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By Sara E. Teller
Photos by Bernie Laframboise & Others

FERNDALE IS A HEALTH AND WELLNESS EPICENTER, with a wide range of fitness, physician and pharmaceutical, physical therapy and alternative healing options, as well as beauty service providers and many others. Residents can easily walk to a number of these businesses, and the variety of services available make a comprehensive care plan simple and affordable.

HILTON VETERINARY CLINIC

HILTON VETERINARY CLINIC WAS STARTED IN APRIL 2016 BY DR. BETSY SCHNUR, who currently lives in Ferndale and enjoys serving the community in which she works. “Our customers are mainly local dogs and cats living in the Ferndale area,” Dr. Schnur explained. “We focus specifically on one-on-one individualized patient care for each pet.”

Full-service veterinary services are available onsite, including fear-free preventative care, minor soft tissue surgical procedures such as spay and neuter services, and mass removals, as well as canine or feline dental radiographs and surgical tooth extraction. Hilton also offers micro-chipping, vaccinations, and parasite screening and removal.

Hilton Veterinary Clinic supports the Ferndale Cat Shelter and participates annually in Fido Does Ferndale. The business is also currently planning to expand its involvement in other local pet-related events.

Dr. Schnur said, “I love the people in our community, especially dedicated pet owners who make our jobs worthwhile and bring smiles into our lives! Hilton Veterinary Clinic is proud to serve this community and surrounding areas with future plans to expand the business while also staying in Ferndale. Stay tuned!”

For more information on all of the services Hilton Veterinary Clinic offers, visit hiltonpetvet.com or call 248-955-3253.

BRAIN MEETS BRAWN

MICHAEL GORNEY HAS DEDICATED HIS ADULT LIFE TO HELPING PEOPLE of all ability levels, from high school and collegiate athletes to senior citizens and individuals with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. His versatile, all-inclusive approach to client relationships proves he takes each individual’s goals and abilities into consideration, and this is the philosophy that led to the development of the Brain Meets Brawn brand.

Founded in 2014, Brain Meets Brawn was created as a solution to the exponentially expanding fitness industry and its overall “lack of professionalism and oversight,” Gorney said. “Our mission was to introduce the science of movement, through corrective exercising and bio-mechanics, to an aging baby- boomer and emerging millennial generation.”

The company began in a small gym at the 1300 E Lafayette building in Detroit, and in August 2019 the first brick-and-mortar location was officially established at 3029 Hilton Road in Ferndale. “I was out of work following extensive ACL and meniscus surgery, and happened to drive by a ‘for lease’ sign down the street from our house,” Gorney explained. “After a quick peek inside, I knew this was the opportunity to take Brain Meets Brawn to the next level.”

Brain Meets Brawn currently focuses on orthopedic injuries with an emphasis on individuals of an older age or nearing or currently retired. “We are a medical rehabilitation and fitness facility that strives to provide a comprehensive rehabilitation and fitness program to our clients,” Gorney explained. “How-ever, our doors are open to anyone who wants to learn more about the art and science of biomech-anics, movement systems, injury prevention, and pain management.”

Brain Meets Brawn hosts a monthly class with Drifter Coffee called Recovery Day. “We also planned a charity event for the Purple Polka Dot Race in late March or April. Purple Polka Dot is a charity group that spreads awareness on vascular birthmarks,” he added.

For more information, call 586-808-8282 or visit bmbfitnesssolutions.com.

EVOLVE ACUPUNCTURE/WELLNESS

IN MAY 2015, MIKE TOCCO, REGISTERED ACUPUNCTURIST, OPENED EVOLVE ACUPUNCTURE & WELLNESS in Birmingham and, as the business expanded, it moved to Ferndale December 2017.

“Since our move to Ferndale, we have added two additional healthcare providers,” explained Tocco. “Kat Barber, Registered Acupuncturist, and Candace Belinc, Licensed Massage Therapist. We offer acupuncture five days per week and massage therapy two days per week. All of our practitioners are licensed by the State of Michi- gan and are nationally board certified in their professions.”

Other services EVOLVE offers include Chinese herbal medicine and cupping therapy, as well as an exclusive three-step facial protocol that includes acupuncture, red light LED therapy, and a micro-current facial mask designed to improve tone and appearance.

“Our goal is to help our patients feel, move, and look better,” Tocco said. “We help people of all ages that are looking for natural and safe methods to relieve pain and improve their overall health and wellness. We treat patients who are recently injured or patients who have complex and/or chronic conditions. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture can help with many conditions besides pain such as headaches, neuropathy, sports performance, digestion, allergies, immune support, sleep, stress management, fertility support, women’s health, and smoking cessation.”

He added, “We also help patients with complex medical conditions such as fibromyalgia and auto-immune conditions regain their health.”

The staff has extensive training in orthopedic style acupuncture that includes motor point muscle activation, trigger point acupuncture, also known as ‘dry needling,’ and electro-acupuncture. Massage therapy services focus primarily on pain management with optional kinesio-taping.

EVOLVE also offers a line of quality Chinese herbal products as well as a topical line of Chinese herbs that contain CBD oil for pain relief.

