,000. Kathy Smith

Wabeek Golf Course BLOOMFIELD Beautiful soft Contemporary Condo.

Located on the 12th fairway with panoramic views of three other fairways.

Meticulously maintained and updated.

Three decks overlooking golf course.

Three bedrooms with 2.1 baths.

212077596. $299,000. Chris Johnson & Bill Tracy

Executive Condo FARMINGTON HILLS Free standing condo in sought after Essex Club. Beautifully maintained with granite kitchen, newer stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, full basement ready to finish. Master bedroom suite with jetted tub and separate shower.

Three bedrooms with 2.1 baths.

212081241. $249,500. Michelle Yurich

In Town Ranch ROCHESTER Featuring a large kitchen with plenty of space for family dining. Master bedroom with lots of closet space and private bath.

Freshly painted and carpeted.

Professionally landscaped with paver walkway. Three bedrooms with two baths.

212080608. $179,000.

Chris Johnson

Outstanding Home OAKLAND TOWNSHIP Situated on a hilly wooded 5.94 acres lot close to Paint Creek and Rochester. Two story great room with fieldstone fireplace.

Expansive first floor master. Kitchen with top of the line appliances and formal dining room. Five bedrooms with 3.2 baths.

212049589. $849,900. Jim Casey

Pristinely Maintained BLOOMFIELD Wonderful Bloomfield Village Colonial.

Formal living room with fireplace opens to dining room. Nice and bright kitchen with greenhouse window. Numerous perennials. Partially finished basement.

Three bedrooms with 2.1 baths 212078572. $429,000. Bev Napier

Lake Front Living WEST BLOOMFIELD Wonderful family home with panoramic view of Woodpecker Lake. Large kitchen and breakfast room open to family room with brick hearth and natural fireplace.

Lower level walkout. Four bedrooms with 2.1 baths. 212082476. $309,900.

Ann Greenberg

Reduced Price BEVERLY HILLS VILLAGE Spacious kitchen with breakfast area, large living room with sliding glass to private side deck. Raised dining room with sliding glass to screened porch, family room with new carpet, fireplace and sliding glass to secluded patio. Five bedrooms with 2.1 baths. 212084583. $265,000.

Kris Barich & Molly Henneghan

Perfect Condition BLOOMFIELD Beautiful Townhouse in Foxcroft. One and half story open family room with skylights.

Updated kitchen with breakfast area.

Partially finished lower level with office area. Thee bedrooms with 2.1 baths.

212074968. $182,000.

Kelly & Gerald Etue

Immaculate BERKLEY Incredible home on wonderful block with great schools and parks close by.

Beautiful renovated kitchen and updated bath. Hardwood floors and fresh paint throughout. Three bedrooms with 3.1 baths. 212081281. $165,000.

Joanne McGuire

BLACK BOOK OF NON-PROFITS 2012-2013 EDITION PUBLISHED FALL 2012

BLACK BLACK

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For More Information: Kliger Consulting Group 2006 Hazel Street Birmingham, MI In the Rail District 248 914 7011 pkliger@kligergroup.com DOWNTOWN

69

Birmingham, Michigan | 248.644.7000 | skbk.com

IT’S A SELLER'S MARKET The Real Estate market has improved significantly over the last year. Oakland County is up almost 20% in value. So NOW is the perfect time if you are considering selling, as Inventory is low and Buyer's are looking now at an all time high! So, while opportunity is knocking at your door, please call Michael Sbrocca, your area expert for a no obligation market analysis of your home today!

Michael Sbrocca

248.709.9119 msbrocca@skbk.com

Birmingham

Bloomfield Village

Royal Oak

Bloomfield Hills

Signature Tudor 4 BR, 3.1 BA. $1,289,900

Stately Colonial 4 BR, 2.1 BA. $530,000

Newly Remodeled Townhouse, Hardwood Floors, Great Finished LL, Private Patio, 2 BR, 1.1 BA. 212084306 $139,900

Custom Built 1.71 Acres, 2 Story Foyer, Walk Out LL, 3 Car Garage Birmingham Schools, 4 BR, 2.2 BA. $579,000

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BirminghamFarmersMarket.org Located on N. Old Woodward just north of Booth Park. deals

70

DOWNTOWN

09.12

FACES Danielle Ryan

S

ince she was a young girl, Danielle Ryan grew up watching the Oscars and the Golden Globe Awards wearing a tiara. Today, at 23, she is the weekly host, production manager and talent coordinator for YOBI.tv, an online-based reality contest network, which shares similarities with shows like American Idol and the X Factor but is unparalleled in the sense that viewers, as opposed to a panel, judge the contestants’ original work.

“Growing up, I was always older than my age. Even though I was three, I always wanted my nails painted,” she said. One way Ryan expressed her maturity was by taking on her first role with YOBI.tv while still in high school at Detroit Country Day School, and balancing the job throughout college at Michigan State University.

Traveling to Los Angeles for business meetings every spring break and many long weekends required a great deal of organizational skills and attention to detail for the working college student.

“Before MSU, I planned out my classes for every semester including summer for all four years of college. Most people don't even have their major picked until junior year,” she said.

Having already mastered her role as the weekly host, she soon discovered she thrived behind the scenes. “I'm a little camera shy at times but as I've been here longer I've taken on more roles.”

Currently working in the production department, she manages YOBI.tv's five categories of singing, filmmaking, comedy, photography, and acting.

From user-generated content to the convenience of modern technology, Ryan explained why the concept is so revolutionary to the entertainment industry. “Unlike American Idol, no one is eliminated until the very last episode, so everyone gets to know them instead of being kicked off,” she said. “It's all untapped talent, not just people who are good at doing remakes.”

Since Ryan has been involved with YOBI.tv, she has had the opportunity to see the network and its programming evolve. “In the beginning, the winners got to go to the Grammy's, but we realized that wasn't helping further their career.” With Ryan's help, YOBI.tv incorporated another innovative aspect that gives winners exposure through a web series as well as experience by working as part of the crew.

Ryan has had the opportunity to work closely with Audrina Patridge from The Hills and Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino from Jersey Shore as weekly hosts, but the business aspect is what thrills her the most.

“It's exciting, but I don't get caught up in the glamour,” she said. “I'm fascinated by their popularity and enjoy getting to know them in person rather than from stories online.”

She feels extremely lucky to have been raised by such a supportive family who instilled in her the importance of giving back to the community through volunteering. “My mom is the greatest example of a women who can run a business and be the best mom in the world at the same time.”

She created One Village One World in 2005, to support the end of global poverty. Jeremy Sumpter from Friday Night Lights and Peter Pan works with her as her celebrity spokesperson.

Filming all over downtown Birmingham, from restaurants and local landmarks to her alma mater Detroit Country Day School, have helped the area native stay closely connected to her hometown.

Professional success with YOBI.tv and health for herself, family and friends are her personal definition of happiness. “I wouldn't put it past myself or my mom to do another business venture.

She's an entrepreneur and I would like to see if I have any tricks up my sleeve.”

Story: Hayley Beitman

Photo: Laurie Tennent

FARMINGTON HILLS

BLOOMFIELD TWP

FRANKLIN

LIVONIA

Very nice sprawling ranch on ½ acre lot.

Great large rooms throughout and many with hardwood floors. Updated kitchen, bath, windows, doors, furnace.

212065144. $149,900

Rare and beautiful sprawling ranch home in desirable Bloomfield. Remodeled in “2000” with new kitchen in “2011”. Open layout with 4 fireplaces. 212070793. $739,900

Nestled in a beautiful 1.5 acres in wooded area of Franklin Village.

Fantastic marble foyer, hardwood floors, lots of natural light. 2 sided fireplace graces kitchen and Great Room. $699,000

Wonderful family home with loads of updates! Generous room sizes with updated kitchen and baths. Home Warranty. This is a must see! 212048937. $179,500

FARMINGTON HILLS

CLARKSTON

TROY

OCEOLA TWP

Look no further…your new home is here.

A short walk to the pool, golf course and tennis courts! Beautiful private patio, huge walk in master closet. Tandem 2 car attached garage. 212069558. $129,000

Glistening 70’ sand beach frontage and sand lake bottom on all sports Greens Lake. Spectacular sunsets! Decking on 2 sides of home. Clarkston schools.

212062196. $329,500

Beautiful West Troy colonial nestled at the end of a quiet court. This home has a brick paver driveway and winding walks, a gazebo and deck overlooking a large yard. 212071792. $425,000

Great home, like new condition. Large 1795 sq ft split level with bright vaulted living room, large family room. Ready to move in. 212070598. $174,900

FARMINGTON HILLS

WEST BLOOMFIELD TWP.

ROSE TWP.

FARMINGTON HILLS

Truly a storybook setting beyond compare! Gorgeous 2.6 acre treed and open lot with 2 running streams that offer pure tranquility. 3 car garage with loft.

212058267. $189,000

Impressive home, outstanding features on lovely half acre. Newer roof, roll out windows, hardwood floors, 4 season sun room. Warm and gracious.

212079552. $169,900

Bring the horses! Roof for 6. Horse barn, stalls, storage for 600 bales of hay, tack+feed room, electricity plus water. 4 electrified pastures, riding arena. Zoned agricultural w/animals. 212049937. $200,000

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Business Educational Symposium “How To Work Smarter” Thursday, October 25, 2012 7:30am-1:30pm Presenting Sponsor

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EVERYTHING WIRELESS/INTERNET

Moderator: Mary Ann Peters p ADAPTING TO CHANGE Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel p EXPANDING YOUR BRAND Get Ahead by Getting Known p HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF Northwestern Mutual Financial Network p CLOSING THE SALE Sandler Training

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Symposium held at TCH: 380 South Bates Street, Birmingham 248.644.5832 74

DOWNTOWN

09.12

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

220: American. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 220 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.2150.

Andiamo: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.865.9300.

Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield township, 48304.

248.499.6867.

Barrio Tacos & Tequila: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 203 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.6060.

Beau Jacks: American. Lunch, MondaySaturday; Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 4108 W. Maple, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630.

Bella Piatti: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 167 Townsend, Birmingham, 48009.

248.494.7110.

Beyond Juice: Contemporary. Breakfast & Lunch daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

No reservations. 270 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.594.7078.

Big Boy: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.642.0717.

Big Rock Chophouse: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor.

245 South Eaton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.7774.

Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.8880.

Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.645.6879.

Brooklyn Pizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.258.6690.

Cafe Via: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 310 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.8800 Cameron’s Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.723.1700.

Chen Chow Brasserie: Japanese. Dinner,

The Birmingham/Bloomfield area is home to discriminating diners and an array of dining establishments.

“neighborhood favorite” - Zagat

Award of Excellence Wine Spectator 2012

daily. Reservations. Liquor. 260 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.594.2469.

China Village: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 1655 Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.758.1221.

Churchill's Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555.

Cityscape Deli: Deli. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Beer.

877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220.

Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.9766.

Cosi: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 101 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.9200.

Deli Unique of Bloomfield Hills: Deli.

Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 39495 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.7923.

Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.642.1135.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 176 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.9888. Also 4089 West

THE RESERVE AT BIG ROCK CHOPHOUSE PRESENTS ITS SEPTEMBER WINE DINNER FEATURING PAUL HOBBS WINERY WITH SPECIAL GUEST MATT HOBBS

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Contact Jill Cesarz for advertising rate information.

O: 248.792.6464 Ext. 600 C: 248.860.8414 JillCesarz@downtownpublications.com

273 Pierce Downtown Birmingham 248.645.9123

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 | 6:30 p.m.

Passed apps upon arrival Crossbarn 2009 Chardonnay, Russian River Crossbarn 2010 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast First Course Blackened Scallops Soft Lobster Polenta, Poached Oyster- Kohlrabi Slaw Paul Hobbs 2009 Chardonnay, Russian River Paul Hobbs 2009 Chardonnay Richard Dinner, Russian River Second Course Duck Confit Roasted Peaches, Cipollini Onions, Brussels Sprouts, Champagne Vinaigrette Paul Hobbs 2010 Pinot Noir, Russian River Paul Hobbs 2010 Pinot Noir, Ulises Valdez, Russian River Main Course Veal Loin Smoked Fingerling Salad, Asparagus Custard, Natural Reduction Crossbarn 2009 Cabernet, Napa Valley Paul Hobbs 2009 Cabernet, Napa Valley Dessert Course Prickly Pear Sorbet, Mango Crema, Coconut Almond Streusel Coffee Service Price is $95 inclusive of tax, tip and valet. Reservations required as space is limited.

For more information or to make reservations, call 248.647.7774.

325 SOUTH ETON STREET, BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009

www.streetsideseafood.com downtownpublications.com

Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.258.9939.

Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2420.

Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033.

Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134.

Forest Grill: American. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9400.

Fox Grill: American. Lunch, Monday through Friday; Dinner, daily. Sunday brunch. Reservations. Liquor. 39556 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304. 248.792.6109.

Fuddrucker’s: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Beer & wine.

42757 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.333.2400.

Greek Island Coney Restaurant: Greek.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.1222.

Hogan’s Restaurant: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6450

DOWNTOWN

77

FOCUS ON WINE Developing a winemaker’s palate

By Eleanor and Ray Heald

W

inemaker Matt Smith carries the title Director of Winemaking at Kendall-Jackson Estates. He is responsible for all wines produced in a claret (Bordeaux shaped) bottle which include sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, zinfandel, and red wine blends – enormous responsibility for a 44-year-old who at the beginning of this century was perfecting his French language skills!

Smith was raised in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1990 from the University of Michigan with majors in French Language and Political Science. He spent an undergraduate year abroad at the Université de la Sorbonne in Paris, France and worked as a tour guide.

Eleven years later (2001), after traveling the world and eventually working in California, Smith became acquainted with a winemaker and decided he too wanted to make wine. That’s when he enrolled in a graduate program for Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis.

After earning his degree in 2003, his passion for travel took him first to Burgundy, where he worked in the cellars at Maison Joseph Drouhin, then on to Australia, working as assistant winemaker for Mitchelton Wines in the Province of Victoria.

These winemaking experiences helped Smith develop his palate, passion and expertise to start his California winemaking career at Kendall-Jackson in 2004. He applies small lot fermentation techniques, learned at Joseph Drouhin, when fermenting Bordeaux-style wines at Kendall-Jackson.

From his Burgundy experience he also learned the importance of tasting each fermentation tank every single day. He explains that the taste helps him to guide the progress of each tank during fermentation.

Currently, Smith works with grapes grown in K-J’s mountain vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties. We tasted some wines with Smith at The Reserve in Birmingham.

2010 Kendall-Jackson Avant Chardonnay $30, is minimally oaked in an effort to appeal to consumers seeking a fresh, fruit-driven chardonnay rather than a buttery, barrel fermented wine. It is 54 percent stainless steel fermented and 46 percent fermented in neutral oak barrels to preserve its pure fruit flavors of crisp lime and green apple.

2009 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc $37, produced from grapes grown in a single vineyard in Mendocino County overlooking the Russian River. The wine presents a unique minerality with a touch of grass and green pea in balance with guava and mango.

2009 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay $37, from fruit grown in Santa Barbara and Monterey Counties. It represents the top three percent of K-J’s quality tier. “Over time we have identified those vineyard parcels that earn the right to be in the Grand Reserve,” Smith explains. The juice from selected aromatic clones is fermented in 30 percent

Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.626.1800.

Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111.

Hunter House Hamburgers: American.

Breakfast, Monday-Saturday; Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.7121.

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American.

78

new French oak, stirred on the fine yeast lees every week to broaden the palate impression.

2009 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Merlot $46, is produced from four high elevation vineyards located in Sonoma County, Bennett Valley, Los Carneros, and Napa’s Howell Mountain. This 100 percent merlot has defined structure and firm tannins that set it apart from most merlots.

2007 Kendall-Jackson Highland Estates Hawkeye Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $52. The Highland Estates wines showcase fruit grown on mountains, ridges, hillsides and benchlands in cool coastal California vineyards and is all about terroir. The Hawkeye Mountain vineyard reaches elevations of 900-2,200 feet above sea level.

The shallow, rocky soils reduce vine vigor and berry size, which enhance flavor concentration and color depth. Aged 20 months in 65 percent new French oak barrels, the wine shows deep black cherry, cassis and red currant flavors.

Best wines to ease into autumn Appley notes make chardonnay appealing in autumn.

2010 Franciscan Napa Valley Chardonnay $19 – value!

2010 Frei Brothers Russian River Valley $20 – green apple flavors 2011 Morgan Metallico $21 - unoaked 2010 Wild Horse Unbridled $24 – minerally 2010 J. Lohr Arroyo Vista $25 – rich 2010 William Hill Napa Valley $25 – oaky 2009 Rock Wall Reserve $35 – toasty oak 2010 Franciscan Cuvée Sauvage $40 – top tier 2010 Chalk Hill Estate $48 – full, generous, powerful yet elegant It’s an “r” month. Think oysters with sauvignon blanc.

2011 Dry Creek $16 2011 Gary Farrell $25 Think out of the box.

2011 Big House White $10 (blend of aromatic whites) 2010 Prelius Vermentino $15 Most versatile pinot noir.

2010 Bogle $11 2010 Clifford Bay $15 2010 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve $19 2009 Wente Reliz Creek $25 2008 MacRostie Wildcat Mountain $40 2009 La Rochelle Dutton Ranch $48 Tantalizing reds – flavorful with barbecued meats.

2010 Lost Angel Cabernet Sauvignon $10 – real deal 2010 Ravenswood Napa County Old Vine Zinfandel $16 2009 Nozzzole Chianti Classico $20 2008 Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva $24 2008 Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon $25 2009 Dry Creek Old Vine Zinfandel $30 Eleanor & Ray Heald have contributed to numerous international publications including the Quarterly Review of Wines. Contact them by email at focusonwine@aol.com.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 201 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.594.4369.

IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. 248.333.7522.

Kerby’s Koney Island: American.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.333.1166.

La Marsa: Mediterranean. Lunch & dinner daily. Reservations. 43259 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, 48302, 248.858.5800.

Leo’s Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.9707.

Also 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.646.8568.

Little Daddy’s Parthenon: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No

DOWNTOWN

reservations. 39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.647.3400.

Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily; Late Night, 9 p.m.-closing.

No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.6051.

Max & Erma’s: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 250 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.258.1188.

Mitchell’s Fish Market: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.3663.

Mountain King: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 469 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.2913.

New Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday; Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, daily. No reservations.

183 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2181.

Northern Lakes Seafood Co.: Seafood.

Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 39495 North Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.7900.

Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Also 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500.

Original Pancake House: American.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.642.5775.

Panera Bread: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 100 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.7966.

Also 2125 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.253.9877.

Peabody’s: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 34965 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.5222.

Phoenicia: Middle Eastern. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 588 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.3122.

Pita Cafe: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 239 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.6999.

Qdoba: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 795 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.988.8941.

Also 42967 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48304.

248.874.1876 Quiznos: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 185 N Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.540.7827.

Roadside B & G: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

1727 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7270.

Salvatore Scallopini: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977.

Sanders: American. Lunch, daily. No reservations. 167 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.3215.

Social Kitchen & Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations, parties of 5 or more. Liquor. 225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200.

09.12

Stacked Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Delivery available. No reservations. 233 North Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.5300.

Steve’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301.

248.932.0800.

Streetside Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.9123.

Sushi Hana: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.333.3887.

Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830.

Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American.

Dinner. Monday-Saturday. Sunday brunch. Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.731.7066.

The Corner Bar: American. Dinner.

Wednesday-Saturday.

