LIFESTYLE LETTER
Let your lifestyle reflect your personal style
This month, we're celebrating the fascinating and deeply personal world of style. Our style can be expressed in so many ways – through clothes, cars, jewelry, hair, friendships, hobbies, even words – and it becomes almost a mirror of our passions. Maybe even our quirks.
And because personal style communicates how we perceive the world and what we value, it's a powerful tool for connecting, enabling us to find common ground with those who share our aesthetic sensibilities.
The best style, of course, is authentic to who you are. It's okay to always be evolving your personal style, and that's what makes it something no one else can pull off quite like you. You can be the trendsetter, but also, you'll always be the original.
We hope this issue inspires you to forge new paths or to further explore familiar ones. There is so much here in West Bloomfield to uplift our spirits, boost our productivity and ignite our creativity.
This month, here’s to being uniquely you!
TODD HAIGHT, PUBLISHER
@WEST_BLOOMFIELD_CITYLIFESTYLE
September 2024
PUBLISHER
Todd Haight | todd.haight@citylifestyle.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Marshall Zweig | marshall.zweig@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Margaret Haight | margaret.haight@citylifestyle.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Amy Gillespie | agphotographyis@gmail.com
Simran Bajwa | simbaphotography1@gmail.com
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Janie Jones, Emily John
Corporate Team
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain
inside the issue
12 18 22 12
Somerset Saks' Stylish September
As the
The Wizard of Ahhhs
David C. McKnight creates unforgettable events—and his KIDSgala creates events for children facing health crises
Stylish Smile
Trailblazing Sindy Goodman—the first Chaldean-American orthodontist—and husband Robert have been perfecting smiles for 25 years
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
650 visitors enjoyed the Midsummer Party at Westacres Library 2: Outreach Supervisor Emily Vickers feeds goats with families at the Midsummer Party’s petting zoo 3: Empress and Regena Robinson at the Midsummer Party 4: West Bloomfield Parks’ Basketball Camp at Drake Sports Park 5: Residents at Provision Living at Forest Hills craft the day away 6-7: Marshbank Music Concert Series at Marshbank Park
Dzinly launches Realtor package
Helping homeowners reimagine their home’s exterior with expert recommendations on colors, materials, even architecture with their virtual technology platform, Dzinly’s toggle function ensures perfect selections. Now, the Royal Oak-based company (helmed by COO Jackie Mosher) offers realtors the option to showcase diverse design options, increasing exposure and interest, with a realtor-specific membership (as well as memberships for builders and trades), transforming niche appeal into mass desirability. Dzinly has been featured in MarthaStewart. com, Southern Living, Architectural Digest, Realtor, HGTV.com and more. Visit Dzinly.com .
Premier Pet Supply customers show support for Feline Fund nonprofit
Customers of Premier Pet Supply (PremierPetSupply.com) are generous, donating $22,000 to Feline Fund (FelineFund.org) for veterinary care for nearly 450 homeless cats in Metro Detroit. Nonprofit founder Tara Tomcsik-Husak was near tears when the owners and employees presented the check. “If you happen to go to any of the Premier Pet Supply stores, please thank them,” she said. “If you don’t shop there, you should.” Visit locally at 6399 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield; (248) 325-9692.
Lactation consultant joins Oakland Macomb Obstetrics & Gynecology
Kennedy Mamo, IBCLC, an international board-certified lactation consultant, has joined Oakland Macomb Obstetrics & Gynecology as staff nurse and lactation consultant. She earned her Nursing degree from Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. As a Certified Lactation Consultant, she enjoys supporting patients and empowering them in their breastfeeding journey. She is an invaluable asset to her patients and the team at Oakland Macomb. Kennedy enjoys gardening, coaching soccer, boating and spending time with her husband, Ryan and dog, Beau.
