1 6 8 2 2 K e r c h e v a l A v e n u e
G r o s s e P o i n t e w w w . s a v v y c h i c g p . c o m
LIFESTYLE LETTER
Summertime in Grosse Pointe
Summer in Grosse Pointe is a cherished season, bringing families and neighbors together to enjoy the beauty of the lakeshore and warmth of community life. From boating on Lake St. Clair to time at the parks, the area comes alive with outdoor activities that create lasting memories.
Children ride bikes through tree lined-streets, families gather in the Village for shopping or ice cream, and community events create deeper connec tions and pride of living here.
Summer in Grosse Pointe is a time to slow down, reconnect with each other, and strengthen the bonds of families and communities. The memories we have are a part of the generational memories that are shared and time to create new ones. There is a rhythm of life where neighborhoods and sunsets mean togetherness in a world class community.
This summer, there are numerous events in Grosse Pointe to enjoy with the family. In a must see art event, Posterity Gallery will be holding a dual gallery premiere exhibit with local artists Will Schippert and Angelo Sherman who are relentlessly creating and pushing the local artists scene to rival a New York style premiere event. It is a must see event on July 18th at 6:00pm.
We also speak with Michelle Boggess Nunley on additional summer events like the Art Takeover Project and It Takes A Village outdoor exhibit where a family can walk and enjoy downtown while viewing art throughout the Village. Get the scoop on the upcoming summer events in Grosse Pointe.
Inspired by their love of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe North and South high school friends Erik Novak and Maurice Hogan have navigated Grosse Pointe through understanding high tech to utilize social media for local businesses and the area overall. They have a deep connection and understanding of Grosse Pointe and how to thrive on social media platforms to promote the local businesses they work with. Find out how these local men are helping Grosse Pointe’s business community stand out and get the attention in today’s social media world.
Also, enjoy some great books on us as you take in long summer days and starry nights.
Follow us @grossepointecitylifestyle and Happy 4th of July to our great nation!
July 2025
PUBLISHER
David Mattaliano | david.mattaliano@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Paige Peabody | paige.peabody@citylifestyle.com
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Lisa Gindi | lisa.gindi@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sue Baldani, Margaret Carroll
DAVID MATTALIANO, PUBLISHER
@GROSSEPOINTECITYLIFESTYLE
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders
AD DESIGNER Jenna Crawford
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Megan Cagle
Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com/franchise.
VISUAL Cake
ARTICLE BY MARGARET CARROLL PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIM RENSBURG
Every picture tells a story and a picture is worth a thousand words.
The concept was first adopted 73,000 years ago by early Homo Sapiens who used red ochre to draw a crisscross pattern of lines on a rock flake discovered inside South Africa’s Blombos Cave.
It is worth noting the drawing closely resembles a hashtag.
We respond to visual stimulation to this day, swiping and scrolling to gather information on everything from what college to attend, which lawnmower to buy, and who to date and marry.
Social media posts featuring photos of people get more views than posts that don’t. Videos (as short as five seconds) get more views than posts with photos, and posting a steady stream of content on a regular basis is the best way to build an audience of followers online.
For anyone who’s been so busy running their business that they don’t have time to think about building an online presence or needs some crisp, beautiful new photography to show off their stuff and tell their story, there is Visual Cake Detroit, LLC.
"PEOPLE GET A dopamine rush FROM SCROLLING ON THEIR phones , WHICH HAVE A vertical orientation . ANYBODY WITH A business TO promote NEEDS TO REACH PEOPLE WHO ARE scrolling THROUGH SOCIAL media ."
Visual Cake Detroit designs visual content for businesses that want to amp up their online presence. Visual Cake Detroit is co-owned by Grosse Pointers Eric Novak and Maurice Hogan, friends who met in high school (Eric graduated from South and Maurice graduated from North) and have been working together to find a way to put their creative energy and talents to use in service to our community.
Why Visual Cake? It’s a play on the term eye candy.
“Vertical video content is taking over,” explains Eric Novak. “People get a dopamine rush from scrolling on their phones, which have a vertical orientation. Anybody with a business to promote needs to reach people who are scrolling through social media. Vertical content looks best on a cell phone.
“You have three seconds to get someone’s attention. You have seven seconds to hold it. If you get someone to engage with your video for 15 seconds, that is a success.”
The end result? Viewers will click through to the company website.
Novak and Hogan formed the consultancy (its precursor was 31 & Up Media) in 2020 to help Grosse Pointe businesses broaden their online marketing reach.
