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AU PAIRS SHARING MORE THAN JUST CHILDCARE Doctors Jennifer Blitz Sobol and Louis Sobol are practicing physicians who live in West Bloomfield. About 20 years ago, three months after launching her medical practice, Sobol’s twin boys were born nine weeks ahead of her due date. In those early months and years of juggling the round-the-clock demands of both parenting and practicing medicine, Sobol described the couple’s life as “chaos.” “We spent seven years cobbling together childcare for the boys between three different nannies because our hours were so long and erratic,” Sobol said. “We also used daycare centers and asked our parents for help when they could, but they also were all still working.” Sobol lamented that her kids never had “real snow days” because even in bad weather, she still had to tend to her patients. No matter how deep the snow, out of their pajamas and off to mom’s doctor’s office the boys would go. “For years I never thought I wanted or needed live-in help for childcare,” Sobol said. “Then, when the boys turned eight, the family was invited to a summer barbecue. One of our friends shows up with their au pair, and our kids instantly hit it off with her. And I turned to my husband, and we said to each other as if we read each other’s minds: ‘We are getting an au pair.’”
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DOWNTOWN09.26 29 AU PAIRS PROVIDE MORE THAN JUST CHILDCARE The biggest challenge in parenting for dual-income couples with demanding careers is finding affordable, reliable, flexible, and nurturing childcare. By hosting an international au pair, families expose their young children and themselves to another culture firsthand.
17 CRIME MAP A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, presented in map format, plus a reminder about our online interactive map with story details on public safety incidents.
20 OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL What’s ahead for Stevens; Slotkin missing in action; what the prediction markets are saying; new gig for Peters; Trott-Kramer fundraiser for Beshear; Runestad-Patrick feud; plus more.
37 MUNICIPAL Birmingham’s new police chief; city foundation board member resigns; legal fees jack up cost of TCH purchase; parking sustainability fee proposed; fire and police stations on ballot; planners address pickleball noise; plus more. © Zhuang Hua | Dreamstime.com
DOWNTOWN09.26 57 NEXT NOTEBOOK Birmingham Next Executive Director Cris Braun gives a historical look at the effort to provide seniors their own home as work is ready to start on the Next building at 400 E. Lincoln.
60 METRO INTELLIGENCER Gigi Nichols provides readers with quick takes on what is happening in the world of food and drink in the metro area.
62 ENDNOTE We offer our thoughts about the museum tax request on the November ballot and our support for a ten-cent Birmingham parking fee to underwrite city sustainability efforts.
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LOOKING AHEAD: With the August primary now in the rear view mirror, Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens has to recalibrate her future route. While committing to help Democrats win in November, including her primary opponent Abdul El-Sayed, telling CBS News she was moving on and “their differences were aired out...It’s a big tent party.” After catching her breath after the bruising less-than one point loss, Stevens told Oakland Confidential, “Right now I’m focused on finishing off my congressional term that ends January 2, STEVENS 2027, and being there for Michiganders and my constituents through the end of the term.” After that, she’s still assessing her options, as it’s early. “We live in an EL-SAYED incredible democracy and I’m proud to be part of it. I remain an enthusiastic Zionist, pro labor Democrat and patriot! This was the ride of a lifetime and I can’t wait for what’s next.” MISSING IN ACTION: As the post-mortem analysis continues following the Senate primary election, both Democrats wonks and regular voters are looking at all aspects of Abdul El-Sayed’s win and Haley Stevens’ loss, and whether it is a major progressive win, as much of the media is alleging, or if it was a case of Stevens running a poor campaign, and ElSayed having the wind at his back. Probably a mixture of all of the factors. Republican strategist Dennis Darnoi noted that El-Sayed’s win, coupled with “Will Lawrence in the 7th and Donovan McKinney in the 13th winning their primaries … it shows that there is real force behind that ‘movement’ within the Dem party … I just think the electorate is filled with very angry people who just want candidates who will LAWRENCE ‘break dishes.’ There were plenty of Republicans that I met on the trail who only had ears for a disrupter … I don’t discount El-Sayed ‘rebuilding’ a Trump-like coalition to support his candidacy. That’s why this fall will be very interesting to watch and chronicle. Now the million dollar question, can they win in the general?” Another question percolating amongst both the donor class and politicos is, where was Senator Elissa Slotkin? She was belatedly recruited to endorse 7th District candidate Matt Maasdam, MCKINNEY who she had recruited to run, but she was glaringly MIA when it came to supporting Stevens, who came into office in 2018 in the same class as Slotkin. While Governor Gretchen Whitmer (finally!) put her popular capital to good use in endorsing Stevens, helping her to come within 14,500 votes of El-Sayed, the chatter is that Slotkin, who was recruited to the Senate, and has been taken under the wing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, wanted her to support her fellow establishment Dem. Was Slotkin too busy flying around the country tooting her own horn as she attempts to lay the groundwork for a possible presidential run in 2028? Politics is a long game, and Stevens, who had little competition in 2024, spent her capital working to get Slotkin elected, only to see turnabout evaporate. Michigan Jews are enraged, with one Jewish politico stating, “I hate Elissa Slotkin right now. She doesn’t think about anyone but herself.” Voters will not forget that 14,500 votes were all that separated them from getting either newlyMAGA Republican Mike Rogers or far left progressive and antisemitic Abdul El-Sayed from representing them as their U.S. Senator rather than Haley Stevens. BIG (UNANSWERED) QUESTION: We talked to a number of party insiders and professional prognosticators and no one seems to have a definitive answer as to whether Republican voters cast ballots in the U.S. Senate Democratic race to vote for Abdul Al-Sayed. That’s always a concern in states like Michigan that conduct an “open” primary in which voters do not have to declare a party before casting ballots. And there’s general agreement
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that Republican voters were less thrilled about their primary choices so it’s possible Republican voters cast ballots in the Democratic primary, in most cases throwing support behind El-Sayed. That would fit with the Republicanleaning groups placing broadcast ads promoting El-Sayed who some felt would be the easier candidate for a Republican like Rogers to beat come November 3. With the Dem primary victor winning by only about one point, anything is possible. THE PREDICTION MARKETS: Based on the questionable reliability of polling in the August primary election, especially in the race for the U.S. Senate contest in Michigan, we just had to circle back and see how the prediction markets did compared to the pollsters. We have been following a few races on polymarket.com, so for the sake of consistency that is where we returned. Just prior to the August primary, Abdul El-Sayed was the overwhelming favorite over Haley Stevens in the Senate race, and by substantial margins just like the faulty pollsters had guessed. Literally, tens of thousands of dollars were bet on the outcome of that race on the weekend before election day. Now, on August 16, El-Sayed is favored in the November general election by 56 percent of those betting, with Mike Rogers at 45 percent. On this one event prediction betting site, over $441,000 has been wagered. On the general question of who will control the U.S. Senate after the November nationwide vote, 53 percent say Democrats will rule and 45 percent say Republicans. Already $4 million has been bet on the outcome. FIRST CHESS MOVES: The man Congresswoman Haley Stevens (DOakland County), former health department chair Abdul El-Sayed (D) and former Congressman Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) want to replace, Senator Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township), has disclosed what could be his possible next gig. Per Senate ethics rules, Peters notified the Senate Ethics Committee June 3 that he has entered talks to with the University of Southern California in Los Angeles for potential employment. The form does not state what kind of role Peters is negotiating. Peters, who first was elected senator to Michigan in 2014, chose not to run for re-election this year, which would have been his third term. PETERS He did not state a reason for retiring. Peters has a long electoral history in Michigan, following serving in the U.S. Naval Reserve and working for 22 years as an investment advisor. He was first elected to the Rochester Hills City Council in 1991, and then to the Michigan Senate from 1995-2002. He narrowly lost a race for Michigan Attorney General to Mike Cox in 2002, and was then appointed Michigan Lottery Commissioner from 2002-2008, when he ran and served as a representative for Congress, until he became a U.S. Senator. CASH BACK: State Senator Jeremy Moss (D-Bloomfield Township) won the hotly contested race for the Democratic nomination for the 11th district congressional seat to replace Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the August primary, all but assuring him of becoming the next congressman from Oakland County. Moss, 40, has worked his way up the old fashioned way – he originally was a Southfield city councilman, then a state House Representative before running for the state Senate in 2018. In 2022, he helped flip the state Senate Democratic for the first time since 1984, and he was made president pro tempore. He MOSS represents a new breed of politicians in many ways, as he is the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to the Michigan Senate, and in November could be the first from Michigan elected to Congress. But he had more than door-todoor help in the primary. He was one of 11 House candidates ANDREESSEN endorsed and backed by the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC, which backs pro-Israel Democrats. According to Politico, DMFI, which launched in 2019, was spending in the “six to seven figures” between all 11 candidates. Moss also received $295,000 from Think Big, an independent Super PAC tied to tech and AI investors. According to reports, Think Big is funded by another PAC, Leading the Future, which is largely funded by venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, whose portfolio is known to HOROWITZ be technology-heavy. The Detroit Free Press reported that this race was believed to be the only one Think Big to have invested in, and Moss has not stated an opinion on data centers or a position on AI. Andreesen and 22
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Horowitz have supported both Democrats and Republicans in past elections. Moss will face off against Republican Ethan Baker of Troy in the November general election. FACING OFF: The transformation is complete. Former Congressman David Trott of Birmingham, once a staunch and lifelong Republican, announced in a text message that “I have officially given up on the Republican Party!” Trott, who held the 11th District seat before Haley Stevens turned the long-time Republican congressional district blue, left Congress in 2018 frustrated with MAGA and Republicans’ obsequiousness towards President Donald Trump. The former tax and foreclosure attorney, who spends part of the year in Sarasota, Florida, hosted a reception supporting Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat strongly looking at running for president in 2028, on August 5, along with his wife Kappy and David and Anessa Kramer, at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. PATRICK V. RUNESTAD: If you think the Michigan Republican Party is just one Kumbaya moment after another, better think again. Yes, you no longer hear about the fist fights and rumbles at party get-togethers like there were a couple of years ago. But there is still behind the curtain tension as evidenced of late when the state party, chaired by Milford area state Senator Jim Runestad, who is commandeering the GOP through the 2026 election cycle, crossed the line, some say, in not consulting with the Oakland Republican Party, chaired by Vance Patrick, when it came to Oakland County Circuit Court contests in the August primary. Patrick took the argument public when the state party issued a voter guide that included the races for circuit court and promoted candidate Nadine Hatten and excluded Lisa Marie Nelson, which the county party was backing. Patrick said Nelson was the “only candidate with prior judicial experience and the candidate endorsed by Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard.” The state RUNESTAD party, according to Oakland party leaders, never consulted with local party folk. Then there is the question of whether Republican party members are supposed to be endorsing in primary contests. Patrick has also gotten some heat for his “personal” endorsement of Perry Johnson in the governor’s race (he lost). The Oakland County party chair says that his backing of Johnson was “personal” but then a number of insiders point out that the giant Johnson campaign bus seemed to have a permanent parking spot PATRICK at the county party headquarters on Woodward in Bloomfield Hills. The spat also brings to the forefront the long-held public position that judicial races are reportedly non-partisan – wink, wink. Nelson is reportedly a Republican while Hatten, backed by the state, is a Democrat. The Oakland County Republican party was joined a short time later by the Jackson Republican party issuing a joint statement criticizing Runestad for also failing to consult with the local party officials there and for backing a known Democrat in Jackson County. According to the joint release, the state party failure is “part of a broader pattern of mismanagement” under MIGOP Chairman Jim Runestad. Patrick turned up the heat another notch by adding: “The chairman’s job is to raise money, build election infrastructure, support our candidates and prepare this party to win. That infrastructure is virtually nonexistent. Instead we have gotten distractions like the failed ‘Rock MI Red’ concert and repeated interference in the internal business of county parties.” As for the actual outcome in the primary, Nelson (110,948 votes) and Hatten (71,778) both survived the August race and will now face off in the general election. There does not seem to be much love lost for either the state party chair or Patrick in Oakland County. Said one party regular :‘I don’t know who is more incompetent.” WHAT GOES AROUND: Former U.S. House member Pete Hoekstra (RWestern Michigan) has not made many friends in neighboring Canada for his unwavering backing of president Donald Trump’s unhinged attacks on what was once considered our closest trading partner. Hoekstra spent 19932011 in Congress and was named ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump’s first term in office, and he had complaints about incidents in that country also. Now some Canadians have said: enough. A petition with 200,000 signatures (only 500 were required) is asking to have parliament discuss removing Hoekstra as ambassador and declaring him “persona nongrata” for “diplomatic interference in Canadian domestic affairs.” 24
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FACES Kelly Darke ath educator and author Kelly Darke shares her passion for mathematics through teaching and writing. Her debut book, “The Geometree” is a math picture book for children in kindergarten through second grade which launched in August. “I hope my book inspires children, parents and teachers of the wonders and joy of math and the infinite variety of geometric shapes,” she explained. “I also hope they are inspired to notice and marvel at the wonderful leaf shapes they see when they pass under a tree.” Her book tells the story of a curious young girl who discovers the Geometree, a magical tree that can produce leaves of any shape. The whimsical story follows her and the tree through each season and her geometric learning journey. The book features striking illustrations from Mireille Belajonas, who Darke connected with via the book’s Michigan-based publisher Mission Point Press: “She really captured more than I could have hoped or imagined.” The author dedicated her first book to her maternal grandmother who “never lost her childlike enthusiasm.” Sadly, she died before the book was published but was able to read the manuscript. Darke grew up in upstate New York and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and secondary education from State University of New York at Potsdam where she met her husband, Sean, a fellow student from Grosse Pointe who played on the school’s hockey team. Both attended Michigan State University for advanced degrees with Darke earning a mathematics master’s degree. Later, they moved to Chicago where she earned a Doctorate of Arts in mathematics from University of Illinois Chicago. “I’ve always loved learning about math. It’s black and white in a lot of ways. It’s set knowledge that you build from and keep learning more and more,” she explained. For 17 years, she has taught mathematics to students from middle school to college including “teaching the teachers.” While living in Chicago, Darke, a self-described lifelong learner, took a course on writing picture books and the instructor encouraged her to focus on her love and knowledge of mathematics. She said “The Geometree” took “eight years of stops and starts” to conceptualize, evolve and write before reaching publication. In 2021, the family moved to Michigan. “We love Michigan and the schools in Michigan.” During this time while taking a break from teaching, she started a website and blog called Fairy Math Mother where she shared picture books, games, and activities for exploring math with children in playful ways. As part of the blog, her then younger children helped rate “magical math books” which inspire mathematical wonder and joy. Darke and her husband share three children ages 10, 14 and 16 years old who have all followed in their father’s footsteps and play hockey. She began teaching at her kids’ school, St. Hugo of the Hills School in Bloomfield Hills, when there was an opening for a math teacher: “I’ve often adjusted my teaching career for my kids and their schedules.” She currently teaches 7th and 8th grade math and has taught her two oldest children in her classroom. To help cultivate joy for math in children, Darke said she is inspired by her friend and fellow math educator and writer Christopher Danielson when she advised: “When they’re young, kids’ minds are magical. They are curious and natural pattern seekers so any creative ways parents or teachers encourage kids to play, enjoy and wonder about counting, numbers, shapes and patterns will help…Inviting kids to notice things by asking ‘What do you notice? What do you wonder?’ will support them in developing a love for math. Always keep the door open to finding wonder and joy.”
