Birmingham, MI March 2024

AT HOME

The Home Issue

Home. So much contained in that little four letter word. Home is our grounding. Our base. Our launchpad. It’s where we start and end each day. And while the particulars look different for each of us, the meaning and value it holds for all of us is undeniable.

Author Wendy Wunder said, “The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.” As we thought about home - we wanted to highlight what makes it special to our readers.

As you flip through the pages of this issue, we hope you’ll feel encouraged and connected to the people around you - in your city, neighborhood and most all of - your home.

Every month, we hear from readers who keep this magazine for longer than just the month labeled on the cover. They say they hold onto it for months as coffee table art or an accessory in their home.

We feel proud to create a resource that is valued in our community and strive every month to deliver the value you expect. Thanks for letting us be a part of your home.

Happy March!

ALI KRAMER, PUBLISHER @BIRMINGHAMCITYLIFESTYLE

March 2024

PUBLISHER

Ali Kramer | ali.kramer@citylifestyle.com

EDITOR

Lynne Konstantin | lynne.konstantin@citylifestyle.com

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Rayna Southart | rayna.southart@citylifestyle.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Lisa Gindi | lisa.gindi@citylifestyle.com CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Erica Hobbs CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Shelby Dubin, James Haefner, Matteo Morrison, Brad Ziegler

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson

OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS Jennifer Robinson TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Josh Klein

AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall

DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain

Year after year, Meredith Colburn Real Estate is recognized as the #1 Top Producing Team at The Agency Hall & Hunter. Ranked in the top 1% of Realtors® nationwide, we continuously provide our clientele with extensive local expertise, personalized concierge service, cutting-edge technology and access to a vast global network.

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INDULGE IN A CULINARY JOURNEY

from Sunrise to Sunset at Zalman’s on Woodward & The Bake Shop located at The Kingsley Bloomfield Hills

We’re open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, offering a delectable array of dishes crafted with passion and precision. And don’t forget to save room for dessert – our heavenly treats from The Bake Shop are the perfect sweet finale to your dining experience.

Join us for a day of exquisite flavors and delightful moments! 39475

city scene

WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

Via Manzoni in Birmingham held a Winter Fashion Party, Dec. 9, with a fashion quiz winner receiving $100 gift card to the store. 1: Kaylee King. 2: Giulia Zhou, Julia Q. 3: Giulia Zhou, Valentina Juncaj. 4: Giulia Zhou, Michelle Shafir, Lindsey, Cindy Cuira. 5: Mary Grace Dickson, Giulia Zhou. 6: Kevin Ayar, Giulia Zhou, Majda Ayar. 7: India Shepherd, Michelle Shafir.

New Year’s Eve at Zana, Birmingham. 1: Liria Dedvukaj, Neta Sinishtaj. 2: Viktor and Rozi Sinishtaj, Mario and Martina Camaj, Mark and Kristina Camaj. 3: Neta and Agron Lulgjuraj, Liria and Mark Sinishtaj. 4: Amanda, Adrian, Agron, Adriana, Ilir, Valbona, Arben, Mirijana and Goca Gjokaj. 5: Mario and Martina Camaj, Mark Camaj. 6: Goca Gjokaj, Martina Camaj. 7: Blue Crow Management Disco Mirrored Guy.

Ted Edginton Celebrates 20 Years of Service with US Bank

Celebrating 20 years of mortgage service with US Bank in Birmingham, loan originator Ted Edginton is recognized for providing a highly personalized experience for his clients in Metro Detroit and all 50 states. Edginton helps clients find a mortgage for every need — to buy, renovate or build, from first-time buyers and beyond. “My clients always know where to find me,” he says, “and I’m thankful for the opportunity to work with them wherever their careers have taken them.”

Mortgage.usbank.com/tededginton.

Birmingham Museum Launches Digital Historic Yearbook Collection

The Birmingham Museum has announced the launch of digital access to its historic Birmingham school yearbook collection with free online access to the 1919-1929 issues now available at bhamgov.org/yearbooks. The digitization project has been underway for several months as part of the museum’s effort to make the popular resource available and user-friendly.