The pair brings listening skills and state-of-the-art equipment to every project, including high-quality cameras, microphones, lights, backdrops, drones, and cutting-edge editing software. Plus, the secret ingredient in every Visual Cake recipe is a massive dose of creativity.
The result? Scroll-stopping photographs and videos that are actually fun to watch.
“We give our clients a way to tell their own story, in their own words, and see it appear exactly as they want it to,” Eric explains.
"YOU HAVE three seconds TO GET SOMEONE'S attention . YOU HAVE seven seconds TO HOLD IT."
Each project begins with a listening tour. Eric and Maurice meet with new clients to learn what they are currently doing to reach their customers. They take an inventory of the current website and social media presence, including photos and videos.
That’s when Eric and Maurice bring their collective creative expertise to the project. They are long-time musicians (Their band is Bump), and Maurice is a wedding photographer with experience (and lots of patience) in telling visual stories.
A shot list is planned and submitted to the client for review to ensure they are confident their message will be conveyed. The goal is to plan a visit by Eric and Maurice to take photos and record video footage of the owner and their team at work. This can include the owner discussing their vision and reason for establishing their business, perhaps, or what they believe sets their business apart from the competition. The photoshoot also involves taking photos and shooting videos of the team doing their work.
It’s all flexible and may be changed at any time during the process, depending on the client’s needs.
The end result?
Dramatic images that engage, entertain, and inform.
The videos and photographs tell the story of the business and the team that brings that business to life. “We record images showing people doing things you may be used to seeing done in a typical way, the same way you’ve always seen them, and we flip them,” Eric explains. “We create a new, fresh look that will appeal to viewers and catch their attention on social media.”
The end result is a video edited to look good in either a landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical) orientation. Eric notes that this is important because a landscape orientation is used for Google search engine optimization, so it works in tandem with ranking and keywords.
In other words, when it comes to social media, more is better.
“If someone searches for your business on Google, it is more likely to turn up first if you have a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok because Google ranks them all together,” Eric explains.
Once the client has reviewed and signed off on the visuals, the photos and video are ready to post to the client’s website for a fresh look. But the story doesn’t end there.
Eric and Maurice then draft a customized plan for each client designed to achieve maximum impact, with boosted posts to all social media channels. “Once we have produced fresh new video footage, it’s time to consider how you can use it to your best advantage,” Eric explains.
Advertising on social media is effective and more economical than paid ads in traditional media such as radio spots or billboards, and it has the added benefit of making your investment work extra hard for you, he points out. Every business needs a video on YouTube right now, for example, because YouTube is directly connected to search engine optimization (Google owns YouTube), and every word is a keyword now.
“Instead of investing in a video that runs for a few seconds on your website, we can use it in a variety of ways, put together a schedule of boosted posts on all social media platforms, and the result is that beautiful fresh new video is transformed into a key building block of your entire social media realm,” Eric says.
"SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FEATURING
PHOTOS OF PEOPLE GET MORE VIEWS THAN POSTS THAT DON'T."
Zeppelin Cleaning Services of St. Clair Shores has broadened its reach on social media thanks to Visual Cake. “We’ve had a very positive response to the video they produced,” reports Chris Cooper, President and CEO of Zeppelin, which is based in St. Clair Shores.
The firm has been in business since 2007, providing residential carpeting, air duct cleaning, and commercial and janitorial services. “We realized we needed to pivot into electronic marketing, and Visual Cake was a natural choice,” Chris explains since they produced a video of Chris’s band (#Insecure) that generated positive interest online.
Zeppelin went a step further and is now investing in boosted posts on Facebook and Instagram. “It has been an inexpensive way to broaden our marketing outreach to new clients online,” Chris reports.
St. Paul Catholic School turned to Visual Cake to produce two videos for its annual St. Paul Auction, and the results were beautiful, according to St. Paul Auction Coordinator Rachel Jacques.
“Visual Cake listened to our ideas and really delivered. They brought our theme to life. They were incredibly organized, prepared, and specific about what shots we needed to capture, which made it easier for our team to stay on track,” she reports.
“Technically, everyone needs this kind of service,” says Eric. He invites Grosse Pointers to check out the videos on their website (www.visualcakedetroit.com) and give them a call.
“We will make sure you look good and sound good and tell your story the way you want it to be told.”
Art Unveiled
ARTICLE BY SUSAN BALDANI
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY POSTERITY GALLERY
Summer Art Show
When Michelle Boggess-Nunley took over Posterity Art & Framing Gallery in Grosse Pointe two and a half years ago, it was focused more on framing than art. Although the gallery still does beautiful framing, its spotlight on art has expanded greatly.
