Shopping

Unwrap the Magic

Shop, Sip & Sparkle kicks off the shopping season in style Article by Suzanne Levine Say goodbye to endless parking loops, generic big-box aisles and shipping delays. Holiday shopping just reclaimed its charm. The Greater West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce is rolling out the red carpet for its inaugural Shop, Sip & Sparkle event on November 7. This high-energy, chic shopping extravaganza is designed to make your seasonal prep feel less like a chore and more like a celebration. Held at the...

Arts + Culture

Grateful, For Generations

A new local exhibit celebrates the Chaldean families, traditions and contributions woven into Greater West Bloomfield. Article by R. Todd Haight | Photography by Anna Smith For generations, Chaldean families have helped shape the character of Greater West Bloomfield. Now, an exhibit at the Orchard Lake Museum is preserving that story and inviting the community to become part of it. The Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society, in collaboration with the Chaldean Cultural Center, recently...

Home + Design

A Beautiful Life, By Design

A holiday wonderland reveals a mother-daughter story of design and gratitude Article by R. Todd Haight | Photography by Simran Bajwa Walk into Rita O’Brien Interiors at the Michigan Design Center during the holidays and it’s difficult to know where to look first. The showroom glows with hundreds of tiny Italian cordless lamps, layered among richly upholstered furniture, artwork, accessories and holiday décor. Rita O’Brien and her daughter, Colleen O’Brien-Seitz, have been creating their...

Life + Culture

Finding Your Best Day

Rabbi Joseph Krakoff explores how gratitude can transform life’s hardest moments into hope and joy. Article by R. Todd Haight | Photography by Rabbi Joseph Krakoff Rabbi Joseph Krakoff has spent much of his life sitting beside people on some of their worst days. As CEO of the West Bloomfield-based Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network (JHCN), “Rabbi Joey” and his team care for people from the time of a terminal diagnosis, providing spiritual care, social work, care navigation and...

Life + Culture

The Gift of Joy

The Bottomless Toy Chest brings comfort and joy to children facing cancer Article by R. Todd Haight When Mickey Guisewite's 12-year-old son, Jack, was fighting stage 4 leukemia, there was little in his young life he could control.  There were hospital stays, treatments and an uncertain future. But there were also toys. “The toys gave him something positive to focus on, which helped with the emotional side of his treatment,” she recalls. Mickey met many families in the same situation, with...

Life + Culture

Hello, Autumn

A fresh lineup of activities offers new ways to experience the season Article by Abby Burgess | Photography by WB Parks Autumn is officially here! This fall, plan to experience West Bloomfield’s changing colors while enjoying some of the flavors and experiences that make this a favorite time of year. From elegant tastings to day trips featuring local cuisine, WB Parks offers plenty of ways to enjoy the season. It’s a blend of food, nature and community that can turn an ordinary October day...

Food + Beverage

Coming Home to Nonna Maria's

A delicious tour of West Bloomfield’s local dining scene Article by R. Todd Haight For chef John Gallagher, owning Nonna Maria's isn't simply a restaurant venture. It's a homecoming nearly three decades in the making. Gallagher's family opened Maria's in the mid-1970s, naming the restaurant near Walnut Lake for his grandmother. It became a neighborhood favorite, serving pizza, pasta and other Italian-American staples – and it was where Gallagher got his start in the restaurant business as a...

Food + Beverage

The Art of Gathering

Inside Michigan’s only Fogo de Chão, a centuries-old Brazilian tradition transforms dining into an experience of discovery, hospitality and connection Article by R. Todd Haight | Photography by Simran Bajwa Dinner at Fogo de Chão arrives with a bit of theater. A gaucho chef approaches carrying a skewer of fire-roasted beef, its edges deliciously caramelized from the grill. Perhaps it is Picanha , the celebrated Brazilian Prime Top Sirloin recognizable by its distinctive fat cap and curved...

Food + Beverage

The New Coffee Culture

From neighborhood hangouts to globally inspired brews, discover new places to slow down and savor the cup Article by R. Todd Haight Coffee used to be about convenience, right? Grab a cup, get the caffeine, get on with the day. Not anymore. Across West Bloomfield and nearby communities, coffee has become an experience all its own. Independent cafés and local roasters are putting craftsmanship back into the cup, introducing globally inspired flavors, creating beautiful spaces and giving us...

Home + Design

Legacy By Design

Thoughtful interior design, lasting relationships and a legacy that continues to shape beautiful homes. Article by R. Todd Haight | Photography by Simran Bajwa For nearly three decades, Michael Rowley watched his wife do what seemed impossible. Darla Rowley could walk into an empty space, study it for a few moments and envision a room that didn't exist yet. She didn't need sketches. She didn't need computer renderings. She could simply picture it – the furniture, the colors, the flow of the...