CLOSE
Search

george - search results

If you're not happy with the results, please do another search

0 1520

By Adam O’Connor

JUST BEFORE THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER REALLY SLAP METRO DETROITERS IN THE FACE, FERNDALE HAS FOUND YET ANOTHER REASON TO CELEBRATE.  AND WHAT DO PEOPLE LOVE MORE THAN GOOD BBQ WHEN THE WEATHER’S NICE?

Well, a few things they love just as much happen to be as good booze, great beer, and outstanding music. Fortunately, the newest Ferndale summer festival provides exactly those things – and more.

Bruise, BBQ & Bourbon – produced by Ferndale’s  own Ultimate Fun Productions and The Social Connection – kicks off it’s inaugural celebration in the summer the weekend of June 16–18. The festival will take place down the main thorough fare of East 9 Mile Road in Downtown Ferndale.

The weekend will feature two stages of continuous music – one acoustic and one main stage – featuring the likes of local and regional acts like George Morris in the Gypsy Chorus, Ryan Delilah and the Miracle Men, the Whiskey Charmers, Dan Tillery, Alise King, Tosha Owens, Tripp N Dixie, AwesomeR, and Flint’s one man band Sweet Willy Tea amongst others.

The event will also feature everyone’s favorite festival foods – definitely focused on BBQ, but also offering up a smattering of other items for those who don’t partake in summertime’s grilled and smoke treats. Local BBQ purveyors Smoke Ring BBQ, Detroit BBQ company, Stonewood Smokehouse and more will be joined by the other great Michigan BBQ slinging champs like Lansing’s The Smoking Pig and Hollands Hogwild BBQ. Some pit masters (such as Smoke Shack) will be coming from so far as Columbus Ohio – and they will undoubtedly be more announced.

An abundance of craft beer will also be present, as well as a varied choice of booze – from smoky bourbons to aged whiskey’s and more. There will even be a Moscow Mule tent featuring every type of Mule variation you’ve heard of – and some you haven’t – such as the Mexican Mule (tequila, ginger beer and lime juice), Gin Gin Mule (gin, ginger beer, lime juice) and Cider Mule (vodka, ginger beer, hard apple cider, and lime juice) and a bunch more! Further, Cocktail Creations is your destination to sample a variety of classic newly-conceived summer cocktails if Moscow Mules aren’t your thing. And finally, if you were hoping for a great selection of bourbons you won’t be disappointed by the offerings on Bourbon Boulevard.

There will be all-ages fun as well, offering games, the kids zone face painting, Michigan’s favorite backyard past time of cornhole and tons of more wholesome and family friendly entertainment for anyone who feels like bringing themselves out to the free event

The event takes place on Friday, June 16 from the hours of 5 pm until Midnight; Saturday, June 17 from Noon until Midnight; and Sunday, June 18 from Noon until 10pm.

Further information and festival updates are available at brewsbbqbourbon.com or by visiting the event’s social media (you can even entered to win a free slab of ribs!).

0 2168

Photo by Dawn Henry

A FRIEND JUST RETURNED FROM A TRIP TO BERKELEY (California, not our neighbors to the northwest of us), where he reported that walking down the city’s famed and freaky Shattuck Ave., one smells the pungent odor of marijuana constantly.

Our city of Berkley voted to decriminalize weed in a 2014 city referendum, as has Ferndale, Oak Park, even upscale Pleasant Ridge, plus 12 other Michigan cities. The momentum seems so strong that High Times, a cannabis legalization publication, rates our state as one most likely to soon decriminalize marijuana. Vermont’s governor recently vetoed a legalization bill.

However, don’t light up a fatty on any of the Oakland county cities which voted to permit recreational use of the herb. Even though the state passed the Medical Marijuana Act in 2008, local law enforcement officials in Oakland County will not allow even marijuana medicinal dispensaries to operate, and you risk felony prosecution for possession if you don’t have a medical card permitting it.

However, Detroit, which voted to allow usage, has over 250 marijuana dispensaries, many of which dot Eight Mile Rd., conveniently close to a suburban clientele.

Nine Mile Rd. and Woodward isn’t Shattuck Ave. However, it might be soon. MI Legalize, the group whose efforts to get the legalization question on the 2016 ballot was thwarted by a technicality, has an organizing campaign aimed at next year’s election.

Even though 44 states allow medical marijuana, and several permit recreational use, the rub is that it remains illegal at the federal level under the Controlled Substances Act which classifies it with drugs like heroin. The Feds deny that marijuana is a medicine and the courts agree.

In a 2005 ruling, the US Supreme Court affirmed that the federal government has the constitutional authority to prohibit marijuana for all purposes.