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This July, Posterity is once again hosting a dual exhibition of Will Schippert and Angelo Sherman’s works. “They’re just so creative and bring totally different visions to the table, so it’s so much fun to pair the two together and see what they come up with,” says Michelle. “They both have this very warm energy.”
She adds, “Angelo was actually the very first artist that I signed up to show in Posterity when I took it over. I see his work growing in momentum. And Will’s energy is so uplifting, and he has all this passion for art. It’s just incredible.”
Opening night is July 18 at 6:00 pm, and Michelle is looking forward to a big crowd. The two artists are always a huge draw and this event will rival a New York “must see” premiere.
Being on Main Street Grosse Pointe has also provided her a way to bring art outside of her gallery into its wonderful Downtown. “Art brings culture, it brings vision, it tells a story, and it’s the glue of a community,” says Michelle.
“When you see these vibrant downtowns, you see art and things happening. People are out and about. It really brings life to a community and gets people talking.”
One of these unique exhibits is taking place this summer. “It Takes a Village” is an outdoor art exhibition that started last year. “We had 18 local artists doing 15x15 weather-treated panels that we framed and installed by The Village Fountain,” she says. “It’s all about the artists’ interpretations of what a village means to them.”
The portrayals can be mixed media, acrylics, or epoxy, and since they’re going to be hanging outside, the materials have to hold up to the weather. The goal is to have them hung by mid-August. “We install the artists’ work for a year, and it’s like a little walkable exhibition,” says Michelle. “Each artist receives a stipend of $100 and has their own plaque on their artwork. At the end of the year, we auction off the paintings, and the money goes towards other art projects implemented in The Village.”
Another much larger exhibition is the Art Takeover Project, which kicks off on September 4th from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm and continues through the end of the month. “Every year, it gets bigger and bigger and bigger,” she says. Last year, we had a 40% increase in visitors and artists, so thirty-five local businesses and 84 artists participated. We had 250 art pieces, not including those from ‘It Takes a Village,’ all around the Downtown district.
The artists work with local business owners to create interactive displays. “It increases sales, and many of these businesses get visitors who have never been inside their shops before,” says Michelle. Art connects the community, and it introduces people to some of our amazing local businesses that we have on the Village Strip.”
There are two- and three-dimensional art pieces, and because they are open media and have an open theme, artists can really use
"Art connects community, and it introduces people to some of our amazing local businesses that we have on the Village Strip."
their imaginations. Tim Burke, a very wellknown sculptural artist, created beautiful and festive “crazy cats” that were bright and colorful. Kids loved to walk up and hug them.
In addition to all of the incredible artwork, there will be live music and interesting scavenger hunts. “There’s a children’s version and an adult version, and participants can compete for prizes like gift cards and merchandise from some of our local businesses, which makes it extra special,” she says.
The Art Takeover Project will launch at Posterity Art & Framing Gallery, located at 17005 Kercheval Avenue. There, each visitor will be given an interactive map and be able to see where their favorite artists are located.
“We are so busy in our daily lives with work, kids, and all of our other life obligations that we never just stop and walk Downtown,” she says. “This gives people a great reason to have a
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family day out. It’s completely free, and all of the art is commission-free, so whatever sells goes back 100% to the artist. It’s our way to give back to them and the community.” The art also undergoes a public vote, and the winner gets a solo exhibition at the gallery the following year.
Each piece of art, says Michelle, has its own story and can heal the soul. “Very few things in the world don’t have a language, but you can look at a piece of art, interpret it, and understand it, and there are no barriers. It’s very subjective.”
Main Street Grosse Pointe also recently completed a beautifully painted crosswalk in The Village. “Not only does it provide safety when you’re walking at a crosswalk that’s painted, but people actually stop and see it’s a crosswalk,” she says.
These beautification projects and art exhibitions bring people to the area. “They want to be here, they want to shop, they want to see art,” says Michelle. “It’s a whole experience. We’re really trying to bring art to the public, and we’re working on getting more murals and sculptures in our Downtown district. We want to bring some of those bigger picture projects to life.”
Michelle feels fortunate to be part of the art community. “As an artist myself, I love being around all of this creativity and being able to give these artists a voice,” she says.
“Art is my passion, and we have an incredibly talented group of local artists. Bringing the art gallery to The Village and bringing local artists into The Village are really the seeds that I’ve planted. It’s been so much fun watching them grow.”