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AU PAIRS
SHARING MORE THAN JUST CHILDCARE BY STACY GITTLEMAN
D
octors Jennifer Blitz Sobol and Louis Sobol are practicing physicians who live in West Bloomfield. About 20 years ago, three months after launching her medical practice, Sobol’s twin boys were born nine weeks ahead of her due date. In those early months and years of juggling the round-the-clock demands of both parenting and practicing medicine, Sobol described the couple’s life as “chaos.” “We spent seven years cobbling together childcare for the boys between three different nannies because our hours were so long and erratic,” Sobol said. “We also used daycare centers and asked our parents for help when they could, but they also were all still working.” Sobol lamented that her kids never had “real snow days” because even in bad weather, she still had to tend to her patients. No matter how deep the snow, out of their pajamas and off to mom’s doctor’s office the boys would go. “For years I never thought I wanted or needed live-in help for childcare,” Sobol said. “Then, when the boys turned eight, the family was invited to a summer barbecue. One of our friends shows up with their au pair, and our kids instantly hit it off with her. And I turned to my husband, and we said to each other as if we read each other’s minds: ‘We are getting an au pair.’”
The biggest challenge in parenting for dual-income couples with demanding careers is finding affordable, reliable, flexible, and nurturing childcare. The Economic Policy Institute reports that the average annual cost of infant care in Michigan is$10,023—that’s $835 per month. Childcare for a 4-year-old costs $9,007, or $751 each month.
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ccording to the Department of Health and Human Services’ affordability standard, childcare should cost no more than seven percent of a family’s income. But a typical family in Michigan spends about 20 percent of its income on childcare for an infant and a 4-year-old. Compare this to states such as California that have the highest childcare costs, where caring for an infant full time can cost nearly $22K, taking up nearly 19 percent of the average family income of $119K. Employing an au pair may not be affordable than other options for working families. But au pairing, as hosts, sponsoring agencies, and those who worked in the profession, is more than childcare. It is welcoming a young person from another country into your home for a year or maybe two, and ideally building lasting relationships based on trust and exchanges of culture. For decades, au pairing in America has been viewed as the most personal and rewarding cultural exchange for both the American host family and the au pair, often a young woman between the ages of 18 and 27. The United States Department of State said that in 2025 Michigan welcomed 258 au pairs out of 16,840 nationwide participants. The number is lower than pre-pandemic levels, when in 2019, 21,551 participated in the au pair program nationally. According to Au Pair USA, one of the country’s largest au pair sponsoring agencies, the host family pays an average fee of $10,000 to an agency, which covers screening, training, and visa costs. Additionally, the host family is expected to cover a weekly salary of at least $195.75, full room and board - which includes a private bedroom not located in a basement- up to $500 in tuition for the required education component of the program, and transportation support for classes and regional social programs with other local au pairs. The host family must also place the au pair on their driver’s insurance if the au pair is expected to drive and pay the au pair’s round-trip airfare to the United States at the conclusion of the assignment. “The au pair program is one of the clearest examples of what we call people-to-people diplomacy,” said Patricia Brunner, the managing director of the International Au Pair Association (IAPA) based in Munich, Germany. “Rather than passing through as a tourist, an au pair lives with a host family- sharing meals, holidays, school, everyday routines - and immerses in the culture and language as part of daily life, not as an observer of it. That produces the kind of real, lived experience that normal travel simply can’t offer.” Brunner said that by hosting an international au pair, families expose their young children and themselves to another culture firsthand. Host families share meals, traditions, language and everyday life with someone from countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia, or Africa. At the same time, au pairs return home with an authentic understanding of life in the United States that goes far beyond what they see in movies or on social media. Host families interviewed by Downtown describe their au pairs expressing delight at the sight of iconic American mainstays such as yellow school buses on the road or red plastic cups at parties. They love shopping in our grocery stores and malls or attending a baseball game. And, like many other foreigners who visited the United States this summer during the FIFA World Cup, they have taken on a bit of an obsession with ranch dressing.
Brunner said all 14 au pair sponsor agencies in the United States are required to conduct a thorough vetting process of both the au pairs and the families applying to host them. The host agency provides au pairs with an orientation upon arrival in the United States, including a comprehensive overview of American culture and what to expect in daily life here. The agencies must also be transparent about fees, visa requirements, housing, representations and disclosures, and provide an itemized list of all fees to be paid as well as a description of other costs that an au pair will likely incur while in the United States. While the au pair is on assignment, the agency acts as their liaison. It keeps track of the physical location, progress, and wellbeing of the au pair. The agency must file monthly paperwork for each au pair to the U.S. Department of State. “Before they travel to the United States and join a host family, au pairs are required to complete training sessions, and these are neither optional nor informal,” Brunner stressed. “Training covers child development, health and safety, US culture and household norms. We also brief them on the program’s regulations, including the allotted weekly hours, minimum stipend, time off, and education requirement.” Brunner said expectations by the host family need to be established well before the au pair’s arrival. “This is a shared responsibility of the US sponsor, the host family and the au pair,” Brunner said. “Au pairs need to be provided with a realistic picture of what day-to-day life and work in an American household looks like. Host families need to be clear about what they can and cannot expect from an au pair regarding hours, duties, house rules, and cultural differences. Mismatched expectations are one of the most common sources of friction in any placement, so both sides preparing the same way is central to preventing problems before they start.” After the au pair’s arrival, agencies are expected to provide ongoing training and support. The au pair and the host family have monthly meetings and get-togethers with regional agency supervisors. There are also monthly social events, trips, and excursions planned exclusively for au pairs who live nearby each other. Events can include a trip to a local museum or cultural attraction, going to a sporting event, having a picnic, or checking out a great fixture in American pastime culture – the local bowling alley. If the match is not working out, Brunner said a rematch process can be processed, but sometimes the au pair must remain with the first family up to two weeks while alternative placements are secured unless a serious concern is raised. Experts in the field say the numbers have not jumped back to their pre-pandemic levels because of overseas fears and perceptions of draconian U.S. immigration policies set by the second Trump administration.
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ince 1961, au pairs enter the United States on the nonimmigrant J-1 Exchange Visitor visa to participate in the BridgeUSA Exchange Visitor Program administered by the U.S. Department of State. A J-1 visa is issued for an initial term of 12 months, with the option to extend for an additional six, nine, or 12 months — for a maximum total of 24 months in the program. On July 16, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published the final rule that officially eliminates the “duration of status” loophole that allowed foreign students, exchange visitors, and media representatives to remain in the United States indefinitely without routine government oversight. The ruling states that nonimmigrant students on F Visas and exchange visitors on J-1 Visas will be admitted for the length of their specific program, not to exceed a maximum period of four years. The ruling takes effect Sept. 15, 2026, following the required congressional review period.
While the au pair program is not directly changing, as the Department of State continues to evaluate all program extensions for each au pair. However, in September, the DHS will begin to administer its own authorization for au pairs to extend their stay in the United States for a second year, which may add to more red tape and possibly additional expenses for au pairs, agencies, and their hosts. According to the Alliance for International Exchange, a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying organization that represents eight of the largest au pair agencies, in the early summer of 2025, key countries that once fully participated in the BridgeUSA exchange program announced reductions in J-1 Visa interviews by 50-90 percent, with more countries potentially following suit. The Alliance on their website reported that a bipartisan group from the House of Representatives in Congress sent a bipartisan letter urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure that sufficient consular resources are in place worldwide for the timely visa processing of J-1 Visa exchange visitors in 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup, the nation’s 250th birthday, and the many summer camping and excursions programs that traditionally employ foreign students and young adults. The Alliance has been monitoring developments concerning au pairs since 2024 that led to July’s final ruling. In 2024, the Alliance delivered a 50-page letter with many supportive comments to the Department of State by mobilizing a grassroots letter-writing campaign that generated more than 5,000 comments from the larger au pair community. After the July ruling, the organization remains concerned. It believes that the ruling will deter young foreigners from participating in cultural exchange programs in the United States. “The final rule closely mirrors the framework proposed last August, and the Alliance’s concerns remain largely unchanged,” the organization stated on its website. “Specifically, we are concerned that the rule will add unnecessary complexity, increase costs, and create greater uncertainty throughout the extension process for all parties involved.”
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uby Robinson, senior managing attorney with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC), said the final ruling demonstrates another attempt by the Trump Administration to limit the opportunities for non-citizens to study, learn, and experience life in the United States by requiring greater touchpoints with DHS during their learning journeys. “These changes primarily affect students and exchange visitors learning in and supporting institutions of higher education, medicine and research,” said Robinson. “Other categories of J-1 nonimmigrants include professors and research scholars, short-term scholars, trainees and interns, college and university students, teachers, secondary school students, specialists, physicians, international visitors, government visitors, camp counselors, au pairs, and summer work travel. The costs for individuals on a J visa are borne by both the individual foreign national and the employer or the academic institution. Like many regulations considered or implemented by this administration, this is an overly drastic and broad approach that harms more people.” Despite these regulations, there inevitably is abuse and exploitation of au pairs by both the sponsoring agencies and the families who host them. The Government Accountability Project, a whistleblower organization, in partnership with the Huffington Post in 2020 published a report based on accounts of 125 au pairs surveyed who worked in the United States in 2016. In this sample, 83 au pairs said they regularly worked overtime, and many said they had reported it to two main sponsor agencies: Cultural Care and Au Pair in America. Despite the complaints, the report concluded that the Department
of State has not sanctioned the agencies, and they are still operating to this present day. In a statement emailed to Downtown, the Department of State said: “The Department of State prioritizes the health, safety, and welfare of our exchange participants. The Department takes every case of alleged abuse seriously and coordinates with law enforcement to safeguard every participant. Exchange visitors and third parties may contact the Department’s J-1 Visa Emergency Hotline at 1-866-283-9090, which is available 24 hours a day for urgent situations. Individuals facing an immediate threat should contact 911 or the appropriate local law enforcement authorities.
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he Trump administration is protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process. Every J-1 Visa application is adjudicated individually under applicable U.S. law, and applicants must establish that he or she qualifies for the visa requested. The International Labor Recruitment Working Group, a coalition of nearly 30 organizations and academics that analyzes labor markets and economic conditions in 2018 published “Short Changed: Big Business Behind the Low-Wage J-1 Au Pair Program” The report compiled stories of au pairs who said that work, rather than cultural exchange, was the central component of their experience. Au pairs report that their sponsor agencies communicated one narrative to the au pairs on what they would expect and what their experience would be like, and then a separate narrative to host families on what they should require of their au pairs during their stay. The report maintained that while sponsor agencies and their foreign affiliates promise au pairs a cultural exchange program at the time of recruitment, sponsor agencies advertise the program to host families as an affordable and flexible childcare program, electing not to emphasize the educational and cultural exchange components. When au pair and host family interests come into conflict, au pairs report that sponsor agencies sided with families, putting au pairs at risk of coercion. In 2019, the Colorado-based advocacy group Towards Justice won for 100,000 au pairs who worked in the United States between 2009 and 2018 a proposed $65.5 million settlement of a lawsuit brought by a dozen former au pairs against the companies that bring the workers to the United States. The case, filed in 2014, was brought before the U.S. District Court in Colorado by dozens of au pairs from Colombia, Australia, Germany, South Africa, and Mexico. The au pairs accused the sponsoring agencies of collaborating with host families to keep wages low, ignoring overtime and state minimum wage laws, and treating the federal minimum wage for au pairs as a maximum amount they can earn. At the time, the organization claimed the win to be the largest settlement ever filed on behalf of minimum wage workers, paving the way for au pairs to seek higher wages and better working conditions. Anna Hill Galendez, managing attorney at MIRC, said the J-1 Visa au pair program lacks meaningful oversight and is structured to leave au pairs vulnerable to being overworked and underpaid rather than facilitating education and mutual cultural exchange. “Au pairs should know that they should not be made to work more than 10 hours a day or 45 hours a week and that work should be limited to childcare,” said Galendez. “They should receive at least one weekend off per month, 1.5 days off per week, and 2 weeks of paid vacation. They should also receive $500 towards their education and a stipend of at least $195.75 per week.” Galendez said that any diversion from this ideal arrangement, such as if the au pair does not get properly paid or works above the legally allotted hours, places the au pair, often young and far from home, in a vulnerable position. “Au pairs facing abuse or exploitation by their host family are particularly vulnerable to threats of immigration enforcement in the
current environment,” Galendez said. “Au pairs risk losing their visa status if they leave their host families or lose their housing, and are not authorized to work anywhere else.” Like all persons present in the United States, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, Galendez reminds that au pairs are covered by constitutional protections. “This means that if they encounter law enforcement, they are entitled to due process and have protection against unreasonable search and seizure,” Galendez said. “They have the right to remain silent, to review an arrest or search warrant, the right to talk to an attorney, the right to make a phone call, the right to notify their embassy or consulate, and the right to language access via translation/interpretation.” One of the gravest cases of abuse and sexual exploitation in a fraudulent au pair arrangement occurred in Michigan in 2022 when an East Lansing man lured an Italian woman over a website for a fake au pair position and then raped her on arrival. According to records from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Michigan, the victim, known as A.S., in 2022 met Arisknight Arkin-Everett Winfree on the website www.aupair.com. Unlike the sponsoring full-service agencies that work through the U.S. State Department, www.aupair.com is not screened, monitored, or regulated. Users of the website are strongly cautioned to conduct their own vetting before they take an au pair assignment. Over a flurry of WhatsApp message exchanges, Winfree explained that the victim would be caring for his niece and she would have the opportunity to enjoy his lakefront home, explore nearby beaches, and travel with the family on other excursions. He asked the victim about her passport status, her family, and how she was going to pay for her travel arrangements. He instructed her to forgo the J-1 Visa application and told her she would be caring for his niece for three months. The victim arrived in the United States at JFK International Airport. There, she aroused suspicions from the authorities at Customs and Border Protection (CBP). According to court reports, CBP briefly detained A.S. and asked her if her parents knew about the trip, how much money she was traveling with, and why she was staying for three months. CBP unsuccessfully tried to call Winfree and ultimately allowed her to complete her trip to Detroit Metro Airport (DTW).