Scenthound Opens New “Scenter” in Birmingham

Scenthound, a wellness-focused dog care service whose primary goal is to keep dogs clean, healthy and happy, is now open at 745 E Maple Road. Local owners Adam and Melissa Neff are eager to combine Adam’s experience in dog boarding and daycare with Melissa’s background in business and accounting. The couple grew up in the Birmingham area, and are excited to be the first Scenthound owners in the state of Michigan.

Photography by Robert Holland

PEACEFUL, EASY LIVING

LIFE IS LIVED TO THE FULLEST AT THIS NORTHERN MICHIGAN HOME, CREATED TO LAST FOR GENERATIONS.

When a Birmingham couple was ready to retire — that’s when the fun really started.

Craving the ultimate lake life — equal parts serenity and adventure — they moved full-time to their cottage Up North with plans to renovate.

Already beginning preliminary designs for the home, builder Jamie Cracchiolo, partner with his dad, Joe, of Joseph Philip Craig Custom Homes in Troy, received a call from the homeowner: A gorgeous raw property on a nearby inland lake suddenly became available, and he had snatched it up.

Plans shifted.

Cracchiolo and architect Brian Neeper, owner of Brian Neeper Architecture in Birmingham, walked the site, four acres of heavily wooded land with a 50-foot drop right down to the lake. “It was just an amazing piece of Northern Michigan property,” Neeper says. “It’s uniquely positioned, so there were challenges with the topography and the way it fell to the lake, but that also left me free to use my imagination on how to best use the property.”

The homeowners’ main requirements were that it was a warm and comfortable family home, with lots of bedroom suites and capitalizing on the stunning lake views. Neeper ran with that, creating a shingle-style retreat, brimming with plenty of East Coast cottage-style detailing — sweeping walls, moldings, columns and brackets, tempered by as much window as possible.

CONTINUED >

ARTICLE BY LYNNE KONSTANTIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES HAEFNER

THE HOME

The shingle-style home has three levels with multiple turrets providing baywindow views. The lower level (not shown) has a fitness room, spa room, beach shower rooms, billiards room, golf simulator and an old-fashioned pub, with a stone fireplace and a back-bar area that steps up to a custom standing shuffleboard. “Looking out from here, there’s still a significant fall to the lake,” Cracchiolo says. “You don’t feel like you’re in a basement. You can be watching the game, watching a fire, watching the snow.”

Climbing inside a front turret, a stunning custom staircase highlights all the handwork that went into the house: a beadboard ceiling with captured beams, handscraped walnut, footless balusters, tread and trim details. Pat Donovan from Northern Staircase collaborated with the team.

FRONT ENTRANCE

“Brian’s work and art speak for themselves,” Jamie Cracchiolo says. The vast motor court, with two four-car garages flanking each side, leads to the front entrance. Inside the copper-topped turret — with a blue-gray stone mix created by Cracchiolo’s team and available at Capital Stone — is the second-floor library with views of the wooded drive outside. Everything throughout the home is heated — heated floors, heated garages and snow melt on all the concrete.

THE GREAT ROOM AND DINING ROOM

Tucked inside a turret on the upper floor, arched windows envelop a sitting area (see detail on the cover) with swivel chairs, where guests can sip a glass of wine before dinner or just breathe in the views.

“All of the bedrooms and main rooms are set up to overlook the lake,” says Neeper, who situated the husband’s office on the other side of this turret. The fireplace, corbels, mantels, hearth and other details were hand-chiseled on site.

The dining room flows to the great room and beyond to the left, and to the kitchen and beyond to the right. “This dining table seats 10, but more can be added,” interior designer Tina Cracchiolo says. “All the furnishings were very reasonable, nothing was custom-made — they wanted everything low-key.”

THE KITCHEN

Neeper designed the cabinetry in the kitchen to create a big, open entertaining area, with part of the granite-topped island raised for a casual breakfast space. A bluegray backsplash has a subtly aged sheen to balance the kitchen’s clean lines. In the back left corner is an all-glass sitting area, where the couple can sip coffee and plan the day. Behind the range is a pantry and the wife’s office space. “As big as the home is, all of the spaces were well-thought out,” Jamie Cracchiolo says. “The kitchen flows to the dining room, then to outside — and everything flows to the lake.”