Their decision wasn’t based on the right-wing, Puritanical desire to punish pleasure which is now being threatened by US Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, who is demanding increased enforcement of anti-drug laws. Rather, the court recognized the sovereignty of federal law over state or city statutes.
They reason that without that dominance, the state of Alabama could re-institute segregation or Ferndale could declare a minimum wage of $3.75 an hour. After all, it was the unwillingness of Northern states like
Michigan to enforce the Constitution’s guarantee of slavery and the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act that led the South to rebel. It is much like the Sanctuary City movement of today which pits federal law against a city’s refusal to cooperate with immigration police.

But let’s go back to the Dylan song. What are the consequences of widespread and constant marijuana usage on a society and on the individual?

John Sinclair, 1960s MC5 manager and White Panther Party founder, who suffered two prison stints for possession of reefer, saw great political potential for getting high. In 1971, he wrote: “The Marijuana Revolution is just part of the world-wide revolution being carried out by peoples of the Earth who refuse to put up any longer with the exploitation, greed and oppression of the Euro-Amerikan ownership-class.”

Those were heady days and although Sinclair’s words may seem a lot more optimistic regarding the possibility of social change than what occurred, he was onto something. Getting high was part of the rebellion of the era, it was an intoxicant that brought pleasure and mental exploration without the deadening and toxic effect of the mainstream’s favorite mind altering substance—alcohol. Marijuana was part of a process that allowed the generation of the 1960s to shed the rigid strictures and demands of conventional society.

However, as weed and other drug use became more prevalent, state and federal governments realized the economic potential for harsh enforcement and the increase and militarization of their police apparatuses. Thus was born the Prison/Industrial Complex alongside its Military big brother. It’s estimated that $1 trillion has been spent on the so-called War on Drugs This constitutes a massive wealth transfer of our income in taxes to the government to stop people (often us) from altering their consciousness, and to create clients for the Prison/Industrial Complex. Or, as Sinclair once said, “to stop people from smoking flowers.”
We’re moving towards legalization, but what will result from a universal Shattuck Ave.?

Many people see decriminalization like Sinclair did—a force for liberating one’s mind which in turn would liberate society. In fiction, however, the result is often portrayed differently. In Aldous Huxley’s 1933 Brave New World, soma, a “euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant” substance is doled out to “Delta workers,” as a method of controlling rebellious impulses.

George Lucas’s 1971 directorial debut film, THX1138, is set in a dystopian 25th Century world, where use of mind-altering drugs is mandatory to enforce compliance.

Whether marijuana can be part of a process of liberation or used by the government as a mind-numbing substance that enforces the status quo isn’t clear. Let’s just be aware of the consequences of what we wish for. But, legalize it!

The MI Legalize campaign can be reached at facebook.com/MiLegalize

Peter Werbe is a member of Fifth Estate magazine’s editorial collective www.FifthEstate.org. On Saturday, July 15, he will moderate a panel at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History which will discuss the legacy of the White Panther Party. Panelists will include Atty. Buck Davis, Geni Parker, Pun Plamondon, Leni Sinclair, and John Sinclair. Admission is free. TheWright.org.

 

0 1428

By Ferndale Schools Superintendent Blake Prewitt

Winter was a season of accomplishment for Ferndale Schools’ students. The High School Robotics Team, the Impi Warriors, won the Gaylord District Championship in late March! This was the first district championship for the program, which also qualified them for the State Championship competition and vaulted them to a second-place ranking in the State! That’s right, the number-two team in the state!

The Impis also won the Safety Award and their second Chairman’s Award in two years. The Chairman’s Award recognizes the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST. It is FIRST’s most prestigious award.

Also, in March the DECA teams from Ferndale and University High Schools competed at the State Career Development Conference in Detroit. Our Eagles competed against over 4,000 high school students from the State of Michigan. University High School Senior Vice President Shyanita McKalpain captured a Gold Merit Award and qualified for the Intl. Career Development Conference later this year in Anaheim, California.

I’m also happy to recognize two student musicians who received first-round invitations to participate in the Michigan Youth Arts Festival based on their scores at State Solo and Ensemble Festival. Shawn Pryde on violin and Jacob Keener on viola were both invited to participate in Michigan Youth Arts Festival in May. Also of note, the chamber ensemble of Margaret Dominic, Will McElgunn, Katie Keener, Mya Riccardi, Jacob Keener, Erin Isaacs, Ruth Butters, Dyani Armijo-Sinnett, and George Van Der Vennet were invited to audition for one of the performance spots; one of about 20 selected from around the state to audition.

Students at Ferndale Middle School have begun to share their excess lunch items with the less fortunate. The FMS Junior Honor Society and STAND are work-ing with our food service provider Chartwells to begin a “Share Table” program. The Share Table allows students to place unopened packaged food or fruit into collection bins.  The food is then transported to the Renaissance Vineyard Church food bank.  What a fantastic way for our students to give back!