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pon her arrival at Winfree’s home, A.S. thought it odd that there were no toys, games, or any evidence that a child lived there. There were no family pictures to be found in a house where all the windows were covered with newspaper. What A.S. did notice, according to the court reports, was a stash of firearms and mounted cameras in every interior angle of the home. Winfree asked A.S. to perform some housework, and then asked her to give him a massage, which she said made her uncomfortable. Soon after, he handcuffed her and raped her. After the assault, in the middle of the night, he drove her to the East Lansing bus stop, where she took a bus to DTW, phoned her boyfriend to explain what happened, and went to an emergency room in Milan immediately after her return. Winfree was convicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024 and is now serving a life sentence in a federal prison. Those working for au pair agencies interviewed by Downtown were shocked to hear about this case and explained the thorough nature of screening host families before the arrival of foreign participants and maintaining close contact with them throughout their entire stay in the United States. Based in Boston, Libby Sudlow is a regional overseer for Au Pair Care who began working for the company. As a single mother, the position proved to be a good fit. She has been with the agency for 17 years. Inspired by her own high school memories as an exchange student
in Israel and France, Sudlow now helps au pairs navigate their exchange experiences in the United States. Sudlow oversees four au pair placement directors in Metro Detroit. Through Au Pair Care, host family applicants go through a rigorous screening process, including a criminal background check, and must submit letters of recommendation. Area field managers then visit the family a few times before accepted into the program. “We are looking to find any inclinations as to why we would not trust them with a young woman coming from overseas to work with their children,” Sudlow said. “We are checking out the family dynamic, we inspect where the au pair will sleep and have access to a bathroom, that they have their own, private bedroom and access to the kitchen and partake in family meals. We also make sure that the host family understands this is not just a babysitting or childcare arrangement. They are signing up for a cultural exchange.” udlow said that the regional director will go over the rules and regulations as stated above by the BridgeUSA program, making sure that the au pair will have days off, one weekend a month off, and up to two weeks for vacation, and time to meet their educational requirement. At Au Pair Care, weekly salary paid by the host family starts at $215. “Host families need to understand the au pair is not a maid or the family personal chef,” asserted Sudlow. “They may do some tidying up after the children and make some meals for kids, but their housework obligations are very limited. They must have a real bedroom, not a basement with no windows, and we are also checking that their rooms can be exited safely in case of a fire. Essentially, we expect the host family to treat the au pair as if they are part of their family.” And in most cases, Sudlow said the young women who work as au pairs stay in touch with their host families long after they return home. Sudlow recalled stories of au pairs returning to America for a visit, or the family of the au pair inviting the host family overseas to visit, or host families traveling as far as Japan to attend a former au pair’s wedding. Sudlow said that in the 40 years Au Pair Care has been in operation, it has worked within the immigration and visa policies of many presidential administrations with bipartisan support. In fact, many elected officials participate in the program themselves. Never has there been a level of fear or apprehension of participating in the au pair exchange program as high as it is now, and Sudlow sees a drop-off in numbers in certain countries that are not granting visas for their residents to participate in the au pair program. Sudlow said her local directors are hearing not from the au pairs, but the host parents themselves, that the au pairs have expressed fear of the increased presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the communities where they work. “ICE is the deterrent, and it shouldn’t be, because our au pairs are here legally and have all their paperwork,” Sudlow said. “But what they see on the news does scare them, especially our male, Spanish-speaking au pairs. ICE is why there is now hesitation to participate in the au pair program. Though I have not heard any examples of any of our au pairs being stopped or questioned by ICE, they are afraid. (The January 2026 killing of a man) by ICE in Minneapolis happened within a block from some of our families. And it was the host family’s parents, not the au pairs, who were calling us, saying their au pair was scared. In Minneapolis, I have had a few au pairs voluntarily leave the program and go back home. And there’s nothing I can do to convince them to stay. Also, images of ICE in the media on our streets are being seen all over the world. This has impacted our program in the number of au pairs wanting to come here from overseas.” At the local level, for five years, Kristel Tillman has been an area au pair manager with Au Pair Care. A native of South Africa, she herself started her life in America as an au pair. Tillman said of the young women she oversees, most of the time, things are going well. She has never had to file a complaint with the Department of State due to abuse or exploitation. But sometimes, an au
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pair may need to be rematched with another family, but not for the reasons one might think. This is what happened when Tillman began her au pair journey. She was matched with a family from Minnesota. While she got along with the family, this native of South Africa, where temperatures hover between 48 and 76 degrees year-round, could not get used to the cold. “This was a lovely family who wanted me to accompany them on all their winter outdoor adventures,” recalled Tillman. “We are talking ice fishing and snow hiking, and camping, and I was not a camping girl. They needed someone who loved the outdoors, and that was not me.” Eventually, she was rematched with a family from Ann Arbor, with whom she remains in close contact to this day. While in Ann Arbor, she secured a student visa and attended Oakland Community College, where she met her soon-to-be husband during her senior year. They were married in 2005. Now she supervises and provides support for au pairs in Bloomfield Township, Novi, Northville, Brighton, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, and one lone au pair out in Frankenmuth. Each month, Tillman plans a regional social get-together for the au pairs, and there are social events once or twice a year for au pairs with their host families. Au pairs are required to come to these events at least once a quarter. It is mandatory for the au pair to check in at least once per month with Tillman via email or a phone call. All correspondence is entered into the company portal, and at the end of each form filled out by the au pair is a prompt asking them if they have any questions or need an extra check in from their regional manager. All correspondence is filed on each au pair with the Department of State on the 25th of each month. “Sometimes, the au pair will have a question on how to fulfill their education hours requirement and other times, it may be that the au pair feels like they are working too many hours,” Tillman said. “In some cases, I’ll schedule a home visit with the family just to reiterate the rules and the guidelines of the program.” Tillman continued: “Did I know au pairs who were treated badly? Sure,” said Tillman. “As an au pair, a lot of things can happen, but since I have been an area manager, complaints of any mistreatment are few and far between. And since I have been in this job, there is not one au pair I know of that has made a complaint directly to the State Department.”
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indsey Shaw Eddleston, who lives in Bloomfield Hills with her husband Jason and two children ages three and one, has hosted several au pairs for three years through Au Pair Care. Lindsey is a commercial real estate broker, and Jason operates several small businesses, including Ray’s Ice Cream in Royal Oak. She describes their life as “always on.” In addition to their busy work and family life schedules, the couple also serve on multiple organization boards of directors. From her memories studying abroad in Spain in college to her husband’s family being from the United Kingdom, the Eddlestons have always enjoyed immersing themselves in international culture. With a desire for their children to absorb a second or even a third language from an early age, they have hosted au pairs from Mexico, Spain, Brazil, and now Chile. “With one of the au pairs we corresponded and met online in advance of their arrival to the United States, and it was their first time here,” Eddleston said. “The next two times, we intentionally sought out au pairs who were already here, seeking a rematch because of timing constraints. We could not wait for delays from either the agency, the U.S. Department of State delaying their visa, or dealing with visa denial from their home countries.” They love showing off Detroit to their au pairs and have annual traditions with them such as outings to see the holiday lights at the Detroit Zoo or visits to the Detroit Institute of Arts. They also take them on vacations Up North. Their youngest au pair was 19, and the oldest was
26. Over the years, the Eddlestons have maintained some contact with the au pairs they have employed. They built relationships with some of the women’s families by having chats over Zoom. Eddleston said that the family of one of their au pairs traveled to the United States and visited with them. “In our personal lives, we have always emphasized appreciation for different cultures in our friendships and sampling from international cuisine,” Eddleston said. “We thought having an au pair come firsthand and share their culture and their language with our family would be a really cool experience. We are also proud Michiganders and Detroiters. We have been happy to share this pride with our au pairs and love to show off what makes living here great. We were very comfortable with opening up our home to au pairs to live with us and have that consistency in childcare for our kids.”
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ddleston advised anyone thinking about hiring an au pair to make sure the arrangement is something built on trust, respect and understanding. House rules must be established in writing long before the visitor’s arrival. And, as with any family with a young adult living at home, whether or not they are a blood relative, there needs to be established rules on dating and socializing. The Eddlestons hosted au pairs ranging in ages from 19 to 26. That means they had to readjust expectations for each other about going out, avoiding underage drinking, and dating. Eddleston said a delicate balance must be struck as a host family. Host adults play both the role of stand-in parents to these young people so far from home but they are also their bosses. And that can lead to some tricky situations. “Some of our au pairs have told us straight out that they want to find a boyfriend or even a potential husband,” Eddleston said. “When it comes to dating and other house rules, each family sets up its own and puts it all in writing before the au pair’s arrival. For our family, there are no men allowed to stay overnight in the house. Anyone who may be coming over, we need to meet and know first, and no random people met on dating apps or social media can come to our home.” There are also cultural and language barriers that come up, and nothing should be taken for granted. “Do not assume that they understand American slang, culture, or American urban and suburban lifestyles,” Eddleston explained. “Don’t be afraid to use tools like Google Translate. And while some au pairs may come from wealthy or educated families, others may be coming from rural areas where they may not even know how to use a dishwasher.” Back in West Bloomfield, Sobol said when she is asked for advice on whether to employ an au pair, she tells friends and colleagues to imagine what it would be like to have a young adult who is extended family come to live with them for a year or maybe two. Sobol, working through the agency InterExchange, hosted three au pairs from Poland, Mexico and Brazil when her twins, now 20, were school-aged. She described two great and one as “mediocre.” In general, it was a positive experience for her family, and she would recommend it to others, especially those with demanding job schedules. “The way I see the au pair-host relationship is it has to be built on complete trust, and that includes issues like using your car,” Sobol said. “If you cannot trust an au pair to be reliable enough to use your car (within reason), how do you trust them with your children? When my family hosted au pairs, we wanted them to enjoy their time in the United States. We traveled with them and let them travel in the country on their own. When they wanted to go on a camping trip with friends, we said, ‘Sure, and here is our tent you can use.’’’ Echoing Eddleston’s thoughts on the social and dating lives of au pairs, Sobol said there can be sticky situations at times. “We wanted someone over the age of 21 because we wanted them to be more mature and have a social life,” Sobol said. “Other families I knew wanted them younger, which would prevent them from possibly going out (to bars illegally). And while some have no interest in dating at all, others have said straight out: I would love to meet an American man.”
FACES Linda Buchanan and George Getschman s members of the Friends of the Birmingham Museum, history buffs Linda Buchanan and George Getschman are bringing local history to life in an unlikely place – the Greenwood Cemetery. ”My brother and I began doing the Greenwood Cemetery tours twenty years ago, and during that time George joined us, helping to bring these history tours to the community,” said Buchanan, a lifelong Birmingham resident and former elementary history teacher. “The cemetery on Oak Avenue, founded in 1825, tells us in the most interesting way about the rich history of our city and it’s residentslike all cemeteries do.” Dressed in full Victorian regalia, they give the hour-long tours twice a year, in September and May. Of the cemeteries 3,800 gravesites, 650 date back from the 19th century and occasionally include tales fit for a spine-chilling movie. “The oldest section of the cemetery is land purchased by Dr. Ziba Swan in 1821 for the burial of a mother and daughter murdered by one of their boarders, since there was no cemetery in town at the time. It was later run by Martha Baldwin and the Greenwood Cemetery Association and finally taken over by the city of Birmingham in 1946,” said tour guide Getschman, Bloomfield Hills resident. The tour concentrates on those who founded the settlement of Birmingham and ends with an even longer walk through the many famous people buried there. Greenwood represents a microcosm of ‘Who’s Who” for the city, with notables interred such as Martha and Edwin Baldwin, library founder; John West Hunter, first settler to Birmingham; Elijah Willets, first land owner; Olive Hamilton second land owner; Harry and Marion Allen, first mayor of Birmingham and his wife; and George Booth and his wife, who established Cranbrook Educational Community. As for artists, there is renowned American sculptor, Marshall Fredericks, known for his art deco works such as the Spirit of Detroit and the Peace Memorial, located in Shain Park in downtown Birmingham. He is buried with a dramatic sculpture of his famous Leaping Gazelle atop his headstone. Celebrated ceramic artist and founder of Pewabic Pottery, Mary Chase Perry Stratton is also there, as is the more recently interred novelist, Elmore Leonard, with a headstone that labels him the “Dickens of Detroit.” The historian duo call their work with the Friends of the Birmingham Museum (previously the Birmingham Historical Society) a labor of love. “I’m passionate about doing research and have been reading all of the old copies of The Birmingham Eccentric at the library, so I can add points of interest to the tour content as we go along,” said Getschman, a dentist in Birmingham for over 40 years. “It’s all about keeping a connection to one another, and our collective history helps do that.” He also plays trombone in the Birmingham Concert Band as well as speaks each year at the Memorial Day commemorative ceremonies. Buchanan feels likewise and volunteers at The Community House when she’s not traveling to historical places that include memorable cemeteries like the New Orleans cemetery, built in 1854. They are proud of the other projects their organization has been part of – raising funds for monuments for enslaved people who had no markers, educational tours to all Birmingham schools, and encouraging preservation of the city’s stories and architectural heritage. “Every life is a part of history and important,” said Buchanan. Her tour teammate Getschman added, ”My grandfather taught me that if you know history, you see things other people can’t see.” They both agree these are the philosophies that keep their passion project alive and give their tours lasting meaning.