THE BUNK ROOM

“This room started off as two separate bedrooms,” Jamie Cracchiolo says. “But the clients wanted everyone to be connected.” Lined with beadboard walls, 10 bunk beds — with five on either side of the bookcases — were designed by Neeper and dressed in nostalgic nautical blues and whites. In addition to the couple’s children and grandchildren, they love to host grown-up sleepovers with all the girls in the bunk beds, cousins’ weekends, wine tastings and more.

THE LIBRARY

Above the front entry, a secondfloor library overlooks the motor court and wooded drive; on the inside, the views run through to the rear gable and out to the lake. Built-ins hold thousands of books, surrounding the entire room; another area displays family photos and mementos. “The room tells so many stories,” Tina Cracchiolo says.

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW

The homeowners planned on roundthe-clock entertaining, but Neeper also created secluded spaces tucked away for moments of quiet, reading, work or a luxurious nap. “There are lots of free forms, which made it lots of fun to design,” says Neeper, who designed all the millwork throughout the home. Despite its massive 12,000-square feet, Neeper and interior designer (and Jamie’s mom) Tina Cracchiolo, owner of Craig & Company in Troy, were able to keep the entire home low-key, low-maintenance and livable — a luxurious life to live, but completely devoid of pretense.

“Brian is a dear friend — we have great chemistry and a great working relationship,” Jamie Cracchiolo says. “This home really benefited from that. There’s a lot of passion.”

While traveling, the husband would talk to Tina Cracchiolo about what the home really meant to him. “They wanted a lake house that might have been there for 50 years, but with modern amenities — to be very comfortable, with no signs of any specific trends or periods,” she says. “But he wanted to perpetuate the timelessness. His plan was to keep the home in his family from generation to generation, for his kids and their kids, to have this wonderful gathering place that he created for them. A lake house that would live on and on.”

Coastal lake living, with flared eaves and skirts, corvals, cornices, copper flue tops and turrets, and slate-blend shingle-style roof, making it maintenance-free.

C A T CHINGUP W ITHBRITHIE D E

ARTICLE BY LYNNE KONSTANTIN

THE OWNER OF COZY HAUS DESIGNS TALKS SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY, HARD WORK AND TIMELESS DESIGN.

Pale wood floors and wood beams are punctuated with layers of textures, colors and patterns.

Photo by Matteo Morrison.

Everything that Bri Thiede touches exudes warmth and hospitality.

This may be attributed to her Southern roots, having been born and bred in Nashville, or the constant comings-and-goings of family and friends visiting her family, including her pastor father.

More likely, it’s simply her style — and talent. The principal designer and founder of Cozy Haus Designs (cozyhausdesigns.com), a full-service design firm in Birmingham, says she strives to create “thoughtful and approachable homes with an emphasis on livable luxury, but rooted in timeless tradition.”

Thiede has been passionate about interior design for as long as she can remember. “Even when I was young, I was always sketching, changing layouts — I would always draw it out to see how it looked before I moved anything,” she says. “As soon as I walk into a space, I’m instantly visualizing what it could be.”

After marrying her husband, also a pastor, and moving to Dallas, Thiede worked in event design, creating corporate events and conferences with an extremely high standard of excellence. “Centerpieces on a massive scale, pop-up lounges, intricate lighting, all the details,” she says. “I was stressed out of my mind, but it proved to me my skill at

“Even when I was young, I was always sketching, changing layouts — I would always draw it out to see how it looked before I moved anything.”

Bri Thiede. Photo by Shelby Dubin.

Brass hardware and lighting — the “jewelry that polishes off the space,” Thiede says — add textural contrast to the room’s subdued tones. Photo by Matteo Morris

Sleek modern details are softened by the pale blue-gray island, stepped crown molding and terra-cotta urns. Photo by Matteo Morrison.

project management on such a large scale. With so many parts moving at once thrown in my lap, I had to rise — and I did. It taught me so much, foundationally.”