0 1830

Story by Sarah E. Teller
Photo By Bernie LaFramboise

George and Cecilia Grego purchased Como’s restaurant, on the corner of Nine Mile Rd and Woodward, on April 1, 1961, and since then the restaurant has been a staple in the Ferndale community. The Italian hot spot is best known for its pizza. “We have the best pizza anywhere around,” says Como’s manager, George Grego Jr.

Como’s has a full bar and regular entertainment, combining dining and drinks, great for any sized party. It will offer a fun-filled lineup for the upcoming Blues Festival, January 27th through February 4th. “We’ll have entertainment each night,” George says.

There is a banquet area that can accommodate up to 100 people, as well as a private dining room seating up to 40. In warmer months, the outside patio seats several hundred people. “It’s a simple phone call,” George says of how quickly a reservation for a special event can be made. Como’s also hosts birthday parties, wedding and baby showers and other celebratory events.

Como’s reopened in October 2016, after having been cited for several violations related to cleanliness and the safety of its food, including citations for its kitchen area and ultimately closed by the health department the previous month. A lot of it had to do with “noncompliance of staff,” according to George. “We have a lot of new staff now and have remodeled.” Of the original 20-plus employees, only six have been retained. “No money had been put into the restaurant in nearly 20 years,” George adds.

“We’ve taken this opportunity to put the funds in that were needed.” Most of the building has been gutted and the space has been completely transformed, with all violations properly addressed and eradicated.

“We’ve made some fantastic changes and additions, and have thoroughly addressed and resolved any outstanding issues with the Oakland County Health Division,” George also indicated in a press release following the restaurant’s reopening. “All current staff are ServSafe certified.” ServSafe is a program that uses FDA Food Code guidelines to provide safety education and training to anyone employed at a restaurant who handles food.

George credits much of the positive change to Como’s new award winning chef, Pete Lech, a graduate of Schoolcraft College who served as an executive chef at Andiamo Italian Restaurant for a number of years. “Pete is just great,” he says. “He comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience.”

The restaurant has instituted some great specials to make sure members of the community stop by and check out the changes. “We have the best specials earlier in the week,” George says. On Monday’s Como’s has half-off all pizzas. On Tuesdays, pasta is buy-one, get-one free. And, on Wednesdays, patrons can enjoy a strip steak dinner for just $20.  “It’s a little-known fact that Como’s delivers, too,” George says. “And we even deliver beer and wine.

Como’s Restaurant is located at 22812 Woodward Avenue.
Staff can be reached at 248-548-5005.

0 3779

OUR LOCAL AND MULTI-TALENTED GARY BRUNNER LAUNCHES A NEW CAREER IN HORROR ACTING VIA THE RUSSIAN SLEEP EXPERIMENT

Story by David Wesley
Photos by Michael Bugard
Film still photo courtesy of Framed Pictures, LLC
Posters designed by Mark Kosob

Gary Brunner is an actor, musician, artist, chef and lifelong Ferndale dweller. His life and career is storied, starting with witnessing the making of the original Evil Dead film. Gary also runs Atomic Dawgs, in Berkley, ff-gb-russianfor owner Joel Martin, who also owns 54 Sound. Now Gary’s career is taking a new interesting turn. He’s now about to become a presence in the cult horror film world. He is the lead actor in the short film “The Russian Sleep Experiment” which was adapted from of the most popular creepypastas (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creepypasta.) The story has millions of fans and you can see the trailer on YouTube. Gary got his desire to be in film because he used to hang out with the Evil Dead crew when they were editing “The Evil Dead” in Ferndale. More on that seminal meeting in a moment. Needless to say, Gary was blown away when one of his childhood heroes (Evil Dead veteran and film/TV director Josh Becker) had this to say about the Russian Sleep Experiment short: “The Russian Sleep Experiment is certainly one of the best short films I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen alot. It excels in every department…and it all comes together in what I feel is the perfect length and tone, thus achieving an extremely solid impact in its payoff.”