Reservations.

Liquor.

100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2958.

The Gallery Restaurant: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.851.0313.

The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.858.7688.

The Rugby Grille: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor.

100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999.

Toast: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278.

Tokyo Sushi & Grill: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 225 E. Maple Rd., Birmingham, 48009.

248.258.6501.

Touch of India: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 297 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.7881.

Townhouse: American. Brunch, Saturday, Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 180 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.5241.

Village Coney Island: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

653 S. Adams.

Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7964.

What Crepe?: French. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday, Breakfast & Lunch, Sunday. No reservations. 172 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.5634.

Whistle Stop Cafe: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.5588.

Zazios: Italian. Dinner daily. Reservations.

Liquor.

34977 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, 48009.

Phone: 248.530.6400.

Zumba Mexican Grille: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, Daily. No Reservations. 163 W. Maple Rd., Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.2775.

AT THE TABLE Rick Halberg opens Local Kitchen & Bar in Ferndale

By Eleanor Heald

R

the French Canadian dish made with fries, fresh cheese curds and gravy (in Local’s case, mushroom).

Burgers on a challah bun are comfort priced at $8.50 and can be upgraded with a farm egg, crispy smoked bacon, cheese, mushrooms or onions for a pittance extra.

The kitchen is run by a team of sous chefs, Ricky McCormick, formerly at Café Muse in Royal Oak, and Lawrence Lumetta from the Roberts Restaurant Group.

ick Halberg has been a celebrity chef in the Detroit metro area restaurant scene for more than three decades. Now, at age 63, he’s intent upon reaching out to urban clientele in his newly opened Ferndale Local Kitchen & Bar. Libations Halberg began his career in Aspen, Colo., then The reverse side of the menu includes a well-conTucson, Ariz., and Ann Arbor before his student years at ceived list of wines by the glass, principally well-priced the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY. After imports. A separate wine list has some enticing offerings, graduating in 1977, he returned to his native Michigan, many under $40. If you are a wine aficionado, you’ll make where he worked with the talented Yvonne Gill at Local your favorite wine bar – so many unique offerings, Tweeny’s and at the Holly Hotel before opening RIK’s (no domestic and imported. Try the Villa Rubini longer open) with Ira Mondry and the late Ken Fink.

Schioppettino, a red from Italy’s Friuli region, $28, with He founded the popular Emily’s in Northville in 1994. Pappardelle Bolognese, $15, or Bistro Steak, $17.

It closed in 2006. A short There are craft cockflirt with a storefront tails, beers by the bottle Tuscan-style carryout, and five Michigan-proTutto Bene, became a vicduced draft beers. Also on tim of the slumping econtap is M Lawrence omy the same year.

“Green” from Michigan’s Among other restaurant top bubble maker Larry endeavors, Halberg took a Mawby on the Leelanau position as director of Peninsula. culinary services at Comfort environs Hiller’s Markets and operA four-season patio ated Rick Halberg’s Home with a wood-burning fireCooking to Your Door. place is featured at the Early last month, he front of the restaurant. opened Local Kitchen There’s a small bar seatwith active partner Brian ing 16 and a community Siegel, also a partner in table where people can Joe Dumars’ Fieldhouse in choose to sit with others.

Shelby Township and After all, this is a commuthe Michigan State nity spot, rustic, comfortFairgrounds, Detroit. able, a mix of contempoSeveral silent partners are rary, classical and country backing Halberg’s new farm house in earth tones venture. with splashes of red and “The name Local,” blue.

Halberg says, speaks to Halberg faces the his “being all about the challenges of a small busicommunity. Ferndale has ness owner. Yet, he knows a broad, culturally diverse the adage: if you don’t population. From what change, you fall behind.

I’ve experienced, it’s a He is counting on interacmelting pot that has wel- Fried green tomatoes, baked mac & cheese, and bbq beef brisket sliders. tion with the broader comed me as part of the Downtown photo: Laurie Tennent Ferndale community as a business community.” major key to his success. “I want to make authentic conWell-crafted comfort food Current food trends revolve around sustainability, organic growing and local produce from area farms. Yet, pricing cuts into these, as people have become more price conscious. An expertly edited one-page menu does not over reach and matches Halberg’s mantra, “Life is short…eat real food.” And judging by Local’s sensible prices, this is possible.

The menu uses one-word categories: start ($6-10), bread ($8.50-12), green ($6-10), plate/bowl ($15-24 or market price) and side ($6-8). Be thankful that Local is not another menu using the French word entrée (dish served before the main course) when the desired meaning is main dish.

An interesting side from north of the border is poutine,

nections with people through food and service,” he concludes.

He already has a head full of ideas for the future: Sunday family style meals, a chef’s table in the kitchen and monthly wine dinners, the first on Thursday, September 20.

Local Kitchen & Bar, 344 W. Nine Mile Road (at Planavon), Ferndale. 248.291.5650. Dinner beginning at 5 p.m. daily. Reservations for six or more. Also 30-minute call ahead. Parking: street and metered public lot at rear of restaurant.

Eleanor Heald is a nationally published writer who also writes the wine column in a double byline with her husband Ray for Downtown. Suggestions for Quick Bites section can be e-mailed to QuickBites@downtownpublications.com.

John and Gayle Hannett John Hannett Gayle Hannett

248.939.3191 Email: galye1993@gmail.com Cell:

www.thehannetts.com

HWWB, Realtors®

880 S. Woodward Ave. Birmingham, MI 48009

HOMES OF QUALITY ARE OUR SPECIALTY

Awesome 6,065 Sq. Ft. 5 Bedroom Colonial In Bloomfield Village High quality renovation & expansion in 2003. Hardwood floors, crown moldings, gourmet kit w/ wolf gas range, sub zero, refrig drawers, wine cooler, fireplace, granite island, 24x20 solarium/fl rm off kit w/ black/white marble floor, walls of windows on 2 sides & trayed ceiling. Library w/ matched walnut panels. Huge master bathroom with marble bath/soaking tub, fp, marble shower, barrel ceiling. 30 foot long walk in closet. Finished LL. Generator. $1,495,000

Spectacular Private Setting With 386 ft of frontage on Forest Lake CC 2nd fairway giving a panoramic view of the course. Great remodel, 8000 sq ft, 40x40 kitchen/great rm open to each other w/ cath ceil, granite floors, 2 granite islands, 3 sides of windows to ceiling. Only 6 steps to br wing. MBR has his+hers bath, 17x13 WIC. 6 step down is large FR w/ wet bar, FP, large library w/ judges paneling, exer rm, WO, quality wood work. Beautiful swimming pool, landscaping etc. Great House! $2,190,000

Private Estate Living On Lake Angelus

Beautiful spring fed 470+ acre Lake Angelus is located just 18 minutes north of Birmingham. Designed by Bill Baldner of Clifford Wright Architects, this one of a kind custom built 10,000 sq. ft. home is on an 8 acre lake front estate where horses are permitted. Spectacular views of private Lake Angelus from high ground with over 250 ft. of lake frontage. First floor master bedroom, family room open to kitchen, floor to ceiling windows, fieldstone fireplace, hardwood floors, 3rd story cupola, 2 story 40’x10’ foyer, walk-out lower level with 40’ x 25’ finished recreation room, and a 4 1/2 car garage. Boat house with 2 bedroom apartment above -- much more -- fabulous! $2,975,000

Lower Long Lake Frontage 130 ft. of frontage on this magnificent soft rustic contemporary with elevated wooded setting and southern exposure offering spectacular lake views. Open flow for entertaining. Beautiful newer $150,000 kitchen, master bedroom with large walk-in closet jacuzzi, skylights, lots of western cedar, stone and glass.

Office 15x12 with sliding door to courtyard/could be 6th bedroom. $1,200,000

189’ Long Lake Frontage In Heron Bay Gated Heron Bay. 8000 sq. ft. 1st floor master bed with his & hers master baths. Open foyer, great room with wet bar & beautiful family room.

Library, hardwood floors, heated pool, & heated 4 car garage. Full house generator, kitchen & baths with granite, exercise room. $1,695,000

BUSINESS MATTERS New antique gallery Antiques, Arts and Beyond, a new antique and artifact gallery, is opening at 3941 Telegraph Road just north of Long Lake in Bloomfield Township on Saturday, September 1.

The 1,000 square foot store, located in the Bonaventure Plaza between Hungry Howie's and Mai Kai Cleaners, offers antiques, unique gifts, old newspapers, artwork by famous artists and grandfather clocks. “I used to sell online for the longest time, but that has dropped dramatically. Art competition is coming into the market so I decided to open in a neighborhood that really appreciates art and antiques,” owner and local resident Farid Cibu said.

The price point of items range from $1,000 to $10,000, with the gallery featuring work from local artists as well as Israeli, European and Japanese artists.

Logistics firm opens Heavy Weight Enterprises, Inc. opened an office at 261 Maple Road in Birmingham, moving from Troy to provide logistics services and leasing options to contract drivers. “It started as a home business and just grew by leaps and bounds,” administrative director and Birmingham native Laura Deljanin said. "We wanted to be somewhere centrally located that would be great to entertain clients. Of course the best place for that is Birmingham." Since opening the office, Deljanin said numbers have grown tremendously because of the location and staff.

The company hires veterans and offers college internships for business and logistics students. Heavy Weight Enterprises operates with new equipment, including 20 trucks in the fleet.

Harp's celebrates 65 years Harp's Lingerie, an intimate apparel store at 265 South Old Woodward in downtown Birmingham, is

celebrating its 65th anniversary throughout the month of September.

Owner Elizabeth Harp opened the downtownpublications.com

first Harp's store in Detroit in 1947 and passed away in 2010, two years short of celebrating the store's 65th anniversary. In honor of Mrs. H, as she was known to one and all, customers are being treated to special festivities. According to store spokesperson Lynn Baravsu, the store carries over 40 different European and domestic brands of lingerie and has over 10,000 bras in stock. Harp's also specializes in personal consultations and Baravsu said women come from all over the midwest to be fitted professionally.

