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olycam — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:27:55 +0000

Olympus OM-D E-M5, 12-50mm f3.5-6.3

The Curious Case of a Lonely Detroit Skyscraper

kam — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:42:54 +0000

It was a rainy night when me and my friend left the Tigers game after it was finally canceled. After having flaming cheese, lamb shank and Tiramisu at the very famous Pegasus in the nearby Greektown, we walked into the German Garden and suddenly we saw this mysterious skyscraper standing by itself glowing in the dark. We were struck by its beauty – the very fine proportion of its facade, its ornate classical elements including its columns and ornaments, and most obviously the “showpiece” on the top.

The crowning piece on its top is the most awe-inspiring touch of this skyscraper. It looked to me that “Hunchback of Detroit” may have lived there. With the grand “front doors” opened, he could have summoned any creatures from the sky. I cannot stop but think if the “temple-like” top piece was a church or a mansion for one of the self-made automotive man in the twenties? Or was it a club house with a long pool for the residents in the apartment below? It would have been so cool to have breakfast there by the big window and looking down at the city in the morning back in the jazz days.

Assuming that this building must have “neighbors” before. Now that it is all lonely by itself, there must be reasons why it is saved from the wrecking ball. Could this former Beaux Arts skyscraper be related to a very prominent family like the Whitney or the Manoogian, or a mayor or a governor in Michigan? What were the historic events that have happened there? Was it hit hard by the Great Depression or one of the many riots? And most importantly, how did it end up being vacant and maybe haunted?

Our imagination had gone wild for this “Gotham City-like” skyscraper and my fascination with it does not seem to have diminished a bit. That is all because of the magic and charm possessed by these delicately crafted works of arts. And tell me again, how many of them did the city take down this year?

1515 broadway, detroit – 10:33pm, may 17, 2011

photos below are its other neighbors across the street -

Detroit Athletic Club

Broderick Tower

A very think building (a Detroit “flatiron” building)

Look like a fancy apartment building

The restaurant Pegasus in Greektown

Greek Town

Rosa Maria Zamarron — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:54:16 +0000

UIC Student Robbed, Knocked Unconscious Near Campus

Adam Harrington — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:31:40 +0000

CHICAGO (CBS) — Police on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus have issued an alert, after a student was robbed and knocked unconscious earlier this week.

As WBBM Newsradio’s Mike Krauser reports, the alert says the student was off campus, walking between 8:30 and 9 p.m. Tuesday in the 400 block of South Green Street on the edge of Greektown. He was approached from behind by an unseen of offender, who placed something against the back of his head and demanded money, the alert said.

[worldnow id=6996629 width=385 height=288 type=video]

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Mike Krauser reports

Download: mp3_bc__carts_uic-rob-v1.mp3

The student handed over his wallet, but the robber hit him in the head, anyway, and he passed out, the alert said.

It is not clear how long the student was unconscious on the sidewalk, but when he came to, he realized he had been struck.

He made his way to nearby Rush University Medical Center, where he was treated for a head injury, and interviewed by UIC and Chicago Police.

News of the attack and robbery did not go unnoticed on campus. Students say they’ll try to be more vigilant.

“I think it is a safe campus. It can happen anywhere and unfortunately it has happened here, but I think they’re trying really hard to make sure it doesn’t happen,” Shannon Brown, a graduate student in social work, tells CBS 2’s Marissa Bailey.

UIC police advise anyone to hand over whatever an armed robber asks for, as the student did. They also advise that students, faculty and staff report any suspicious activity to police.

Anyone with information on the Tuesday night robbery is asked to contact UIC police, at (312) 996-2830.

Train Derails In Greektown; No Injuries Reported

Kelly — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:31:44 +0000

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A train derailed Sunday morning in the Greektown section of Baltimore.

According to officials, a Norfolk Southern train with three locomotives and 24 load cars was involved in the derailment on the overpass at Eastern Avenue. One engine and three cars actually derailed.

The train was not carrying any hazardous material and no one was injured.

Crews are working to remove the cars and engine and get the train moving again. It’s not known how long this will take.

It’s not known where the train was heading.

Report: Feud Among Organizers Has Hurt Funding For Greektown Parade

Adam Harrington — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:12:05 +0000

CHICAGO (CBS) — A public feud among Greektown organizers over allegations of missing money has sponsors backing off from the community’s biggest event of the year.

As WBBM Newsradio’s David Roe reports, the annual Pan-Hellenic Parade and Festival is planned for April 22 along Halsted Street west of downtown, in celebration of the 192nd anniversary of the Greek Declaration of Independence.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s David Roe reports

Download: mp3_bc_-wav_carts_greektown-v.mp3

But the Chicago Tribune reports a fiscal crisis has erupted and divided the community.

Angie Verros tells the Tribune that soon after she was hired as treasurer of Enosis – the church and community group organization that puts on the parade – she noticed more than $60,000 in transactions that had been conducted without her approval, and for some of which her signature was forged.

