Every little girl has a vision of what she wants to do when she grows up.
Rachel Adenaas, a Grosse Pointe wife and mother (winner of both “Mrs. Michigan” and “Mrs. Grosse Pointe” titles in 2019), always placed a high priority on forming connections with others.
“I grew up surrounded by people from all walks of life,” Rachel explains.
Rachel’s passion fuels a genuine talent for bringing people together. That, along with a deep commitment to family values, is shared by husband Christian, and made Grosse Pointe a natural choice when the couple returned to Rachel’s Michigan roots after a stint living in Christian’s native Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We searched for the best place to raise our children (son Winston, now 12, and daughter Whitney, now nine) and realized we were comparing everything we saw to Grosse Pointe,” Rachel reports. “What we have here is so special. We can give our kids freedom here. It is such a blessing, such a precious gift.”
Counting her blessings and finding ways to give back to her community led Rachel to partner with Grosse Pointe City Lifestyle Magazine on a just-launched video campaign designed to increase the publication’s impact throughout southeast Michigan.
Rachel Adenaas is host of the new “Pointes of View” video blog that will showcase the shops, dining, entertainment and lifestyle of the Grosse Pointe communities. The social media campaign builds on the trusted Grosse Pointe City Lifestyle Magazine brand, taking it to the next level, with fresh content and new videos posting monthly on all social media platforms: @grossepointecitylifestyle.
“We are delighted to welcome Rachel to the team as the face of our new ‘Pointes of View’ venture,” says David Mattaliano, publisher. “Rachel brings a wealth of experience, including her fantastic ability to connect with people, plus beauty, intelligence and energy that will assist us in expanding our core mission of promoting Grosse Pointe throughout southeast Michigan.
“Rachel is a great asset in showcasing the unique charm of this community that is the perfect blend of old-time Americana and the very best of upscale modern lifestyle.”
The videos, produced by Grosse Pointe City Lifestyle Magazine for maximum visual impact, will showcase Grosse Pointe businesses and their owners, as narrated by Rachel, who brings her love of community plus her sense of vibrancy and flair.
“What we have here in Grosse Pointe is so special. I feel incredibly grateful to be able to share some of my favorite places to go and things to do,” says Rachel.
The initial videos debut in April, showcasing the Village of Grosse Pointe with a focus on fashion, home goods, and unique gifts. The Hill will be featured in May, with different themes and shopping districts highlighted throughout the year.
Rachel’s goal is to reach viewers in other affluent metro Detroit communities, attracting visitors to come and shop and dine in the Grosse Pointes, and experience for themselves what makes the community so special.
“‘Pointes of View’ will serve as a great reminder to Shop Local,” Rachel points out. “I am very excited to share stories of Grosse Pointe, in the form of a strong fresh visuals each month that hopefully convey who we are and all we have to offer.”
She brings experience and a focus honed by her lifelong involvement with the America Pageant organization. The organization promotes community service, which attracted Rachel early on. She competed in the Miss Anaheim 2005 Pageant and won, then went on to compete in Miss California and won the title of Miss Congeniality.
“I learned a lot and made many lifelong friends,” Rachel says. After major life changes (earning her Bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University, getting married and giving birth to two children), she returned to competition in 2019, winning the titles of both Mrs. Grosse Pointe and Mrs. Michigan.
She admits she was nervous at first. “I knew that once I was awarded the titles, it would put me out there in the community in a big way.”
The response was overwhelming. “It was an incredible year,” Rachel reports, starting with a sendoff dinner hosted by fellow members of the Grosse Pointe Runner’s Club to a Welcome Home & Congratulations dinner at the former Marais restaurant on Kercheval. “I was truly honored to represent Grosse Pointe and Michigan,” Rachel reports.
More importantly, the win provided a new means for Rachel to give back. As Mrs. Grosse Pointe, she was able to choose a project to support for the year. She chose The Birthday Party Project, a nonprofit that hosts birthday parties for displaced children. Once a month, Rachel organized a birthday party at a regional homeless shelter for displaced children.
“I was also a member of Moms of Preschoolers in Grosse Pointe at that time, and they responded with the highest level of generosity I could have imagined when I asked for donations. They provided balloons, decorations, arts and craft supplies, cupcakes, pre-wrapped gifts each and every month. We always had more than enough donations over and above what was needed.
“It was a beautiful experience,” Rachel says. “We were able to celebrate their special day with so many children.” She was able to bring her own children to the parties each month, and share firsthand her passion for community connection with them. “It was a great opportunity for our whole family, thanks in large part to the support we have from our neighbors and friends here in Grosse Pointe.”
From there, Rachel went on to compete at the national level in the Mrs. America Pageant in Las Vegas. She won National Costume for her homage to Motown Records and the Motor City. One of the benefits was being able to welcome Jennifer Lopez to her Detroit concert venue for the singer’s 50th birthday tour. Rachel took great pride in representing her hometown on stage.
Check our Rachel’s latest “Pointes of View” videos on Instagram and Facebook, and follow her at:
@grossepointecitylifestyle
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“Pointes of View will serve as a great reminder to support local while connecting Grosse Pointe to Southeast Michigan shoppers.”
“I am very excited to share stories of Grosse Pointe, in the form of strong fresh visuals every month.”