Harp's is still owned and run by the Harp family, including Mrs. Harp's three sons, granddaughter and greatgranddaughter. “Tradition will continue,” Baravsu said.

Hyde Park expands Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, a steakhouse restaurant that opened in Birmingham in June, will expand its current location next door into the former Zuma Coffee House for use as a private party space.

Owner Richard Hauck of the Hyde Park Restaurant Group said, “It's definitely happening. It's in reaction to the demand for groups small, medium and large.” He said the additional 2,300 square feet will be used solely for private dining and board rooms. The space is currently being designed and will be accessible from the main restaurant and open for business in the spring.

Law firms move to town The Abood Law Firm is moving one of its locations from 30600 Telegraph Road in Bingham Farms to 470 North Old Woodward in Birmingham and will open for business Tuesday, September 4. "The new space is gorgeous and with so many great retail, service and dining options in the immediate vicinity, it's going to make the experience for our clients that much better," attorney Jeffrey Lance Abood said. Attorneys Jeffrey Lance Abood, Andrew Abood and Carrie Cousino will serve the Birmingham area. The law firm also has a large office in Lansing which will remain open, with the Birmingham location primarily specializing in divorce and criminal cases. "I am thrilled that our new office space in downtown Birmingham is finally complete," Abood said.

Another firm, Redman Law Firm P.C., which had been located at 2550 South Telegraph Road in Bloomfield

Hills, has moved to new loft digs at 209 North Old Woodward Avenue in Birmingham. The firm specializes in real estate, litigation services and assists homeowners with foreclosures.

“We are very excited to return to Birmingham,” office manager Susan Redman noted. Redman and her husband worked in Birmingham eight years ago before moving to Bloomfield Hills. “We always loved the area, but we grew and needed more space, so we moved to Bloomfield. We always wanted to come back to Birmingham so this is perfect.”

dresses ranging in price from $2,000 to $5,000. The store also carries bridal shoes and accessories. Le Salon has locations in both Michigan and Chicago and is strictly by appointment, in order to ensure a private and personal experience for all customers.

First Preferred Mortgage Birmingham's Rail District has a new mortgage company with the opening of First Preferred Mortgage

Acupuncture Wellness Acupuncturist Jeffrey Rogers, neuromuscular therapist Dominic Diliberti and wellness coach Lisa De Rubeis Allen have combined forces in the lower level of 219 Elm Street in Birmingham.

Acupuncture Wellness, the business owned for the past year by Rogers, acquired Diliberti in April, and recently Allen also joined them from her practices in Grosse Pointe and Clawson.

“We are three peas in a pod,” De Rubeis Allen said. She said she hopes to bring a unique aspect to Acupuncture Wellness because she said it is rare to find technicians like her who are qualified to both give massages and do facials. She noted the three consultants are all certified at Beaumont Hospital.

New bridal salon Bridal store Le Salon recently closed its store in Royal Oak and opened at 237 Willits Alley in Birmingham. The

Company at 2151 Cole Street. One of the branch managers, Christian Newberry, said, “We've been in the market for the last 15 plus years, so we understand the Birmingham and Bloomfield area. We live here, so we're already a part of the community. It's a booming community and we wanted to bring our business here as well.”

The office is bright, modern and on the smaller side, but Newberry said they plan to keep it that way to make it personable. Andrea Trapani of Identity PR said First Preferred has employed a back to basics approach to get to know customers on a more personal level. “So many mortgage companies have resorted to online only interaction and have lost any sense of face-to-face contact when making such a huge life decision of buying a home,” Trapani said.

Fitness center closed

business originally opened three years ago and became increasingly popular when it was one of three stores in the United States selected to carry a dress designed by Vivienne Westwood. Subsequently, Le Salon was nationally recognized as one of the top bridal boutiques in Michigan

by The Knot Magazine, noted creative director and lead buyer Alexis Williamson.

Le Salon also carries designers Maria Karin, Justin Alexander, Watters and Francesca Miranda, with

DOWNTOWN

The LA Fitness location at 6420 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills recently closed. The former Bally's Fitness was taken over in December 2011 when Fitness International, an affiliate of LA Fitness International, took over 171 Bally Total Fitness clubs around the United States. Operations manager Geoffrey Conrad of nearby LA Fitness at 2050 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills, which remains open, said the landlord would not renew the lease. Calls to Bally's and LA Fitness corporate offices were not returned.

Business Matters for the Birmingham-Bloomfield area are reported by Hayley Beitman. Send items for consideration to HayleyBeitman@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.

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•BATHS •KITCHENS •ADDITIONS •WINDOWS •WINE CELLARS •DOORS •Cabinetry made in Michigan

THE COMMUNITY HOUSE

You only get one chance to make a

First Impression

1st Annual Business Symposium Learn and Support Our Children’s Programs

Staged homes sell Lightening Fast and for absolute Top Dollar. Complimentary Staging is included when You list your home for sale.

As part of The Community House (TCH) focus to provide more ways to advance business professionals in the marketplace, TCH is hosting our first annual Business Educational Symposium on October 25th, 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (details and registration at: www.tchsymposium.org).

The symposium’s theme is “How to Work Smarter”.

This half-day conference will be filled with panel discussions, facilitated networking sessions and great food (of course)! Equally important: as a nonprofit our goal is to raise $30,000 for our wellness, leadership, art and music programs for low income youth. Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor Northwood University – a great business school with a new Troy campus. Greenleaf Trust is the breakfast and lunch sponsor, Dr. William J. Vasileff, M.D. is the complementary valet sponsor, and WJR is our radio Camille Jayne media sponsor – all wonderful partners!

The symposium has the following three unique components: 1. Structured Business Networking Breakfast & Lunch Sessions: The sit down breakfast and lunch sessions include facilitated business networking sessions that are designed to make it very comfortable for attendees to meet others while learning some new business tools to increase their success.

2. Three Moderated Breakout Seminars of Panelists: Every attendee will go to each seminar with four expert panelists and moderators discussing how to “work smarter” in their areas.

SEMINAR 1: SMART SALES & MARKETING (Mary Ann Peters) Adapting to Change – Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel; Expanding Your Personal Brand – Get Ahead by Getting Known; How to Differentiate Yourself – Northwestern Mutual; Closing the Sale – Sandler Training.

SEMINAR 2: EVERYTHING WIRELESS/INTERNET (John Schamante) Social Media/Blogging – The Rosh Group; Mobile Apps – iPAL Media; Blending Traditional & Digital Media – Comcast Spotlight; Maximizing Websites – Synectics Media.

SEMINAR 3: PLANNING FOR NOW & THE FUTURE (Camille Jayne) Creating a Virtual Business – Decision Toolbox; Managing Your Undercurrents – Stanislaw Consulting; Hiring & Keeping Good Talent – Summit Search Solutions; Basic Estate & Tax Planning – Plante Moran.

3. Take Away Information & A Little Fun: Each attendee will receive a threering binder filled with sheets from each panelist including key take away tools and tips, recommended websites and books, as well as all the panelists’ contact information. Get fun table gifts and a chance to win an amazing Grand Prize.

Register before October 1st to take advantage of the $100 ticket price (save $25) - www.tchsymposium.org. Come to learn, meet others and help the children all in one morning!

September Programs “Around the House”: FREE Seminar: September 18th “How to Balance Your Changing Investment Needs.” Come hear Paul Fenner, president of DREAMWORKS Capital Management talk on emergency funds, investments, retirement and educational saving.

Annual House Tour: September 20th is TCH’s Birmingham House Tour. Eight glorious homes! Thanks once again to Presenting Sponsor Hall & Hunter.

Sibling Rivalry Class: September 9th & 23rd; $22: Children will learn tools for how to handle their own frustrations so they are not taking them out on their sibling(s); they will learn how to build up their sibling(s) instead of tearing them down.

FREE Seminar: September 27 “Plastic Surgery 101 – What You Don’t Know About Plastic Surgery Can Hurt You”. Dr. William J. Vasileff, M.D. speaks on what steps you need to consider to make the right decisions.

Kathy Manoogian Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel 294 E. Brown St. Birmingham MI 48009 248 515 8013

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER OF THE “NAME THIS UNIQUE AREA CONTEST”

Register for all of the above at www.tchserves.org or call 248.644.5832. Thank you!

Camille Jayne is President & CEO of The Community House. downtownpublications.com

WINNING ENTRY: Bloomfield Crossroads District WINNING SUBMISSION BY: Jean Lannen From the Community of Bloomfield Township This contest was sponsored by area businesses

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Here is the update on the recent social scene.

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

Christ Child Society Celebration

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1. Event host Mary Doman (left) with her mother Marilyn Schwegman of Birmingham and Celia Lipsky of Bloomfield. 2. Event co-chair Mary Woycik (left) of Troy, anniversary cochairs Carol Mergel of Lake Orion and Pam Grey with Jean Olson of Bloomfield. 3. Lorry Schwegman (left) of Birmingham and event co-chair Kathleen Jardine of Troy. 4. New society provisional class: Lynn Connelly (standing left) and Nora Hamill of Bloomfield, Shawn Vestevich and Debbie Arnesen of Birmingham, Nichola Hendry (seated left), Karen Kearns and Carol Roney of Bloomfield.