“We love helping the diverse community of Ferndale feel better and appreciate how inclusive it is here,” Tocco explained. “The FerndaleChamber, along with local Ferndale residents, are so supportive of their local businesses. We have an annual fundraiser at our clinic every December where we offer acupuncture and massage services for a donation, with all proceeds going to Affirmations. It’s one way we try to give back to the Ferndale community.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment call 248-955-1215 or visit acu-evolve.com.

HILTON PROGRESSIVE DENTAL

SEARCHING FOR SPECIALIZED DENTISTRY? ALWAYS MAINTAINING a position at the forefront of advances in dental care, Hilton Progressive Dental offers the most effective and comfortable treatment methods utilizing the latest technology. Visit hiltonprogressivedental.com or call 248-209- 3702 for more information.

Tuesday 9:00 A.M.–6:00 P.M.; Thursday 8:00
A.M.–7:00 P.M.; Friday 8:00 A.M.–3:00 P.M.;
Saturday 9:00 A.M.–2:00 P.M. Sunday/Monday closed.

US REHABILITATION & HEALTH

FERNDALE ALSO OFFERS STATE-OF-THE-ART THERAPY OPTIONS FOR INJURY RECOVERY AND PAIN
MANAGEMENT. US Rehabilitation & Health Services has a highly experienced team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, massage therapists, and speech therapists who have been dedicated to providing the highest quality of care since 2001. Visit usptrehab.com or call 844-369-9955.

CRANE OPTICAL

DR. HOWARD CRANE’S FATHER, LEONARD, STARTED CRANE OPTICAL IN 1949, choosing Ferndale for its thriving business district and prime location. Dr. Crane Jr. later joined the practice in 1972.

In addition to thorough vision and eye health examinations, Crane Optical offers a wide range of brand nameframes and contact lenses, cases and cleaners, as well as minor medical treatment including pre- and post-op services for laser and cataract surgery. Customers also receive free eyewear repairs, including adjustments, screws, and nose pad replacement.

Dr. Crane prides himself on providing high quality care and affordable products. During an exam, he will perform multiple tests, screening for retina and corneal disorders. Afterwards, he takes the time to carefully explain the results and discuss the optimal prescription. He can evaluate the effectiveness of a current prescription as well and make adjustments when necessary.

“I treat patients like family,” Dr. Crane said. “I offer a very comprehensive exam while being considerate of my patients’ time. And I love the small town, yet diverse feel of Ferndale.”

For more information on all of the services Crane Optical has to offer, call 248-545-5600 or visit
craneoptical.com.

THE FERNDALE FAMILY PHARMACY

THE FERNDALE FAMILY PHARMACY, LOCATED ON 9 MILE BETWEEN PINECREST AND LIVERNOIS, FIRST OPENED ITS DOORS ON OCTOBER 17, 2016. The pharmacy’s over-the-counter product line is priced significantly lower than other stores in the area and the team offers a same-day free delivery service. The pharmacy team can access manufacturer coupons for patients to use on brand medications and actively communicates with prescribers on substitute medications to dispense when others are not covered by one’s insurance carrier. For more information, visit ferndalefamilypharmacy.com or call 248.565.8031.

NOVA CHIROPRACTIC

NEARBY NOVA CHIROPRACTIC IS ANOTHER GREAT OPTION FOR RESIDENTS SEARCHING FOR A HOLISTIC APPROACH to pain management. Located in Berkley, Dr. Nick Novakoski opened the center in November 2016. For information on Nova’s services, visit novachiroclinic.com.

 

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By Mary Meldrum
Photos by Bernie Laframboise and Others

B. NEKTAR MEADERY

B. NEKTAR IS A MEAD, CIDER AND BEER TAPROOM AT 1511 JARVIS IN FERNDALE. B.Nektar serves many other locations in Oakland County as well as other states. This is a cozy taproom famous for its honey-based alcoholic beverages.

Influenced by sub-pop culture and never satisfied with the status quo, B.Nektar aims to bring a modern twist on mead as well as diversify craft mead, cider and beer.

B.Nektar Meadery was founded in 2006 by Brad and Kerri Dahlhofer, with the help of their good friend Paul Zimmerman. Brad has been an avid homebrewer since 1998, making beers, meads, ciders and wine for his own enjoyment. When Brad and Kerri got married in 2005, he made a mead to toast with at their wedding and received great reviews from the guests. He joked about someday opening a meadery. Paul, a longtime friend and fellow homebrewer, soon began making meads along with Brad in the Dahlhofers’ basement. Their creations quickly began winning awards at homebrewing competitions.

B.Nektar’s session meads and hard ciders are now shaping the craft revolution.

To say that it has been a long road from the home-brewing days would be an understatement. B.Nektar continues to increase their production capacity and is currently the largest meadery in the U.S.A. B.Nektar was the first meadery to join the ranks of the top 100 best breweries in the world by Ratebeer.com.

Proud of this story as they may be, they put a lot of effort into not taking themselves too seriously.

Since a mead can never be better than the quality of its ingredients, B.Nektar uses only the best honey they can find. They source honey from as many local sources as they can find. They prefer that the honey has not been heated or pasteurized. This ensures that the volatile aromatics of the honey are preserved. A single bee will produce only about one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, but in a mead, they need between three and four pounds of honey per gallon. That means they need a lot of hives to produce enough honey for a single 265-gallon batch.