Gary himself sat down with Ferndale Friends, and gave more insight on his colorful life and careers in Metro Detroit:
Ferndale Friends: How did you get involved with film and theatre in Detroit?
Gary Brunner: When I was about ten years old I used to ride my bike up to the magic shop in Ferndale. I wanted to do monster makeup, something my parents were strongly against. I got some fake beard hair glued to my face and couldn’t get it off. So I skipped school and went to the magic shop for answers. There was a sign on the door that said “back in five minutes.” This was most disturbing to me, of course. I mean, if my parents found out I didn’t go to school because I had a fake beard glued to my face, I’d be dead for sure. So I ff-gb-rse-poster2sat in the hallway in front of the door and waited and waited. I noticed on the door directly across the hall from the magic shop, it said “Action Pictures.” That had to mean movies! I pressed my face into the mail slot in the door. The first thing I saw was an Evil Dead poster on the wall in the office. What I didn’t know was that the door wasn’t shut all the way. So when I smashed my face into the mail slot, I fell into the office. Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi came running out to see what was going on. Sam looked real mad, “What are you doing breaking in here kid?” Bruce chimed in, “Yeah kid, and what’s that hair glued to your face?” After I told them what had happened, they laughed hysterically and helped me get the fake beard off with spirit gum remover. Once I was beard-free again they let me watch Evil Dead. It hadn’t even been released yet. They didn’t even have a distribution deal yet. I was hooked!

FF: How has the art scene in Detroit changed since you began making a presence in it?
GB: I think the art scene has grown into an amazing situation. When I was younger, there weren’t the same opportunities that there are now. I used to go and watch music artists like the Romantics, George Clinton and Eminem record their songs (at 54 Sound.) Years later my friend and mentor, Joel Martin, bought an old house in Berkley and wanted me to design and implement a fine dining version of a neighborhood hot dog joint. It’s almost four years later and we are still hanging in there and seem to win, place or show every time there is a contest involving hot dogs. I feel so grateful to ave such a wonderful opportunity to be so creative with my cooking skills.

FF: How did your experience with the Evil Dead crew influence your part in the Russian Sleep Experiment? GB: The Russian Sleep Experiment is like my Evil Dead movie. I used to watch those guys work so hard to get Evil Dead funded and distributed, and now here I am years later trying to raise money for a feature­ length film. Those guys never gave up and neither will I.

FF: How do you feel about the changes seen in Ferndale as a longtime resident?
GB: I’ve seen a lot go down in Ferndale since my family moved here when I was eight-years-old. A lot of the ff-gb-paintneighbors on my block have long since retired or moved away. What replaced all those original residents no one could have seen coming. Ferndale has turned into a creative Mecca of sorts. We still have a lot of families in Ferndale, but it seems like every other week I hear about some amazing artist or musician that just moved into Ferndale. There are so many cool shops and mom and pop kind of restaurants. More than a handful of music studios. I love Ferndale, I love my street, I love my house, I love all my neighbors on my street and never want to leave.

FF: What are the projects you ‘re working on now and do you have any future projects you have planned?
GB: Aside from the Russian Sleep Experiment Project, I play drums for an outlaw country band called The Holy Winos. I’m also putting together a power pop style band. I. like a lot of other actors, audition any time and every time I can, hoping for that big break!

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction switch on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

0 2228

Story by David Stone
Photos by Jeff Lilly
Design by Lindsy Carman

Dr. Joel Kahn, cardiologist and vegan, has a radical view of what medicine should be. He wants to see smaller hospitals that treat only infectious diseases. He feels that chronic illnesses like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease should be treated through “lifestyle management,” a big part of which he believes is eating a diet that is primarily plant-based.

ff11650_Page_1_Image_0004That’s why he and his son, Daniel, recently opened GreenSpace Cafe, Ferndale’s newest vegan restaurant. Besides the owners, and General Manager Amber Poupore, I spoke to George Vutetakis.

All of these individuals have been eating plant-based diets for many years. In fact, if you combine their collective experience and study, you are looking at over 100 years of accumulated knowledge in the area of plant-based diets and nutrition.

So, lets meet the experts.

Amber Poupore has worked at Inn Season, and, later opened Cacao Tree in Royal Oak. She is very familiar with the nutritive and healing value of plant-based foods. In fact, she healed herself of a number of ailments using this method. Amber can tailor a dinner or a diet plan to your specific needs.

ff11650_Page_1_Image_0002Dr. Joel Kahn has been eating a plant-based diet since 1977, and has been a vegan since 1990.

Born in Oak Park, MI, he graduated from Southfield-Lathrup High School. He then went to the University of Michigan Medical School, where he graduated first in his class in 1983. As an aside, Dr. Kahn also likes to point out that it was during his Residency in Dallas that he developed an appreciation for cowboy boots, which he wears regularly. Four or five years ago, Dr. Kahn decided to pursue “prevention as a discipline.” He refers to himself as a “preventative cardiologist” and sees GreenSpace Cafe as an extension of his practice where he uses a fork and knife instead of a scalpel. His place is upscale, yet unpretentious. A place where, on any given day, you can sample plant-based dishes inspired by the great cuisines of the world, or have a tempeh burger and beer. George Vutetakis, of Inn Season fame, likes to think of himself as a “facilitator,” or a person who seeks to “help a group of people understand their common objectives and assist them to plan how to achieve these objectives.”

ff11650_Page_1_Image_0003Chef Vutetakis enjoys working with local vendors and with vendors as far away as Peru.He also pointed out that many house-made elements go into the dishes. GreenSpace Cafe makes its own yogurt, sweet potato gnocchi, and nut cheeses such as cashew cheese and almond parmesan. They also make their own kimchi, crackers, and breads. He also pointed out that the bartenders make their own elixers. Vutetakis then went on to discuss the science of food. He pointed out that most of the flavor and texture in foods come from plants and if you remove the carbon and fat from a meal, only the plants remain. So GreenSpace Cafe can produce very satisfying dishes, which are rich in flavor, using plant-based ingredients alone.