Photography by Oakland Macomb Obstetrics & Gynecology
Photography by West Bloomfield City Lifestyle
Photography by Dzinly
ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG
Stylish September
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMRAN BAJWA
Saks Fifth Avenue at the Somerset Collection in Troy is the local paragon of style. Enjoy as our City Lifestyle models—some of the area’s most fashionable women—show off what’s autumn-cool this September at Saks, before they drive off in two of 8-11 Motor Group’s most luxurious rides.
Special thank you to Saks Fifth Avenue Troy’s Salome Christian, Vice President and General Manager; Alison Catherine White, Area Marketing Director; Mary Cholagh, Style Advisor @styled.bymary
#saksornowhere
#sakstyle
saksfifthavenue.com
OUR MODELS
Catherine "Cat" Toone, financial advisor staltfinancial.com
Esse Tuke, family law attorney thetukefirm.com
Cheryl Arafat, owner, home cleaning service homecleanheroes.com
Arden Baker, Troy resident
THE BRANDS
Esse Tuke
Dress by Alexander McQueen
Bag by Bottega Blazer by Nili Lotan
Cheryl Arafat
Dress by Kiton
Shoes by Stuart Weitzman
Arden Baker
Top by Loewe
Jeans by Celine
Shoes by Christian Louboutin
Cat Toone
Top by Loulou Studio
Pants by Loulou Studio
Shoes by Tom Ford Bag by Gucci
Alison White Sweater by Chloe Pants by Chloe Shoes by Tom Ford Jewelry by SFA
Salome Christian
Top by Wolford
Skirt by Valentino
Shoes by Versace Jewelry by SFA
Mary Cholagh
Outfit by Reformation Watch by Bulgari
THE CARS
Our photo essay features a gorgeous 2024 Black Lamborghini Urus S and 2021 Gray BMW X5M Competition, complements of 8-11 Motor Group in Troy. With a commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, 8-11 offers a diverse selection of pre-owned vehicles to suit every budget and lifestyle. 8-11motorgroup.com
Esse Tuke
Saks Fifth Avenue at the Somerset Collection is the local paragon of style.
Cheryl Arafat
Mary Cholagh, Alison White, Salome Christian
ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY GILLESPIE
of Ahhhs The Wizard
EMERALD CITY DESIGN'S DAVID C. MCKNIGHT PULLS BACK THE CURTAIN ON HIS EVENT WIZARDRY—AND TALKS ABOUT KIDSGALA, HIS EVENT-CREATING FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN FACING HEALTH CRISES
David C. McKnight, the creative force behind Emerald City Designs, was captivated as a child by the accolades and medals bestowed by the Wizard in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz . That inspiration is evident in David’s aptly-named studio, where he brings clients' event visions to life—or as David says, "where we make the magic happen."
I ask David how he got into event design and planning.
“I knew I had a creative edge,” David says. “During my career at Electronic Data Systems, I helped two colleagues, one with a birthday party and one with a ceremony and reception. Once I had the experience, I knew I’d found my direction: to ‘decorate’ events on a high-end level.”
That clarity led David to create Emerald City Designs. His first client wanted her wedding to be “everything sunflowers.”
“Because it was my first wedding,” David recalls, “I really concentrated on the details, making the details perfect. Back then, I was developing creatively, so I collaborated with other professional floral designers who cared about ‘the deets’ as much as I did.”
The wedding was a success, and that first client became a longtime friend.
“Executing designs is where my passion lies,” David says. He gets inspired by each client’s style and personality.
“We dive into the relationship,” David explains. “Meaningful numbers and words, a client’s talent, their favorite hobby, their travel, their pets at home. It’s all about building relationships.”
David rejects the phrase “overthinking things” when it comes to his work.
“Overthinking is ok,” David explains. “You want everything to be as perfect as it can be. I make sure
to align myself with services that complement the personality and the overall vision. Otherwise the overthinking gets worse.”
Emerald City Designs has created unforgettable events for every kind of occasion and in every imaginable location, from oversized floral covered chuppahs to equestrian stables.