The couple moved to her husband’s native Michigan, where Thiede focused on their three young sons while working on small interior design projects. This soon evolved into full jobs, renovations, creating custom pieces and more — and the official launch of Cozy Haus Designs. With a plate overflowing as busy mom and wife, business owner, creative thinker and designer, Thiede is grateful for the ability to juggle it all, relying on her faith in God: “God is my source and where my help comes from,” she says, quoting Psalm 121.

Thiede, who had studied psychology in college, flexed her natural abilities at creating relationships, getting to the root of what clients desired — often without them understanding it themselves. “I’ve always loved studying people. And I love using that when working with people — putting out fires while keeping clients calm, supporting them, learning who they are. It all helps me capture them without them having to be conscious of giving all the details,” she says.

“I love getting to know my clients, getting to know the kids,” she says. “When I design, I’m thinking about the homeowners’ lifestyle — do you entertain, how are you using this space, creating a vibe for your guests. You want it to be functional but also make a statement. I’m going to be your advocate to make sure you get pieces that will transition through stages in life, kids’ ages or just in different areas of the home.

Thiede and her team have curated a well-organized luxury design process, starting with conceptual site mapping, inspiration board review of aesthetics both liked and disliked and conceptual design presentation, including digital renderings (all created in-house) with floor plans. “We are great at space planning, maximizing seating and getting the absolute most out of each space,” Thiede says. “If we’re not able to start a project on the

ground floor with the architect, even gutting a renovation doesn’t always allow for changing everything — but we are creative in how we will lay rooms out.”

From there, the detailed design phase allows clients to touch, feel and approve all samples, from wood tones to custom sofas to draperies before the final installation, end staging and photography (included in every project). “During the pandemic, it was all virtual — so we really had to finetune our strengths and be on top of the latest innovations and offerings,” she says.

Thiede’s work is full of neutral palettes elevated with layers of texture, pattern, material and elements of contrast. “Elevated and timeless luxury while functional, livable and comfortable — it happens to be what everybody is after right now,” Thiede says. “But this is what we’ve always done. We want clients to be able to fall into their sofa and have all the bells and whistles without having to move all the throw pillows first, or being afraid to touch anything.

“I’m looking to create timeless, organic spaces,” she says. “I love neutrals and mixing up heavy textures, wood tones, metal details. I use the seesaw effect — if I go heavy in one area, I’ll soften it in another. Have a lot of brass here, crisp it up with a bit of black. If I have modern or clean lines, I’ll incorporate a vintage piece. If a client is moving in the direction of wanting something a little more edgy or a little more modern, for example, I will incorporate elements of a style that a client wants.

“I never want a design to be pinpointed as a specific style or period element, because it will only be identified as that,” Thiede says. This helps to keep pieces and renovations versatile, too. “You can switch out the pillows or the artwork, or move and take pieces with you, and the effect still stands on its own.

“But in the end,” she says, “we want it to just feel like home and complete, an effect of melding styles and textures into this beautiful picture that is you.”

MARIELLA’S CUSTOM DRAPERY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF PASSION FOR FABRICS — AND COMMUNITY.

Window treatments by Mariella Custom Drapery and interior by Cozy Haus Designs.

A True Joy

ARTICLE BY ERICA HOBBS

At a young age, Sicily-native Mariella Trentacoste found true joy in fabrics and bringing them to life.

The youngest of five children growing up in Italy, Trentacoste grew up with a love of sewing and fabrics, often scooping up scraps of material from a friend’s textile shop and transforming them into clothing, table coverings and more.

As an adult, Trentacoste landed in the U.S. as a kindergarten teacher, but soon found herself focusing on her hobby by working at a drapery company. Recognizing her skill and passion, Trentacoste’s mentor encouraged her to strike out on her own — which she did, launching her own business in 1982.

