Food + Beverage

In Good Taste

Introducing our newest column, featuring a recipe from Chef Deb Silver. This month: Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette. Article and Photography by Introducing our newest column — a monthly recipe from the kitchens of the Silver Shamrocks and Forks & Fetes in Rochester. Chef and Owner Deb Silver, known for her seasonal from-scratch cooking and warm hospitality, is a lifelong creative and community builder — her talent and celebration of people and places help make Rochester the special place it is...

Health + Wellness

JUICY

The fruition of a local mom’s dreams is delicious — in flavor and design. Article by Lynne Konstantin | Photography by Shelby Dubin When Melissa Opatik opened Lé Juice on May 28, she wasn’t just launching a juice bar. She was following a lifelong path of healthy, organic eating while fulfilling a decade-long dream tied to a vacant building she’d admired for years in Downtown Rochester. The fruition of her dreams is scrumptious — in flavor and design.  A stay-at-home mom of five (ranging in...

Home + Design

Building With Intention

After nearly four decades in home construction, Sam Leone brings a practical, personal approach to a Rochester Hills project. Article by Susan Thwing For nearly four decades, Sam Leone has built homes across Southeast Michigan. But these days, he’s building something different. After years of large-scale production homebuilding — more than 400 homes in Macomb and Oakland counties — Leone has shifted his focus to a more personal approach through Stonecrest II Building...

Style + Beauty

In the Studio

with Ashley Harris, the designer behind the jackets everybody wants. Article by Kiki Pape | Photography by Jessica Snow “Can you make 18 more pieces by Friday?” “For the playoffs?” “Yes!” “Done.” It’s the kind of exchange Ashley Harris gets more and more often these days — and always delivers on. A team of wives and girlfriends asking her to make a statement before a playoff game, a hometown actor from a trending TV series or a season-ticket holder who “just wants one jacket made for one...

Style + Beauty

THE CREATIVE MIND BEHIND RAGING THUNDER APPAREL

Article by Kiki Pape | Photography by Jessica Snow Quality isn’t made by accident.  It’s a hundred small decisions made before a single stitch is sewn — and that belief is the entire foundation of Raging Thunder Apparel (ragingthunderapparel.com).  Founder and designer Patrick Christopher Andrews built the business on a lifelong appreciation for appliqué.  In 2025, that passion became reality in the form of a custom embroidery and apparel business rooted in quality, creativity and an eye on...

Travel

Inside the Dexter

Northern Michigan’s most design-forward new getaway. Article by Lynne Konstantin Elk Rapids has always had the raw materials of a great Northern Michigan getaway — a quiet marina, a stretch of luscious Grand Traverse Bay shoreline and a village pace that slows you down within minutes of arrival.  What it hasn’t had, until now, is a hotel built to match that setting — one that achieves its mighty design ambition. The Dexter Hotel — a 29-room boutique property that just opened in May — is a...

Education

Summer Memories Made

RARA helps children grow while creating memories that last a lifetime. Article by Jennifer Lee | Photography by Provided by RARA Summer in the Midwest has a unique way of shaping childhood. It’s the season of new friendships, endless laughter, scraped knees from outdoor adventures, and memories that stay with us long after the school year begins again. For thousands of families across Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Oakland Township, those memories are being made every day through the programs...

Life + Culture

Wag N' Wash

More Than a Pet Store: Wag N' Wash Rochester's Commitment to Pets, Families and Community Article by Jennifer Lee | Photography by Jessica Snow Walk into Wag N' Wash Rochester on any given day and you'll likely be greeted by wagging tails, smiling faces, and maybe even a few muddy paws headed for a self-wash station. But what makes this local business so special isn't just the premium pet food, grooming services, treats, or toys. It's the feeling that you've walked into a place where pets...

Life + Culture

Three Moons Farm

A place to find connection without all of life's distractions. Article by Jennifer Lee | Photography by Jessica Snow Some places feel different the moment you arrive. Maybe it's the quiet. Maybe it's the horses grazing in the distance, the grass swaying in the wind or the gentle reminder that life doesn't always have to move so fast. At Three Moons Farm, nestled among open spaces and natural beauty, visitors quickly discover that this is more than a farm. It's a place built on connection...

Arts + Culture

Sixty Years of Tradition:

Celebrating the Art & Apples Festival Article by Jennifer Lee | Photography by Jessica Snow, Orignals by PCCA Some traditions become so deeply woven into the fabric of a community that it is difficult to imagine life without them. For generations of families throughout Rochester and beyond, the Art & Apples Festival is one of those cherished traditions. For sixty years, families have celebrated the arrival of fall with a visit to Rochester Municipal Park. Children who once explored artist...