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Story: Susan Peck
Photo: Sam Berger
MUNICIPAL Voters to decide on bonding issues tax Bloomfield Township voters in the November 3 general election this year will be deciding the fate of a proposed bond issue for construction of a new police station and rebuilding fire station number 3 on Maple Road, bringing to a close discussions and study by township officials and contracted building experts since the fall of 2023 to address public safety needs in the township. Township officials in September of 2023 contracted with Redstone Architects to look at the needs of the police department as well as the needs at the current fire station number 3. In September of 2025 the township board hired the Smith Group to offer designs for the township campus. At the meeting Monday, August 10, two proposals were placed before board members who spent two hours reviewing what each proposal offered and the accompanying costs residents who would be taxed to retire bond issues. The first proposal, put forth by Bloomfield Township Treasurer Michael Schostak, basically called for the construction of one larger building that would house the police department and other departments of the township administration, along with moving the communications and community affairs offices into the new building, and with the renovation of the cable television building into an animal shelter. This proposal would be funded by about $30 million from a reserve officials have built up over the last six years along with a millage running for 25 years to repay $60 million in bonds. The total project cost in debt repayments over 25 years would be $104,875,590 with an averge tax over the life of the bonds of .4522 mills. The second proposal, offered by Bloomfield Township Supervisor Mike McCready, entailed constructing the new fire station and a building to house the police department, thereby creating considerable space in the current 90-year-old township hall for other departments. Bonds would be issued for a 20-year debt retirement schedule. The total repayment cost for the McCready proposal, funded by $50 million in bond issues, would carry an average tax rate of .4380 mills. The McCready plan would also tap the capital reserve fund for possibly $23 million, although McCready told Downtown that he would prefer to downtownpublications.com
Legal fees inflate cost of TCH purchase hile the City of Birmingham finalized the purchase of The Community House (TCH) in early July for $5.2 million, the actual cost to city taxpayers was considerably higher thanks to legal fees of over $400,000 paid by the city to the law firm handling court matters related to the community building. The city, in response to a Freedom of information Act (FOIA) request filed by Downtown Newsmagazine, reported that for the time period of November of 2025 through July 25 of this year, $424,519.10 was paid to or billed by the Varnum legal firm in Birmingham. The FOIA request asked for all legal fees paid to or billed by the Varnum firm during the specified time period. Varnum began representing the city when it sued The Community House Association following the announcement that The Community House was being sold in late 2025. The legal firm handled the lawsuit first filed in Oakland County Circuit Court and when the legal skirmish moved to the federal court when the TCH Association filed for bankruptcy this year. The main issue first laid out in circuit court was whether the TCH Association was violating deed restrictions by selling the iconic building and land on Bates Street in downtown Birmingham. In terms of legal fees paid by The Community House Association to the Bodman legal firm of Detroit, exact figures were not readily available but an unconfirmed AI assisted search said that approximately $300,000 was paid for defense of the circuit court lawsuit and legal work involved with the filing in federal court. In addition, the association also received considerable pro bono legal defense work, according to association officials.
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leave $6-8 million in that fund if possilbe There seemed to be agreement among the trustees for support of either both of the proposals or a specific plan, with the exception of trustee Mark Antakli who stated he did not support taking on debt to pay for a new police station. He said the new building plans should be paid for out of the annual budget, suggesting that the past ability to create a reserve capital project fund should underwrite new construction, although Schostak countered that repeating the success of past years on the reserve fund was unlikely to be accomplished. The debate between the two proposals centered for the most part around whether the current town hall should be replaced, with McCready telling trustees that the old building had been well maintained and would not require major construction to accommodate an expansion of administrative staff once the police department moved out. On a motion to determine support for the $60 million proposal, board members favoring the Schostak plan were clerk Martin Brook, Chris Kolinski and Schostak, while the other four board members voted against it. On the McCready $50 million plan,
in support were Brook, McCready, Valerie Murray and Neal Barnett, making that the issue facing voters this fall.
New city foundation board has vacancy By Grace Lovins
Linda Solomon, a member of the newly formed City of Birmingham Community House Foundation Board, established a little less than two months ago, has resigned. Birmingham Commissioners accepted Solomon’s resignation during the Monday, August 12, commission meeting and announced the city’s intention to appoint a new member by the end of the month. In her resignation, included the meeting packet, Solomon said her career and personal life prevent her from committing the time needed as a board member. “I wish [mayor Clinton Baller and board chair Anthony Long], the City of Birmingham and everyone on the Board of Directors the very best in making sure ‘the heart of Birmingham’ remains a part of all of our hearts,” Solomon wrote. “I love The Community House and will always respect its founders and their mission.”
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Solomon was appointed to the board at the June 22 city commission meeting during which the board was established. In her brief tenure as a board member, she helped secure a funding match from Birmingham native and actor Tim Allen. Last month, he offered a dollar-for-dollar match up to $100,000 in donations through the end of the year. The commission announced the city’s intention to appoint a new member to the board at the end of the meeting. Per the meeting packet, applications were due by 12 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19, and interviews were to be conducted on Monday, August 24.
Kearney takes over as police chief By Grade Lovins
Birmingham police captain Ryan Kearny was tapped to be the city’s next police chief during the Monday, August 12, city commission meeting. Kearny was sworn in and officially became chief Monday night, taking over for former chief Scott Grewe who retired July 17. City manager Jana Ecker explained that Kearny had been serving as interim chief since Grewe’s retirement and was her selection to fill the vacancy. Kearny has served in the department for 23 years working his way through the ranks to become sergeant, lieutenant, captain and eventually interim chief. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Western Michigan University and graduated from the Eastern Michigan University School of Staff and Command in 2021. As a captain, Kearny was responsible for overseeing special events, overseeing the department’s patrol division and has acted as the police liaison to the city’s multimodal transportation board. He also took on the responsibility of acting police chief while former chief Grewe was on medical leave. "It's an honor and a privilege to become the next police chief for the city of Birmingham,” Kearny said. All five commissioners present voted in favor of appointing Kearny as the city’s new police chief. Commissioner Andrew Haig was missing from the meeting. 37
Search for solution to pickelball noise By Dana Casadei
With an increase in pickleball courts there has also been an increase in concern from Bloomfield Township residents about the popular game, with the noise being many people’s major complaint, as township planners were reminded on Wednesday August 5. “As you will find out, Bloomfield Township is not the only community that’s wrestling with this,” said Andrea Szajnecki, director of planning, building and ordinance. Across the country, from large townships to small towns, there have been lawsuits, and threats of them, over pickleball noise, which can be roughly the same frequency of a garbage truck backing up when the pickleball is hit. When the ball and paddle connect during a game of pickleball, the sound can be heard at 70db, 100 feet from the court, while tennis is around 40db. In Bloomfield Township, there have been 29 permission requests for pickleball that have gone before the zoning board of appeals since 2023. Of those 29, all were approved, and 17 of them had dimensional variances. During those four years the number of pickleball court requests fluctuated, with 2025 having the most requests at 13 and 2026, so far at least, having the fewest with only three. Currently, there’s a moratorium that’s been placed on new pickleball courts. Griffin Grava, intern for the township’s planning, building & ordinance department, presented five potential solutions to the planning commission with the intent to show what is happening nationally and start discussions on what solutions the township could consider using moving forward. “This is just to get information,” he said. “Currently, all pickleball courts must go before the zoning board of appeals.” Grava’s solutions included replacing current equipment to play with foam paddles and balls; adding sound blocking materials to fences; adjusting the hours of play allowed in Bloomfield Township; pointing the ends of pickleball courts, where the sound is often the loudest, away from homes; and installing pickletile. Some of his suggestions had Grava listing more cons than pros, 38
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including high cost, inefficiency with its ability to reduce noise and concerns about enforcement. After Grava’s presentation the planning commission said that the only way to reduce sound would probably be to adjust the hours of play. Szajnecki said that they plan to continue working on this and will be presenting it to various boards in hopes to gain feedback. The ultimate goal is to think about creating an ordinance amendment or creating an ordinance that works within Bloomfield Township.
Sustainability fee on parking impasse By Grace Lovins
A proposed 10 cent sustainability fee on parking transactions in Birmingham was again set aside by the city commission during the Monday, July 27, meeting, after commissioners remained divided over whether the proposal meant residents were being overburdened with offsetting carbon emissions. Commissioners previously discussed the proposed 10 cent sustainability fee on parking during the Monday, July 13, meeting, during which they directed city staff to return with a list of anticipated projects the funds may be used for along with defined metrics and goals. Planning director Nick Dupuis presented a draft first-year program totaling $371,000, which included a $100,000 update to the city’s multimodal transportation plan, $4,000 for eight air-quality sensors, $100,000 toward fall tree planting on top of money for rain gardens along West Merrill and electric vehicle chargers at city hall. Dupuis said the projects were estimated to reduce carbon dioxide equivalent by about 3,000 metric tons and capture roughly 17,000 gallons of rainwater per rain event. As explained in the meeting packet, the fee is expected to generate approximately $420,000 annually and would apply to hourly meters, parking permits, parking structure transactions and valet parking. It would not be applied to two-hour free parking. The funds would remain separate from the city’s parking system funds and would be placed in accounts overseen by the treasury and finance departments. Commissioners Therese Longe, 09.26
Kevin Kozlowski and mayor Clinton Baller remained in support of the fee, noting it was a good first step in providing initial funding for environmental projects. They also pointed out that the fee would ensure the burden is equitable since it would be applied to all drivers rather than money being allocated from the general fund for these sustainability projects. The other three commissioners still voiced opposition, Bill Kolb saying the fee was a burden on residents and Andrew Haig saying the proposal was incomplete. Haig requested a broader fiveyear plan showing how the fee would fit into the city’s overall approach to sustainability along with an economic sustainability forecast. Baller proposed Haig meet with city staff to hammer out a plan that he would support in order to get a fourth vote in support of implementing the fee. In the end, no formal action was taken by the commission. Haig is expected to meet with Dupuis and Ecker on the item to work out a proposal he would support.
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Park improvements spending plan passes By Grace Lovins
Updates are coming soon to three city parks after Birmingham City Commissioners approved a plan for parks and recreation bond spending during the Monday, August 12, commission meeting. Approval of the plan opens the door for parks and recreation updates to be planned for this fiscal year. Voters approved a parks and recreation bond back in 2020 to support city-wide park improvements. Department of public services director Scott Zielinski stated that, since the bond passed, cost estimates for parks projects have increased, outpacing what the bond was intended to accomplish. He explained that there is currently about $3.3 million left to fund the remaining park projects. The commission was asked to give direction on how to proceed by determining the priority of projects and how to budget them. City staff brought forward three plans for the
commission to review, but recommended Plan B as the best option. Plan B calls for the city to complete proposed improvements at Booth Park and complete only the playground improvements at Kenning Park and St. James Park. Once those projects are completed, there will be approximately $922,000 remaining in the parks and recreation bond for improvements at Crestview Park and Howarth Park. Booth Park improvements include the entry plaza and trail improvements, which were discussed later on during the same meeting. Kenning Park and St. James Park will each get new accessible playgrounds as part of the plan. Commissioners voiced their approval of Plan B, noting the plan helps bring about the updates that were promised to voters.“I think Plan B allows us to keep the promises we made to the community,” said temporary mayor pro tem and former chair of the parks and recreation board Therese Longe. Ultimately, the commission voted 5-0 in favor of Plan B. Commissioner
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Andrew Haig was absent from the meeting.
Rental enforcement in city conitinues By Grace Lovins
Birmingham city staff reported three new rental code violations during the Monday, July 27, city commission meeting, outlining the city’s recent enforcement of rental property violations and briefly discussing the planning board’s progress on developing ordinance language that limits short-term rentals. City Manager Jana Ecker said there was little new activity to report since the commission’s previous update. The building department issued three violations, all involving long-term rental properties whose owners failed to obtain a rental license before the April 15 deadline. Ecker said the department is continuing to search for unlicensed properties and pursue the removal of illegal listings from short-term rental websites, including Airbnb and
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Alan T. Ackerman Michael Alberts Linda Aviv Nolen Barnes Kristy Barrett Eugenie Beall Corey Beaubien Michael Beauregard Christine Beck Ann Bieneman Roselyn Blanck Gregg Bloomfield Richard Blumenstein Patty Bordman Carolyn Borman Christine Braun David Bridge Thomas Brookover Gerald Brody Jacob Brody Joshua Brody Elaine Brown Frank Brzenk James Callaghan Robert Citrin Janice Cohen Karen Couf-Cohen Susan Cooper Peggy Daitch John DeAngelis Terrence Desmond Pam/Carroll DeWeese George Dilgard Christopher Dolan John Dorsey Alan Ducatman Alexander Eisenberg Mark Elliott Ilene Emmer Elaine S. Fieldman Allison Friedman Reida Gardiner Cheryl Germeroth Marilyn M. Goldberg Deborah Gordon Maureen/Lawrence Grady Pam Graham Ned Greenberg Marc Greenlee Pat Hardy Jack Harned Jill Harris Arnold Hirsch Amy Hochkammer Garrett Hohendorf Steven Howell Sally Ingold
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VRBO. The report included in the meeting packet also noted that police received no calls for service related to short-term rentals during the reporting period. The planning board is scheduled to hold a public hearing August 12 on proposed ordinance amendments that would establish a 30-day minimum rental period in most city zoning districts. The current proposal would exclude the downtown overlay and mixed-use in retail district, and would provide no exceptions to the minimum rental period in the districts where it applies. Commissioner Therese Longe said, based on her notes from watching the meeting, planning board members had concerns about whether the proposed legal mechanism, based on a Supreme Court decision, could apply in downtown and mixed-use districts because those areas are not residentially zoned. She noted that attorneys were not present at the planning board meeting to respond to those concerns. Longe said the board also plans to ask for permission to study possible exemptions for resident homeowners
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and further examine whether the legal precedent could apply within the Rail District.
Bloomfield planners nix development support By Dana Casadei
The room seemed to be waiting with bated breath as the roll call played out for whether or not the Bloomfield Township Planning Commission was going to give their recommendation for the Hamlet at Bloomfield Manor development to move forward to the board of trustees, which they ultimately did not. “I’m persuaded that it isn’t right for this community and this is where I’m going to stand,” said John Kelly, planning commission member. Kelly was one of four votes to approve the motion to deny the recommendation, with chairman Richard Atto being the lone vote against it because he favored giving their recommendation for the development.