What began as a simple basement workshop “side project” has since flourished into Mariella’s Custom Drapery (MCD; mariellascustomdrapery.com) in Birmingham — a full-service operation, replete with an in-house workroom where all drapes are custom-made. Offering everything textile from window coverings and drapery, bedding and blinds to cornice boards and bench seating, MCD guides clients throughout the entire process, including an initial consultation, project management and installation.

For Trentacoste and her daughter, Mary Grace Dickson, the key to success is establishing a connection with people. The family-owned shop — which is celebrating more than 40 years in business — prides itself on providing custom high-quality window treatments for residential and commercial clients with a personalized experience.

“For me, it’s peaceful, it’s wonderful to be in contact with beautiful people and the community here. They give me joy and inspiration to continue my work,” Trentacoste says. “I love everybody, and it’s important.”

The shop also ignited a spark in Trentacoste’s daughter, who developed a passion for the business at a young age and began taking over the company 10 years ago. Dickson, now the company’s president, remembers spending time in the shop as a child, learning to sew, accompanying her mother to installations and developing close relationships with the seamstresses.

Mary Grace Dickson, president of Mariella's Custom Drapery. Photo by Brad Ziegler.

“The seamstresses became like my aunts; they hugged me and sometimes would bring cookies,” she says. “It really was a delightful experience growing up in that environment.”

Despite her knack for the trade, Dickson had to earn her place and graduate from college before her mother would let her join the business. She studied interior design at Wayne State University, which she said also is what sets the business apart.

“My background allows me to give more perspective and communicate better with designers,” she says. “It gives both the residential and commercial an assurance that someone is there, who not only knows the products but how to consider the space and its full value.”

The company has had to evolve over the years to stay competitive, especially in the age of endless options and quick delivery with online retail. Dickson says the company has maintained its core values of hard work, personalization and exceeding client expectations, while also embracing modern trends and product innovations. Since the pandemic, the business has also offered a new line of fabrics accessible to the budgets of a wider range of clientele.

Mariella Trentacoste, founder of Mariella's Custom Drapery.

Photo by Brad Ziegler.

While still involved in the shop, Trentacoste, now 77, is proud of the business and community she’s created and seeing it thrive under the reins of her daughter.

“It’s my joy” she says. “I dreamed of this.”

Looking ahead, Dickson and Trentacoste hope to keep the family tradition alive. Trentacoste’s daughter Sofia, who is currently studying marketing and business at Michigan State University, has expressed an interest in joining the family business.

The next generation, however, won’t be handed anything on a silver platter. Dickson says the grandchildren will be expected to complete their education and gain outside experience before joining the company to maintain its high values.

“It’s always been very important to us,” Dickson says. “That’s what my mom did for me, and I think that’s valuable.”

HOW TO CHOOSE DRAPERY FOR YOUR HOME

• Consider the space and the needs for the room: Is it a bedroom that may need room darkening for sleeping or a living room that could use a warmer feel?

• Think about your favorite colors and patterns and the mood you’d like to create.

• Peruse the Internet and magazines to find images that inspire you.

• Don’t be impulsive, and consult experts for guidance. Drapes are meant to last years, possibly decades, so craftsmanship and thoughtfulness is important.

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Brick By Brick

CUSTOMIZED MASONRY OFFERS FUNCTIONAL CURB APPEAL.

ARTICLE BY ERICA HOBBS

From chimneys and porches to walkways and siding, masonry marries the worlds of practical and aesthetic value. Garden City’s Next Level Custom Brick (nextlevelcustombrick.com) offers expertise in both, infused with a family-owned sense of pride and service.

“We focus on the needs of the homeowner and their project. We are a team, and we work together with our customers from start to finish to ensure a smooth and easy transition throughout the process,” says Nic Thompson, who owns the business with his wife, Catie Thompson.

With Nic’s background in construction and Catie recently retired from 16 years as a hair stylist, the couple decided it was time to venture out on their own. Together, they founded the company in 2021.

“After being in the residential construction industry the majority of my life, I realized that with starting a business, we could specialize in one area —  masonry,” Nic says. “Whether it be brick, block, stone, concrete or something else —  it can provide such a big transformation to any home. I absolutely love to work with our team and see the finished product.”