5. Provisional coaches Carol Zalka (left) and Ginny Downes of Birmingham and Laurie Farr of Beverly Hills. 6. Society president Shondell Patterson (center) of Huntington Woods with Pam Hildebrand (left) and Julie Schwegman of Birmingham. 7. Carolyn Price (left) of Troy, Millicent Worrell of Beverly Hills, Joyce Korman and Judith Darin of Bloomfield. 8. Katie Mielock (left) of Birmingham, flower designer Molly Robinson of Bloomfield and Jean Porter of Beverly Hills. 9. Peg Harber (left), Mary Kay Heintz and Jan Demers of Birmingham. 10. Past presidents in attendance: Paulette Groen (left) of Northville, Mary Woycik of Troy, Pam Gray of Bloomfield, Carol Mergel of Lake Orion, Shondell Patterson (current) of Huntington Woods, Molly Robinson of Bloomfield, Jill Barker of Troy, Madelon Ward of Bloomfield and Joann Baughman of Birmingham.

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Christ Child Society Celebration Some 150 members of the Christ Child Society gathered around the pool at Ann and Steve Doman’s Birmingham home to celebrate the Sally Gerak Detroit chapter’s 100th anniversary. The Garden Reception was made even more colorful by Molly Robinson’s artful floral arrangements on the cocktail buffet and the tables set up under a festive tent.

Conversation topics varied. Nora Hamill, having waited to join the society until her kids required scant mothering, admitted that she was not (age-wise) a typical provisional member. Several long time members laughed at themselves for being unable to recall what year they joined, although Camille Kavanagh remembered that she had been a member for 60 years. There was also some anticipation of the upcoming National CCS convention which the local chapter, under the chairmanship of Maureen Wesley, is hosting at the Westin Book Cadillac Sept. 20—22, as well as the Night of Angels annual fundraiser which Jill Barker and Madelon Ward are chairing Oct. 27 at Oakland Hills Country Club. Society activities benefit children at risk, especially the boys residing at Christ Child House in Detroit. For more information about the charity, go to www.ccsdetroit.org.

The Community House 90 & Beyond An idea first suggested by TCH donor Barbara Livy became a reality as 150 guests turned out for a luncheon sponsored by Greenleaf Trust. It honored local people, businesses, and buildings that had been around at least 90 years.

Honorees included nearly 40 nonagenarians, plus the following entities: The Birmingham Eccentric, Proctor Homer Warren (now Proctor Financial), St. James Episcopal Church, Russell Hardware, Tom McDaniel’s Erwin Farm House, Cranbrook House, Grace Baptist Church and Parsonage, Dittrich Furs, St. Elizabeth Briarbank, and The Community House. According to TCH CEO Camille Jayne, “We’re starting (our celebration) early. “ She also noted TCH’s need for a facelift and a group of ambassadors to ensure the next 90 years.

In as much as his architectural firm was founded in 1895, Albert Kahn Family of Companies’ senior VP Alan Cobb was an excellent featured speaker for the history-focused event. He had fun with the term “ex con (i..e. Kahn)” citing many notable ex-Kahn employees, including Jayne. The impressive litany of Kahn architectural commissions (Cranbrook House, Meadow Brook Hall, Wabeek Building, trrd Rouge plant, Dertroit Athletic Club, Franklin Hills CC) brought smiles of recognition in the audience. “Albert Kahn is the center of my universe,” Cobb noted, later adding, “Great clients make great architecture.

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Detroit Symphony Orchestra Cocktail Concert Jiehan (and in absentia Richard) Alonzo hosted a cocktail supper for the Governing Members, a relatively new Detroit Symphony Orchestra support group whose 200 members annually donate at least $2,500 each. One couple, Coco and Bob Siewert, were able to walk from their nearby home in the Poppleton Park area to the handsome Alonzo home which looks like it was built in the 1920s, but was actually designed by architect Karen Swanson and built in this decade. Not surprisingly, some conversation was about the just concluded DSO Heroes Gala which honored Lloyd Reuss. Commenting on the Reuss tributes by his son and daughter, Emily Reid noted, “I learned so much about leadership, especially the spiritual (component).” When she welcomed guests, Jiehan mentioned that her second date with Richard in 2005 was to a DSO concert. The fellow music lovers then met new DSO musicians David LeDoux and Peter McCafferty. The latter, whose wife Paula composed one of the pieces they would play during the living room Duelling Cellos concert, noted that the event’s warm hospitality “…doesn’t exist everywhere.” Their spirited music commanded two encores. For information about all the perks, Governing Members enjoy contact Cassie Brenske at (313) 576-5460.

DOWNTOWN

09.12

Project HOPE Luncheon Event chair Lidija Grahovac added a fun fashion show to the Women’s Division annual luncheon meeting that attracted nearly 100 to the Heathers Club for lunch. Milliner to the stars Luke Song and Macy’s Ed Perez outfitted members in colorful ensembles for the fashion parade. It followed warm words of encouragement from Project HOPE CEO Dr. John Howe, who came from PH headquarters. He thanked the WD for its annual gift ($12,500) which will be matched by a PH friend, and praised the group for raising more than $500,000 over the years. The new WD officers – Anita Hedeen, Linda Juracek-Lipa, Sherry Saginaw, Tina Prevas, and Jackie Bagley – were elected after the show.

Sky Foundation Girl Friends Gathering At the 2011 Girl Friends Gathering at architect Irv Tobocman and Barbara Mazer’s Birmingham home, Patty Frye reported on her battle with pancreatic cancer. Sadly, she lost that fight in the spring, but was remembered at the 2012 potluck cocktail social. It was again hosted by Tobocman and Mazer, chaired by Judy McClelland, and featured supping and socializing. The gal pals did stop talking when foundation founder Sheila Kasselman, a 5year pancreatic cancer survivor, spoke briefly about the importance of genetic counseling and the research programs seeking a biomarker for the early detection of pancreatic cancer her foundation is funding. They were also told to mark their calendars for Sunday, Nov. 4, when SKY Foundation’s fourth annual fundraiser, a luncheon, will be held at the Townsend.

For details, go to www.skyfoundationinc.org or call (248) 978-9845 Opening of Steve Sharf Clubhouse at OU Maybe Steve Sharf’s business colleagues knew he could be a droll humorist, but this reporter was surprised to learn that the quiet philanthropist was so amusing. He began his speech preceding the ribbon cutting by explaining his habit of making an annual “to-do” list.

Last year it contained four items - a helicopter ride, a balloon ride, a trip to Branson, Missouri, and the building of a house. He said he had never been able to do the latter from the ground up because he was always moving to a different city during his years in the auto industry.

However, his beloved companion Patti Finnegan, a tennis friend whom he enlisted to buffer “the casserole crowd” when his wife Rita died in 2001, reminded him of all the work a large new home would require. Since a clubhouse for the two Oakland University golf courses (including the R & S Sharf Course) would “… be a part of me and I won’t have to do anything, all the headaches (would be OU Golf Director) Bill Rogers’ and not mine, it’s an ideal situation,” he explained. The winter weather, the responsibility for which contractor Frank Rewold had assigned Sharf, was mild and downtownpublications.com

The Community House 90 & Beyond

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1. Kate Harper (left) and her mother, nonagenarian Barbara Livy and octogenarian Margo Strickland of Bloomfield. 2. Speaker Albert Kahn’s Alan Cobb of Troy with nonagenarian Margaret Snyder of Bloomfield. 3. Nonagenarian Jean Willens (left) of Franklin and her daughter Joan Abraham of Birmingham. 4. Architects Karen Swanson and Bob Ziegelman of Bloomfield.

5. Representing Cranbrook Rick Nahm (left) of Bloomfield, architect Jim Ryan of Birmingham with Meadows Photos’ Mo Meadows of Royal Oak. 6. Nonagenarians Mary Majzoub (left), Jeanne Hackett and Marion Wyatt of Bloomfield. 7. Architect Victor Saroki of Birmingham and TCH CEO Camille Jayne of Bloomfield. 8. Nonagenarians Ed Katz (left) and Bob Kelly of Birmingham.

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Detroit Symphony Orchestra Cocktail Concert

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1. Event host Jiehan Alonzo (center) of Birmingham with musicians Peter McCaffery (left) of Detroit and David LeDoux of Madison Hats. 2. Vice chair Maureen D’Avanzo (left) of Bloomfield with chair Art O’Reilly of Grosse Pointe and Paula McCaffery of Detroit. 3. Beryl Winkelman (left) of W. Bloomfield with Joan and Ned Winkelman of Bloomfield. 4. Barbara Goodwin (left) of Detroit and Barbra Bloch of Bloomfield. 5. Janelle and Matthew Levin of Beverly Hills with Bob Siewert of Birmingham.

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1. Event chair Lidija Grahovac of Bloomfield with Linda Juracek-Lipa and Milliner Luke Song of Birmingham. 2. Macy’s Ed Perez (left) of Birmingham, Jackie Bagley of Commerce and Anita Hedeen of Bloomfield. 3. Sherry Saginaw (left) and Tina Prevas of Bloomfield.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK enabled completion of the handsome three-story, $4 million, hilltop structure in six months. “If you give me an assignment, I take care of it…No snow,” said the 91-year-old retired engineering wizard and Oakland University benefactor. Sharf titled his remarks, “The Joy of Giving,” and noted that he’s able everyday to see and enjoy what his money has accomplished. “Imagine if I gave $4 million to the government. I wouldn’t see anything,” he quipped, adding that the clubhouse project created some 160 jobs. He also noted that if he were president he would mandate that “…rich people give 20 percent of their income to a charity of their choice so they can enjoy giving like I do…. But don’t worry I can’t run for president,” the European immigrant, who arrived penniless at Ellis Island in 1948, began as an hourly worker and rose to the Chrysler board of directors, assured the crowd of 200 OU supporters. Sharf had begun his speech with words of gratitude to all the talents that created the clubhouse. He concluded by noting three of his creations that will be enjoyed by future generations: the clubhouse, the golf course and, visible over the tree tops, the Chrysler Headquarters. He added a final thank you “… to the people who made this possible – (OU Golf Director) Bill Rogers, (OU) President Gary Russi, and Lee Iacocca.” The party that followed the speeches and ribbon cutting was splendid. Likewise is the state-of-the-art clubhouse.