So come and try out GreenSpace Cafe, where the food isn’t just mighty tasty, but may even improve your health!

GreenSpace Cafe is located at 215 West 9 Mile in Ferndale. They are open Tuesday thru Thursday from 5:00 P.M until 10:00 P.M. and Friday and Saturday from 5:00 P.M. until midnight. They are closed Sunday and Monday. They can be reached at (248)206-7510, on the web at www.greenspacecafe.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greenspacecafe.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states connected to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What humanity talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

0 3740

Hey! IT’S THE HOLIDAYS. YOU’RE ANXIOUS. WHAT’S THAT PERFECT GIFT TO GIVE THAT WILL ALSO MAKE YOU FEEL FULFILLED? I’VE GOT IT. LOCAL MUSIC. WHILE I WAS PUTTING TOGETHER THIS COLUMN, I FOUND IT WAS TOUGH TO NARROW THINGS DOWN. THERE WERE SO MANY AWESOME LOCAL ALBUMS RELEASED THIS YEAR FROM METRO DETROIT ARTISTS. YOU COULD EASILY FIND THE PERFECT GIFT EITHER AT FOUND SOUND IN FERNDALE, OR MAYBE UHF UP IN ROYAL OAK OR STREET CORNER MUSIC IN OAK PARK, JUST BY WALKING IN AND ASKING WHERE TO FIND THEIR “LOCAL MUSIC” SECTION. OR, YOU CAN FIND THE SONGS ONLINE, VIA BANDCAMP.COM OR THEIR MAIN MUSIC SITES (I’LL INCLUDE SOME LINKS.) THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO NOW IS MAKE A LIST & CHECK IT TWICE! (THEN PRESS “PLAY”.)

RYAN DILLAHA & THE MIRACLE MEN – MIRACLES IN MONO

This poetic singer/songwriter demonstrated his knack for classic honky-tonk, but he couldn’t shake his lingering lean towards a more rock ‘n’ roll swagger. With a tremendous team of players like The Miracle Men having congealed a brotherly chemistry with the Ferndale based Dillaha, they were able to transmit the rock energy of their live shows onto a record that is as pastoral as a heartfelt folk anthology and yet also wears its blue collar scuff marks with quiet pride, as though emitted from a beer-splashed jukebox. ryandillaha.com

DESTROY THIS PLACE – ANIMAL RITES

Because this quartet doesn’t take anything for granted; that’s what makes them dangerous. Local music fans have been seeing these four players in other bands over the last eight or nine years so you already know they’ve got the pop/rock goods; but that doesn’t mean any of them approach DTP’s blitzing songs and live shows with any sense of local super- group entitlement. In fact, Animal Rites shines because of how much attention and meticulous care each player contributed to the overall composition. It may be the loudest, hardest and fastest they’ve ever played in their lives, but their savvy sutures a new kind of grace onto that grit. destroythisplaceband.com

OLD EMPIRE – HOW TO MAKE AN ENTRANCE

Old Empire perfected the popera, or mini pop opera, with their latest batch of rockers. The local quartet go back to the riffy qualities and driving backbeats of seminal indie-rock and imbue it with a sweeter layer of harmonization between its male/female co-leads, laying out rich narratives resonating with eerily relatable sentiments and wisdom-ringing gut punch encounters from a weekender’s life “on the scene.” Old Empire makes the pop jams for the converted cool, the reformed scenesters who’ve attained a more worldly sensibility. Fun, freewheeling stompers that also make you stop and think. oldempire.bandcamp.com

PROTOMARTYR – THE AGENT INTELLECT

This Detroit quartet became the darlings of several tastemaking blogs and hipster music zines across the country with their last record’s exceptional blend of post-punk

caustics, no-wave defiance and art-pop dynamism. Their latest demonstrates a sensibility for effective minimalism; the right tone of guitar over the sparsest clasp of drums and bass with that gravel-ly lead vocal, settin g moods of ponderous dread and cathartic cool. protomartyr.bandcamp.com/releases