While Catie says chimneys and porches are their most often-requested jobs, the company offers a range of masonry services, including cultured stone and stone veneer, concrete flatwork, walkways, landscape walls and more. They also work with a variety of customizable brick and stone options, all sourced locally from a select group of suppliers.

“We have really great standing working relationships with our suppliers,” Catie says. “The handful of supply places that we get our materials from are smaller companies that are local; we don’t just order in from other places.”

The company’s pride in being “family-owned” applies to more than its literal ownership — the business’ 12 employees include Nic’s brother, another set of brothers, and family

“Whether it be brick, block, stone, concrete or something else —  it can provide such a big transformation to any home. I absolutely love to work with our team and see the finished product.”

— Nic Thompson

Catie and Nic Thompson

friends among its tight-knit team. Additionally, Catie says the crews work exclusively with Next Level and are made up of master masons with at least 15 years of experience.

“We invited specific people; we had a lot of purpose behind our hiring process,” Catie says.

That expertise, she says, is important in masonry. Like electrical and plumbing, Catie says masonry should be done by people who know what they’re doing, or the consequences could be dangerous. Nic says waiting too long to make necessary repairs or not investing in quality work can also be costly.

“The value of adding upgraded masonry materials or even just keeping up on maintenance of the existing materials provides longevity on the exterior of the home,” he says, “which in turn keeps the interior of your home protected and weatherproofed from Michigan's ever-changing climate.”

NIC AND CATIE’S TIPS

to easily update and beautify your home’s exterior:

• Inspect your home’s exterior two or three times a year for signs of deterioration and disrepair.

• Consider replacing dated vinyl siding with cultured stone.

• Upgrade your entryway and front porch with stone veneer.

• Used mixed materials and colors to add texture.

• Create standalone outdoor fireplaces instead of portable fire pits to create a long-lasting focal point conversation piece.

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BIRMINGHAM

ZONE BLUE

What’s the secret to a happy, healthy, and long life? Believe it or not, it’s actually quite simple: There are no secret ingredients, no sizable expenditures, and absolutely zero manufactured elements of any kind. Dive in with us as we share insights from our interview with the internationally renowned Blue Zones Founder, National Geographic Explorer, and award-winning journalist who is revolutionizing the way Americans make choices that can lead to living your best life.

“GET YOUR HANDS ON A PLANT-BASED COOKBOOK, PICK A DOZEN RECIPES, AND COOK THOSE WITH YOUR FAMILY ON SUNDAYS.”

For over twenty years, Dan Buettner has been fully committed to studying the health and longevity of Americans as well as influencing the proper and attainable health-centric environments our communities should embody. What started with identifying five “blue zones” around the world where people are both living longer as well as enjoying a higher quality of life in their elder years has now also evolved into proactively creating eco-systems where our communities engage in setting the standard for clean health.

If you haven’t subscribed to watching “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones” streaming on Netflix, do yourself a favor and soak up the well-documented views into how Ikaria, Greece, Loma Linda, California, Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, and Nicoya, Costa Rica exemplify the basis behind the Blue Zones truth and have since inspired Dan and his team to further extrapolate how we can manufacture healthy blue zone lifestyles in virtually any city and within our homes by way of intentional adaptation.

Most of us are well aware of the “American way of life” we reside in, that being one of convenience in all shapes and forms. We excel in offering the most fast food options in any country. We rank at the top of the most cars per household. We embrace a sedentary at-home lifestyle. And, for many of us, it stems from our childhood to no-fault of our own; comfort foods and Friday night pizza deliveries, complacent recliners and cushy car commutes. In short, however, now more than ever we categorically live in a country where processed foods and ultra-convenience, unfortunately, translate to life-threatening health diseases and a lack of organic joy.

What is the best news of all? All of these characteristics are wildly easy to overcome with effortless, yet conscious pivots to making better decisions with our time, our food, and our focus. Ask yourself: Are you driving or walking? Are you connecting socially? Set your sights on avoiding the majority of processed foods and start eating a largely

whole-food and plant-based diet that will (statistically) give you another 10-12 years on your life.