Sky Foundation Girl Friends Gathering

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1. Event chair Judy McClelland (center) of Birmingham with Linda Donigan (left) of Bloomfield and foundation founder Sheila Kasselman of W. Bloomfield. 2. Event hosts Irv Tobocman (left) and Barbara Mazer (right) with Marsha Weiss and Barbara’s daughter Soosan Mendel of Birmingham. 3. Niki Gallaudet (left) of Beverly Hills and Pat Sullivan of Bloomfield. 4. Adele Beal and her daughter Carolyn Birger of Bloomfield.

5. Janice Steinhardt (left) of Birmingham, Sheila Kasselman of W. Bloomfield, Jan Goodman of Bloomfield and Denise Baldwin of Birmingham.

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Opening of Steve Sharf Clubhouse at OU

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1. OU Golf director Bill Rogers (left) with donor Steve Sharf and Patti Finnegan of Bloomfield and university president Gary Russi of Rochester Hills taken in the Patti Finnegan Pub. 2. Bert London (left) of Bloomfield, OU’s Eric Barritt of Northville, donor Maggie Allesee of Bloomfield and Cheryl Herzfeld of W. Bloomfield. 3. Barbara and Ralph Caponigro of Bloomfield. 4. Clara (left) and judge Leo Bowman, Susan Cishke and long time Sharf associate Erick Reichkert and his wife Susan of Bloomfield. 5. Shirley (left) and Bill Fox of Oakland with Dick and Dawn Rassel of Bloomfield. 6. Fred Nederlander (left) of Franklin, OU board chair Henry Baskin of Bloomfield and Doreen and Dan Alpert of Troy. 7. Barbara Smith (left), her son Drew and his wife Jennifer of Bloomfield.

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Catch the Fireworks with Cass Community Cass Community Social Services Executive Director Rev. Faith Fowler, who is also the Senior Pastor of Cass Community United Methodist Church, made lots of Birmingham area friends when she worked with the young people at the Beverly Hills Methodist church.

Many of them are quite supportive of all the CCSS programs that promote self reliance among the vulnerable whom Fowler serves.

But they all really enjoying attending the CCSS fundraiser at the Coach Insignia the night the Target Fireworks explode right outside the windows of the 72 floor. As one of the 250 guests explained, “I know this is the best money I’ll spend all summer. It’s not just the food and the view, it’s also knowing that I’m doing something to help the homeless in Detroit.” On hand to help the homeless was former Detroit Piston Bad Boy Rick Mahorn, who was so affable his old moniker seemed incongruous. There was also some auction action that raised $12,000 of the $135,000 event total. And frosting on the cake was the $15,000 Art Van Million Dollar Charity Challenge grant check Jaime Rae Turnbull gave Fowler. It represented second place in online voting.

The Parade Company’s VIP Rooftop Party A sold out crowd of 2,000 (at $200 per person) frolicked al fresco at The Parade Company’s VIP Rooftop Party. Presented with the same panache as The Parade Company’s Hob Nobble Gobble fundraising family party in November, the party

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09.12

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Catch the Fireworks with Cass Community

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1. Cass executive director Rev. Faith Fowler (left) of Detroit with Rich and Cheryl Buxton and Rev. Jack Harnish of Birmingham’s First United Methodist Church. 2. Mercy Whitney (left) of Ann Arbor with event chair sponsor Ford’s Jim Vella of Canton and Brenda Graham of Birmingham.

3. Cass intern Cora Glass (center) with her parents Michael and Patty Glass of Bloomfield. 4. Celebrity guest Rick Mahorn (center) of Rochester Hills with Bob Reeves (left) of Bloomfield, Patty Reynolds of Beverly Hills and Jackie and Paul Keller of Franklin. 5. New First United Methodist Church of Birmingham associate pastor Rev. Lindsey Hall (right) and her husband Jon Reynolds of Birmingham.

6. Mary (left) and Bob Feldmaier and Diana and Eric Frieburg of Bloomfield. 7. Judy Harnish (center) of Birmingham with Larry and Beverly Hannett-Price of Bloomfield.

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The Parade Company’s VIP Rooftop Party

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1. Parade Company CEO Tony Michaels (center) of Rochester Hills with Bob and Maggie Allesee of Bloomfield. 2. Paul and Kristyn Wills of Bloomfield. 3. Sheila (left) and Annie Bruce of Birmingham with Jacqueline and Jennie Kenny of Oakland. 4. Beckie Sorensen (left) and her daughter 2011 Parade Queen Dana Sorensen of Bloomfield. 5. Rachelle Nozero (left) of Novi with Mollie Proctor, Gail Pope-Rashid and Karole and Eric Davies of Bloomfield. 6. Elyse (left) and David Foltyn and Roz Jacobson of Birmingham with Fair Radom of Bloomfield. 7. Tracey Dona (left) and her husband Birmingham attorney John Gierak of Detroit with Detroit Economic Club CEO Beth Chappell of Bloomfield.

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offered guests of all ages interactive games keyed to the “We Love Detroit” theme, dancing, dining (with Andiamo catering), face painting, and colorful giveaways. All of this is perfectly designed to fill the time between the street closings and the incredible 54th Annual Target Fireworks display which seemed to explode directly overhead. This year the traditional show finale (the ‘1812 Overture”) was extended with “I Can See Clearly Now” as the crowd cheered wildly. Target, Charter One, BCBS of Michigan, DTE Energy, Comcast Spotlight, and many other sponsors made the event possible. For information about the equally fun Hob Nobble Gobble Friday, Nov. 16, at Ford Field, go to www.theparade.org.

American Red Cross Donor Reception When Red Cross of Southeastern Michigan donors convened at Scavolini by Cucina Moda’s Birmingham showroom to toast retiring Regional Executive Director Jim Lavety, the warm hospitality confirmed the old saw that “everybody likes to end up in the kitchen.”

Cassie Sobelton delivered board member Sue Nine’s thoughtful tribute to Laverty’s sterling leadership during many challenges since his arrival in 2001. A champagne toast followed.

Laverty and his wife Katie then opened a gift (barbeque accessories) that will serve them well in retirement in southern California.

Booth Family Legacy of Beauty Celebration When your ancestors founded the most beautiful cultural entity in Oakland County, celebrating that legacy is a perfect reunion theme. The Cranbrook Booth Family did just that earlier this summer. The committee officially comprised Tom Booth, Ginny Fox, Ellen Vander Kolk, Brad Morton, Chris La Marche, Cathy Bridenstine, Brian Sarver, Jim Morton and Carolyn Scripps. The latter’s sister, Colette de Gagnier, a hugely talented artist/designer/author/publisher who lives in Berkley, California, (MysticAlchemyDesign.com), created the stunning online reunion materials that inspired more than 180 Booths to come back to Bloomfield Hills from all over the country for the event. Activities included memorial services for recently deceased family members Liz Wallace Morton McLean, Barbara Booth Craig and Steve Booth. The latter was the co-founder with his brother of the only reunion activity that did not occur at Cranbrook — rides on the Tipsico Lakeshore Railroad at Jeff and Sue Booth’s in Highland Township. The 1-1/2 inch scale 7-1/4 inch gauge miniature railroad is the oldest continually operating model live steam railroad in the United States. It has been operated by four generations of the Booth family and runs over 1 1/2-miles of track along the shore of Tipsico Lake. Some 65 young and old Booth Bees, as the family calls its members, began the three days of reconnecting by taking train rides.

Touring CEC, with and without docents, lunching at Kingswood and dining at the Science 09.12

Institute were also on the reunion docket. But the Community Celebration at Christ Church Cranbrook in honor of the 125th wedding anniversary of Cranbrook founders George and Ellen Scripps Booth was the reunion summit. It included viewing a rare exhibit of Cranbrook Booth Family artifacts curated by de Gagnier, a carillon concert, children’s activities, lunch and a ceremony on the tented church terrace.

The intention of the ceremony was to inspire all present “…to carry on the work of God’s creation through dedication to Beauty, Artistry, Nature, Science, Religion, Education and Community Service – the essence of the Cranbrook vision.” Jim Morton and Carolyn Scripps read moving tributes to the founders’ vision from the Cranbrook Archives and de Gagnier read a “Psalm of Love” by her grandfather Henry Scripps Booth. Before church rector Rev. Gary Hall then concluded with a benediction, he noted that the founders had made a decision in 1928 to honor women (with a woman’s church window) and the world’s five great religions (by having their symbols carved into the church tympanum - the area above the entry enclosed by an arch; the most important site for sculpture on the exterior of a church). “The Booths were always teaching…always inclusive,” he said.

Chris Morton later emailed the reunion organizers from his home in Auburn, CA with this observation: “As Brooke (his daughter) said while we were motoring off on Lone Pine Road yesterday afternoon, ‘Not a bad heritage.’

Indeed—not a bad heritage at all, it being most satisfying that regardless of what lies ahead, no one can ever strip it from us.” On a sad post reunion note, Cynthia Carolyn Booth Ballantyne, the eldest daughter of Henry and Carolyn Booth, died Aug.8 at the age of 79.

Bayview to Mackinac Charity Preview For the first time in the 88-year history of the Bayview to Mackinac sailboat races, this year named Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race after the presenting sponsor, there was a preview party. Sailing Under the Stars attracted 450 people to the legendary Bayview Yacht Club for socializing, sipping, supping and being thankful for the breeze off the mouth of the Detroit River and the view of Belle Isle and Windsor. Given the tight road access, the valet parkers did yeoman duty and a festival tent augmented the club house for vendors’ food stations, bars and a dance floor. All was organized by impresario Jon Witz with the same expertise he uses to do the Arts du Jour Charity Preview of Ford’s Arts, Beats and Eats . Sailing Under the Stars raised nearly $20,000 for six charities: Childhelp of Michigan, Autism Speaks, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Matrix Human Services, Rose Hill Center and Gleaners Community Food Bank.