BOOGIE FEVER

BOOGIE FEVER FEATURES A CONTEMPORARY DESIGN AND WALLS OF SLIDING GLASS WINDOWS that bring the breeze of the outdoors in to guests during the warmer months, and display the beauty of Woodward Avenue and downtown Ferndale all year round. Once you enter the dance club in back, you’ll find a large disco-lighted dance floor for you and all of your friends to get your groove on all night long.

Boogie Fever’s drink menu features a well-rounded wine list, seasonal cocktails, and draft beer. And Boogie Fever proudly proclaims themselves to be “Detroit’s Birthday and Bachelorette Party Central!” Indeed, almost every weekend you can find a bachelorette party streaming into the place to whoop it up!

Everyone arrives at Boogie Fever looking to have fun. The dance club is a sacred space for people to feel free to express themselves. This is a space for everyone to feel welcome and loved.

The club offers special deals for a booth and cover for multiple people. The Boogie Fever staff does not reserve individual tables. Those joining you later will need to pay cover, which is $5, subject to special events or policy changes. The club opens at 8:00 P.M. and will hold your booth until 11:00 P.M. Credit cards are accepted for drink tabs etc., but not door charges.

DETROIT FLEAT FOOD TRUCK PARK

LOCATED ON NINE MILE ROAD IN FERNDALE, DETROIT FLEAT FOOD TRUCK PARK & BOOZERY is Metro Detroit’s first and only food truck park. In the “Park,” they spotlight two stationary food trucks as well as additional rotating trucks on select days of the week. In addition to the wonderful lineup of food trucks, the “Boozery” features a full bar featuring 16 rotating taps, seasonal cocktails and wine. Detroit Fleat also offers a street-food-inspired house menu. The park is the perfect place for the whole family, including your furry friends!

Detroit Fleat is home to some of Metro Detroit’s most popular food trucks. Permanent food trucks featured at Detroit Fleat include The Pita Post (Mediterranean street food) and Impasto (Italianinspired street food). Rotating food trucks include 4Kings Café (coffee), Bavarian Inn Cluck Truck, Brass Kitchen, Brother Truckers, Buffy’s Mexicasian, Cheese Steak Institute of America, Crepe Day Twa, Delectabowl, Detroit BBQ Company, Mac Shack, Motor City Pasty Company, Motor City Road Wings, Nosh Pit, New Deli, Press, Regina’s Food Truck, Ruckus Taco Company, Senors Food Truck, and Shredderz.

Detroit Fleat is proud to debut their newest patio addition, The Slooshie Bar. The newest standalone trailer on the patio, the Slooshie Bar will feature rotating Slooshies flavors, ice cream and frozen treats.

GO COMEDY IMPROV THEATER

IMPROV (SHORT FOR IMPROVISATION) IS A FORM OF THEATER CREATED BEFORE A LIVE AUDIENCE. Improv is similar to sketch comedy, except that there are no scripts. Nothing exists before the lights come up. The audience offers suggestions for scenes or songs and the cast makes them up on the spot. This means every show is very, very original. Every scene is done for the first and last time. So, every night GO Comedy! is open, there’s something new on stage. And if you miss it, it’s gone forever.

On Friday and Saturday, the 8:00 P.M. and 10:00 P.M. shows run for approximately 90 minutes.

The Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday shows run 30 or 60 minutes. On Wednesday and Sunday one ticket is good for the entire night of shows, unless otherwise noted.

Alcohol? Yes, please! With drinks ranging from an ice-cold Pabst to a Napa Valley Chardonna, the GO! bar has something to please everyone from your hipster cousin to your great aunt Betty. Not to mention, they have a whole slew of their own drink concoctions. Each season brings a new line-up of timely palate-pleasers born from the mind of the man Metro Times named Detroit’s Best Bartender 2011, Andy French. The GO! bar proudly serves local favorites such as Valentine Distillery, Detroit Brewing Co., Atwater Brewery, B. Nektar Meadery, Short’s Brewery and more!

LUXURY LANES & LOUNGE

AT LUXURY LANES, YOU CAN ENJOY A GREAT EXPERIENCE BOWLING IN A LEAGUE OR CELEBRATING AN EVENT such as a birthday, family or company party. Luxury Lanes features a full lounge that also offers food choices to satisfy anyone’s appetite. With 16 lanes, they offer a newly-remodeled, smoke-free environment for you to enjoy.

Bowling is not the only entertainment at the Lanes. Guests can book parties, enjoy “cosmic bowling” and sign up for leagues, along with relaxing in the full bar with tables for pizza and other casual dining.

There is also an arcade, bumper bowling on all lanes, birthday parties, Perky’s pizza and Sully’s subs snack bar, corporate parties, adult parties and a youth program.

Come and enjoy the venue! Bring your family, friends, and/or co-workers!

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By Jill Hurst
Photos by Bernie Laframboise & Others

9 MILE ROAD IS STILL THE CENTER OF SHOPPING IN FERNDALE, BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF FUN PLACES TO FIND WHAT YOU NEED – OR JUST WANT – ALL OVER TOWN. Go south on Livernois to OLIVE’S BLOOMBOX for flowers and yard decor. Heading north? WHIMSICAL WIT on Hilton and IRON RIDGE on Ten Mile are must-visits. Back on 9 Mile, grab some delicious dog treats and a cool new collar for your dog at MAESTRO’S DOG HAUS. Need to do some practical shopping? Head west to SCHEER’S ACE HARDWARE. There are many more places to peruse and enjoy. Just start “on the 9” and take it from there.