Verros claims the culprit was the president of Enosis, Dimitrios Georgakopoulos, who recruited Verros for the post, the Tribune reported.

Verros has filed a complaint about the transactions with the Illinois Attorney General’s office, and also had Georgakopoulos arrested on allegations that he assaulted her at an Enosis board meeting, the Tribune reported. The newspaper did not specify any details of the alleged assault.

Verros has also sued Georgakopoulos on allegations that the defrauded Enosis, and defamed her with articles in his Greek-language newspaper, the Tribune reported.

Georgakopoulos denies he assaulted Verros, and tells the Tribune she had him arrested six months after the incident allegedly happened. He also tells the newspaper he plans to countersue Verros, and says she waited almost a month to serve him with the lawsuit at a Greek Independence Day gala last year.

The Tribune reports the public battle has caused a rift in the Greek community, with only half the number of sponsors committing to the Greek Independence Day parade and festival later this month.

Joe Eitrem interview: Part 1

lansingkewadin — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:45:41 +0000

We recently sat down with Chairman Joe Eitrem to discuss the Lansing casino project. Here is part 1 of our interview — check back in the coming days for the rest!

How will the Lansing casino benefit tribal members?

How will the Lansing project differ from Greektown?

How will the tribe use revenues from the Lansing casino?

How have you provided accurate information to tribal members about the casino project?

Folia Grill

Robin Sharp — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:33:02 +0000

When people hear that we live near the Danforth, they usually remark, “You’re so lucky! You’re within walking distance to a bunch of great Greek restaurants!” They’re kind of right, since we can walk to Danforth East to grab amazing Ethiopian (Dukem) or great beer (The Only). As far as Greek fare goes, most Greektown restaurants are pretty pedestrian. You know; flaming cheese and generic Greek salad for appetizers, souvlaki and lemon potatoes for your main, and an anise candy that comes with your bill. In our eight years of living near the Danforth, we haven’t really met a Greek restaurant that’s been opa!-worthy.

Then one summer day, as we were driving down Pape Avenue, we noticed a large, inflatable pig perched above a newly renovated storefront. The sign had a happy, reclining pig holding a skewer of what was likely one of his cousins or next-door neighbours. Harmless enough, so we figured that we might as well try one of the only clean looking restaurants on the street.

Fast forward two years and you can count us as regulars at one of the East end’s hidden gems. Their chicken gyro is one of the most flavourful, juiciest and tender chicken dishes you’ll find. Size-wise, it challenges the hefty portions you get at Burrito Boys, so be sure to go to Folia Grill when you’re hungry.

I’ll admit that, until recently, I was guilty of not straying far from my regular chicken gyros. While Folia Grill offers grilled items like chicken breast, pork chops and NY strip loin, my love for their chicken gyros made me a believer in food monogamy. That is, until the owner asked me to try a sample of their new pork gyros.

Today, we ambitiously ordered one chicken and one pork gyro with a side of zucchini fries. Robin claimed the never-disappointing chicken, while I tackled the pork gyro.

Robin’s chicken gyro was stuffed full with sliced white and dark meat, fresh tomatoes, onions and house-made tzatziki. Give Folia bonus points for stuffing their pitas with french fries, which is what you’ll find at most Mediterranean falafel and gyro restaurants. The starch from the fries pairs well with the tzatziki. The real star of the show is the chicken. Perfectly seasoned with olive oil, paprika and lord knows what other spices, the chicken is cooked slowly and tenderly, leaving you with bite after bite of seasoned goodness. The pictures speak for themselves.

I had the other white meat; the pork gyros is accompanied by the same pita stuffings as the chicken gyros, but is filled with large, moist chunks of pork. Charred on the outside, juicy on the inside, the pork has an amazing lemon and thyme marinade that ranks this dish as one of my top pork dishes I’ve had. No lie.

We were stuffed after we gobbled down our gyros (and a word to the wise: go to Folia Grill with someone you feel comfortable with, since the tzatziki somehow ends up on your cheeks, nose and lips), but still had to tackle the zucchini fries. The “fries” are freshly-sliced zucchini spears that are lightly breaded and seasoned and then fried to perfection. The outside was crisp and the inside was juicy, perfectly cooked and marvellously tender. Fries come with aioli, which makes for a perfect dipping companion. We tried to share the size order between the two of us, but would have gladly welcomed a third (or fourth) person to help us finish the plate.

Each pita is $5.25, which is a dangerously good deal. Be sure to try Folia Grill before one of the East end’s best kept secrets is out.

Folia Grill
1031 Pape Ave
Toronto, Ontario
416.424.2800
foliagrill.com
(Closed Sundays)

Photos by Robin & Richard

Words by Richard

Best Bets For Eating Out On Easter In Detroit

cbsexaminer — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:00:54 +0000

Easter is fast approaching, which means spending quality time with family and loved ones. For a busy family, that means trying to whip up a daunting Easter meal as well. Instead of slaving away in the kitchen only to find yourself hunched over the sink scrubbing pots and pans a few hours later, gather the family and head out to one of these Detroit-area restaurants for Easter brunch or dinner.