In place of your toaster, keep a fruit bowl on the counter. Create a low-level junk food drawer. Stop buying processed meat, potato chips, sweetened snacks like cookies and candies, and worst of all, sugar-sweet beverages, and start buying more beans, nuts, grains, and tea.

“Am I going to tell you to never have these? No, people deserve to treat themselves. But you’ll do yourself an enormous favor if you just don’t bring those into your home. If you want to go out for those treats, go ahead,” Dan says. “Simply just don’t bring them home, and you’ll cut out 70-80% of consumption right there.”

Buettner’s first cookbook, The Blue Zones Kitchen, is a fantastic resource featuring ingredients and cooking methods that can increase longevity, wellness, and mental health. The recipes also include lifestyle tips such as proper portion sizes and the best times to eat dinner. Plus, check out his additional seven books that dig deep into the exact foods you should eat to how your circle of friends and family can influence your quality of life.

Who do you hang out with? Happiness is contagious.

“The Blue Zone approach is to go through your contact base and think of some friends whose recreation is pickleball, biking, or gardening. Who will care about you on a bad day and have a meaningful conversation? Identify one or two friends who are vegan or vegetarian and show you how and where to eat whole foods. Actively invite them out for lunch, and bring them into your social

Follow

circle: this will have a bigger, long-term impact on your behavior than any new diet or exercise, and it costs you zero. Plus, there is a ton of data that shows it works, and it’s long-term.”

“We are marketed the idea that if we change our behavior by exercising more, taking the right supplements, trying this longevity or that anti-aging hack, that we will lose weight and get healthy, yet it never works for the longterm,” says Dan. The Blue Zones approach is not trying to change your behaviors, it is asking you to change your surroundings…your eco-system.

Every time you go out to eat, you will consume an extra 300 calories that are laden with more sodium, sugar, and oil than eating at home. “Get your hands on a plant-based cookbook, pick a dozen recipes, and cook those with your family on Sundays. If you make the effort to cook it with your family, you will gain the skills and learn to make some good and whole food plant-based recipes.”

And, we would be remiss not to attend to the travelers at heart who would love to indulge in a luxurious resort paired with the facets of an actual Blue Zones destination. Dan highly recommends seeking out Silvestre in Nosara, Costa Rica where the experience offers wellness programming, fully-equipped kitchens, and outdoor activities that will fuel your inspiration for a healthier life.

Tap into Dan’s wisdom that is creating a new category of places that are not merely the legacy of a healthy culture, but more consciously created by enlightened individuals that are intent on supercharging healthier communities!

events

A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

Winter Kids Film Series at Emagine Theatres

All Emagine Theatre Locations

This Winter, Emagine Entertainment is hosting their Winter Kids Film Series! This series features a different family-friendly themed film each week through March 7. All ticket prices are only $3 per person and magic pack concession packages are available for only $5 per person! Tickets are available online at EmagineEntertainment.com , on Emagine’s App, and at the Box Office.

MARCH 24TH

Brett Goldstein’s “The Second Best Night of Your Life”

Fox Theatre

Two-time Emmy award-winning actor, comedian, writer, director (and swimmer) Brett Goldstein announced a second leg of his highly popular stand-up tour. As Goldstein continues his tour across the U.S. and Canada, he’s headed to the Fox Theatre on Friday, March 22 at 7 p.m. Find tickets at 313Presents.com, LiveNation.com, BrettGoldsteintour.com and Ticketmaster.com.

MARCH 31ST

Easter Brunch at Zana

Zana Birmingham

ZANA in Birmingham will be open for Easter Brunch from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. They will be featuring a special a la carte brunch menu featuring brunch specials including Lemon-Blueberry French Toast, Roasted Vegetable Quiche, Brown Sugar BLT plus some of ZANA’s favorite menu staples as well. Visit Zanabham.com for more information.

Pictured left-to-right: Sue Minster, Jason Geisz, Adam Biswanger, Bob Alati, Beth Silver and Robyn Crewdson