ELAINE B’S JEWELRY

THOSE EARRINGS. THE ONES ELAINE WAS WEARING WHEN WE MET AT ELAINE B’S, a lovely jewelry haven on Woodward just north of 9 Mile. Simple, remarkable hoops. I want them! Elaine and her team, Caitlin, Heather, Natasha, Alaina and Holly design, create and sell beautiful pieces at the Ferndale space they’ve occupied since November of 2018. In front, a jewelry store. The “Custom Bar” displays stones and metals you can choose to make your piece. The workshop/studio is in the middle. In the back, shipping.

The six women see the process through from beginning to end. We’re here to “learn how to make a living making jewelry”, Elaine says, smiling. They also display the work of other makers, including Detroit Rose, Hunt and Noyer and Corbe, but their jewelry is the quiet star. They also create new settings for your old gems. Elaine showed me a diamond in a setting she designed. A work in progress. The setting was beautiful, supporting the diamond perfectly.

The day I visited, Caitlin and Heather were preparing to lead a workshop in ring making, which takes you through the steps of working with silver. You leave with a ring you’ve made yourself. Couples have attended the class to make their wedding bands. One man made a ring for his girlfriend. Workshops happen twice a month. They also offer private parties. These makers are eager to share their work and their knowledge.

“Jewelry is a very personal thing…it should tell a story about the person who’s wearing it.” Garance Dore, French photographer/author. Add to your story with jewelry from elaine b’s.

Elaine b’s is located at 22961 Woodward, north of 9 Mile. They are open Tuesday through Fridays 11:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M. Saturdays and Sundays 12:00 P.M.-4:00 P.M. Find them online at elainebjewelry.com, Facebook and Instagram.

BENJAMIN MOORE’S PAINT STOP

BENJAMIN MOORE’S PAINT STOP IS A WELCOME ADDITION TO THIS HOME LOVING, COLORFUL COMMUNITY. Owner Hassan Nasser did his research before opening his paint supply business on Woodward in January 2019. After 31 years in New York, Nasser wanted to continue serving a diverse community and he found that right here. He calls our town “Friendly Ferndale,” and he is enjoying his new business venture.

The store’s customer base extends from the city of Detroit out to the Birmingham area. He serves both residential and commercial customers. Besides a wide array of colors and paint supplies, Nasser and his staff also work as color consultants who can help you find the right shade and finish for whatever you’re looking to apply your fresh coat of paint to. He knows the local contractors and is happy to refer you to painters who can do the job for you.

And they deliver! Minimum order required for delivery? Nasser: “No minimum. Call me if you need a gallon of paint and I’ll get it to you.”

Nasser understands the importance of a good staff and good service. He owned a number of businesses in New York, including a gas station and a Papa John’s pizza franchise. The more stable schedule of the paint store allows him to spend more time with his wife and four children, three sons aged 18, 17 and ten and a daughter, three. The Paint Stop is a great addition to “Friendly Ferndale.” Hassan Nasser and staff are here to help keep Ferndale colorful.

Benjamin Moore Paint Stop is located at 23245 Woodward Ave, north of 9 Mile. You can also check their website: www.paintstopstore.com.

DETROIT GROOMING CO.

“COMPASSIONATE. COLLABORATIVE. INNOVATIVE. PASSIONATE. DEDICATED.” These words are part of the mural that lives next to Mike Haddad’s desk at Detroit Grooming Co. Mike, DGC’s co-creator and CEO, gives credit to local artist Kevin Burdik for the work. Giving credit is something Haddad does frequently, with genuine gratitude. To the rest of the team – Mike Spiewak, Brad Schmelzer and Liz Campbell – and to Krista Johnston of DIY StreetFair who started them on the road to retail success.

And, of course, the customers. “We listen to our customers and they help us push forward.” DGC works with local farmers and manufacturers as much as possible to create consistently highquality products. And they smell so good. Haddad smiles. “Scent is tied to 73 percent of our memories.”

Their airy warehouse base is a little bigger than the 100 square-foot converted janitor’s closet in Royal Oak where it all started. At the beginning, they could make 12 beard butters at a time on their double burner. Today, they make a variety of men’s grooming products that include beard butter, oil, shampoo and conditioner filling hundreds of jars and bottles every day. They label and box all of the orders that go out, then send them to a fulfillment center in Warren to be shipped across the country and around the world. There is a retail counter in the warehouse.

The butters and oils have Michigan names like Traverse City and Harbor Springs. A vintage barber chair sitting in front is used when they bring in master barbers to conduct workshops for local barbers and stylists. They also do onsite classes at salons and barbershops. They shoot their youtube videos onsite and sell great t-shirts and other items. The folks at Detroit Grooming Co. are loving their home base in Ferndale. There are plans to host some barbeques and events this summer to celebrate their ongoing success with us! In the meantime, check out the beard nourishing, great smelling products at Detroit Grooming Co.

Detroit Grooming Co. is located at 2615 Wolcott, just off Woodward Heights. They are open 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. You can find them at www.detroitgrooming.com.