[cbs-foursquare business="Zazios Birmingham" address="34977 Woodward Ave." address2="" city="Birmingham " state="MI " zipcode="48009" phone="(248) 530-6400" url="http://www.zazios.com"]

Price: $18 to $32
Hours: Mon to Thurs – 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri to Sat – 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; closed Sun (Easter hours 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

An Italian bistro and restaurant dedicated to quality, authentic food that welcomes the entire family in downtown Birmingham, which also happens to be a great center of shopping. Zazios is a bit pricier, however, it is always open for Easter brunch. Please call ahead for any Easter specials and any possible reservations for bigger parties.

Luna Kai & Gino’s Surf
37400 Jefferson Ave.
Harrison Township, MI 48045
(586) 468-2611
ginossurf.com

(credit: ginossurf.com)

Price: $18 to $30
Hours: Sun brunch – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Gino’s Surf will be serving its annual Sunday Easter brunch, which features light dishes such as chicken and fish, a salad bar and a dessert buffet. Gino’s Surf is a banquet hall type of setting with a pleasant lake view for a serene atmosphere, perfect for Easter brunch. Reservations are encouraged for parties larger than six. An added bonus for those with big families: children younger than 3 eat for free.

Andiamo Detroit Riverfront
400 Rennaisance Center, Ste. A-403
Detroit, MI 48243
(313) 567-6700
www.andiamoitalia.com

(credit: andiamoitalia.com)

Price: $18 to $40
Hours: Mon to Thurs – 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Fri – 11 a.m. to midnight; Sat – noon to midnight; Sun – 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A very well-known Italian restaurant throughout Metro Detroit, Andiamo is a bit less family oriented dining and more of an adult dining experience and atmosphere. The Detroit Riverfront location has a lovely view of the water from the heart of downtown Detroit, making this the perfect setting for Easter brunch for a smaller party or a couple’s Easter date.

Volare Ristorante

49115 Pontiac Trail
Wixom, Michigan 48393
(248) 960-7771
www.ristorantevolare.com

(credit: ristorantevolare.com)

Price: $30 to $50
Hours: Mon to Fri – 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sat – 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Sun – 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

An Italian steakhouse, Volare will satisfy both the need for a classy atmosphere and an Americanized menu. Pick between delectable, authentic Italian cuisine or your normal steakhouse fare this Easter. Volare is the best restaurant for the family with the picky eater because of its varied menu. Unlike other restaurants, Volare will be serving dinner and not brunch.

Fishbone’s Greektown
400 Monroe St.
Intl. Center Building
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-4600
fishbonesusa.com

(credit: fishbonesusa.com)

Price: $5-$10
Hours: Sunday brunch – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Another Detroit location, Fishbone’s Greektown in the downtown area will be offering Sunday brunch on Easter, which will be the only Fishbone’s location to do so. The Greektown’s location will be offering typical brunch food for an affordable price, a great compromise for a larger family or gathering. Also, a family can opt to dine earlier for the “Early Morning Special,” which is served between 6:30 a.m. and 8 a.m.

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The Artistic Renaissance In Baltimore’s Greektown

Kelly — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:00:28 +0000

By Caryn Coyle

Plateia is a Greek word for open market, and it is the new arena for the Greektown artistic revival. In Greece, plateies are the central places for feasts, celebrations and events.

“We’ve been planning a cultural center for Greektown for a decade,” said Jason Filippou of the Greektown Community Development Corporation.

The Plateia, located on the 700-block of Ponca Street, officially opens this month for special events.

The Greek Festival, the second weekend in June, will take place at the Plateia. In the Plateia’s mini amphitheatre, outdoor concerts and the screening of Greek foreign films and plays performed and created from the published work of Greektown authors, are planned. The Plateia is owned and operated by the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and will also be the site of weddings and baptisms.

(credit: Caryn Coyle)

“Baltimore’s Greektown is one of the only Greektowns left in the United States,” said Filippou, stressing that an artistic revival is occurring throughout the community. “There are many ‘jewels’ in Greektown, and we want to showcase them. We are hosting a variety of events at least once a month.

Citing the fact that the community’s history rests with the longtime residents, the Greektown Community Development Corporation is digitally restoring and cataloging the photographs taken over the past century by Greektown’s elderly population.

“They will be displayed in Greektown’s galleries, restaurants and bars,” Filippou said.

The publication of a creative arts journal, with submissions from the Greektown community, is also in the works. Cultural events have been hosted by several Eastern Avenue Greektown businesses: a display of Daily Camden photographs, a selection of shots taken every day of the baseball season, is in the gallery of Ikaros Restaurant. A reading by Alan Kaufman, an award-winning editor of several anthologies, took place at the Acropolis Restaurant. Kaufman read from his new memoir, Drunken Angel. At the Baltimore Gallery, “Books, Blues and Baklava” featured desserts from the Greek Village Bakery, readings from Baltimore authors and blues by a Greek musician, Pete Karanas.