With a packed room in attendance it was made clear that residents weren’t in favor of this development at 350 W. Big Beaver Road, The Hamlet at Bloomfield Manor, with nearly 20 people coming forward to speak during public comments, which lasted nearly an hour. All who spoke were against the development for a variety of reasons. A few common themes were if existing dirt roads would be paved, the developer confirmed that it would not; a water main installation that would be needed; and lastly, how they felt this development would cause the community to lose its “up north” like character with its dirt roads and large nature areas. “Please walk down Manor Road and think about what kind of impact this will have,” one resident said. As far as the site plan itself goes, it was nearly two years in the making, according to developer Howard Fingeroot, managing partner of Sylvan Crest Partners. When he and his team originally came to the township last March they proposed nine homes on the
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three parcels with no open space, but after meeting with township staff they were told to consider a few other options, including the township’s open space preservation option of the zoning ordinance. Adopted by Bloomfield Township in 2002, the open space preservation option was created to offer an open space preservation option that results in a residential cluster development with at least 50 percent open space. The objectives of the open space preservation provisions are to cluster new homes on a portion of the land and then to surround the home sites with permanently preserved open space, without allowing more homes to be built than allowed under more traditional methods. Fingeroot and team completed a parallel plan to their original one for the development using the open space preservation option. The parallel plan reduced the total number of houses down to six clustered houses in a cul-de-sac on the three parcels instead of eight. These six home sites would have
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been located to provide a buffer from Big Beaver Road and Manor Park, and would have limited impacts to the wetland areas along a proposed private drive that ended in the culde-sac. The submitted plan indicated a total land area of 7.33 acres with the open space preservation plan designed to provide 3.68 acres of open space, therefore, meeting the conditions of having at least 50 percent of the area be open space. In May, Fingeroot and team met with residents of the Bloomfield Manor Home Owners Association and those from Shepardbush St. in Birmingham, and came away with a list of concerns from them about the development, many of which were mentioned during the planning commission meeting. “This is such an upsetting topic for me. Anyone I’ve spoken to is not ok with this large development that’s happening on this piece of land,” one resident said. “We’ve been petitioning against this, we’re not happy with it, and I would hope you guys would take into consideration what the neighborhood wants and
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what our community as a whole wants. Not what a developer wants – to come in and make money on our land.” Residents top concerns were an increase in residential traffic, construction traffic, the construction timeline and landscape sequencing, tree prevention and replacement, the water main installation, monument signage and street lighting (the developers decided not to do this after this meeting due to criticism from the residents), questions were raised about architectural controls and review procedures, if those in the Hamlet would be in a separate HOA from theirs, a deed restriction from the 1915 Bloomfield Manor plat, and concerns surrounding the increase from three lots to six. Nikki Jeffries, director of development at Sylvan Crest, explained that the township can not enforce private deed restrictions and that the property is zoned R-3, which would allow for up to eight lots on the space. A few residents expressed they would have been fine with this
development if they had stuck to one home per parcel so there would have only been three homes built, but the fact that their proposed plan would be adding six houses did not sit well with many. They were primarily worried that if the township allowed this development Bloomfield Manor that it would set a precedent for the rest of the township, and would lead to more of this throughout the community. One said that this would be like opening up Pandora’s Box. Those on the planning commission seemed conflicted about whether to approve a recommendation of the development or not. But the fear of losing the neighborhood’s character seemed to ultimately be the deciding favorite for Kelly and many of the other planning commission members. Multiple members felt, to put it simply, that this plan just wouldn’t be compatible with what’s already there. “It’s a beautiful area, one of the prettiest in the township,” said Neal Barnett, planning commission
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member and Bloomfield Township trustee. “Certainly, the developer has his property rights and he knows what the proposals were presented to him as far as his options. It’s a very difficult decision. The developer has done everything that he needs to do with that property – the open space preservation act is provided, 50 percent protecting the properties and surrounding character of the property, but I am concerned about how it doesn’t protect the character of the neighborhood, to no fault of his. It’s just that if there are going to be six lots, it’s going to change. If there are going to be three lots, there’s less of an impact on the neighborhood.” Ultimately, the majority of the planning commission agreed with what residents had to say. They stated in their motion to deny the recommendation that it was due to the development not being harmonious or keeping with the neighborhood, denying it based on the current proposals.
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BUSINESS MATTERS Sundance Shoes 10-years Sundance Shoes, a women’s boutique specializing in footwear, apparel and accessories, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in downtown Birmingham. Owned and operated by Katie Ray Johnston, Sundance Shoes reflects a longstanding family tradition in the footwear business while continuing to evolve with the changing tastes and needs of its customers. Over the past decade, the boutique has become a destination for shoppers seeking distinctive fashion and a welcoming, community-focused shopping experience. The family’s roots in shoe retail date back generations. Johnston’s grandfather owned Kings Bootery in Detroit, laying the foundation for what would become a family legacy in the industry. The original Sundance Shoes was founded in 1973 by Johnston’s father, Robert Wolk, who operated locations at Northland Center and Fairlane Town Center. A third store later opened in West Bloomfield, where it served customers for 34 years. When the Birmingham location opened in 2016, the West Bloomfield store was still in operation. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the West Bloomfield location closed, and the business expanded its reach by launching a successful online store. Johnston remains committed to creating an inclusive shopping experience for women of all ages. “I want to be able to outfit, whether it’s clothing or footwear or a cool hat, for all ages,” she said. “I want the girl who is in sixth grade but now wears women’s sizes to be able to come to the store with her mom and her grandma, and they can all find something.”
Shoppe Cozette opens Shoppe Cozette, a new boutique offering a thoughtfully curated selection of women’s fashion, home goods, vintage finds and clean beauty products, has opened at 266 E. Maple Road in downtown Birmingham. The boutique is owned by Birmingham resident Tara Stover, whose roots in retail run deep. In the 1970s, her parents owned and operated Scarborough Square, a chain of men’s and downtownpublications.com
women’s clothing stores throughout metro Detroit. In 2017, Stover and her father opened a Scarborough Square boutique in downtown Rochester. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced that store to close, Stover shifted her focus online, launching Shoppe Cozette. The e-commerce business quickly gained momentum, serving longtime retail customers while attracting a growing clientele in Birmingham, where Stover had built a strong following through her personal styling services. As the online business continued to expand, opening a brick-and-mortar location in Birmingham became a natural next step. Shoppe Cozette carries an elevated selection of apparel brands which include Chan Luu, Skall Studio, Dôen and Éterne, along with carefully selected home décor, one-of-a-kind vintage pieces, and clean beauty products. The boutique occupies the former Barbara Boz storefront, which has been redesigned by Tara Stover and her husband, architect Kevin Stover. Shoppe Cozette is open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Gazelle Sports milestone Gazelle Sports is celebrating a significant milestone as its Birmingham store marks 10 years of serving the community. Since opening its doors in 2016, the specialty running and active lifestyle retailer has built a strong reputation for exceptional customer service, expert footwear fitting, and a commitment to helping people of all ages achieve their health and fitness goals. Over the past decade, Gazelle Sports has become more than a retail destination. The Birmingham store has developed lasting relationships with customers while supporting local races, schools, nonprofit organizations and community wellness initiatives. It also serves as a packet-pickup location for numerous metro Detroit races, including the Turkey Trot and Corktown Races. The store’s knowledgeable team provides personalized guidance and professional gait analysis to help runners, walkers, and fitness enthusiasts find footwear and other products suited to their
individual needs. The Birmingham location is managed by Bloomfield resident Matt Broadwell, who describes the store as a unique part of the Gazelle Sports family. “Each of our stores is unique, but the Birmingham location is our boutique-style store where we do a significant amount of sales in apparel,” Broadwell said. In addition to running footwear and performance gear, the store carries a selection of popular lifestyle and athletic brands, including Varley, Rhone, Splendid and Detroit-based Greyson. Gazelle Sports has Michigan locations in Birmingham, Grandville, Holland, Kalamazoo, Northville, and two locations in Grand Rapids, along with global e-commerce operations through GazelleSports.com. Founded in Kalamazoo in 1985 by Chris Lampen-Crowell and Bruce Johnson, Gazelle Sports recently transitioned to being 100 percent woman-owned and operated.
Schwartz & Co. 50 years Schwartz & Co. is marking its 50th anniversary as the Bloomfield Hills-based financial advisory firm continues to expand its services and national client base. Founded in 1976 by Gregory Schwartz Sr., the firm began by providing investment research and wealth management services to clients in metro Detroit. Over the past five decades, it has expanded into institutional services and investment banking, while extending its reach to clients across all 50 states. The firm also maintains a second office in Naples, Florida. Schwartz & Co. remains headquartered in the farmhouse at the corner of Maple and Lahser roads in Bloomfield Hills, where the business was originally established. Five of Schwartz Sr.’s sons—Gregory Jr., Walter, Joseph, Edward and Peter eventually joined the firm after gaining experience with financial and investment firms in New York and California. Today, the firm has 44 employees, including seven members of the third generation of the Schwartz family. Non-family professionals also hold leadership positions across the organization. Edward Schwartz, who serves as president and CEO, established
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the firm’s institutional services division in 1993. The group now advises more than 190 retirement plans, foundations and endowments. The firm’s investment banking division, led by Matt Miller, works with public and private companies and private equity clients. To recognize the anniversary, Schwartz & Co. recently held an employee event at Bloomfield Hills Country Club and a separate event at The RitzCarlton Naples, Tiburón, benefiting the American Association of University Women.
National retailer coming Framebridge, a custom framing retailer known for combining online ordering with in-store design services, is expanding into downtown Birmingham with a new location at 223 S. Old Woodward Avenue. The store will occupy the former home of Untied on Woodward, bringing another national retail brand to Birmingham’s Shopping District. The Birmingham location will offer customers professional framing services for artwork, photographs, diplomas, memorabilia and other keepsakes. Susan Tynan, Founder & CEO of Framebridge said she started the company “to make high-quality custom framing easy, beautiful, and affordable so people could frame more often.” Framebridge has built its reputation on simplifying the custom framing process by allowing customers to work with design experts in person or online while offering a wide selection of frame styles and matting options. The retailer operates 43 brick-andmortar storefronts in major markets across the United States in addition to its e-commerce platform. An opening date and additional details for the Birmingham location have not yet been announced. Business Matters for the Birmingham Bloomfield area are reported by Gigi Nichols. Send items for consideration to GigiNichols@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication. 51
FACES Elle Hartje lle Hartje was just two-years-old when she strapped on her first pair of ice skates; today she is a forward for the New York Sirens in the Professional Women’s Hockey League. “As a kid, I was always, always on the go,” she said. “I grew up in a family with four kids and we played every sport you can think of. You name it, we did it.” At just three-years-old, Hartje joined her first hockey league. She spent much of her childhood at the Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Hills. “Detroit Skating Club was like my home. That’s where I grew up skating. It’s a special place to me.” Hartje attended Detroit Country Day School and played travel soccer throughout her school career. “I played on an all-boys team,” she said. “I was the only girl. For me, it was a great experience, but it was not without challenges. One of the hardest things was not being in the locker room. One of the best parts of being on the team is the camaraderie in the locker room. But it was great and I still speak to some of my teammates today. I played with the boys until I was 15-years-old. Then, I switched over to play with the girls.” In 2019, Hartje was nominated for Michigan High School Athlete of the Year. “I was really honored to be considered for that,” she said. “I put a lot of work into my sport. You sacrifice a lot to compete at that level. It made me feel like the sacrifices were worth it.” Hartje was also named High School Athlete of the Year by The Jewish News and the Michigan Jewish Foundation. “My Jewish heritage is really important to me,” she said. “My grandparents are Holocaust survivors, so being recognized by The Jewish News was really cool because I could share that with my grandparents.” Hartje went on to study political science at Yale University. “Academics were always as important to me as athletics,” she said. “My parents went to Harvard and I come from a big Harvard family. But, I just loved Yale from the moment I visited.” Hartje served as captain of Yale’s hockey team. She expertly juggled academics and sports. “I think that high school prepared me really well,” she said. For the 2021-22 season, Hartje broke Yale's record for most assists in a season. “The pursuit of breaking the record was really fun,” she said. “It made me push for personal excellence.” In 2023, Hartje was named Ivy League Player of the Year. “That was really awesome,” she said. “It was so special to me. It’s important to set your goals high. I wanted to be the best player I could be.” Hartje also went on to earn All-Ivy and All-ECAC honors and she broke Yale’s all-time scoring record. “I took pride in helping that team,” she said. “I was chasing personal goals and chasing personal success.” In 2024, Hartje began playing for the New York Sirens. “That was very exciting,” she said. “I love being on the team.” In her spare time, Hartje organized volunteer work at the Yale Community Kitchen. “I felt like our team had a big impact on the community. I’ve found community service to be very important. I think we have a responsibility with this platform,” she said. Additionally, Hartje is an ambassador with the Hockey in New Jersey program. The program provides free hockey to underprivileged children. “There’s free coaching, free ice and free equipment. Hockey is an expensive sport. I feel lucky that I was fortunate enough to play hockey. I want anyone who wants that opportunity to have it.” Elle is very grateful for her parents who have encouraged her career. “My dad played professional hockey, and my mom played collegiate tennis,” she said. “They always supported my athletic dreams.”
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Story: Katey Meisner
Photo: PWHL/New York Sirens
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A New Mission That Meets the Moment By Camille Jayne, Chair, Board of Directors, Shared Tomorrows Community Foundation
these organizations is one of the most meaningful ways our community can help increase the impact of Shared Tomorrows. We also ask local nonprofits to let us know what mentoring and learning they need.
For more than a century, The Community House Association nonprofit has believed stronger communities are built when people come together to help one another. That belief remains at the heart of our work.
We are eager to provide scholarships for local high school graduates pursuing higher education in Michigan including trade schools; and bring together nonprofit leaders, donors and community members to celebrate nonprofits making a positive impact and students pursuing brighter tomorrows.
The needs of our neighbors are changing, and so must the way we create the greatest impact. That is why The Community House Association nonprofit is beginning a new chapter as the Shared Tomorrows Community Foundation, a public nonprofit dedicated to supporting local nonprofits, expanding scholarship opportunities for Michigan high school graduates, and connecting charitable people with causes that will strengthen our communities.