BLUMZ BY JR DESIGNS

BLUMZ BY JRDESIGNS IS A PERENNIAL FAVORITE IN OUR TOWN, AN AWARDWINNING FLORAL AND EVENT PLANNING COMPANY with locations in Detroit and Holly as well as Ferndale. You can call or go online to order flowers, but visiting the store on East 9 Mile is a wonderful experience. Just inside the door you’ll be surrounded by a spectacular choice of plants and a creative variety of planters and yard decorations. Then there are the glass cases full of beautiful cut flowers, racks of greeting cards and shelves full of unique gift items. Finally, there are the chocolates. A case full of beautiful chocolates at the center of it all. Flowers and chocolate, what could be better than that?

Besides endless gift possibilities, owners Jerome Raska and Robbin Yelverton and their staff can help you plan an event from start to finish and there is a lovely event space available right in the store! Blumz is the perfect place to help you commemorate an important event, or just pick up flowers on your way home to brighten up the day. Don’t forget the chocolates.

Blumz is located at 522 E. 9 Mile Road in Ferndale. Hours are in flux during the crisis and the Detroit location is temporarily closed. No contact delivery and pickup at present. Call them at 248-398-5130 or reach them online at www.flowersbyblumz.com.

THE RUST BELT MARKET

IT’S BEEN NINE YEARS ON THE 9 FOR THE POPULAR, ALWAYS GROWING RUST BELT MARKET. A family and dog-friendly meeting place and shopping mecca, it’s a whirl of activity during the holidays and a favorite meet-up place all-year-round. You can find a variety of Ferndale/Detroit/Michigan gift items, vintage jewelry, handmade clothing and soaps, one-of-a-kind gift cards, local photography, delicious cheese and chocolate, and beautiful plants.

Several new vendors have joined RBM this year, including The Brave Wimp, David Vintage, The Vintage Wick and Supah Market. They also have two rotating pop-up spaces and welcome new vendors for shorter term stays each weekend. There is an event space in the middle, available for rental and host to semi-annual events. Ferndale Radio, 100.7 FM, is based at the Market as well. When you need a break from shopping, there’s a nice little bar in the back. The Rust Belt is a perfect place to start or wrap up your tour of Ferndale.

The Rust Belt Market is located at 22801 Woodward in Ferndale. You can reach them at 248-238-8728 or online at hello@rustbeltmarket.com. They are open Fridays from 12:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M., Saturdays from 11:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. and Sundays from 11:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. Look for extended hours during the December holiday shopping season.

MAESTRO’S DOG HAUS

MAESTRO’S IS THE PLACE TO GO WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOUR FURRY LOVED ONES. Located at 310 W 9 Mile Rd near Allen, Maestro’s has the best prices on high-quality dog and cat foods; frozen, freeze-dried and kibble. Maestros’ Deli’s Culinary team produce the most unique grain-free, filler-free and man-made preservative free treats for dogs and cats. And Maestro’s Signature Dried Necks are for perfect for cleaning teeth. 248-632-1199

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YES, YOUR FURNITURE MAKES YOUR HOME DISTINCTIVE, whether you shop at Ikea or the Art Van going out of business sale. Painting in just the right color furthers the statement. Now it’s time for the cherry on the top: The right art.

The Ferndale Arts & Cultural Commission (FACC) reminds you that there are many places in the city to select beautiful art. Long time favorites like the Lawrence Street Gallery shares Woodward with Level One Bank’s Community Arts Gallery. A more comprehensive list follows. Then, of course, there is the Funky Ferndale Art Fair and the DIY Street Fair (the DIY is canceled this year due to the health crisis).

What’s the difference between shopping at a gallery and at an art fair? Many art lovers do both as they each have an advantage. Galleries give you an ever-changing, carefully curated selection. You have one or two people that can learn your taste and preferences and help you find exactly what you are looking for. Many can even advise on the framing and matting, which can make a huge difference on how the piece appears.

Art Fairs are also curated, but don’t include the expert advice. Mark Loeb of the Funky Ferndale Art Fair suggests that there are some other advantages. “At art fairs you will meet the artist and have time for a conversation. I feel that a big reason people go to the fair is to get the full story of the art they plan to display. For example, when your friend comes by and admires your new sculpture, you can share the story of the artist. The experience of the art fair becomes a memory for you and your loved ones.”

Why not just buy art at those aforementioned furniture stores or even Walmart? You certainly could, and it likely will be simpler. You will have something that tens of thousands of others will also display. While not all art appreciates in value, no department store pictures ever will. And don’t forget that if you love art, supporting the artists becomes an important mission. Going to the shows is not demonstrating your love of art nearly as much as buying art. Only when you buy something do you actually support the artist, and allow them to continue creating.

What happens when your walls are full and there’s no space left on the floor? Many collectors rotate their art. Every month or season they replace a few items with another favorite. Others start buying smaller items that fit in between the cracks. Loeb suggests that the next step is to “replace your mugs, flower pots, dishes and more with items created by favorite artists. Why not have a table as individual as you are?”

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WHETHER YOU HAVE AN ESTABLISHED GARDEN, A HOPEFUL STRIP OF DIRT WAITING FOR YOUR TROWEL, OR JUST A POT OR TWO, you can grow easy-to-care-for plants to brighten your yard and your plate. You can also skip spraying your lawn and harvest delicious edibles from it instead. (Not applying pesticides is better for bees and other pollinators, plus you’ll save money and won’t be contributing to pesticide run- off flowing into city water systems.)