(credit: Caryn Coyle)

“I’m an accidental Greektown resident,” said Karanas, who has lived on Macon Street for six years. The New York native performed more than 2,000 times as a guitarist for the Nighthawks. You can hear him play the first Thursday of each month at the Cat’s Eye Pub in Fells Point with the Pete Karanas Blues Band. At the Greektown Baltimore Gallery, Karanas serenaded the audience with his impressive slide guitar. The ease with which he slipped his fingers up and down the neck of the guitar and the music he created were memorable.

Filippou cited Karanas as one of the “gems” of Greektown. He added, “We are morphing into an arts and cultural community by hosting concerts and literary events. But most importantly, we are engaging the residents of Greektown.”

The celebration of all things Greek culminates on June 9 and 10 with the Greek Festival that will take place for the first time at the Plateia.

Find out more about the Greektown renaissance at www.greektowncdc.org.

Caryn Coyle lives in Baltimore. Her fiction and non-fiction have been published in more than a dozen literary journals and the anthology City Sages: Baltimore (2010) from City Lit Press.

Greek Independence Day Parade To Stroll Through Detroit Sunday

sstoddart — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:59:47 +0000

DETROIT (WWJ) - The Greek Community of Metro Detroit will celebrate the annual Greek Independence Day on Sunday, March 25, 2012, with a parade in downtown Detroit.

The parade will start at 3 p.m. and will proceed on Monroe Street from Woodward Avenue to the heart of Detroit’s Historic Greektown.

Prior to the parade, an Hierarchal Divine Liturgy celebrating the Feast of the Annunciation will take place at 10 a.m. at the Annunciation Cathedral, 707 East Lafayette Blvd. in Greektown.

A highlight of the parade includes performances by the famous dance group Horeftikos Omilos Agiou, from Peloponessus, Greece. There will also be over 40 marching units representing Greek Orthodox churches, cultural organizations, dance groups in colorful ethnic dress and area college student organizations from metropolitan Detroit and nearby communities.

Numerous floats will be included in the parade and historic autos from the Ford Piquette Plant Museum will be provided. The Wayne State University Band and the Harper Woods High School Band will provide authentic marching music.

For the second year in a row, a few vintage Model T’s will join the parade procession, courtesy of the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum. There will be two Model T cars and one Model T pick-up. Each will be driving a few of this year’s parade dignitaries down Monroe Street.

After the parade, a short program will be held near the end of the parade route. Rich Mayk, Detroit’s well-known communicator, will officiate as the master of ceremonies at both the dinner event and parade.

The American, Greek and Canadian national anthems will be sung symbolizing the strong unity of the three countries. Metropolitan Nicholas will offer prayers and remarks on Greek Independence Day. State Senator John Papageorge will present a State of Michigan proclamation signed by Governor Rick Snyder and all Greek-American members of the Michigan Legislature honoring Greek Independence Day.

The Detroit Greek Independence Day Parade was revived in 2001, after an absence of over 30 years.

For more information, visit www.Detroit.GreekParades.com.

St. Patrick's Day in Detroit

katealtair — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:23:18 +0000

People take dressing up on St. Patrick’s day very seriously in Detroit. We’re so very serious, that we do it more than once a year. On the sunday before St. Pat’s there’s a parade in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. But the parade itself isn’t really what people come for. It’s one of Detroit’s biggest street parties, a great way to kick off spring, and the best people watching you will ever see. Also, there’s beer.

Gotta have pipers

Ruthie Underwood and Gretchen Gonzales Davidson take part in the Corktown 5K

Jack, The Balloon Man, he's makes my day every year!

These ladies are modeling some of Jacks best work!

More of Jack's creations

Is there a better day to wear PBR earrings?

Speaking of accessories...

The Grand Marshal

Sometimes, I just don't know what to say..

I hope everyone had a safe a happy St. Patrick’s Day! I’m on a road trip from Detroit to Los Angeles this week so stand by for some style from outside the Motor City!

Thanks again for reading,

-k

Native Foods, Chicago Diner, and a trip to Greektown

lazysmurf — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:49:15 +0000

In Austin there isn’t really a first day of Spring. You just start to notice fewer days of winter. Then the pink trees come out and the masses move in for SXSW and it is just one big party. I kind of miss that first excitement though, like in the Northwest when it finally stops raining and everyone kind of looks up for the first time in months. In Chicago, the first day that you don’t really have to wear a coat anymore is the happiest day ever. Everyone starts wearing their brightest colors and every dog in the city is panting from their first long walk of the year. I was so excited that this year I got to experience it since they happened to have the first nice day while I was visiting. I even got to ride a bike on the lake trail which was super exciting because I haven’t been able to walk since last June without assistance and being on a bike made me feel so active.