BBAC Fine Art of Summer Some 170 supporters of the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center had a real treat when downtownpublications.com

American Red Cross Donor Reception

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1. Event host Scavolini’s Niki Serra (left) of Birmingham, DMC’s Cassie Sobelton of Royal Oak and ARC’s Frankie Piccirilli of Detroit. 2. ARC’s Miriam Imerman (center) of Bloomfield with Bob York (left) of Farmington Hills and Jerry DeBaker of Warren. 3. Jim Laverty of Plymouth with Dr. Bill Conway of Birmingham.

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Booth Family Legacy of Beauty Celebration

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1. Jim Morton (left) of Greensboro, NC, Carolyn Scripps of Birmingham and her sister Colette deGagnier of Berkley, CA. 2. Granddaughter of Cranbrook founders Martha Booth Stanley (left) with her granddaughter Ellen McClure Marett (right) and Jesse Marett (center back) and their children Quincy (left front) and Drake of Topeka, KS. 3. Church rector Rev. Gary Hall (left), CCC communications director Peggy Dahlberg and Rev. Cory Randall of Bloomfield. 4. Christ Church pioneers Margaret Snyder of Bloomfield and Luel Simmons now of Novi. 5. Mary Barton Jolliffe (left), Donna Hartwig and Mollie Proctor of Bloomfield and Kitty Proctor of Rochester Hills.

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Bayview to Mackinac Charity Preview

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1. Event producer Jon Witz (left) of Troy with Bayview Yacht Club commodores Jeff Henderson of Clarkston and Tim Prophit and Kent Colpaert of Grosse Pointe. 2. Childhelp Michigan board president Doug Carey (left) of Bloomfield with Elizabeth Brazilian and Brian Manoogian of Birmingham. 3. Rose Hill Center supporters Anne Powell (left) of Dearborn Hgts., Rosemary Kelly of Bloomfield, Ben Robinson of Rochester Hills and Pat and Sally Roberts of Lincoln Park. 4. Gleaner’s Suzette Hohendorf (left) of Birmingham, Stacey Tracell and her husband Jon Schwartz of Berkley. 5. Bridget (left) and Michael Morin and Vicki Biggers of Bloomfield with Mike Shaw of Clarkston. 6. John Szydlowski and Jackie Sharkey Clinton Twp., Betsy Reich of Birmingham and Kelly Hollerbach of Keego Harbor.

7. Kathleen McCarthy (left) of Bloomfield with Matrix Human Services supporters Bill Brey and Patty Gmeiner of Grosse Pointe.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Doreen Hermelin graciously hosted The Fine Art of Summer fundraiser in her art-filled Bingham Farms gardens and home. Among the guests was a couple which was involved in the 1957 founding of the community jewel – artist/author Carolyn Hall and her husband Cap, now 97-years-young. Their 55-years of BBAC involvement have witnessed its move from a house in Birmingham on Maple Road to its current home – a former sewage treatment plant nestled beside Lincoln Hills Golf Course.

The studios and galleries there serve art devotees and outreach audiences of all ages from all over the metro area. A few lamented that the cocktail party fundraiser preempted the BBAC’s annual Fourth of July ArtBlast family party but volunteer resources are limited and the opportunity to see the renown Hermelin collection was special. Plus, the Fine Art of Summer raised nearly $30,000, far more than ArtBlast. Go to www.BBArtCenter.org for news about upcoming classes and workshops.

BBAC Fine Art of Summer

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1. Board chair Maggie Greene (left) of Grosse Pointe, event host Doreen Hermelin of Bingham Farms and President/CEO Annie VanGelderen of Commerce Township. 2. Board member Terry Barclay of Beverly Hills with Joyce LaBan of Bloomfield and Amy Kantgias, of Birmingham. 3. Board member Robin Servo (left) and Sue O’Connor of Bloomfield and Tracey Priska of Oakland Township.

4. BBAC co-founders Cap and Carolyn Hall of Bloomfield. 5. Amy (left) and Karl Hochkammer, Susan Lundal and Don Crawford of Birmingham. 6.Catherine Ticer (left) with board members Lois DeBacker and Lisa Peers of Birmingham. 7. William Volz (left) of Bloomfield, and Elaine and Dan McMahon of Birmingham with Shelby Vaughn and Don Muirhead,of W. Bloomfield. 8. Glenn VanGelderen and his wife, BBAC President/CEO Annie of Commerce.

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Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings’ Soiree

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1. Host Nina Kent (left) of Franklin with Carrie Lachman and her fiancé David Aronow of Bloomfield. 2. Kate and Randy Safford of Birmingham, trombonist Ken Thompkins of Troy and DCWS director Maury Okun of Novi. 3. Host Bernie Kent (left) of Franklin and Ellen and DCWS board chair Doug Cale of Birmingham.

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Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings’ Soiree Several dozen chamber music devotees saluted the conclusion of the DCWS’s 30th anniversary year at the home of Nina and Bernie Kent, but the chamber was al fresco around the swimming pool. After they socialized, nibbled and sipped, trombonist Kenneth Thompkins provided a taste of amazing structural techno sounds that will be featured at 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 18 in a concert in Detroit’s Chase Bank Lobby. The musical organization’s entire 2012-2013 season is now available online at www.detroitchamberwinds.org It includes the 4 p.m. kick off concert and gala following Sunday, Nov. 4 at The Community House. For information, contact Ellen Storch at (248) 5592095.

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Pre-Gold Cup LED Soiree Live. Eat. Dance. That was the invitation dictate that brought 220 friends of Detroit boosters Tom and Diane Schoenith to the Roostertail on a perfect summer evening before the Gold Cup hydroplane races. Tom said the races, which were first held in Detroit in 1915, inspired his father to name their riverside nightclub after the dramatic spray of water made by the boats that now travel at speeds around 180 mph. The Gold Cup trophy, which was first awarded in 1904 and is the oldest active trophy in motorsports, was prominently displayed at the party and race director Mark Weber was casually but unabashedly pitching the event’s importance to the area’s vitality and the need for sponsors. Another guest, Maggie Allesee, was looking forward to watching the races. “My daddy was a world champion hydroplane racer in 1939, ‘40, ‘ 41...It brings back great memories,” she said. Dave Villwock, the Dale Earnhardt of power boat racing, would drive to his 10th victory in the event. For more information, go to www.goldcup.com/history.

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Concours d’Elegance of America The 34th annual exhibition of collectibles on wheels has settled nicely into its new St. John’s home in Plymouth after the first 32 years at Meadow Brook. Some among the 10,000 visitors on Sunday lamented the absence of the stately mansion, but the 350 friendly volunteers and the shaded grandstand seating in front of the judges stand made viewing quite copacetic. Margery Krevsky’s Mode (fashions) du Concours was a perfect accent to the vintage cars and announcer Bob Joynt’s knowledge of the autos was amazing. Local exhibitors included: Auto Europe, Jeff Shandler, Jim Moore, Cathy & Bernie Polen, Stuart Shuster, Dave & Lori Wathen, Larry Smith, David & Debra Miller, Carol & Kenneth Gluckman, Bill & Lynn Golling, Doug Width, Ronald Hausman, Dennia Carlson,Gordon Rinschler, and Terry Adderley, a board member who also hosted the afterglow event.

Although the exhibition on Sunday is the raison d’être for the event, other planned activities attract car buffs from all over the country. The RM Classic Car Auction on Saturday generated more than $6.8 million in total sales with a1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Convertible Victoria that sold for $957,000 being the top dollar seller of the 74 lots. The Automotive Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday night honored James Couzens, the business brains behind Henry Ford’s early successes; Tom Gale, whose designs injected renewed energy and style into the domestic design scene; Chuck Jordan, the legendary GM designer whose motto was “no dull cars”; Albert Kahn, the foremost American industrial architect of his day; John D. Dingell, a champion for our region’s automotive heritage; Terry Adderley, a lifetime contributor to America’s car culture; and KC Crain, a youthful leader. And, according to Sue Groen, whose husband serves on the Concours board, the kitchen at the inn produced a splendid dinner on Saturday night for the 280 gala guests. Another highlight for some was the burning of the Packard Proving Grounds mortgage by Packard Motor Car Foundation members. Check out their historic preservation efforts at www.packardmotorfdn.org. Thanks to lots of hard work and sponsors like Chrysler and Brembo Brakes, Concours d’Ellegance of America will generate substantial donations to Hospice of Michigan, Leader Dogs for the Blind and the College for Creative Studies.

Holy Cross Good Samaritan Luncheon What began in 1948 with Henry Ford’s gift of land in Clinton, Michigan for Boysville, has grown into one of Michigan’s largest providers of residential and community-based services to children and families all over the state – Holy Cross Children’s Services. Its executive director Brother Francis Boylan explained his comprehensive mission to a group of women Sue Nine gathered for lunch at The Heathers Club – “If we can get mom a job and a house, our kids can go home (to her),” he concluded.

The women are forming a new HCCS support group – the Good Samaritans, named after the agency’s Samaritan Center in the former Mercy Hospital on Detroit’s east side. Its first president is Lisa Wilson.

They will be planning HCCS’s upcoming 65th downtownpublications.com

Pre-Gold Cup LED Soiree

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1. Event co-host Tom Schoentih of Grosse Pointe with the Gold Cup Trophy. 2. Gold Cup director Mark Weber (left) of Washington Twp with Noel Pastore and her grandfather Roger Ajluni of Bloomfield. 3. Betty Bright (left) of Bloomfield and event co-host Diane Schoenith of Grosse Pointe.

Concours d’Elegance of America

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1. Judge Linda Solomon of Bloomfield and car selection chair Brian Joseph of Troy.