When pondering what to plant, non-invasive native species are always a good idea since they’ll thrive all on their own. Noninvasive imported plants work well, too, assuming that they’re suited to our hardiness zone. In most of Oakland County, that’s Zone 6, with a few areas being Zone 5.

LETTUCE

Although lots of veggies are relatively easy to grow, lettuce is by far the easiest, especially if you’d like to grow something from seed. Unlike tomatoes and beans and peppers, lettuce doesn’t need any kind of support structure, and it doesn’t need as much sun, either. One caveat: lettuce needs to be protected from voracious bunnies!

An outdoor bistro table or chair makes an excellent lettuceperch, or you can use an outdoor plant stand to get your lettuce off the ground and away from marauding rabbits. (If you have a surplus of large pots, turn one upside down and put another one on top of it — filling it with dirt should make it stable enough to plant your lettuce in.) Fencing in your lettuce also works, but another advantage of using pots is that you can move your lettuce from one spot to another if it seems to be getting too much or too little sun.

Lettuce comes in many shapes and shades: closed-head varieties (crisphead, iceberg), looseleaf (red leaf, green leaf), and in between (romaine, bibb), and in hues from pale green to deep red. The more loosely the lettuce grows, the more nutrients it contains — a greater number of exposed leaves means the plant has to have a stronger immune system to defend itself from bugs and fungi that try to attack it. Deeper reddish hues also offer more nutrients in terms of anthocyanin content, which is a pigment that functions as an antioxidant. Another nutritional bonus: Lettuce is high in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. The flavors and textures of different varieties of lettuce vary, but they’re all easy to grow.

HERBS

Like lettuce, herbs also grow well in pots. Large-leafed herbs like basil and mint also have especially high amounts of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. (And come in many different varieties! Purple ruffled basil, anyone? Or how about chocolate mint?) In terms of culinary applications, you just can’t beat fresh herbs that you can snip whenever you like. Plus, you can dry them at the end of the season to enjoy your garden bounty even in the winter months.

FLOWERS

If you’re looking for something pretty and practical, plant edible flowers like nasturtium, violets, pansies, and roses. Flowers from herbs and alliums are also edible and often stunning in their own right, so even if you don’t eat them, you can enjoy looking at them. (And chives are possibly the most hands-off perennial plant you can have.) Herbal flowers like lemon balm, lavender, are particularly beloved by bees, too.

LAWNS

The biodiversity of an unsprayed lawn is stunning, and a lot of it is edible: Dandelions (the flowers, leaves, and roots), red clover flowers, wood sorrel leaves (wood sorrel kind of looks like shamrocks and is tangy with vitamin C), violets, plantains (aka psyllium in health food stores), purslane (an incredible source of omega-3s), and many more valuable “weeds.”

Don’t spray your lawn — eat it!

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IF YOU’RE OF A CERTAIN AGE,YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER being told when you were a kid, to “Go outside and play!” Well, it’s still valid advice, no matter if you’re a kid or an adult. Michiganders don’t get much premium outdoor weather, so let’s enjoy it while we have it! It doesn’t take much to make your backyard an inviting place to be on sunny days and breezy nights.

Just relax. If you have two sturdy trees about 15 feet apart, hang a hammock and put a little table next to it. Perch a tropical drink on the table, pull up a reggae station on Pandora, and pretend you’re slung between palm trees on the beach. If you don’t have ideally-spaced trees, a hammock stand works, too. Or if you’re into home spa treatments, sprawl in a chaise lounge and let your hair, nail, and facial treatments sink in and do their work while you enjoy the outdoors. (Just be sure to scoot into the shade if you’re using products that shouldn’t be in direct sunlight, like retinol and alpha hydroxyl acids.) In the evenings, laze next to a firepit.

Commune with nature. Many pollinators are attracted by certain plants, including hummingbirds and butterflies. If you’d like to be able to observe pollinators going about their busy business, Google “plants for [insert your favorite here]” and create your own nature center to encourage visitors. (Bonus: many flowers that draw in pollinators are also delicious for humans, like lavender and squash flowers.) When dusk arrives, download a stargazing app and puzzle out some constellations. You can even go camping in your own backyard if you have a tent handy.

Play games! Ever seen those giant life-sized games at summer festivals? You can whip them out in your very own backyard to entertain folks of all ages. Classic lawn games like croquet and bocce are perennially popular, too, or you can hang some water-filled balloons from a tree and have a piñata party. Got hula hoops? Use them in a hip-jiggling competition. Or cut out about a quarter of each hoop, sink the ends into the ground, and play kickball croquet.

Be handy. Even if you don’t have mad carpenter skills, you could probably build a teepee out of long sticks and some leafy branches. If you are DIY-inclined, then you might want to transform a shed into a reading nook or build a free- standing Tiki bar. Want to expand your gardening and carpentry skills at the same time? Spend an afternoon putting together a greenhouse kit and then enjoy fresh veggies and herbs year-round.

Get creative. Bet you’ve seen some fun, quirky items at art fairs that made you think “Hey, maybe I could do that!” Whether it’s a funky plate perched on a stick or a birdhouse made of corks, outdoor items are a lot more rustic and less complicated to make compared to items you would want to showcase inside your house, and if you do your crafting, then it’s fine if you spill paint or glue. Chances are you already have plenty of oddball items you can use as art supplies.