I loved all the shiny happy people and listening to Sufjan Stevens rock out on my headphones.

They opened up a Native Foods in Wicker Park a few months ago two blocks from my sister’s place which is so freaking convenient. You can even order on the internet and they have it waiting for you! I wish we’d get one here. I love that you can get relatively healthy bowls (I loved the Gahndi bowl with blackened tempeh, vegetables and curry sauce but not as much as the soul bowl I had last time), salads, or the incredibly decadent Oklahoma bacon cheeseburger.

The fried pickles were totally awesome but it still didn’t match the tastieness of the fast food-style bacon cheesburger from Arlo’s in Austin. The Ensalada Azteca which was surprisingly not fresh tasting though it was the dead of winter, at least theoretically.

Since it was near St. Patrick’s day I kept seeing giant billboards for the Shamrock shake which made me really nostalgic, until I went to the Chicago Diner and got the vegan version! It was a million times better and went perfectly with my monte cristo sandwich.

I have the hardest time ordering there! Every single thing I try is a new favorite.

Another night we went to Athena in Greektown to celebrate my friend’s upcoming wedding and I was surprised that there were so many vegan options on the menu. Our waiter was named Socrates. It would have worked a lot better if I had ordered a combination plate but I really wanted to try the gigante beans.

They were, in fact, enormous. My friend’s dad really wanted me to put a quarter on the plate for reference and I wish I would have so you could see! They were really good, flavored with lots of oregano and tomatoes, but I felt pretty silly just eating beans.

While visiting my uncle I took the required shots of slivovitz. Then I had to take a picture, I just love this character on the bottle, I don’t know if it is because the mustache that make him look so shady or that those plums are so so large they resemble maracas but it is definitely better than the homemade stuff in back.

Back home now and the countdown begins to Texas Veg Fest!

Spotlight On Street Art: Greek Gorgeous In Baltimore

Kelly — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:00:42 +0000

By Caryn Coyle

On the 500 block of Oldham Street, just south of Eastern Avenue is a mural of Leini, a woman with “…hair, black as an olive, pale skin and an innocent neck.”

Painted by Minás Konsolas, the mural is his tribute to art, culture and women. “I probably know a lot of Leinis in my life. She is universal, actually. Leini doesn’t look Greek, she could be black, Hispanic, Jewish, Italian,” said Konsolas, a native of the village of Olympos on the Greek island of Karpathos. “She’s an older soul, someone with whom I identified.”

Leini Leftafkis is a fictional character created by Greektown resident Rafael Alvarez in his novel, “Orlo and Leini,” published in 2000 by Woodholme House. “There are a lot of cool things and honors that might come a writer’s way. But to have someone born in my imagination displayed with dignity on a wall in my own neighborhood – to have people walk by and wonder who she is, perhaps believe she lives nearby – is a thrill at the top of the list,” explained Alvarez.

Minas Konsolas (credit: Caryn Coyle)

Alvarez’s novel chronicles the Baltimore neighborhood where Leini’s mural is painted. Leini, a daughter of the Greek Isle of Samos, was sold for 14 sewing machines to an American couple who ran a working man’s lunchroom in Baltimore. From the 1920s, when she arrives in America, through the decades in which she meets and falls in love with a charming junkman, Orlo Pound, Leini is portrayed with compassion by Alvarez:

“Pin-rays of sunlight bear down through black glass and dance in the dark circles under Leini’s eyes, tiny beams of color crossing a face creased with despair.” The lovers never marry. Leini is forced into an early marriage to George Papageorgiou, who is described in the novel as an “itinerant seaman, petty thief, hopeless drunk.”

Though Leini is a fictional character, “sometimes fiction has a lot more truth to it,” said Konsolas, who sells copies of “Orlo and Leini” in his boutique, Minás Gallery, 815 W. 36th Street in Hampden. A graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, Konsolas’s artwork has appeared in literary journals such as the Maryland Poetry Review and several exhibits at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Sowebo Arts Members Show, the Creative Alliance and others.

The mural was painted five years ago as a cooperative effort sponsored by the Baltimore City Mural Program. Konsolas added that he is “very connected to artists and writers. They are creative, insightful. We can learn from them.”

Xenos Kohilas (credit: Caryn Coyle)

Konsolas worked with Xenos Kohilas, who painted the Greek scene in a window that is next to Leini on the brick wall. “It’s a conceptual scene, not an actual place,” explained Kohilas, a native of the Greek Isle of Ikaria, who owns Ikaros Restaurant on Eastern Avenue, around the corner from the mural. “I painted a window to Greece,” added Kohilas, who is also a photographer, chef and a musician.

In his portrait of Leini, Konsolas explained that he wanted to capture the connection all cultures have in common, “To me, the mural represents love. How men relate to women and women, to men. Love is where you find it.”

Caryn Coyle lives in Baltimore. Her fiction and non-fiction have been published in more than a dozen literary journals and the anthology City Sages: Baltimore (2010) from City Lit Press.