I ask David what he’s learned along the way. His answers: first, follow your intuition, and second, “if in doubt, make a change.”
David created KIDSgala, a David C. McKnight Foundation, as a philanthropic outlet for giving back.
“Nicole, the daughter of my longtime friend Shelly, had a long fight with leukemia, and we wanted to give her some joy with family and friends,” David reveals. "We started to plan a celebration for Nicole, but she relapsed and passed away. Sadly, what was to be her gifted celebration turned into her memorial luncheon.”
David created the foundation in Nicole’s memory. Its goal: to gift celebrations to children who have or are battling a life-altering event. They’ve helped dozens of children change their focus from struggling to partying.
“Gifting parties to children going through unfortunate times gives hope,” David says. “It’s all about the kiddos.”
David’s received multiple international awards; he’s manifested those accolades he used to thrill to watching The Wizard of Oz . And given the over-the-rainbow magic it adds to every event, it’s fair to say there’s no place like Emerald City Designs.
For more info, visit emeraldcitydesigns.com
HIGHFASHION SMILE
ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY GILLESPIE
THE TRAILBLAZING SINDY GOODMAN—THE FIRST CHALDEAN ORTHODONTIST IN THE UNITED STATES—AND HER HUSBAND ROBERT HAVE BEEN PERFECTING STYLISH SMILES FOR 25 YEARS
“I was the first.”
I’m stunned. Dr. Sindy Goodman has just told me she was the first Chaldean orthodontist in the United States.
“The first woman?” I ask in confusion.
“No. The first person. Ever.”
Sindy's mother, Raja Kinaia, was married off at a young age. She found herself as a single mother with a middle school education, raising four children on her own while working a job in a downtown Detroit supermarket.
“By the time my siblings and I were teenagers,” Sindy explains, “we all worked to just pay bills, just to make it through life. My mom was so resentful that her family married her off at such a young age that she was not going to let that happen to me or my siblings. She said, ‘I want to make sure you can sustain yourselves.”
The trailblazing Sindy and her husband, Dr. Robert Goodman, own Maple Orthodontics in West Bloomfield. The practice offers the latest in high-fashion braces.
“Working with kids lights me up,” says Robert, whose own father is a retired orthodontist. “Orthodontics is like a puzzle. Every person that comes to me has a unique solution.”
Sindy admits that, perhaps because of her educationally-focused upbringing, she has very high standards.
“I’m a Type-A, an overachiever. I don't know how to do mediocre. I'm all about things being perfect. Put healthy teeth in the right position? That matches my personality perfectly. I strive for perfection and orthodontics is about striving for perfection. My patients will settle before I'll settle.”
Robert says the quest for perfection should begin at age seven, according to the American Association of Orthodontists.
“If I see a hundred consultations in that age range, probably only 10 or 20 really need intervention,” Robert notes. “The others, we just bring them back and watch them grow up.”
If they recommend braces, Robert makes sure parents know it’s because the child needs them.
“'I'm being blatantly honest: I’m not motivated to start your kid for any reason other than their own benefit,'" Robert tells parents. "It's not financially motivated at all. So we take insurance—not every orthodontic practice does. We’re willing to go a little lower with our payment strategy, if that helps them afford the treatment.”
Sindy says wearing braces doesn’t carry the stigma it used to.
“When I first started practicing, kids couldn't wait to get their braces off. These kids don't want their braces to come off. Braces have become trendy.”
Sindy says to today's braces-wearing children, the color of their rubber bands is a form of self-expression.
“Black, hot pink—whatever’s vibrant, that’s what they want. They want the world to see their braces.”
I tell her even my wife has had a dizzying array of colors on her metal adult braces: teal, pink, purple, yellow, green, black, burgundy and lilac. Sindy says nowadays, 25 percent of their patients are adults.
“You’re always looking at somebody's smile and at their eyes. You can’t change the eyes, but you can change the smile. Brackets come in ceramic, which is tooth-colored, as well as gold and rhodium—but still patients are asking for the traditional metal braces, and Invisalign because it doesn't show.”
