Racing for the Cure

This past weekend I took part in the 19th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Detroit. It was such an inspirational and moving experience. It was also unexpectedly fun, too! I plan to make this event part of my yearly routine from here on out. Here are some photos I took of the events that day:

Part of the fun was seeing all of the signs people made ~ talk about creativity! Although breast cancer is a serious subject, it was nice to see that some humor made it into the day.

There were many different bands playing along the route, which was very cool! I actually wanted to stop and listen to them. It made for a very festive environment. Here you see the runners passing us walkers on their way back to the finish line. And how could you not laugh at this t-shirt?!?

Or this????

Here are my friends and I with Andrew Humphreys, who is a meteorologist at one of the local TV news stations. He was so kind to stop and pose for a photo with us.

Thanks to all who made a purchase from my shop during the month of May. Because of your support, I will be able to make a nice donation to the Komen Foundation.

It's Almost Time!

Although I'm not one to turn down ice cream, if you would have offered it to me during the wintry weather we were dealing with a few weeks ago, I would have opted for hot chocolate instead. This week, however, is a different story ~ it finally feels like the Spring thaw has arrived. So, I could not pass up a chance to stop here for a peanut butter and Oreo flurry. I love this time of year!

A Visit to Pewabic Pottery

Pewabic Pottery is one of the Motor City's true gems. It was founded in 1903 by Mary Chase Perry Stratton, making it one of the oldest existing potteries in the United States. It has thrived at its current location (pictured below) since 1907. The building is a National Historic Landmark ~ it houses a museum, design center, production facilities and galleries where contemporary works are displayed. The pottery is open to visitors and admission is free, although it is nearly impossible to walk out of the place without purchasing a piece of art from the gift shop, as I learned on a recent visit. Most recently, Pewabic earned national attention when some of its tiles were featured in Anna Sui's Fall collection, which debuted during NYC's Fashion Week. Sui's collection was inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th century. This artist movement placed emphasis on quality over quantity. To this day, Pewabic uses the same production methods as it did in those early days.

Pictured below are some vases from the museum's historic collection.

A photo of the founder, Mary Chase Perry Stratton. I cannot imagine doing any type of work in a long dress like the one she is wearing. Gimme some sweatpants, please!

A peacock tile, inscribed with the initials "MCS"

Pewabic tiles can be found in private residences and public places all across the country. Their beauty never fails to amaze me. Here is an example of how some were used to adorn the outside of Comerica Park in Detroit, where my Tigers play baseball.

I now own my own Pewabic pottery! There is something to fit every budget at the gift shop. The two pieces on the left were created by independent artists. Pewabic also sells the work of artists from across the country. The light green tile on the right is authentic Pewabic. The lotus motif is a historic design (c. 1910-1919) by Mary Stratton. It was originally used as a 6x6" tile in her residence in Detroit.

Digging in the Dirt . . . and Lovin' it!!!

This past weekend marked the beginning of planting season for us. We kicked it off by venturing on down to Detroit’s historic Eastern Market. Sunday was their 43rd annual “Flower Day”, but we got a jump on things by going on Saturday, when the vibe is still great but there are about 100,000 fewer people in the market. After a few hours of shopping, we ended up with a vanload of annuals and perennials. Some of it went to my parent’s home ~ they came on the trip too. Lucky for us, Sunday was an absolutely perfect day for planting ~ sunny, low humidity and not too warm. Thanks to our time spent digging in the dirt, in a few months we will have a harvest of tomatoes (three varieties), hot peppers (six varieties), and nine different types of herbs. It’s amazing how much you can fit in a small, suburban, backyard garden :) Aside from those veggies and herbs, I now have beautiful scenery to gaze at from a patio lounge chair as I sip cold beverages on a warm day ~ one of my favorite summertime activities.

Here are some of our beautiful finds . . .

I love to buy my bedding plants from this flower stand, which is located roughly one mile from where I live. As you can see from the photo, there is now an office building next door, however this area used to be nothing but farmland at one time. The family still owns a farm about 20 miles away, where they grow everything that is sold at this market. In late July they have the best sweet corn in the world. My PSA for the day is to support your local farmers whenever you can! You can learn more about how to do that here.

A Day at the Museum

My husband and I spent our day off enjoying the wonderful Detroit Institute of Arts. This place is one of the city's true gems, and we love to visit whenever we can. The DIA is currently featuring a special exhibit of the works of American artist Norman Rockwell. The exhibit runs through May 31, 2009 and I highly recommend that you see it if you can. I was glad to see that the museum was filled with visitors today. Times are tight for many people, so it was great that so many decided to visit the DIA today. I was amused to see this jewelry display of earrings from the Byzantine era. Really, they don't look that much different from the styles you see today!