Baltimore Greek Week: A Celebration Of Greek Cuisine & Culture

sjohnson2 — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:52:40 +0000

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Baltimore’s Greek community is getting ready for a big celebration. It’s the second annual Baltimore Greek Week.

Ron Matz reports it’s all about food, fun and family.

The view from the Olive Room in Fells Point is spectacular. It’s just one of the places where you can celebrate Greek Week in Baltimore.

“We are definitely part of Greek Week and very honored to be part of Greek Week. I hope the Baltimore community will join us. Come on over. Eat, drink and think,” said Stelios Spiliadis, Inn at the Black Olive.

It’s a celebration of Greek independence. Of course there’s food and Greek wines. Lemons and olive oil are just part of the Mediterranean diet.

[worldnow id=6849742 width=385 height=288 type=video]

“There are specials at restaurants all over town and not just Greektown. We’re talking Towson, Canton, Rosedale, Mt Vernon, Fells Point, everywhere. They’re sharing our culture with wonderful specials,” said Gayle Economos, Baltimore Greek Week.

Eighteen local Greek owned establishments are offering discounts and specials.

“I’m very proud to be part of an effort to bring awareness to the Baltimore community that Greece as an ethnic experience is still next door to you, and we are happy to be next door to you. We would like to be able to contribute to the salad, if you like, that makes up Baltimore,” Spiliadis said.

Baltimore Greek Week is much more than just food, and it’s happening in more than one Baltimore neighborhood.

“We’re celebrating Greek Independence Day, which is why we began Baltimore Greek Week. We want to share our culture and a lot of our culture revolves around food. You have food with family and we’re very family-oriented people,” Economos said.

It’s about food, fun and family ending with the Maryland Greek Independence Day parade.

“The second annual Baltimore Greek Week begins on Sunday, March 18 and it ends Sunday, March 25. The grand finale is the Maryland Greek Independence Day parade through Greektown from 2 til 4 p.m,” Economos said.

For more information about Baltimore Greek Week, click here.

Random photo tour of Detroit

julespieri — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 04:24:22 +0000

I’m on a plane back from Detroit, posting another random photo tour. The themes of this one are:

Phoenix rising from the ashes: Detroit’s indie entrepreneurs, and VC funded ones too
Classic Detroit signage and symbols
Greek food

Phoenix rising: Detroit entrepreneurs

For a brief time when I was working in Detroit as a designer, I lived in an area called Ferndale. I had an apartment in a solid brick house designed by none other than the famous architect Albert Kahn. At the time, that posh residence seemed unusual in somewhat downtrodden Ferndale. It was probably only truly appreciated by the landlady and the groovy Young & Rubicam creative directors who lived in one of the other three apartments. But today, Ferndale is thoroughly hipster. So I drove there with my mom to catch the vibe.

A large boring building at the main intersection of Nine Mile and Woodward compelled us to stop with its interesting sign declaring “Rust Belt Market.” Inside we found a vibrant and beautiful weekend-only assemblage of vintage, designer, art, and crafts producers. I told my mom, “For my next birthday, look no further.”

I could not leave without “adopting” this big old (papier-mache?) baby doll with moving eyes. She came—creepily--smushed into a rusty metal electrical box. I plan to display her prominently in my home. The “Painted Lady Trashions” stall was satisfyingly stuffed with plenty of other recycled and repurposed goods assembled by "Tenacious Heather", smiling here in the photo. Don't let the blond hair lull you into complacency. This chick has a deliciously sick sense of humor.

The atmosphere was amped up with live music from this Ann Arbor based bluegrass band, The Appleseed Collective, whose music was so good we had to get a CD to share.

I love the TV show “American Pickers” but never saw anyone capitalize on the name as charmingly as this purveyor.

I don’t know why I was surprised to see such a concentration of hipster ubiquity in Detroit. I see the same kind of steampunk/indie aesthetic everywhere I travel, so why not Detroit? I guess I kind of freeze the place in time, having grown up there. But as soon as one of these cool looking people speaks with an unmistakeable Michigan accent I know I really am home.

I read in Inc. magazine about Detroit’s brand-new startup incubator called @Madison, so I made a pilgrimage to the building, knowing I probably could not get into the workspace on a Saturday (Correctomundo--but the security guards were very nice).

Here are some of the @Madison tenants' mailboxes. I’m reaching out to a couple to see if there is any way I can help build ties to the rich startup resources in Boston. And if you are curious about what a Michigan accent sounds like, listen to the video below, from the homepage of Detroit Venture Partners. It’s a classic.

Classic Detroit signage and symbols

TripAdvisor ranks the Fox Theatre as the third best tourist attraction in Detroit. So many legendary performances have occurred there and it was beautifully restored by the Illitch family (owners of Little Caesars Pizza and the Red Wings). A daytime photo does not do the imaginative neon signage justice.