VSTRS – VSTRS

VSTRS (as in, Visitors…as in, from an alien world…) are a mixed bag of music, from post-punk to new wave, to alt-rock revivalism and anywhere in between. Spacemen 3 or Mercury Rev or Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins might be good reference points, but that would also leave out some of their other inclinations towards a bit of krautrock and spacey psychedelia. visitorsarehere.bandcamp.com

ANCIENT LANGUAGE – FOLK SONGS

Initially the instrumental compositions of electronic music producer Christopher Jarvis, his brother Zachariah joined a year ago to add funky flourishes of live bass. Fans of seminal trip-hop, ambient electronica and evocative dream-pop should tune in. ancientlanguage.bandcamp.com

800BELOVED – SOME KIND OF DISTORTION

The psychedelic, shoegaze-informed, pop-ensconced noise rock of visionary songwriter / producer Sean Lynch, this trio put out their most invigorating and provocative album to date. Listen now! Their facebook page has hinted at an inevitable self-imposed demise. 800beloved.bandcamp.com

FLINT EASTWOOD – SMALL VICTORIES

This Detroit-based project is powered by Jax Anderson, a force of nature when it comes to forging endearing and relatable lyrics onto irresistible arrangements of dance-pop synthesizers, cinematic sounding guitars, window-rattling bass and nimbly-footed percussive hooks. flinteastwoodmusic.bandcamp.com

THE WHISKEY CHARMERS – THE WHISKEY CHARMERS

I’m continually charmed by the Charmers, a local duo that mine the darker sides of folk, blues and country twang to unearth a literary-tinged mysticism crossed with a quasi campy, geek sophistication; imagine if murder ballads and

ghost stories had a lot of surf-rock reverb. I could imagine their music being on almost any Jim Jarmusch soundtrack. thewhiskeycharmers.bandcamp.com/releases

MEXICAN KNIVES – MEXICAN KNIVES

Dynamic, dark-sider surf punk, with a bit of SW country-rock valiance; sounding something like Quentin Tarantino’s alternate universe conception of CBGBs-era New York grime rock. mexicanknives.bandcamp.com

GEORGE MORRIS & THE GYPSY CHORUS – WE WILL GO TO HELL FOR THIS
A bit of throwback-ish minimalism, bringing an edgy indie- rock aesthetic to a piano and synth-centric pop balladry. There’s a universe of difference between 28 and 18, and Morris, who was initially whisked away to L.A. for his first breakout rock band, has such an endearingly wiser and relatable take on life, not to mention an uncanny sense for the most persistent earworm melodies. georgemorris.bandcamp.com

TUNDE OLANIRAN – TRANSGRESSOR

There are several adjectives I could employ to elucidate this remarkable lyricist, performer, choreographer, designer, and producer; words like awe-inspiring and show-stopper and pop-iconoclast. Electronic, hip-hop, soul, R&B, dance-pop… Everything at once. Tundeolaniran.com

MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE THESE ON YOUR LIST, TOO!

Moonwalks – Lunar Phases – http://moonwalks.bandcamp.com/
Muggs – Straight Up Boogaloo – themuggs.bandcamp.com Valley Hush – Don’t Wait – valleyhush.bandcamp.com Mountain Club – Time Waits for No One – mtnclubmusic.com Crappy Future – Internet Cache – crappyfuture.bandcamp.com
JUNGLEFOWL- Strut – junglefowl.bandcamp.com
LT. Bad – Electromagnetic – ltbad.bandcamp.com
Casual Sweetheart – Always/Never – casualsweetheart.bandcamp.com
Pink Lightning – Blue Skies – pinklightning.bandcamp.com

If something happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

0 3349

Story by Rebecca Hammond | Photos by Bernie Laframboise

George Tysh spent his early years in New Jersey, but he’s now firmly rooted in Ferndale and metro Detroit. And he’s recently received quite an honor: a 2015 Kresge Artist Fellowship.

When Tysh arrived in this area and eventually enrolled at Cass Technical High School, he found his classmates to be nice, and they found his Jersey accent amusing. His fields of study at Cass were theater arts and radio speech, and those helped turn his speaking voice “midwestern.” The development of his writing voice began at age 17, when he arrived home from school to find the house empty. He perused his dad’s library and found Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and an anthology edited by Langston Hughes called Poetry of the Negro. After reading some of each, he was inspired and wrote his first poems that afternoon. Though he wryly describes some of them as “horrible,” he knew they were the beginning of a new path.

Tysh, like most Cass Tech graduates, loved the school, and its focus on learning. “It was an awesome place,” he told me. “It was a place where you could try out things. One semester in one class we read 30 plays. It was a place where I could study literature and different forms of narrative.” It also let him experience directing, set design, stage management, even working with a puppet theater at the DIA. After Cass, Tysh attended Wayne State, and was invited to join an experimental college within WSU called Monteith, which existed from the 50s to the 70s. “It was a liberal arts college within Wayne State. It was a new approach to liberal arts.”