There are many wonderful paintings in the museum, but this one is my favorite. The title of it is the "Nut Gatherers" and it was painted by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. The little girls in this painting look so real to me. I've just always loved this painting ~ I imagine these are two sisters who are sharing a special secret. Anyone who has a sister can relate to the special bond that sisters share. I think this painting captures that unspoken bond.

Today was also opening day for the Detroit Tigers! Luckily the weather held out for the game. The Tigers beat the Rangers with a 15-2 blowout. All in all, it was a fabulous day in the "D"!!

Front page feature, Computer problems and Clint

The past week has been mostly uneventful, but oddly enough, I don't know where the time went! I am playing catch up today ~ thanks to my husband for "allowing" me to use his computer (haha ~ each of us tends to be a bit of a computer hog, so we have "his" and "her" computers). I left the battery pack for my laptop at the office, and it ran out of juice ~ go figure.

Last Saturday morning I woke up to find my shop was featured on the Etsy front page, thanks to Alison Kelley Designs, who curated a lovely treasury of Valentine's inspired items. This was the first time I actually caught myself on the front page as it was happening, so that was pretty exciting. I am still completely inept when it comes to snagging a treasury of my own, but Alison and Janna of jacjewelry have been gracious enough to offer plenty of tips on how to get one. I came close on Friday, but unfortunately I was at work when the Treasury opened, and I somehow missed the window. Darn, that job really gets in the way sometimes!! :)

Speaking of treasuries and Alison Kelley, feast your eyes on this most loveliest of treasuries yet! This one features my "Splendor in the Glass" earrings and is full of girly pink. I have to say Alison, that this is one of my favorites yet. Truly I think Etsy should create a permanent position of "Treasury Curator", and Alison should get it!

Lastly, I wanted to give a mention to the film "Gran Turino", which we went to see yesterday. I hope you all go and see it! OK, so I am biased ~ the film was shot entirely in the Detroit area. In fact, I was driving home one day last summer when I happened upon the film set as shooting was taking place at Widgren's Barber Shop on 11 mile road in Royal Oak. I even caught a glimpse of the film's star and director, Clint Eastwood. It was pretty exciting!

I won't spoil the plot of the movie, but I will just say that Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski ~ an ornery, retired Ford line worker and Korean war veteran who becomes quite likable as the story progresses. He was quite believable in this role playing a character that personifies so many men of that generation ~ those who spent 30+ years working in automotive, earning an honest decent living and supporting their families. The character still lives in the same house he raised his family in, even though the surrounding neighborhood has changed drastically and fallen to disrepair. The title of the film comes from the vintage Gran Torino that Walt proudly helped build and maintains as his most prized possession.

So, if you're looking for an escape from the dreary days of winter, I highly suggest going to see this film. Yay for Michigan!!!

How 'bout a game of Baseball?!

When one thinks of Summer, many things come to mind ~ one of which is Baseball. There's nothing like being there in person at the stadium and experiencing the enthusiasm of the fans while vendors yell out "HOT DOGS! GET UR HOT DOGS HERE!!" I absolutely love it.

This past Sunday we caught a game between the Tigers and the Twins. It was our first of the season and we couldn't have been more excited to be there with 41,000+ of our closest friends. Unfortunately the outcome of the game was not in our team's favor, but the night before they scored an incredible 19 runs!! We were sorry that we missed that.

Comerica Park is a beautiful ballpark that makes all Tiger fans very proud. After the game was over, we headed to one of our favorite spots for a bite to eat. While on the way there, we passed the ol' ballpark on Michigan Avenue. Tiger Stadium, (seen above), is slated for demolition, despite efforts to preserve it. It is an icon of the city's history. I snapped this photo from the car while we were driving by. It will be a sad day when this structure can no longer be seen at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. While new traditions are carried on, the memories of the past will not fade.

An Historic Gem

I may be a suburban dweller, but I do frequent many places in nearby Detroit. The city that is near and dear to my heart gets many a bad rap, especially lately. I would like to showcase one of the Motor City's gems, and a place where anyone can experience the true culture and vibe of the place I call home.

Eastern Market is the largest historic public market district in the United States. At more than a century old, it is also the world's largest bedding market. In fact, this weekend the 42nd Annual Flower Day will take place, drawing record numbers of people ~ as it does every year. And you bet your bottom that I will be there with my little red wagon in tow.

A few of the market's 100+ year old sheds are undergoing a renovation that will make them better than ever. I am continually proud that this wonderful place continues to thrive in a city where many relics of the past are distant memories not shared by those born after the baby boom. I do not know of many places where you can buy Organic produce, spices, freshly ground coffee, fine wine, imported beer, meat, Seafood ~ and not to mention eat a Monster burger that has been barbecued right there on the street while watching amateurs sing Karaoke ~ all within a few blocks. It is an experience like no other!

These are a few photos that I have taken on past visits to the Market. With all of the negative press that Detroit gets, I'm hoping this portrays a more positive image.