Just next door to the Fox is the Fillmore. Look at the line-up of upcoming musical acts! To state the obvious, Detroit makes most other cities look like cow towns when it comes to music.

Comerica Park…home of the team whose name can clearly never be changed. In the photo, those are fans lining up for the box office. That’s an old Cadillac in the forefront—the kind of car you see a lot in Detroit, but rarely in Boston. (There is no car inspection law in Detroit, so you see all manner of true jalopies on the roads, next to the latest and greatest.) My brother’s company Ideal Steel helped make the giant baseball bats splayed out around the stadium exterior. In fact they made a whole lot of the exterior fixtures in this fantastic ballpark.

I could have taken hundreds of pictures of vintage signs like these.

Urban decay can sometimes do more preservation than any other force, when it comes to signs.

GreekTown

I did not appreciate Detroit’s Greektown when I lived there. Until l was leaving for this trip I pretty much assumed lots of cities have a Greektown, until my friend and Greek food connoisseur Drew Beja told me, “What? Detroit’s Greektown is FAMOUS.” So I had to take my mom and order the classic Saganaki, which is set aflame with a loud “Opa” at every other table in the restaurant we visited: Pegasus Taverna. More of a revelation was “Scordalia,” which our waitress recommended as her favorite appetizer. It’s a very tasty garlic and potato dip served with pickled beets.

I could not dream of eating pastries after our huge Greek meal, so I indulged my appetite via the camera.

I come from a huge family, most of whom live in Detroit. Many work in and around the auto industry. I was not on the ground long enough to get the pulse of the car companies. I did get the pulse of Detroiters DRIVING cars. I had forgotten how mellow and civilized a place that city can be. I once read a study that ranked cities by how stressed people are and Boston came out on top. The researchers watched people in line at store cashiers to see how far back in the line people were starting to pull out their wallets and cash. Boston had people three and four postions back impatiently getting ready to transact. I think a new study that measures traffic light intervals would be illuminating about the temperament of a city. Coming from Boston, the Detroit traffic lights seemed to last an eternity. I started to think the average wait times might be a proxy for the hurriedness of a city. I know I had to practice a lot of self-calming as I waited for a green light, and THEN waited for the cars in front of me to slowly start rolling. I found myself bizarrely wanting to blast other motorists in Detroit rather frequently. I never honk my horn in Boston--unless I think a life is endangered. Clearly I need to spend more time in Detroit.

2 Stabbed In Large Fight In Greektown Alley

Todd Feurer — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 16:42:48 +0000

CHICAGO (STMW) – Two men were stabbed — one critically — as two groups of people fought in a Greektown alley early Sunday.

About 4:20 a.m. the two groups, which included several males and females, were fighting in an alley in the 200 block of South Halsted Street, according to police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.

A 29-year-old man suffered stab wounds to his lower back and upper right chest area, Mirabelli said. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where his condition was stable.

A 31-year-old man suffered two stab wounds — one to his left armpit and one to the left side of his chest, Mirabelli said. He was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in critical condition.

No one was in custody as of late Sunday morning.

The Second Shot: Put a Bow on it.

L.A. — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:12:55 +0000

Stop. If you haven’t read the story of the Whalebones, then you should not be here. At least not yet. You have to know what happened before you read this, what we can barely remember.

I don't know how I got up there. I'm so high up.

When last you saw us, I was sitting on a ledge at JLA. We had just won the game. How I got up there with the amount of drank in me, is beyond me. Clearly, whalebones give me super human strength. You know what it doesn’t give me? Memories. Because from this point on, when GoldDust and I reminisced about the night, there were holes everywhere. A story as delicious as swiss cheese.

As you continue reading, don’t forget. L.A. is red. GoldDust is blue.

We make our exit from the arena. People are everywhere, cheering, yelling. The Wings won, after all. In a shootout, no less.

This was actually my second shoot out game – and the first one they’ve won. So to say we are on an adrenaline high is an understatement.

We yell things back. We are so excited. L.A. stops us to take a photo in front of the arena.

Did I mention...We are SO EXCITED.

And when I say photo, I mean, photos. Millions of them. Trillions of them. Like I said, we are so excited.

LittleBro gets us a cab then, to safely escort us to our next location. We’re headed to Greektown, the homeland of Mosaic, and the scene of the NYE debacle. L.A. and I are drunk by this point.

A challenge is issued as to how drunk we are. We answer this question by kissing in the back of the cab. Any chances left of being classy are thrown out the window. LittleBro is shaking his head at us as we pull up to the bar where BabyDaddy and the rest of his family are waiting. I make a promise to myself. I am not, in fact, that drunk. I will stand up straight. I will not fall down. I will think about things before I say them. Then I trip out of the cab, and in we go.

We get to P’s to see BabyDaddy’s family. Everyone is there. More pictures are being taken. Mosaic is working, and he gives us booze and tells us how sorry he is about new year’s. We are too drunk to be mad about anything.

I keep telling Mosaic that it’s really not his fault that my skirt was so short. I tell him this every time he brings me a drink. I’m like a record stuck on repeat.