We all want what is best for our community, and each of us contributes in different ways. Shared Tomorrows offers our community another way to make a difference. As a community foundation, our goal is to make giving simple, strategic and even more meaningful. Shared Tomorrows will pool charitable resources and strategically direct funding where careful due diligence shows it will achieve the greatest community impact. Through grants, educational programs, scholarships, donor-advised and designated funds, we will steward every gift with transparency, sound financial oversight, and respect for each donor's charitable intentions.
This is more than a new name. The transition reflects a refreshed mission that meets the moment. As our Board considered how we could create the greatest long-term impact, we listened to nonprofit leaders, educators, families and community members throughout the Greater Birmingham area. Their message was clear. Small and mid-sized nonprofits need greater access to funding. Many are making a significant difference with limited resources and far less visibility than larger organizations. Families also shared how the rising cost of higher education continues to create barriers for students, and that scholarships of any size can make a meaningful difference. Those conversations shaped our vision for long term success and lasting impact.
Shared Tomorrows will launch with a fund portfolio from the proceeds of the building sale, as well as grants from an $800,000 endowment, and community commitments already totaling $183,000 - all providing a strong foundation for our work. Our inaugural grant and scholarship cycle will begin in 2027.
To make that possible, we sought a nonprofit organization with the resources to purchase the building and continue its long tradition as a vibrant gathering place for our community. We believe the City of Birmingham Community House Foundation will preserve its important services and enduring legacy.
Now is the time for a community foundation dedicated to supporting the greater Birmingham area during a time of significant economic challenges. Shared Tomorrows is here to meet that moment. Our vision is to be a trusted community foundation turning donor generosity into opportunity, helping nonprofit organizations thrive, and giving local students the support to pursue higher education — building a stronger, more connected community for generations to come.
Shared Tomorrows Community Foundation will serve approximately 18 communities within a 10-mile radius of central Birmingham by investing in nonprofits focused on human services for seniors and youth, food insecurity, health and wellness, education, cultural arts and recreational therapy for individuals with disabilities. More than 250 nonprofits in our service area may qualify for support. Many are improving lives every day with limited resources and little visibility. We want to change that by providing more support and the recognition they deserve.
As we begin this next chapter, our new Board of Directors and I invite you to be part of the journey. Join us in uplifting the organizations and schools working every day to improve lives across our communities by sharing our mission and connecting us to nonprofits that deserve greater visibility. We also invite you to participate in community events such as our annual Birmingham House Tour on September 17th, where proceeds will help fund future grants and scholarships.
Just as importantly, we want to hear from you. If you know a nonprofit making a difference in our community, especially one that may be flying under the radar, we encourage you to tell us about it. Helping identify
To learn more about Shared Tomorrows Community Foundation, ways to give, grants and scholarship opportunities, or frequently asked questions, visit sharedtomorrowscf.org.
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DrSchafferInfo@gmail.com 600 N. Old Woodward #202 • Birmingham MI 48009
NEXT NOTEBOOK As summer winds down, the hard work is just beginning. The hard work is the renovation of 400 E. Lincoln, where Next will provide programs and services to Birmingham's 50+ community. The City of Birmingham purchased the building in 2023, but the vision and the need for a space designed specifically for seniors took root long before that. Back in 2013, an Ad Hoc Committee, the Joint Senior Services Commission, identified the same priorities we still hold today: adequate space for programs and support services, a shift from our historic school partnership to a municipal one, and sustainable funding. When I began at Next in 2014, our board of directors set specific goals: change our name and secure a new facility built for a growing senior population. The name change and rebrand turned out to be the easy part. Securing a new building proved far more elusive. Next got its start in the late 1970s as an offshoot of the Birmingham Schools, which gave us a place to call home while we, in turn, supported the schools. Moving away from this model has called for a shift in ideology for all of us: municipal government, residents and Next leadership.
Cris Braun
After a three-year process, full of starts and stops, the new home for Birmingham's 50+ community is finally taking shape. Architects Neumann Smith have thoughtfully reworked the first floor of 400 E. Lincoln to be bright and welcoming, with room for the more than 270 offerings Next hosts each month. Funds from the three-year senior millage, approved by 69 percent of Birmingham voters, will turn that first floor into vibrant, usable space with room for lifelong learning and enrichment, fitness and art classes, entertainment, hospitality and plenty of space to simply gather. One of 400 E. Lincoln's greatest assets is the balance it strikes: added visibility on a well-traveled road, yet still in a quiet setting. Add convenient parking and St. James Park right behind the building, and it's easy to see why this location is such a good fit for Next. We're on track to move into the newly renovated building in May of 2027. With a fresh, updated space, Next will continue to advance our mission to meet our members’ evolving lifestyles. We will also be able to support more residents with the critical services needed to remain safely in their homes whether they are Next members or not. Designed for what's Next, life at our new center will build on everything we already offer. Members who are active and engaged, who want to learn, travel, explore and stay curious. Who share their passions, try new things and keep growing. Where friendships form easily, laughter is common and days are full. The work ahead this fall is really just the newest chapter in a decade-long story, one written by members, volunteers and neighbors who believe Birmingham's seniors deserve a place to belong, and a place to stay connected to their community. Come May 2027, when we open the doors at 400 E. Lincoln, that belief will have an address. Cris Braun is Executive Director of Birmingham Next downtownpublications.com
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PLACES TO EAT The Places To Eat for Downtown is a quick reference source to establishments offering a place for dining, either breakfast, lunch or dinner. The listings include nearly all dining establishments with seating in the Birmingham/Bloomfield area, and then some select restaurants outside the immediate area served by Downtown.
Birmingham/Bloomfield 220: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 220 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.2220. 220restaurant.com 5th Tavern: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2262 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9607. 5thtavern.com Adachi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner daily. Liquor. Reservations. 325 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.540.5900. adachirestaurant.com Andiamo: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.865.9300. andiamoitalia.com Beau’s: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4108 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630. beausbloomfield.com Bella Piatti: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 167 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.494.7110. bellapiattirestaurant.com Bell Bistro: American. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Liquor. Reservations. 185 N. Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.829.7900. bellbirmingham.com Beverly Hills Grill: American. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills, 48025. 248.642.2355. beverlyhillsgrill.com Beyond Juicery + Eatery: Contemporary. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 270 W. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009; 221 Cole Street, Birmingham, 48009; 3645 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301; 4065 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301; 1987 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. beyondjuiceryeatery.com Big Rock Italian Chophouse: Steakhouse. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 245 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.275.0888. bigrockitalianchophouse.com Bill’s: American. Breakfast, weekends, Lunch, Wednesday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 39556 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.9000. billsbloomfieldhills.com Birmingham Pub: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch, and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 555 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.885.8108. thebirminghampub.com Bistro Joe’s Kitchen: Global. Brunch and Lunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Liquor. Reservations. 34244 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.0984. bistrojoeskitchen.com Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.645.6879. bloomfielddeli.com Brooklyn Pizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. No reservations. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6690. thebrooklynpizza.com Café Dax: American. Breakfast, daily, Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 298 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.283.4200. daxtonhotel.com Café ML: New American. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township. 248.642.4000. cafeml.com Café Origins: Global. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 163 W Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248. 248.742.4040. originsbirmingham.com Casa Pernoi: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 310 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.940.0000. casapernoi.com Churchill’s Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555. churchillscigarbar.com Cityscape Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220. cityscapedeli.com
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Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.9766. gocommonwealth.com Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.1135. dickodowspub.com Eddie Merlot’s: Steak & seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 37000 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.712.4095. eddiemerlots.com e Fiori: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham. efioribirmingham.com Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 4089 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.258.9939. einsteinbros.com Elie’s Mediterranean Grill/Bar: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2420. eliesgrill.com EM: Mexican. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 470 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 947.234.0819. embirmingham.com Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033. embersdeli1.com Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134. flemingssteakhouse.com Forest: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248. 258.9400. forestbirmingham.com Greek Islands Coney Restaurant: Greek. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.1222. greekislandsconey.com Griffin Claw Brewing Company: American. Lunch, Thursday-Sunday, Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No Reservations. Liquor. 575 S. Eton Street, Birmingham. 248.712.4050. griffinclawbrewingcompany.com Hazel’s: Seafood. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1 Peabody Street, Birmingham. 248.671.1714. eatathazels.com Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111. honeytreegrille.com Hudson’s Place: Pizza/Coffee/Takeout. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. 1087 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield, 48302. 248.540.2266. hudsonsplacepizzeria.com Hunter House Hamburgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 33900 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.7121. hunterhousehamburgers.com Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 201 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4369. hydeparkrestaurants.com IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. 248.333.7522. Ihop.com Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner daily. Reservations. Liquor. 39475 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.792.9609. joemuer.com Kaishin Izakaya: Japanese. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 176 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7166 kaishinizakaya.com Kaku Sushi and Poke’: Asian. Lunch, MondayFriday & Dinner daily. No reservations. 869 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.480.4785, kakusushipoke.com Kerby’s Koney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.1166. kerbyskoneyisland.com La Marsa: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner daily. Reservations. 43259 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.5800. lamarsacuisine.com La Pecora Nera: Italian deli. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. 135 Pierce St. Birmingham, 48009. 248.940.5613. lapecoraneradetroit.com La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar: Italian. Lunch, Wednesday-Friday, Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 243 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0492. lastradaitaliankitchen.com
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Leo’s Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.9707. Also 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.646.8568. leosconeyisland.com Lincoln Yard and Little Yard: American. Little Yard take-out hours: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Lincoln Yard hours: Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2159 E. Lincoln Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.653.5353. eatlincolnyard.com Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.6051. luxebarandgrill.com Madam: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch, Friday-Sunday, Dinner daily. Reservations. Liquor. 298 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.283.4200. daxtonhotel.com Market North End: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 474 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.712.4953. marketnorthend.com Marrow: American. Butcher shop and eatery. Breakfast and Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. 283 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 734.410.0405 marrowdetroit.com/restaurant MEX Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar: Mexican. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.723.0800. mexbloomfield.com Middle Eats: Mediterranean. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42967 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield, 48093. 248.274.328. middleeats.com Nippon Sushi Bar: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2079 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9581. nipponsushibar.com Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500. olgas.com Original Pancake House: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5775. oph-mi.com Phoenicia: Lebanese. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 588 S. Old Woodward Birmingham, 48009. phoeniciabirmingham.com RH Rooftop: Brunch, Weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 300 S. Old Woodward Avene, Birmingham, 48009. 248.614.6984 rh.com/us/en/detroit/restaurant Roadside B & G: American. Lunch, FridaySunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1727 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7270. roadsidebandg.com Salvatore Scallopini: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977. salsbirmingham.com Shift Kitchen & Cocktails: Small Plates. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.452.1355. shiftbirmingham.com Sidecar: American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.2380. and 1952 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, MI 48302. 248-731-0087. sidecarsliderbar.com Slice Pizza Kitchen: Pizza. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.3475. slicepizzakitchen.com Snap Taco Birmingham: Mexican. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. 126 S Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248731-7266. snaptaco-birmingham.com Social Kitchen & Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200. socialkitchenandbar.com Steve’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Breakfast and Lunch, Sunday. No reservations. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301. 248.932.0800. stevesdeli.com Streetside Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Thursday & Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.9123. streetsideseafood.com St Roger Abbey: Patisserie. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. No reservations. 215 N. Old Woodward
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Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. Sushi Hana: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.3887. sushihanabloomfield.com Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830. sythaibirmingham.com Sylvan Table: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1819 Inverness Street, Sylvan Lake, 48320. 248.369.3360. sylvantable.com Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066. tallulahwine.com Terra Kitchen & Cocktails: New American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 260 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.556.5640.dineterra.com Teuta: Diner. Breakfast and Lunch, daily. No reservations.168 W Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.590.2113. teutabirmingham.com Thai Street Kitchen: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48304. 248.499.6867. thaistreetkitchen.com The Franklin: Oyster Bar. Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 32760 Franklin Road, Franklin, 48025. 248.771.4747. thefranklinmi.com The Gallery Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.851.0313. galleryrestaurant2.com The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7688. moosepreserve.com The Rugby Grille: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999. rugbygrille.com Toast: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Reservations. Liquor. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278. eatattoast.com Tomatoes Apizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner daily. Carryout. 34200 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.258.0500. tomatoesapizza.com Touch of India: Lunch, Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday & Sunday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. 297 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7881. thetouchofindia.com Townhouse: American. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 180 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.5241. eatattownhouse.com Whistle Stop Diner: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Liquor. No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.566.3566. whistlestopdiners.com Wilder’s: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 458 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.771.0900. wildersbirmingham.com ZANA: Modern American. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.800.6568. zanabham.com
Royal Oak/Ferndale Ale Mary’s: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 316 South Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1917. alemarysbeer.com Anita’s Kitchen: Middle Eastern. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22651 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.548.0680. anitaskitchen.com Bar Gabi: Modern Romanian. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 23839 John R Road, Hazel Park, 48030. 248.629.4160. bargabi.com Bella Limone: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 100 S. Main Street, Floor 2, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.955.5725. bellalimone.com Beppé: New American. Lunch, Saturday and Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 703 N. Main St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.607.7030. eatbeppe.com Bigalora: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 711 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.2442 bigalora.com Blind Owl: International/American comfort. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.