Try out your hosting skills. Haul out a card table, plop it in the grass, and invite people over for a Euchre party. Or depending on your group of friends, perhaps a BYO tea party would be more appropriate. (In that case, also haul out a pretty tablecloth and your best china, then pluck some nearby flowers to make a quick bouquet.) If you have a deck or patio, string some lights on whatever hooks/umbrellas/railings are handy and host a cocktail soirée.

Summertime is party time!

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By Andrea Grimaldi

FOR OVER 30 YEARS THE HAZEL PARK HOLIDAY BASKETS PROGRAM has provided local families and senior citizens with meals, gifts, and winter gear, while also providing students with a hands-on charitable experience. From fundraising to donation gathering and sorting, the Holiday Baskets program is a community-wide effort only growing better with each passing year.

Each year, families and citizens in need can apply for a free gift basket at any Hazel Park school, the Library, City Hall, or the Fire and Police Stations. All applications returned by December 2nd are considered. The only requirements are Hazel Park residency and financial hardship. Pick-up confirmations and reminders are e-mailed, and the day of distribution is a private event with a small number of volunteers for a discreet delivery. Basket pickup takes place at Webb Elementary (2100 Woodward Heights Blvd. in Ferndale) on December 14. In the past, the committee aimed for nearly 400 baskets each year. However, the past two years saw a decrease in applications down to 250-275 baskets – still an impressive feat, but hopefully a sign of less families in need.

Each family and household receives one basket, which contains a variety of canned goods, cereal, and other nonperishable foods, a $25 Kroger gift card, and a holiday ham (packed separately). This is enough for a filling holiday meal with extras to pack the pantry. Hats, gloves, scarves, and socks are also included, as well as board games and books for each child in every family. The baskets are created specifically with each family in mind based on the applications.

ALL DONATIONS ARE WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED. Donated canned goods go far for this project. Newly purchased books, toys, board games, and winter gear are also needed. Monetary contributions help ensure every specific item is available for every basket, and bulks up the reserve fund for next year. Donations can be dropped off at any Hazel Park school or at the Ford Administration Building at 1620 E. Elza Avenue in Hazel Park until December 12th.

Hazel Park students are encouraged to donate or hold canned food drives and fundraising events. The students also help with organizing the donations, giving them hands-on experience with giving back to their community. Local businesses have played an integral role through the years with generous donations and financial contributions.

Volunteers will gather on December 13 at Webb Elementary from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. to package the baskets. The volunteers include students, school staff both current and retired, residents and legislators. The day has a social feel with old friends and colleagues catching up and working together toward an amazing goal.

DR. AMY KRUPPE, HAZEL PARK SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT and member of the Holiday Baskets committee, describes the process as nothing short of inspiring. “We are really lucky to have this amazing group putting this together. Hazel Park is a wonderful city to live and work in, with so many people opening their hearts.”

Donations can be dropped off at all Hazel Park schools, as well as the Ford Administration building. Volunteers are welcome to join on the packing day, December 13. All questions or volunteer/donation inquiries can be answered on the Holiday Basket hotline at (248) 658-5210.

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AS FOUNDER, OWNER, AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR, Dr. Paul Benson sets the tone for the Be Well Medical Center. The practice reflects the philosophy that Dr. Benson has developed over the course of 40 years dedicated to his profession and his patients.

Family Practice

As a family medicine practice, Be Well Medical Center provides primary medical care for people of all ages, treating many common conditions from diabetes to high blood pressure, while also maintaining relationships with other health care providers and facilities for people who need more specialized care.

Dr. Benson refers to his practice as “your neighbor-hood medical center with a heart,” because he is committed to the principle that while ideal patient care requires keeping up with the latest relevant advances in medical knowledge, treatments, and technology, it also requires never losing sight of the human side of medicine. A family practitioner especially – who often maintains lifelong relationships with patients, in some cases across multiple generations in a family – needs to manifest virtues including patience, being a good listener, and compassion in order to provide the best care.

Be Well Medical Center offers evening hours four days a week, as well as some Saturday hours for patients’ convenience. Their staff of health care providers and support staff are all highly capable and have been trained by Dr. Benson to reflect his practice’s philosophy.

Helping people live healthier lifestyles, and preventing health problems rather than waiting for them to arise before addressing them, requires good communication between doctor and patient. To facilitate this, Dr. Benson contends, a family practice must create an atmosphere of honesty and trust, where people feel comfortable speaking frankly, asking and answering questions, providing information, admitting concerns and fears, etc., even when it comes to personal and potentially sensitive aspects of their life and health.

Sexual Health

If there is something that sets Dr. Benson and Be Well Medical Center apart from many other family practices, it is his conviction—informed by decades of experience—that sexual health is an under appreciated and underemphasized aspect of health care.

As defined by the World Health Organization, “Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality; not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual Dr. Benson refers to his practice as “your health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, [and] the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence.”

A family doctor, Dr. Benson contends, must not regard addressing the sexual health of his or her patients as optional or as of minor importance. Not when we live in a time when—just to mention a few relevant and concerning points—there are more than 110 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in this country, the lifetime risk of contracting HIV for African American men who have sex with men is approximately 50%, the long-declining rates of gonorrhea and syphilis have in recent years reversed direction and risen, approximately half of all new STIs each year occur among people 24 years of age and younger, and studies show that people tend to drastically underestimate their likelihood of contracting HIV.