2. Judge Larry Moss (left) of Bloomfield with event chair Peter Heydon of Ann Arbor.

3. Sue Groen (left) of Rochester Hills and Margery Krevsky of Bloomfield.

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Holy Cross Good Samaritan Luncheon

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1. Executive director Brother Francis Boylan (second from right) with Millie Pastor (left), Good Samaritan president Lisa Wilson and Sue Nine of Bloomfield. 2. Georgine Hayes (left) of Farmington Hills, with Carol Shaya and Colleen Burcar of Bloomfield and Mia Materka of W. Bloomfield

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK anniversary celebration. For more information about the agency, which currently is seeking foster homes for 1,500 children, go to www.hccsnet.org.

Uncork for a Cause with Prince Fielder

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1. Beneficiary Common Ground board chair Don (left) and Susan Campbell of Bloomfield with past board chair Gary Dembs of Huntington Woods. 2. Common Ground board member Kathy Walgren with Prince Fielder of Birmingham. 3. Chanel Fielder of Birmingham with her interior designer Rick Laney of Bloomfield. 4. The Fiedlers’ condo design team Jim Peters (left) and his wife Shannon of W. Bloomfield, Janine Vrabel of Royal Oak and builder Charlie Whitelaw of Bloomfield. 5. Dr. Chuck Main of Beverly Hills and Richard Astrein of Huntington Woods.

Uncork for a Cause with Prince Fielder Uncork for a Cause, an organization that stages wine events pairing athletes and non-profit organizations around the country, hit a home run when it teamed up with Detroit Tigers slugger Prince Fielder and his wife Chanel. The friendly couple could stroll from their downtown Birmingham condo to the Townsend where 100 fans were gathered.

While awaiting the Fielders’ arrival, guests supped, bid in a silent auction (sports memorabilia, wine and trips), and sampled from the limited production 2010 Prince Fielder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Before the evening ended, 90 bottles, signed by Prince, had been sold @ $75. Spotted in the crowd were Tiger teammates Austin Jackson, Delmon Young and Octavio Dotel, the local talents that are finishing the Fielders’ digs and supporters of the two beneficiary non-profits - Ele’s Place, a healing center for grieving children in Ann Arbor and Common Ground. The latter, which has been helping people in need for more than 40 years, will also benefit from the 38th Annual Birmingham Street Art Fair (formally Art in the Park) Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 22-23.

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Bat Conservation Twilight Celebration

1. Gordon (left) and Tina Ford of St. Claire Shores with OBC director Rob Mies and his wife Eva Meade of Bloomfield.

2. Pamela Ayres (right) of Bloomfield with Bat Zone staffer Caitlin Weinfurther of Farmington holding a bat cage. 3. Bat Zone volunteers Rose Marie and Tom Venier of Birmingham. 4. Bat Zone volunteers Art Bull (left) and his wife Mary Bain of Troy, Carol and Mark Hunt of Birmingham and Cynthia and Mike Sevilla of Oakland.

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Lion Town Benefactor Party Some 100 Lion Town sponsors and benefactors trekked to Ford Field for the opening exhibition football game. Even though the Lions lost by a last second field goal, the supporters of the Children’s Charities fundraiser liked checking out Michael Stapleton’s Lion Town sculpture on exhibit there. It was signed by all the current players and attracted a constant crowd all evening. The other embellished lions can be spotted around town. They’ll be great photo subjects until Oct. 16 when the unsold critters go on the auction block at a party at Ford Field to benefit CARE House, Variety and the Detroit Lions Charities. For ticket information,call (248) 258-5511.

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Bat Conservation Twilight Celebration About 100 Organization for Bat Conservation members, volunteers and bat lovers turned out for the OBC Twilight Celebration in the west lobby at the Cranbrook Institute of Science. People sipped, supped and bid ($4,000) on the arty bat houses that were donated for a silent auction. They paused for an up close look when staffers periodically brought out bats for guests to see - such varieties as Skunk, Malayan Flying Fox, Sugar Glider and Fruit Bats, most with pet names. OBC founder and director Rob Mies, who frequently educates and entertains television audiences with presentations about the unique and misunderstood animals, said he gets the most requests around Halloween. The affable scientist was also pleased that the Bat Zone is the number one requested tour at the science institute. For more information, go to www.batconservation.org.

Send ideas for this column to Sally Gerak, 28 Barbour Lane, Bloomfield Hills, 48304; email samgerak@aol.com or call 248.646.6390.

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ENDNOTE

Late to the party and overreacting

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he Birmingham City Commission will likely have held a public hearing this past week and voted, after this issue went to press, to amend several city ordinances related to alcoholic beverage sales at restaurants with traditional Class C “quota” licenses as part of an effort to clamp down on drinking establishments in the city. It's a reaction on the city's part following numerous police incidents and the subsequent closure of the former South Bar at 210 S. Old Woodward. Some, including us, would say it's an overreaction to the situation at South.

Simultaneous to the bar's closure, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC), which issues liquor licenses to establishments on the recommendation of municipalities, revised their regulations, erasing local control over liquor license transfers, as of July 1, 2012, permitting any Class C liquor license owner to sell, transfer or move their license without local approval. On August 13, the city commission approved an ordinance requiring any and all transfers of ownership or location of a liquor license in the city to receive the prior approval of the city commission.

We agree that is an important ordinance to have on the books, and one that essentially reinstates the local control which the MLCC had removed. But some of the ordinance amendments scheduled to be heard and voted on are, as one long-time restaurateur said, unnecessary and

insulting to business owners who have never been in trouble.

The ordinance changes will require existing and new establishments with alcoholic beverage sales to obtain a special land use permit (SLUP) if they change ownership or the name of the establishment, or if they apply for a permit to change their signage or propose projects that require site review. We believe that the ownership change is one thing, but sign or site review, and other requirements, are not only onerous to existing businesses, but punitive and unnecessary to upstanding, compliant businesses like Phoenicia, Peabody's, Big Rock Chophouse, Streetside Seafood, 220, Cameron's, Fleming's and other Class C license holders who are long-time fixtures of the Birmingham dining scene.

We understand why the city commission and the city manager are eager to put in place new ordinances. They are late to the party in terms of creating an ordinance to ban nightclubs in Birmingham, and they were late—and lax— in enforcing existing ordinances which could have eliminated the situation at South before it reached its nadir in July, including during a heated liquor license renewal in February 2011 when commissioners agreed to give the owners “one more chance,” despite all the problems with that establishment. The history of South, let's remember, included a number of fights, either at or outside the establishment and altercations that

included employees being stabbed by customers in the bar's kitchen last August. Of course, who can forget the disputes outside the bar, all involving customers of South, that erupted in gunfire in the streets of Birmingham, not once but twice, endangering residents and businesses. Frankly, there was an appalling lack of enforcement of the rules and ordinances on hand, and an overwhelming amount of sympathy towards the financial plight of the owners of South, which we heard repeatedly from city leaders.

Yes, we have heard the logic that the public is clamoring for a crackdown but that is basically false. The public had rarely complained about the long-time establishments but grew frustrated with the lack of action on South and two other problem spots.

We appreciate the desire to have in place added ordinances to control future problems should they occur. And certainly forcing all restaurants and bars to become a SLUP business would accomplish that goal. But with the exception of South and two other establishments, there have really not been problems with the vast majority of drinking/eating establishments.

Do not penalize the established businesses for the bad behavior of a few. Instead, enforce the laws on the books while reinforcing local control as was accomplished by the first recently approved ordinance. If necessary, additional ordinances can always be added at a later date.

Extend gun restrictions to more places

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he Second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to bear arms.

Laws allowing for open carry, shorthand for openly carrying a firearm in public, include most places for those over the age of 18. Exceptions under Michigan law, for both open carry and concealed weapons, are at courtrooms, schools and areas within 1,000 feet of a school, including for those dropping children off at schools, public and private day care centers, banks, places of worship, hospitals, casinos, theaters, sports stadiums and arenas, and community colleges, colleges and universities.

After an incident this spring in downtown Birmingham, when a Troy man, who had just turned 18 but looked younger, was stopped by Birmingham police for identification while he was carrying a loaded M-1 rifle on Old Woodward, the issue of open carry and where it is permissible, and not, has become an issue. Ultimately, the courts determined he was within his right to freely carry the rifle, and police were out of bounds in arresting him when he refused to present ID. Subsequent open carry rallies were held in Birmingham's Shain Park, where mothers and

toddlers played on playground equipment and frolicked in the fountain, and at a city commission meeting, where commissioners later expressed concern over the possibility that a heated issue could lead to a hot head, and unfortunate consequences.

Baldwin Library is requesting that legislation be enacted to extend open carry exceptions to libraries. As an oasis of calm and reflection for all ages, it is an understandable request. Waterford Township attempted to enact an ordinance in 2005 to restrict open carry and concealed weapons from libraries; Ferndale took it a step further in 2002, prohibiting all weapons from public buildings, but the courts threw it out. Only the legislature can extend exemptions to libraries, public meetings and community parks.

We think an extension of the restrictions on open carry is an excellent idea, and one that should be taken up by our state legislature for all local municipal meeting chambers, school board meetings, libraries and local public parks.

Extending the open carry exemption to these places will not endanger any Second Amendment rights. Rather, it is an effort to protect the right to

spirited debate at public meetings and for those who seek the sanctuary of libraries and community parks.

We also recognize that it is impractical to think that legislation of this magnitude could be pushed through both chambers of the state legislature in the short time left in the 2012 session. Yet we are highlighting the issue, and its importance, as an opportunity for the coalition building required of local municipalities right now if change is going to happen. This fall is the optimum time to begin lining up bill sponsors and coalescing behind this important issue in order to get it in front of new lawmakers in early 2013, through committees and both the Michigan House of Representatives and Senate in a timely fashion. While the general election does not take place until November 6, in many jurisdictions the winner of the primary will most likely prevail in November, and that individual can, and should, begin working now with local municipalities to help craft a potential bill to introduce in January, as well as speaking to colleagues in both chambers.

It's important to extend the restrictions on open carry law now.

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