511 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.216.1112. blindowlrestaurant.com Blue Goat: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 321 South Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248. 965.9955. bluegoatroyaloak.com Cafe Muse: French. Breakfast & Lunch, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 418 S. Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.4749. cafemuseroyaloak.com Como’s: Pizza. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 22812 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.677.4439. comosrestaurant.com Crispelli’s Bakery and Pizzeria: Italian. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 28939 Woodward Avenue, Berkley, 48072. 248.591.3300. crispellis.com The Fly Trap: Diner. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 22950 Woodward Avenue, 48220. 248.399.5150 theflytrapferndale.com Grand River Brewery: American. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1 E. 14 Mile Road, Clawson, 48017. 248.607-3631. grandriverbrewer Great Dane: American. Lunch, Thursday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 112 S. Main Street, Royal Oak. 48067. 248.919.6330. thegreatdanepub.com Gus’ Snug: Irish. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 38 S. Main Street, Clawson, 48017. 248.607.3631. gussnug.com HopCat: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 430 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.744.2544. HopCat.com Howe’s Bayou: Cajun. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 22949 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145. howesbayouferndale.net Imperial: Mexican. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22848 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145. imperialferndale.com Inyo Restaurant Lounge: Asian Fusion. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 22871 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.543.9500. inyorestaurant.com JINYA Ramen Bar: Contemporary Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 129 S. Main St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.955.4692. jinyaramenbar.com Kacha Thai Market: Thai. Lunch and Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. 205 S Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.942-4246. KouZina: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 121 N. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.629.6500. gokouzina.com Kruse & Muer on Woodward: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 28028 Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.965.2101. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com Lily’s Seafood: Seafood. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 410 S. Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.591.5459. lilysseafood.com Masala: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 106 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.850.8284. food.orders.co/royaloakmasala Mezcal: Mexican. Bruch, Sunday. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 201 E. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 248.268.3915. mezcalferndale.com Noori Pocha: Korean. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 1 S. Main Street, Clawson, 48017. 248. 850.7512. nooripocha.com Oak City Grille: American. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 212 W. 6th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.556.0947. oakcitygrille.com Oak Parker: American. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 13621 W. Eleven Mile Rd, Oak Park, 48237. oakparker.com One-Eyed Betty’s: American. Breakfast, weekends, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 175 W. Troy Street, Ferndale, 48220. 248.808.6633. oneeyedbettys.com Pita Post: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. No reservations. 2520 W. 14 Mile Road, Royal Oak, 48073. 855.535.5588. thepitapost.com Pop’s for Italian: Italian. Brunch & Lunch, weekends, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 280 W. 9 Mile Road, Ferndale,48220. 248.268.4806. popsforitalian.com Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 31542
DOWNTOWN NeWsmagaziNe
Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, 48073. 248.549.0300. redcoat-tavern.com Rock & Brews: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 208 W Fifth Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 947.837.7625. rockandbrews.com/royal-oak Ronin: Japanese. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 326 W. 4th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.546.0888. roninsushi.com Royal Oak Brewery: American. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 215 E. 4th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.1141. royaloakbrewery.com The Modern Vegan: Vegan. Brunch, weekends, Lunch and Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. 304 N. Main St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.206-7041. tmvrestaurants.com Three Cats Café: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 116 W. 14 Mile Road, Clawson. threecatscafe.com Tigerlily: Japenese. Brunch, weekends. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 231 W Nine Mile Rd Suite A, Ferndale, 48220. 248.733.4905. tigerlilyferndale.com Toast, A Breakfast and Lunch Joint: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 23144 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.398.0444. eatattoast.com Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 318 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.541.1186. tomsoysterbar.com Trattoria Da Luigi: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 415 S, Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.542.4444. trattoriadaluigi.business.site.com Vinsetta Garage: American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7799 Woodward Avenue, Berkley, 48072. 248.548.7711. vinsettagarage.com Voyager: Seafood. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 600 Vester Street, Ferndale, 48220. 248.658.4999. voyagerferndale.com
Troy/Rochester Antica Nova: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1695 E. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48083. 248.422.6521. anticanova.com Cafe Sushi: Pan-Asian. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1933 W. Maple Road, Troy, 48084. 248.280.1831. cafesushimi.com Capital Grill: Steak & Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2800 W. Big Beaver Road, Somerset Collection, Troy, 48084. 248.649.5300. CK Diggs: American & Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2010 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.853.6600. ckdiggs.com Ernie’s on the Creek: Modern Mediterranean. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 543 N. Main St #201, Rochester, 48307. 248.710.8808. erniesonthecreek.com Firebird Tavern: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4845 Rochester Road, Troy, 48085. 248.289.9650. firebirdtaverntroy.com Hudson’s Café: Diner. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Reservations, Liquor. 700 W Big Beaver Road, Troy. 48084. 248.509.7695. hudson-cafe.com The Jackson: Modern American. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 184 N. Adams Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.709.9453. thejacksonrestaurant.com Kona Grille: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 30 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.619.9060. konagrill.com Kruse & Muer on Main: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 327 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.652.9400. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com Loccino Italian Grill and Bar: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 5600 Crooks Road, Troy, 48098. 248.813.0700. loccino.com The Meeting House: American. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 301 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.759.4825. themeetinghouserochester.com Mon Jin Lau: Nu Asian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1515 E. Maple Road, Troy, 48083. 248.689.2332. monjinlau.com Morton’s, The Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood.
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METRO INTELLIGENCER
Often referred to as the “Oscars of the food world,” the James Beard Awards are the highest honors in the American culinary industry. Given out annually by the James Beard Foundation, they recognize exceptional talent and achievement among chefs, restaurateurs, food journalists, authors and broadcasters. Chicago has hosted the James Beard Awards ceremony for the past 11 years. The city’s current hosting agreement secures the ceremony through 2028, and now, the Foundation says they are looking for a new host city and Detroit is interested. “Detroit’s culinary scene has never been more dynamic. Our chefs and restaurants keep earning recognition from the James Beard Foundation, and Michelin is putting Detroit in its upcoming Great Lakes Edition,” said Claude Molinari, President & CEO, Visit Detroit. “We’re aware the Foundation is exploring a new home for the awards, and we’re taking a hard look at the opportunity. Any conversation about the future of American food should include Detroit.” Each year, more than 1,800 people attend the sold-out flagship James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony. The multi-day program also features smaller concurrent gatherings like the Media and Impact/Achievement events. According to Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company, the 2026 James Beard Awards had a $17 million impact on Chicago, its host city. This included: $8.3 million in direct spending; 175 FTE (full time equivalent) jobs supported; and $1.2 million in state and local tax revenue.
Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 888 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.404.9845. mortons.com NATA Detroit Kitchen and Cocktails: American/Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations, Liquor. 3946 Rochester Road, Troy, 48083. 248.247.7962. NM Café: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2705 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.816.3424. neimanmarcus.com/restaurants Oceania Inn: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Village of Rochester Hills, 3176 Walton Boulevard, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.375.9200. oceaniainnrochesterhills.com Ocean Prime: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2915 Coolidge Highway, Troy, 48084. 248.458.0500. ocean-prime.com O’Connor’s Irish Public House: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 324 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.608.2537. oconnorsrochester.com Orchid Café: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. 3303 Rochester Road., Troy, 48085. 248.524.1944. orchid-cafe.com P.F. Chang’s China Bistro: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Somerset Collection, 2801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.816.8000. pfchangs.com Recipes: American/Brunch. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 134 W. University Drive, Rochester, 48037. 248.659.8267. Also 2919 Crooks Road, Troy, 48084. 248.614.5390. recipesinc.com RH House: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch and Dinner, daily. 2630 Crooks Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. No reservations. Liquor. 2630 Crooks Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.586.1000. rh.house.com RH Social: Pizza/Sports Bar. Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6870 N. Rochester Road, Rochester Hills, 48306.248.759.4858. rochesterhillssocial.com Rochester Chop House: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 306 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.651.2266. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 755 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.269.8424. ruthschris.com Sedona Taphouse: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 198 Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.422.6167. sedonataphouse.co Silver Spoon: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6830 N. Rochester Road, Rochester, 48306. 248.652.4500. silverspoonristorante.com Stumblebum Beer Co.: American. Lunch, Friday-Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Beer. 1965 W. Maple Road, Troy, 48084. 248.307.7204. stumblebumbeer.com Too Ra Loo: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 139 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.453.5291. tooraloorochester.com Witch Topokki: Korean. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 300 John R Rd suite a, Troy, 48083. 248. 307.7587. witchtopokki.com
The Dancing Pine Opens in Sakura Novi
West Bloomfield/Southfield
Sakura Novi, Michigan’s Asian-inspired mixed-use development, has announced the opening of The Dancing Pine, a new upscale restaurant focused on Wagyu, premium seafood, curated wines, caviar, live-fire cooking, tableside service, and Korean hospitality. Located at 42768 Grand River Avenue in Novi, the 4,500-square-foot restaurant blends the interactive experience of Korean barbecue with the precision of a modern steakhouse. Guests can enjoy premium Japanese, Australian, and American Wagyu, fresh oysters, seafood, house-made banchan, signature sauces, seasonal accompaniments, caviar, private dining rooms, and an extensive wine selection. Named for the pine tree, a Korean symbol of dignity, resilience, and longevity, The Dancing Pine incorporates those values into its design. Motherof-pearl accents and details inspired by traditional Korean craftsmanship create a sophisticated setting. Executive Chef James “JJ” Jung leads the kitchen, drawing on experience at acclaimed restaurants including SET Steak & Sushi at Pendry Newport Beach, Nobu, Yellowtail, Rosaliné, and Lumi. His culinary approach emphasizes precision, restraint, and bold flavors. Founder Min Kyu Kim said the restaurant was created as a place for guests to celebrate, gather, and experience exceptional food and hospitality. Sakura Novi owner Scott Aikens called its opening a major milestone in the development’s
Aurora Italiana: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6199 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Twp., 48322. 248.782.3000. auroraitaliana.com Aurora on the Lake: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2323 Union Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.360.6650. auroraitaliana.com Cornbread Restaurant & Bar: Southern. Lunch & Dinner, Thursday-Tuesday. Reservations. Liquor. 29508 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.208.1680. cornbreadsoulfood.com Bigalora: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 29110 Franklin Road, Southfield, 48034. 248.544.2442. bigalora.com The Fiddler: Russian. Dinner, Friday & Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.851.8782. fiddlerrestaurant.com Mene Sushi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 6239 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.538.7081. menesususi.com
Metro Intelligencer is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening on the restaurant scene in the metro Detroit area. Metro Intelligencer is reported/created each month by Gigi Nichols who can be reached at GigiNichols@DowntownPublications.com with news items or tips, on or off the record.
The Judgment of Beverly Hills Beverly Hills Grill will recreate one of the wine world’s most celebrated moments when it presents “The Judgment of Beverly Hills” at 6 p.m. Monday, September 14. Inspired by the historic Judgment of Paris, the intimate evening will feature a guided blind tasting of eight premium wines from France and California’s Napa Valley, paired with a four-course menu. Guests will evaluate each wine before its identity is revealed, creating an interactive experience inspired by the 1976 competition that transformed the international reputation of American wine. Chef Ryan Zagor’s menu will begin with a bright citrus salad, followed by ahi tuna. Steak prepared with new fall flavors will anchor the main course, while decadent dark chocolate will conclude the evening. “Each course will be thoughtfully paired to complement the structure, aromas and flavor profiles of the featured wines,” Zagor said. The tasting will include Château Ducasse, a Bordeaux producer known for expressive wines made with Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Its Bordeaux Blanc is fermented and aged in stainless steel, preserving citrus, fruit and mineral characteristics. The dinner commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, held May 24, 1976. Organized by British wine merchant Steven Spurrier, the blind tasting pitted acclaimed French wines against California selections that were then relatively unknown internationally. “This dinner encourages people to set aside labels and reputations and simply decide what they enjoy,” said owner Raphael Michael. The cost of the event is $100 per person; prepaid reservations are required. Visit the Beverly Hills Grill website for reservations and more information. 31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills beverlyhillsgrill.com/events
Awards program seeks new host city
Nonna Maria’s: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2080 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323. 248.851.2500. nonamariasbistro.com Pickles & Rye: Deli. Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6724 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.737.3890 picklesandryedeli.com Prime29 Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6545 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.7463. prime29steakhouse.com Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 6745 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.865.0500. redcoattavern.com Shangri-La: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. Orchard Mall Shopping Center, 6407 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.626.8585. dinesangrila.com Stage Deli: Deli. Lunch, & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 6873 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.855.6622. stagedeli.com Vive: American. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 33080 Northwestern Hwy, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.406.8065. viverestaurantmi.com Yotsuba: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 7365 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.8282. yotsuba-restaurant.com
West Oakland Volare Ristorante: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 48992 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.960.7771. ristorantevolare.com
North Oakland Clarkston Union: American. Breakfast, Sunday, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 54 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346 248.620.6100. clarkstonunion.com Kruse's Deer Lake Inn: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7504 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346. 248.795.2077. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com The Fed: American. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 15 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346. 248.297.5833. thefedcommunity.com Rudy’s Steakhouse: Steak. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 9 S Main Street, Village of Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.3033. rudysprimesteakhouse.com Via Bologna: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 7071 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346. 248.620.8500. joebologna.com Union Woodshop: BBQ. Lunch, Sunday, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 18 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.5660 unionwoodshop.com
Detroit Adelina: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1040 Woodward Ave, Detroit,48226. 313.246.8811. adelinadetroit.com Alpino: Alpine cuisine. Brunch, Sunday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1426 Bagley Street, Detroit, 48216. 313.524.0888 alpinodetroit.com Ash-Bar: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1509 Broadway Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.277.4736. ash.world/hotels/the-siren.com Bar Pigalle: French. Sundays. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2915 John R Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.497.9200 barpigalle.com Barda: Argentinian. Dinner, WednesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 4842 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, 48208. 313.952.5182. bardadetroit.com Basan: Asian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2703 Park Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.481.2703. basandetroit.com Bucharest Grill: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2684 E. Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, 48207. 313.965.3111. bucharestgrill.com Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails: Seasonal American. Lunch, Friday, Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 15 E Kirby Street D, Detroit, 48202. 313.818.3915. chartreusekc.com
Cliff Bell’s: American. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 2030 Park Avenue, Detroit, 48226. 313.961.2543. cliffbells.com Coriander Kitchen and Farm: Farm to table. Lunch and Dinner, Thursday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 14601 Riverside Boulevard, Detroit, 48215. 313.338.9466. corianderkitchenandfarm.com Corktown Taphouse: American and Mexican. No reservations. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. 1611 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.362.8184. corktowntaphouse.com Cuisine: French. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 670 Lothrop Road, Detroit, 48202. 313.872.5110. cuisinerestaurantdetroit.com The Eagle: The Eagle: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 3461 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.334.4530. eaglerestaurant.com El Barzon: Mexican. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 3710 Junction Street, Detroit, 48210. 313.894.2070. elbarzonrestaurant.com Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen Café: Cajun. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 400 Monroe Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.965.4600. fishbonesusa.com Freya: Price fixed. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations, Liquor. 2929 E. Grand Boulevard, Detroit, 48202. 313.351.5544. freyadetroit.com Full Measure Brewing Company: Brew pub. Brunch, Weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer. 2700 Orleans Street, Detroit,48207. 313.818.3977. fullmeasurebrewing.com Giovanni’s Ristorante: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 330 S. Oakwood Boulevard, Detroit, 48217. 313.841.0122. giovannisrestaurante.com Green Dot Stables: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2200 W. Lafayette, Detroit, 48216. 313.962.5588. greendotstables.com HIROKI-SAN: Japanese. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1265 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, 48226. 313.597.8344. hirokisandetroit.com Javier’s Downtown: Steakhouse. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1452 Brush Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.816.0007. javiersdowntown.com Joe Louis Southern Kitchen: Comfort food. Breakfast and Lunch, daily. Reservations. 6549 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48202. 313.788.8338. joelouissouthernkitchen.com Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 400 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.6837. joemuer.com Johnny Noodle King: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2601 W. Fort Street, Detroit, 48216. 313.309.7946. johnnynoodleking.com Leila: Lebanese. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1245 Griswold Street, Detroit, 48226. 313. 816.8100. leiladetroit.com Lena: Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 2720 Brush Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.262.6082. lenadetroit.com Le Supreme: French. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1265 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48226. 313.597.7734. lesupremedetroit.com Lone Goat: British Pub. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 33 John R Street, Detroit, 48226. thelonegoat.com Mad Nice: Coastal Italian/American. Breakfast, Coffee Shop, daily, Brunch, Weekends, Lunch, Wednesday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4120 2nd Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.558.8000. madnicedetroit.com Mario’s: Italian. Lunch, Saturday & Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4222 2nd Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.1616. mariosdetroit.com Medusa: Italian. Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Liquor. Reservations. 644 Selden St, Detroit, 48201. 313.798.3498. medusa-detroit.com Mezcal: Mexican. Brunch, Weekends, Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 51 W Forest Avenue, Detroit, 48202. 313.974.7441. mezcaldetroit.com Midtown Shangri-la: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 4710 Cass Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.974.7669. midtownshangril-la.com Oak & Reel: Italian Seafood. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor.