Picking colors is fun. Wearing the nighttime rubber bands isn’t.
"Sometimes the kids knock my socks off and the adults are the ones we struggle with, believe it or not,” Robert observes.
I ask about Sindy's motivational technique to get children to participate in their orthodontal care.
“Wearing rubber bands is something I can't do for them,” Sindy replies. “I’ll say, ‘The braces make your teeth straight. That's all braces do. They don't know how to fit your top teeth to your bottom teeth. This won't work unless you participate. And everything you do is going to be for you. For a few months, wear these rubber bands, and you’ll go from good to perfect. You want to settle for good or do you want perfect?’”
They’re inspiring words, and perhaps they explain why almost three dozen of Robert and Sindy’s former patients have gone on to dental school. Robert shares their latest one.
“The lady who runs the ice cream shop in Keego Harbor, we were in there getting ice cream the other night and she said, ‘Hey Dr. Goodman: one of our daughters just got admitted to dental school, and it was her experience in your office that opened that pathway for her.’”
“It’s the most amazing feeling for them to tell you, ‘I became a dentist because of you,’” Sindy adds.
“And I'm treating kids of patients that I treated 25 years ago,” Robert continues. "They’re bringing their kids to me. And that's special.”
For more on Maple Orthodontics, visit mapleortho.net
“BLACK, HOT PINK—WHATEVER’S VIBRANT, THAT’S WHAT THEY WANT. THEY WANT THE WORLD TO SEE THEIR BRACES.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
Hosting the Perfect Dinner Party
Your next event, served alfresco
Catering experts Chef Kyle and Hannah Williams, owners of Savor & Swirl culinary company, create an outdoor dinner party with chef-driven perennial dishes served in beautiful seasonal settings. For this alfresco dinner party, Chef Kyle draws on his favorite recipes updated for a modern palate and paired with wine selections to complement the bountiful feast.
Insider Tips for Hosting:
• Build a menu around the season. Start with what produce is available locally based on the season for the most authentic meal experience. For instance, Chef Kyle says “In November, people crave turkey, sage stuffing and cranberry sauce,” but that meal served in the heat of summer wouldn’t hit the same. In-season fruits and vegetables will always be of highest quality and best taste.
• Always greet guests with a beverage and appetizers. “Offer champagne for wine-lovers or a sparkling drink or signature cocktail. It’s all about serving guests to the highest caliber,” Kyle says.
• Draw inspiration from the season’s colors and temperatures. For spring and summer, think flowers, fresh herbs and linens. For Fall, think flannel blankets, wooden tables, fire pits, open grills, string lights and candles to create a really cool environment you haven’t been able to do all summer. For winter, head indoors to create a cozy environment for guests to connect.
• “You can’t go wrong with fresh flowers,” Hannah says, “but keep bouquets low to not interfere with conversation flowing. For fall, I like richer, jewel-toned florals to mix and match and keep whimsical. I vary glass vases with burnished brass for warm fall vibes.”
• An easy but thoughtful detail is to put a simple menu at each place setting, so guests know what to expect. “Add a pen, so guests can jot tasting notes, especially for wine pairings or multiple courses,” Hannah says. “Guests can share comments, then take the menu home as a sweet reminder of the event.”
• Follow the French principle of mise en place or everything in place before your event. “This is actually our company’s name,” Kyle says. “It’s that important to us. Make sure the wines are all open, cocktails are pre-made, place settings are out, candles are lit and music is playing. When guests arrive, it gives that wow-factor and shows you intentionally made them feel special.”
• To build confidence as a host, start small and practice. “Keep the menu and guest list small,” Kyle says. “Choose recipes you already have confidence in. If you make a great Beef Stroganoff, then go with that. People will love it!”