Addressing sexual health with one’s patients has multiple components: sexual history discussions, sex education, and STI testing. Dr. Benson maintains that if you are the physician responsible for providing a person’s primary medical care, taking your patient’s sexual history should be as much a routine part of your job as taking their blood pressure or asking about their allergies. A sexual history should be taken on a new patient’s initial visit, whenever the patient receives a routine preventive exam, and whenever there are indications of an STI.

A discussion of sexual health should include educating the patient with current information regarding HIV and other STIs and their prevention, including addressing appropriate condom use with any sexually active patient. Individuals deemed at risk for STIs should be encouraged to get tested regularly, every 3 to 6 months depending on the degree and nature of the risk.

Sexual health is a matter close to Dr. Benson’s heart. He has been on the forefront in the battle against HIV since before the terms “HIV” and “AIDS” even existed. He has seen far too many lives damaged and lives lost as a result of inadequate communication, education, and understanding of risk concerning sexual matters. In addition to being board certified in Family Medicine, he is accredited as an HIV Specialist by the American Academy of HIV Medicine.

Dr. Benson has published extensively in medical journals, has been the principal investigator for many therapeutic drug trials in the HIV field, and is a national speaker on many health-related issues. He has served as President of the St. John Oakland Physicians Organization, as well as of the local Berkley Rotary Club. Dr. Benson’s pledge to the community is that Be Well Medical Center will always be open and welcoming to those of all races, genders, ages, orientations, etc. All people who walk in the door are respected, valued, and accepted as deserving of individualized care.

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By Andrea Grimaldi

ONE OF THE MANY WAYS THE HAZEL PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT supports its families and neighbors is by teaming up with the Gleaners Community Food Bank for the School Mobile Food Pantry.

Since 2016, Hazel Park Schools and Gleaners have worked together to gather fresh and canned food to give to over 100 families each month. The importance of keeping students healthy and fed cannot be understated, as Superintendent Dr. Amy Kruppe explains; “We know that facilitating the nourishment of our youth and their families does positively impact their learning capacity.”

The program aims to supplement up to 125 families with one or two full grocery bags of food. On delivery day, families in need arrive at the Hazel Park School District Ford Administration Building at 1620 E Elza and line up in their cars in the parking lot and down East Elza Street. A volunteer brings a form to the vehicle for the family to fill out, followed by the bag of food. Parents and guardians can also register for reminders on the MIStar Parent Portal. The distribution is first-come-first-serve and, due to the limited supplies, families are encouraged to arrive early.

EACH FAMILY RECEIVES A BAG CONTAINING 20 TO 30 POUNDS WITH A VARIETY of fresh fruits, vegetables, and dry goods, a gallon of milk, frozen meat, and/or eggs. Families with six or more members receive two bags. Any leftover food is saved for the food pantry available to students in the Hazel Park school district. Lisa Chrouch-Johnson, HP Schools Community Representative, encourages all students and families in need to reach out. This is not limited to food: She is available to help with other needs like paying bills, eyeglasses and medical and counseling referrals. She can be reached at (248) 6585209, or lisa.chrouch-johnson@hazelparkschools.org.

Volunteers are always welcome. The students at Advantage Alternative High School make up a large part of the Mobile Food Pantry volunteers, but everyone is encouraged to help out. Contact Lisa Chrouch-Johnson to find out about volunteer opportunities. December’s distribution day is on the 20th at 9:30 A.M. at the School District Ford Administration Building. Food and financial donations can be given directly to the Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan. They can be contacted at 866-GLEANER or www.gcfb.org.

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By Mary Meldrum

THE ROYAL OAK FIRST UNITED METHODIST SACK LUNCH PROGRAM is designed specifically to feed the homeless. I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Mark Thatcher, one of the Executive Directors of this 25-year-old program.

Thatcher said the program started 25 years ago as a very small and occasional project where church staff simply began offering local homeless people their own bagged lunches. After a few years they moved the lunch-making program into the church.

As their efforts grew, they began receiving donations of all sorts, and eventually began making and serving hot soup in the winter months. This grew into an entirely hot meal served Monday through Friday at the church.

Even while renovations to the church were underway the past four years, volunteers began distributing full hot meals every day of the week. Homeless patrons were fed on the steps, and then in the newly renovated fellowship hall.

CURRENTLY, APPROXIMATELY 40 VOLUNTEERS provide the free lunch for up to 65 homeless people
every day, which consists of a sandwich, chips, drink, cookies and applesauce or soup. Every Friday there is a hot chicken meal.

This legacy program has deep roots and has grown from a small seed of a grand gesture of church members surrendering their lunches to the homeless into 10,000 bagged lunches plus 10,000 hot meals every year. The ROFUM Church Sack Lunch Program has scaled up with the increased need for this type of mission work in the area.

As a mission-centric organization, they have a need for more volunteers. If you have an interest in helping out, please note that at least half of the current volunteers do not attend church services. Thatcher and his wife, Catherine Thatcher organize the Sack Lunch Program, but Mark wanted me to know that the church also has a food pantry, and clothes are donated, as well. What do they need? Food, clothing, volunteers, money and help.

The Royal Oak First United Methodist Church is located at 320 7th Street in downtown Royal Oak. You can reach out to Karen at the Royal Oak First United Methodist Church at 248-541-4100.

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