Ending up in Europe after the draft board gave him permission to study French in Paris, Tysh spent some time exploring. He met his wife Chris, a Paris native, in Poland, and they lived in Paris until 1973, then returned to Detroit. Since then, he’s taught English and film studies at Wayne, and at the Roeper School. He also began publishing his poetry.

“The main reason I retired from teaching is I wanted more time to write. I found myself wondering when the last time was that I had had a book out. I checked. It was 12 years. The next book came out in five.”

Tysh has collaborated with Ferndale visual artist Janet Hamrick, whose work graces two of his book covers and appears along poems inside one as well. He’s now turned out nine volumes of poetry.

The Kresge Artist Fellowship comes with $25,000 that allows him to “do anything I want for a year.” Kresge chooses artists from the tri-county area, alternating disciplines every two years. “If you have a record of your work, you can apply,” Tysh told me. “They emphasize emerging artists, often kids in their 20s. My stuff is experimental, but they have kids doing hip hop poetry and performance poetry.” They also offer seminars in things like organizing an artistic career.

Tysh describes writing as “making music with words” and enjoys classical music, and jazz and rock.

—-

Tysh and Janet Hamrick will present an exhibit of collaborations at the College for Creative Studies Center Galleries at the corner of Brush and Fredrick Douglass, opening at 6:00 P.M. on January 22 and running until February 27.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

0 1901

By Becky Hammond

OH, RATS DEPT: Owner LuAnn Linker of Wild Birds Unlimited on Woodward in Royal Oak is an encyclopedia of information on how to feed birds in a city concerned about rats. She’s aware of the devotion people have for birds, and has a list of ways to make it a rat-proof pastime. “Birdseed does not attract rats to a city,” she told me. “Rats come for other reasons. They’re opportunists and will eat birdseed, but our whole lifestyle brings rats in.” Rats like spots that are undisturbed, Linker told me. “They thrive in urban areas because humans produce, surround themselves with and transport waste throughout the environment. We offer easy access to garbage, sewage, pet food, outdoor grills, backyard ponds, yard debris and poorly maintained buildings.”

“To control the problem, we must address all of the contributing factors. We have to be stewards of our environment and not be careless.” Her tips:

• Put bird food in an elevated feeder with a bottom tray to eliminate spillage to the ground.

• Do not feed “human food.”

• Avoid cheap seed blends. Cheap “Wild Bird Mix” contains cereal grain fillers birds toss to the ground.

• Feed birds with hulled sunflower chips or “no-mess blends.”

• Feed compressed seed cylinders or suet instead of loose seed.

• Use “baffles” to eliminate easy access. Pole baffles keep rodents from climbing onto feeders.

• Store seed in tightly sealed metal containers.

• Inspect backyard ponds regularly for burrows and damage to plants.

“Attracting and feeding the birds is the second most popular hobby in America. It’s a relaxing, entertaining and educational hobby for all ages and it’s a great way for the residents of Ferndale to participate in the green movement and give back to nature.”

Some of us connect bird feeding to a family member, loving it partly because of that person. My dad, George Hammond, was a man who had a hard life and spent his middle and later years helping out wherever he could. He grew up in poverty in South Carolina, spent his teen years in an orphanage in Ohio, his adulthood feeding poor kids in our rural Ohio village. He put out bird seed and suet almost every day. Not long ago a friend told me n she fed birds because her grandfather did.

Environmental gadfly dept: Recently a resident new to Michigan posted a request for vacation suggestions on the terrific Ferndale Forum Facebook page. She must have been startled with the number of places listed. My advice? Pick a place and start. You’ll never use up Michigan. The longer you live here, the

m longer your go-to list gets, especially if you’re a guidebook junkie.

50 Hikes in Michigan still leads us around the lower peninsula. We approached a finish to all 60 (not a typo; there are “bonus hikes”) with a visit to the northeastern lower peninsula, hitting Cheboygan State Park and their trail system with Lake Huron beaches, varied forest, and lighthouse ruins. Next day we moved onto previously-unknown Thompson’s Harbor State Park further east.

A large chunk of undeveloped land like Negwegon further down the Lake Huron coast, Thompson’s Harbor is a secluded bit of magic. Despite lots of flat, straight, rocky trails, we were enchanted with the silence and the wildlife, seeing a grouse, and a beaver and a bat out at midday, undisturbed by us (maybe happy to be out of the ice, and out of hibernation). We enjoyed finding an expanse of hundreds of pitcher plants, right where our old guidebook said they’d be. Other hikes that make the area worth a trip: Ocqueoc Falls and Presque Isle Light. Both have trail systems.

