Life + Culture

Preserving the Past, Enriching the Future

The Chaldean Community Foundation West Opens in West Bloomfield. Article by Susan Thwing | Photography by Nico Salgado Step inside West Bloomfield’s newest gathering place and you’ll find the aromas of fresh-baked bread drifting from a demonstration kitchen, children laughing as they explore cultural exhibits and seniors gathered around card tables swapping stories. The recently opened Chaldean Community Foundation West (CCF West; chaldeanfoundation.org/ccf-west) isn’t just a building, it’s a...

Home + Design

Thanksgiving Refresh

OUR FRESH TAKE ON TRADITIONAL PIECES WILL HAVE YOU GIVING THANKS. Article by Lynne Konstantin Hearty and textural yet sleek, Fortessa’s Ashton Flatware in stainless steel will stun with any style of decor. Pottery Barn, Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi. POTTERYBARN.COM The peachy tone of Anthropologie's Savannah Wine Glasses — crafted of soda glass with a vintage-inspired floral diamond motif and pedestal stem — add a kiss of the harvest season to the holiday table. Anthropologie, Twelve Oaks...

Health + Wellness

From Heartburn to Healing

Modern surgery offers relief from chronic acid reflux. Article by Susan Thwing | Photography by Aly Darin For many people, heartburn is an occasional annoyance. But for those living with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the condition can become a daily struggle. GERD occurs when stomach acid repeatedly flows back into the esophagus, leading to chronic discomfort, difficulty sleeping, and in some cases, long-term damage. While medications can provide relief, they don’t always address the...

Health + Wellness

A Heart That Never Stops Giving

One woman’s generosity is honored through our annual City Lifestyle Giving Campaign. Article by Todd Haight | Photography by Amy Gillespie Kayla has always been the kind of person who puts others first. Over the years, she has opened her local home to friends, relatives and others with nowhere else to go — cooking meals, driving them to doctor appointments, even providing end-of-life care for her grandfather when no one else could. Today, she continues to care daily for her aunt in her home. ...

Health + Wellness

Sisters IN SYNC

BeBalanced owners focus on hormones — and gratitude — for weight loss. Article by Susan Thwing | Photography by Wayne Norman Sisters Roslyn Reeves and Stephanie Kennedy-Kinney have spent their careers serving people. Before opening their BeBalanced Natural Hormone Weight Loss center (bebalancedcenters.com/location/west-bloomfield), they worked in family-run organizations supporting adults with developmental disabilities.  “We grew up in that environment of serving people,” Kennedy-Kinney...

Food + Beverage

Golden Harvest

Busch’s Fresh Food Market celebrates 50 years of flavor, family and community — plus, a fall recipe courtesy of the market’s chefs.. Article by Susan Thwing Step inside a Busch’s Fresh Food Market this fall and you’ll immediately notice the aroma of scratch-made bread drifting from the bakery, the colorful displays of Michigan-grown produce, and the hum of shoppers who’ve made the store part of their family routine for decades. It’s a fitting snapshot of a grocer that has grown with — and...

Food + Beverage

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Themed wine dinners at Carrabba's Troy uncork more than just bottles – they release a spirit of community, blending cuisine, culture and connection. Article by Todd Haight | Photography by Simran Bajwa It’s a Wednesday night in Troy, and Carrabba’s Italian Grill hums with the warmth of a kitchen full of neighbors. Tables glow with glassware, plates arrive in procession, bottles are uncorked with quiet ceremony. But the true draw isn’t the food or drink. The magnet here is Clint Richardson...

Food + Beverage

Where Legacy Meets the Vine

A small valley with world-class wines—where passion, place and people create one of the world’s great wine experiences Article by Tammy de Weerd Long before Walla Walla, Wash., became synonymous with world-class wine, it was simply the hometown next door for a young girl. I remember riding down Main Street in Milton-Freewater — waving from a float as a princess in the annual Pea Festival Parade. Back then, wine was just a whisper. By the late 1990s, my husband and I had become budding wine...

Style + Beauty

Style Gets Schooled

Old-school charm meets modern attitude. Article by Lynne Konstantin | Photography by Darrel Ellis THE DETAILS Photographed on location at the One Room Schoolhouse at Troy Historic Village , offering a glimpse into 19th- and early-20th-century local life (troyhistoricvillage.org). Wardrobe courtesy of Guys N Gals , West Bloomfield (shopguysngals.com). Hair by Lisa Volis; makeup by Josline Adam, Tricho Salon , Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi. Since 2003, Tricho Salon & Spa has grown to five...

Education

Creating Pathways

Baker College’s program transforms the non-traditional student’s undergrad degree from a four-year commitment into an attainable milestone. Article by Jennifer Lovy Adam Mayhew, the executive dean at Baker College, didn’t follow the usual path to higher education. Instead of heading straight to college after high school, he joined the Army, gaining real-world experience and consequently earning 12 credits toward his undergraduate degree, which he completed in his 30s.  Mayhew, who is now...