• As fun as it is to dine outside, always have an indoors back-up plan. “We’ve had to bring it indoors before,” Hannah says. “It’s still fun.” Insider Tips for Hosting: “Think flannel blankets, wooden tables, fire pits, open grills, string lights and candles to create a really cool environment you haven’t been able to do all summer.”
Read on for some of Chef Kyle’s favorite recipes.
Fresh Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Hardwood Smoked Bacon
Yield: 6 servings
• 4 cups Brussels sprouts, raw, halved
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, sliced thin
• 1-2 cups bacon, smoked, thick cut, large dice
• Salt, pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons real butter, unsalted
• Optional garnish: 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
METHOD OF PREPARATION:
1. Preheat oven to 400 °F for convection setting, (425 °F conventional).
2. In mixing bowl, add oil and cut raw Brussels sprouts. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place seasoned sprouts on baking sheet and bake in oven until done, about 20-40 minutes (soft yet still with good texture and crispy edges with some dark brown color). Remove from oven.
4. Place large sauté pan on medium heat and render bacon. Add a splash of olive oil to get it going, if needed. Cook until bacon is crispy and golden brown, 5-10 minutes.
5. Add onions to pan and cook until soft, 5-8 minutes.
6. Turn heat to high and add garlic and butter and cook for 1 minute.
7. Add roasted Brussels sprouts to pan and toss all together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. For optional garnishes, add fresh chopped parsley.
9. Serve and enjoy!
CHEF NOTES:
• If Brussels sprouts are large, cut in quarters.
• Rendering bacon means extracting the bacon fat which adds a lot of flavor to the dish.
Heirloom Root Vegetable Hash
Yield: 6-10 servings
• 2 cups heirloom carrot, cubed
• 2 cups heirloom rutabaga, peeled, cubed
• 2 cups heirloom parsnip, cubed
• 1 cup heirloom turnip, cubed
• 2 cups heirloom marble potatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons rosemary, fresh, de-stemmed, chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme, fresh, de-stemmed, chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt – to taste
• Pepper – to taste
• Optional garnish: 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
METHOD OF PREPARATION:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F on convection setting (425°F conventional).
2. In mixing bowl, add oil and raw cut vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Place seasoned vegetables on oiled baking sheet and bake in oven until they are caramelized and tender, about 30-60 minutes. Will be soft yet still with good texture and crispy edges with some lightly charred areas.
4. Remove from oven once finished cooking.
5. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
6. Enjoy.
Cranberry Orange Zest Sauce
Yields 4 cups
• 3 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup cranberry juice, sweetened
• 1 piece orange peel
• 1 orange for zesting
• ½ cup orange juice, freshly juiced
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• ¼ teaspoon clove, ground
• ¼ teaspoon allspice, ground
• ½ cup sugar
• Pinch salt
METHOD OF PREPARATION:
1. In medium saucepot on high heat, add everything except orange peel and orange zest. Bring ingredients to boil, then reduce to a simmer with lid.
2. While simmering, stir occasionally with rubber spatula ensuring bottom does not burn. Simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens.
3. Remove lid and add orange peel and season to taste. Can add more sugar or spice if needed.
4. Once sauce is thickened and most liquid has evaporated, remove orange peel and cinnamon sticks and remove pot from heat.
5. With hand-held blender, puree sauce, keeping some texture.
6. Freshly grate in orange zest, stir and season to taste.
7. Transfer sauce to jar and place in refrigerator to cool overnight.
8. Enjoy!
CHEF NOTES:
• Enjoy with all types of poultry and game birds.
• Do not use ground cinnamon.
• Can puree with blender if you do not have hand-held blender.
• Consistency should be thick sauce and not a jelly.
CREATING YOUR HOME
BY EMILY JOHN
The art of styling your home.
Home styling is more than space planning and staging - the most important part of the discovery is you. It’s personal. It’s about learning what brings you joy, sourcing and coordinating the things you love, and arranging them in a way that functions beautifully, looks stylish, and, most importantly, feels like home.