The Pleasant Ridge Environmental Council recently hosted a presentation on native gardening featuring speaker Diane Gregory that inspired me to go home and get busy. Like many gardeners, I’ve planted a combination of native plants and non-natives. Since my many daylilies and old-fashioned irises are more interesting than grass for a fraction of T the time and water, I’ve considered them a good substitute. Bees and butterflies even like them. When native plants were first encouraged six or seven years ago, a single reason was most often stated: they have deep roots that hold water and prevent a run-off, protecting our storm system and our Great Lakes. True enough. But we environmentalists can be guilty of isolating one property, one factor, losing sight that a garden is a circle of life, every aspect affecting every other. Native plants don’t just hold excess rainwater, they foster the insects our birds need. They produce seeds our birds eat. They can a handle our climate and soil conditions.

Gregory told us that one reason some plants are d invasive is that nothing eats their seeds. Those seeds grow. She said something we repeat here in FF: Leave Your Leaves. I’ve pushed leaving leaves mainly because the amount of machinery we now use, and the amount of fuel it needs. I did not realize, however, that leaf mulch harbors the very microorganisms a healthy Michigan ecosystem needs.

Wood chips do not. Diane pointed out that each tree is capable of dealing with its own leaves. A cycle was set up long before we came along, and it works. A nice bonus that evening? Eight milkweed plants I took for the Ferndale Monarch Project were snapped up by attendees.

P.S. DEPT: A heron flew over Ferndale today, a largish owl a few nights ago, and a crow, a hawk, and buzzard did an air-show at Woodward and 9 on Sunday. Don’t forget to look up!

—-

Becky Hammond wails her oboe, taps computer a keys, and gets dirty fingernails outside every day. She has gloves but never wears them.

If something happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

0 2707

by David Wesley

Blitzing through Ferndale and being blasted by the autumnal breeze, I slowly meld with groups of costumed drinkers all en route to the Twisted Tavern. Away from the early arctic elements and inside the pedestrian club/pub roves a gang of 300 synthetic ghouls (all latex, nylon, and polyester merged with dummy skin, hair and blood) chugging pints, swigging tumblers, tipping shots or still in line with me purchasing a ticket for first ever Zombie Pub Crawl. The Social Connection sponsored the Crawl, setting up a colorful seven-hour celebration for zombie-spirited drinkers, helping Ferndale businesses thrive and expand.

Pinballing myself around the massing tavern, I mingle with Ferndale’s finest zombies and find to my delight a good portion of these undead citizens have lurched to Ferndale from all over the Metro area. Stirring in the chaos, I met college wrestling ace Arn Anderson and his three brothers from Ann Arbor who heard about the event from word of mouth and made the trek. Other memorable undead out-of- towners were Ray Trailer and his other off duty police co- workers from Battle Creek and the scarlet-stained duo of George Gray and his husband Kenneth Johnson from Bay City

After three pints (beer, not blood,) I joined the swarming ticket holders as they moved to the next bar (SoHo), this next pub (Danny’s Irish Pub), that club (Orchid), those next restaurants (Como’s, Treat Dreams,) and on. The businesses participating enjoyed hours of fiendish patrons swelling their lines and bloating their commerce.

I later chatted with one of the event organizers, the president and CEO of the Social Connection, Regina Stocco, and she gave her thoughts on the event.

Q. What was your reaction to the first ever Zombie Pub Crawl?

A. We were thrilled with the turnout. Approximately 600 Zombies took to the streets of Ferndale and we raised money for a great cause, Michigan AIDS Coalition.

Q. What initially made you want to host the event?

A. We have been considering some kind of “venue-to- venue” event here in Ferndale, and this seemed like a good year to try something new here. We look forward to doing more events in Ferndale that are a good tie-in for all of our neighboring businesses. The bars were happy with the turnout and the (resulting) foot traffic and bar sales.

Q. How has having the event take place in Ferndale change your view of the city and its Residents?

A. This was our first year hosting the event. The Social Connection office has been here for over ten years and I moved to Ferndale in 1999 so I’m a big fan of the community and we were happy to have the inaugural event here in our own home town.

At the end of the biting night, this kind creep was tripping up the sidewalks with the last lagging dregs of the alcoholic marathon. The Zombie Crawl was a huge hit with locals and other Michiganders. And by socializing through the lengthy procession it was evident the event was a major success for all of Ferndale. The zombies have spoken, they have shown their support!

Now we wait in our crypts to rise again, after a restful year to combat the hangover, for next year’s
Zombie Pub Crawl.

Prev123Next Page 2 of 3
© 2024 - Ferndale Friends | webmaster Loudbaby