For more information, go to PosterityArtGallery.com/ArtTakeover2025.com
"Art brings culture, it brings vision, it tells a story, and it's the glue of a community."
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
Bus: 313-881-8100
Email: mark@callmarkw.com
Callmarkw.com
BOOKS TO TAKE YOU AWAY
I ASKED MY EXPAT AND TRAVEL-SAVVY FRIENDS TO RECOMMEND BOOKS TO TAKE ME FAR AWAY. HERE YOU GO!
ARTICLE BY SUE G. COLLINS
The Corfu Trilogy
BY GERALD DURRELL
Three classic tales of childhood on an island paradise - My Family and Other Animals, Birds, Beasts and Relatives and The Garden of the Gods by Gerald Durrell - are available in a single edition for the first time in The Corfu Trilogy.
Blue Latitudes
BY TONY HORWITZ
Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before
The Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist travels to various parts of the world, following in the footsteps of explorer James Cook.
The Island of Missing Trees
BY ELIF SHAFAK
It is 1974 on the island of Cyprus. Two teenagers, from opposite sides of a divided land, meet at a tavern in the city they both call home. The tavern is the only place that Kostas, who is Greek and Christian, and Defne, who is Turkish and Muslim, can meet, in secret, hidden beneath the blackened beams from which hang garlands of garlic, chili peppers and wild herbs. This is where one can find the best food in town, the best music, the best wine. But there is something else to the place: it makes one forget, even if for just a few hours, the world outside and its immoderate sorrows.
Just before the Second World War the Durrell family decamped to the glorious, sun-soaked island of Corfu, where the youngest of the four children, ten-year-old Gerald, discovered his passion for animals: toads and tortoises, bats and butterflies, scorpions and octopuses. Through glorious silver-green olive groves and across brilliant-white beaches Gerry pursued his obsession . . . causing hilarity and mayhem in his ever-tolerant family.
Cutting for Stone
BY ABRAHAM VERGHESE
Cutting for Stone is a novel written by Ethiopian-born, IndianAmerican medical doctor and author Abraham Verghese. It is a saga of twin brothers, orphaned by their mother’s death at their births and forsaken by their father.
The Museum of Innocence
BY ORHAN PAMUK
The author is a Nobel-laureate Turkish novelist. The book, set in Istanbul between 1975 and 1984, is an account of the love story between the wealthy businessman Kemal and a poorer distant relative of his, Füsun.
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
JULY 10TH
Cocktails With Collections
Ford House | 6:00 PM
Step into an unforgettable evening of history and craft cocktails at Cocktails with Collections. This exclusive event offers an intimate experience with our Material Culture team, the experts who manage, care for, and preserve Ford House’s most cherished artifacts and historic materials. www.fordhouse.org/friends
JULY 11TH AND 12TH
Yacht Rock Detroit
The Roostertail | 5:00 PM
A summer party on another level. Lou Gramm (voice of Foreigner), a Fleetwood Mac tribute, DJs, dancing, food and 2 full days on the water. Watch from the water or party on land. Limited Tickets. Legendary weekend. yachtrockdetroit.com
JULY 18TH
Outdoor Summer
Concert: Dancing QueenAn ABBA Salute
Ford House | 7:00 PM
Kick off Ford House’s 2025 Outdoor Summer Concert series with a spectacular night featuring Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute! Get ready for an energetic evening as the hits of ABBA fill the air, bringing the magic of one of the world’s most beloved bands to life. From “Mamma Mia” to “Dancing Queen,” fordhouse.org
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JULY 23RD Summerfest Movie: Dogman
The War Memorial | 6:00 PM
As part of our exciting SummerFest series, join us for a FREE outdoor screening of the critically acclaimed movie Dogman! Grab your blankets and lawn chairs and settle in under the stars for a night of captivating cinema. warmemorial.org
JULY 25TH - 27TH
The Village Streetside Sale-ebration
The Village, Downtown Grosse Pointe | 10:00 AM
Save the dates! New days this year: Saturday & Sunday, July 26-27, with a special kick-off on Friday evening, the 25th! Not your ordinary sidewalk, Streetside Sale-ebration is a weekend full of shopping at your favorite Village spot and more.
JULY 26TH
Lake Fest
Ford House | 1:00 PM
Dive into a day of adventure, discovery and creativity with your family at Lake Fest at Ford House. Perfect for young explorers who love science, nature and art. This fun-filled S.T.E.A.M. based learning festival brings the wonders of Lake St. Clair to life, from fascinating lake creatures to exciting hands-on activities. fordhouse.org