When it comes to styling your home, Sandy Mahoney from Create Home, a curated home store, encourages you to keep in mind these three simple things:
FAVORITES
“Some people don’t recognize their own favorites,” says Sandy. “We have a job to find what favorites work.” She understands that people know what they like generally but can struggle to pull those things into their home. Incorporating a client’s favorite aspects into a design, even small things like an antique clock, a gift from a family member, or a piece of art that they love, are what turns a space into a home.
COLLABORATION
More than knowledge of home decoration, architecture, and style, a big part of an interior designer is simply pushing people out of their comfort zones. “Stylists get people to think about something they haven’t thought about before,” Sandy explains. “Crafting ideas between the expertise of the designer and preferences of the client produce better ideas than any single party could come up with on their own.”
STYLING
Sandy laughs when pressed about styling. “I mean, we don’t cut our own hair,” she remarks. Her point here is that home stylists, like hair stylists, have a specific area of expertise. They enhance the function of space, solve challenges, and have a wealth of experience to draw from. They know how to build rooms around clients’ preferences while still creating an aesthetic space they know the client will love.
PRO-TIP:
When using a neutral palette combine texture and contrast to create a softer look that feels like home.
Weaving some of everyone’s favorite things into the design process creates a connection to the space and your home.
An important aspect of designing a home for the whole family is getting input from everyone. “If each person is involved, even in a small way, it creates a different connection to your home,” says Sandy. She adds that there are a lot of ways to involve every member of the family, from letting them add to specific rooms to simply including some of their favorites around the house. “We’ve had kids come paint part of the walls in their room with their favorite color to let them feel like they’re part of the process.” However, Sandy ensures that everything comes together in the end. “Don’t worry, we always re-paint.”
Sandra Mahoney, founder of Create Home in Excelsior, MN, has been sought out by clients and followers for her artful, eclectic design and keen ability to create home collections. As a real estate broker, interior designer, and home builder, Sandy loves helping people. For years, she has helped many find and design their homes.
SEPTEMBER 10TH & 18TH
4-Course Wine Dinner at Carrabba's in Troy
Carrabba's Italian Grill, 600 W. Big Beaver, Troy | 6:30 PM
Join Carrabba's Italian Grill in Troy for a flavor exploration with a four-course food and wine pairing. Relax and enjoy this exquisite meal with family, friends, neighbors or co-workers after a long day. Discover Carrabba's featured wine and off-menu masterpieces, as well as camaraderie and gifts compliments of the house. Visit Carrabbas.com or call (248) 269-0095 for details and reservations.
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 20TH, 27TH, 28TH & 29TH
The Magic Soiree, Michigan's only magic comedy dinner show
Camp Ticonderoga, 5725 Rochester Road, Troy
This month, The Magic Soiree has five shows, so you'll have no excuse to miss it! Tickets are $67.50 and include dinner, close-up magic at your table and the hilarious magical cabaret. Your hosts are the award-winning British comedy magicians Lady Sarah and Keith Fields. You've never seen a show like this! Tickets go fast. Visit TheMagicSoiree.com for ticket information.
Your satisfaction is our priority.
CAR SHOPPING MADE EASY
Elevate your drive at 8-11 Motor Group!
With a commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, we offer a diverse selection of pre-owned vehicles to suit every budget and lifestyle. Whether you’re searching for a reliable sedan, a spacious SUV, or a sporty coupe, we’ve got you covered.
Lucas & Cody Williams Owners
“Our competitive edge is having one company handle all our HR-related services.”
Successfully managing 50 Jimmy John’s locations and more than 700 employees requires going above and beyond expectations. That became a challenge when we used three different companies to handle payroll, healthcare, and HR services. Switching to Trion, one of the country’s most trusted Professional Employer Organizations, to handle all three has made life much easier. Trion’s PEO offerings help us go the extra mile for our team members and customers. And that’s why we rely on Trion. Visit RelyonTrion.com
– Tomey Group LLC