2921 E Grand Boulevard, Detroit, 48202. 313.270.9600. oakandreel.com Ostrea: Seafood. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 536 Shelby Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.403.2111. ostreadetroit.com Parc: New American. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 800 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48226. 313.922.7272. parcdetroit.com Prime + Proper: Steak House. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1145 Griswold St, Detroit, 48226. 313.636.3100. primeandproperdetroit.com Prism: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, ThursdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 555 E. Lafayette Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.309.2499. greektowncasino.com Selden Standard: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 3921 Second Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.438.5055. seldenstandard.com Sexy Steak: Steakhouse. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1942 Grand River Avenue, Detroit,48226. 313.403.1000. sexysteakdetroit.com SheWolf Pastifico & Bar: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 438 Selden Street, Detroit 48201. 313.315.3992. shewolfdetroit.com Sinbad’s: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 St. Clair Street, Detroit, 48214. 313.822.8000. sindbads.com Slows Bar BQ: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2138 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.962.9828. slowsbarbq.com/locations/corktown Soraya: Japanese. Lunch, Tuesday-Thursday, Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 160 W Fort St, Detroit, 48226. 313.262.6078. sorayadetroit.com Sullivan’s Steakhouse: Steakhouse. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1128 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48226. 313.591.2495. sullivanssteakhouse.com Sunda New Asian: New Asian. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 33 W. Columbia Street, Detroit, 482013. 313.462.4847 sundanewasian.com Supergeil: Berlin Doner. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 2442 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.462.4133. supergeildetroit.com Tap at MGM Grand: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1234. mgmgranddetroit.com The Apparatus Room: New American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 250 W. Larned Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.800.5600 detroitfoundationhotel.com The Block: American. Brunch, Weekends, Lunch & Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 3919 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.0892. theblockdet.com The Dime Store: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 719 Griswold Street #180, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.9106. eatdimestore.com The Peterboro: Chinese American. Lunch, Saturday, Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 420 Peterboro Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.462.8106. thepeterboro.com Topa: Mediterranean small plates. Lunch Sunday. Dinner Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor.14 Eliot St, Detroit, 48201. 313.346.9200. topadetroit.com Townhouse Detroit: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 500 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 48226. 313.723.1000. townhousedetroit.com Vecino: Mexican. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4100 3rd Ave, Detroit, 48201. 313.500.1615. vecinodetroit.com Vivio’s Food & Spirits: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2460 Market Street, Detroit, 48207. 313.393.1711. viviosdetroit.net The Whitney: American. Tea Service, Friday & Saturday, Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor.4421 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.5700. thewhitney.com Zuzu: Asian Fusion. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 511 Woodward Ave suite 100, Detroit, 48226. 313.464.7777. experiencezuzu.com
vision to showcase Asian culture, cuisine, and community across Metro Detroit. 42768 Grand River Avenue, Novi thedancingpine.com
New concept for Olga’s Olga’s Kitchen, owned and operated by Michigan-based TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants (TSFR), has opened a new restaurant experience as part of the Olga’s Kitchen brand – “Olga’s Fresh”. The new location at 770 E. Big Beaver Road in Troy will also be open for dine-in, carryout, curbside and delivery. The opening marks the first look at a reimagined dining experience for Olga’s guests, which is being introduced to metro Detroit under the new Olga’s Fresh concept. The new service model features fast-casual counter ordering, with guests able to select from new curated menu items like the Roasted Vegetable and Garlic Hummus Bowl, the Harissa Chicken Bowl or the Harvest Salad featuring quinoa and edamame or go the Build Your Own route with a bowl or salad from the restaurant’s wide array of fresh ingredients. Guests will also be able to enjoy all of their existing favorite menu items. “Ever since Olga Loizon introduced Michigan to her iconic Greek-inspired recipes at the Continental Market in Birmingham more than fifty years ago, Olga’s Kitchen has been serving and delighting Michigan families,” said Ryan Jones, brand vice president of Olga’s Kitchen. “Olga’s Fresh is an exciting new chapter in the Olga’s Kitchen story, designed to offer more choice and convenience for today’s guest while staying true to the flavors and recipes that have made our brand a Michigan favorite for generations. Our longtime guests will continue to find the same Olga’s they know and love, along with the opportunity to discover a few new favorites inspired by our Mediterranean roots.” The new restaurant, located inside the Troy Marketplace shopping center at Big Beaver Road and Rochester Road, occupies approximately 2,500 square feet and has seating capacity for 60 guests. 770 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy olgas.com
Aurora Italiana Detroit Prime Concepts Detroit is bringing its signature Italian dining experience to downtown Detroit with the announcement of Aurora Italiana Detroit, a new restaurant opening later this year inside the historic Michigan Oriental Theater in Grand Circus Park, the former home of PAO Detroit. Inspired by the warmth and authenticity of a traditional Italian trattoria, Aurora Italiana Detroit will feature a rustic atmosphere that celebrates timeless Italian hospitality while thoughtfully preserving the architectural character and history of one of Detroit’s most iconic buildings. “Our goal is to create an experience that honors both the incredible history of this landmark building and the timeless appeal of Italian hospitality,” said Joe Barbat, chairman & CEO of Barbat Holdings and Prime Concepts Detroit. The space, formerly home to PAO Detroit, was recognized by PEOPLE Magazine and OpenTable as one of “The 50 Most Beautiful Restaurants in America” for 2024. Aurora Italiana Detroit will build upon that legacy while introducing a fresh culinary vision rooted in authentic Italian tradition. The restaurant will accommodate approximately 110 guests across its first and second floors and feature an inviting open-kitchen concept, allowing diners to experience the energy and craftsmanship behind every dish. Aurora Italiana Detroit will showcase authentic Italian cuisine centered on traditional recipes, premium ingredients and elevated hospitality. Staying true to the restaurant’s commitment to quality and authenticity, all breads, pastas and sauces will be made in-house daily, and the kitchen will operate completely seed oil-free. 114 W. Adams Ave, Suite 200, Detroit
Ray’s expands to Detroit Ray’s, the neighborhood bar known for its welcoming atmosphere and timeless approach to hospitality, will open its Detroit location in Parker’s Alley this fall, marking the brand’s third outpost following successful launches in New York and Miami. Rather than replicating an existing concept, the Detroit venue has been designed to reflect the city’s unique character, creating a space that feels authentically local from day one. The approximately 60-seat bar will feature warm wood interiors, checkerboard floors, vintage booths, Detroit sports memorabilia and a photo booth, offering an inviting setting for regulars, visitors and private events alike. The food and beverage program will focus on approachable bar classics, including Guinness, martinis, frozen cocktails and elevated takes on signature burgers, hot dogs, fries and shareable snacks. The opening also represents NoHo Hospitality Group’s continued investment in Detroit’s thriving hospitality scene. Building on an established portfolio that includes San Morello, Evening Bar, The Brakeman and Penny Red’s, Ray’s reinforces the group’s longterm commitment to creating destination venues rooted in thoughtful design, genuine service and a strong sense of place. 19 E. Grand River Avenue, Detroit raysbarnyc.com
ENDNOTE
Detailed info on museum tax needed now oters across Oakland County, and in neighboring Wayne County, will be determining the fate of a special millage request in November to help fund the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Detroit Historical Society, and like with all millage requests – new or renewal – it’s critical that detailed information about this proposal be shared well in advance of ballots being cast. This millage request has been lingering for nearly two years, thanks to a debacle in the state legislature where in past years these non-profit organizations would seek lawmakers’ approval to put such a proposal on the ballot. These two groups did finally get approval in Lansing but House members neglected to present the bills to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her approval and the issue has been tied up in the courts since the start of 2025. Once the judicial branch ruled in favor of allowing the bills to still be presented to the governor, Whitmer decided that late enactment more than a year after passage presented likely legal problems. So county commissioners in Oakland and Wayne in July voted to form a joint public authority that has the power to place such a proposal on the ballot without needing approval by state House and Senate members. In terms of what will be on the ballot in the two counties: a .2-mill tax for 10 years, the revenue from which the two organizations will share in equally. Additionally, the ballot language provides that a portion of the annual revenue can
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be dispensed to other historical museums but the lion’s share will go to the Charles H. Weight Museum and the Detroit Historical Society which manages the Detroit Historical Museum, the Great Lakes Dossin Museum at Belle Isle and some 300,000 artifacts at historical Fort Wayne. The .2-mill tax in Oakland would cost the owner of a $600,000 home with a taxable, value of $300,000, $60 annually for this proposal if approved. Oakland County and Wayne County residents would be provided free admission to facilities managed by these two organizations, and funding for school and senior citizen transportation would also be provided from the annual funds. At first blush, this all sounds pretty good but there are many questions to answer before ballots are passed out this fall. For starters, we think voters should be given an honest answer as to why Macomb County was left out of the conversation and vote. Rumors two years ago when first proposed suggested that if Macomb County had been included, it was more questionable that such a proposal would pass. We would also like to hear more about the finances of both of these groups and how these annual tax funds will be directed each year. After all, voters are well beyond the days past of governments just proposing something that on the surface sounds good but no specific details are provided. Further, aside from just existing to place a joint millage proposal on the ballot, does the two-
county authority have any oversight powers or ongoing involvement with the two non-profits? Voters should also be given more information on just how much of the annual tax haul might go to local museums each year, what museums are eligible and who will be making those determinations. Anything short on details makes this part of the proposal just window dressing to get local support. Lastly, get this detailed information out now, weeks ahead of absentee ballots going out, is crucial because this tax proposal is not the only millage question appearing on the November ballot and voters should be given ample time to consider which, if any, they might support. Looking at only our local communities for the November ballot, we see several tax questions that will be decided: Bloomfield Hills, .52 mills for six years, library contract for the Baldwin Public Library; Birmingham Public Schools, bond proposal; and Bloomfield Township, bonding question for building a new fire station and police station. Then on the ballot there is the millage renewal question for the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak, plus state-wide ballot issues that might appear before voters. Not all proposals on the ballot are going to make it, as we all learned in the August primary election. So the best game plan for everyone asking for taxes is to make your best, detailed case because an educated voter population expects nothing less.
Dime buys the city long-term sustainability en cents. A dime. Two nickels. In today's world, where the penny has been discontinued from production, what can a dime actually buy you? It turns out, in the city of Birmingham, it has the potential to purchase $420,000 worth of actions to protect the city's beautiful natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors. That's an amazing value for 10 cents. Yet the Birmingham City Commission isn't as certain, as they continue to mull a proposal to add a 10-cent sustainability fee on parking transactions in the city. The nominal added fee, if approved, would be added to hourly street parking meters, monthly parking permits used by businesses and their employees who work in the city, parking structure transactions and valet parking – but not to two-hour free parking. In exchange for a total of 10 cents per transaction, Birmingham Planning Director Nick DuPuis recently presented to the city commission a firstyear draft program which would benefit from the parking fee by approximately $420,000 annually and would cost a total of $371,000. It would include a $100,000 update to the city’s
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multimodal transportation plan; $4,000 for eight air-quality sensors; $100,000 toward fall tree planting; funding for rain gardens along West Merrill; and electric vehicle chargers at city hall. At the July 27 city commission meeting, commissioners split their support, 3-3, over approving the proposed sustainability parking fee. After careful study, we perceive only upsides to the proposal, and urge the commissioners to not make a mountain over a tiny 10-cent molehill, as was done over years-long debates to choose the city's official color (evergreen) and to change the city's logo. This is a worthwhile cause that will barely register a ripple to those who visit the city's downtown. And contrary to commissioner Bill Kolb's allegation that residents will be stuck with the burden of paying the surcharge, this is a user tax, meaning that only those who use parking will pay for it – whether they are residents, visitors or businesses. Keeping it green, those who generate carbon pollution via their vehicles will be ones minimally taxed. For the city, managing the revenue will be simple as funds would remain separate from the parking system funds, and placed in accounts
overseen by the treasury and finance departments. The true beneficiary? The city's sustainability committee, which has been primarily a 'think tank' rather than an actionable committee since its inception. In 2024, the committee created and adopted The Birmingham Green: Healthy Climate Plan is the city’s roadmap for advancing sustainability, resilience, and climate action across municipal operations and the broader community. The plan outlines measurable actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect natural resources, and improve quality of life, with a long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. However, the city has not been able to fund it, making the plans merely ideas. The 10-cent parking sustainability fee allows the sustainability committee to turn words into actions. And parking is always in demand in Birmingham, so we are assured that the nominal amount will be unlikely to deter anyone from visiting the city. We look at it as a minimal and wise investment in the city's future.
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18101 Sheldon Road | Northville | $7,999,900
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Birmingham | Northville | Grosse Pointe 415 s. old Woodward | birmingham, mi 48009