BabyDaddy and his theater friends make an appearance at the bar here. One of them (we’ll call him Reporter) showed up at BabyDaddy’s house with no Red Wings gear. To me, this is a crime. And since I am the awesome fan that I am, I had lots of extra jerseys. Reporter ends up rocking my Shanahan jersey that’s small on me. I’m so proud of him for fitting into it that we take multiple pictures where Reporter in basically pimping himself out in my jersey. Then, since apparently wearing each other’s articles of clothing is the new black, GoldDust and LittleBro switch out accessories.

L.A. and GoldDust have fallen and can't get up. Note that GoldDust is in LittleBro's hat. Feat. BabyDaddy

LittleBro is wearing my bow. He suggests it’s time for a new location. We are all drunker than we were leaving the hockey game, so this seems like a great idea. We stumble out of the bar, and apparently, that gets photographed too. That’s probably for the best that we have photographic proof, since we don’t remember stumbling out of the bar.

We leave the bar, and are heading to somewhere when LittleBro and Nameless see a man that they know. He invites us into his apartment, which is right by us downtown. They accept, and GoldDust and I trail along. The boys are explaining the apartment to us.

“He’s got a great place,” LittleBro tells us. “It’s the kind of place I want to get downtown.”

“Yeah,” Nameless chimes in. “Wait until you see what he has.”

I realize that I while I don’t really care about this man’s apartment, I need to pee, badly. I figure that this magical place must have a bathroom, at the very least. Plus, LittleBro is my ride home, so I can’t really leave.

But then we get upstairs.

“See?” LittleBro is grinning. GoldDust and I exchange a look. I still need to pee, but I’ve forgotten about that temporarily. I’m so excited that the pee just went back up.

“Can we…” I trail off. I can’t take my eyes off of it. “Can we jump on it??”

The owner of the apartment laughs at me. “Yeah. That’s why it’s here.”

GoldDust and I make a quick pee break, and hand sanitize to save our lives. Then we venture out.

Yes.

This man has a trampoline in his apartment.

LittleBro does backflips. GoldDust and I jump haphazardly around in circles and throw pillows at each other. We ponder exactly HOW did this man decide to put a full sized trampoline in his apartment. Did he measure places before he signed a lease? Did he ask his landlord what the trampoline policy was? Did he just move in, realize it would fit, and bring it in?

Some questions can just never be answered.

GoldDust is loose in a cherokee.

“Girls loose in the Cherokee!” L.A. shrieks. Seatbelts would have been a great idea here. We finally get onto the highway and get a hold of ourselves. LittleBro cranks up the volume and we turn the car into Club Jeep Cherokee.

We make it to a club in the Shore. I text this phrase to everyone in my phone.

We enter a packed bar. I don’t know where I am.

There are lights everywhere. I feel like if I were every to go to a rave, this is what it would feel like. There are also strange inflatables everywhere. It feels like my vision must be playing tricks on me. Who puts blow up palm trees in a bar after all?

We head for the dance floor. We are all dancing.

LittleBro must own the inflatable bar because people keep coming up to him. I recognize some of his friends from meeting them in passing. I’m yelling things again.

“I KNOW YOU. YOU HAVE BEEN TO THE HOUSE. I HAVE MET YOU AT THE HOUSE.” I am a general embarrassment to myself.

LittleBro suggests more to drink. We head to the bar. He gets me a drink and the peacocking begins.

LittleBro and I are flirting. L.A. is in middle. I drop my purse on the floor and this is when I begin not to remember anything.

We get back to BabyDaddy’s house. I’m sitting on the couch. LittleBro is next to me, wearing my bow. Everything is a blur.

I wake up to the morning news and LittleBro passed out on the other couch. I try to sneak out of BabyDaddy’s, but can’t find my things. I realize they are in L.A.’s car.

I’m awakened by the sound of GoldDust whispering my name. I bolt up to find her in the hallway. All the doors are closed and she is looking suspiciously around like she has no idea where she is. Then I realize. She doesn’t know where she is. She’s never been to the upstairs of BabyDaddy’s before.

“I didn’t know how to find you,” GoldDust tells me as I unlock my car for her to get her things. “But you’re in clothes! That’s good! That means there was no sex!”

I agree with her, even though she is screaming at me at 8 in the morning. She might not actually be screaming. I might just be that drunk still. We hug and applaud ourselves for both waking up fully clothed, though I’m a little embarrassed that I couldn’t even find my way into my pajamas. How drunk was I that I couldn’t figure out how to get leggings off? GoldDust takes off in her rabbit and I head back upstairs. Before I reach the stairs though, I notice LittleBro passed out on the couch. GoldDust’s bow is still perched jauntily on his head.

I get back upstairs and am about to collapse into bed when my phone buzzes.

I’m driving home when I realize it.

Text to L.A.: Do you know where my bow is?

Here it is.

Whalebones give you wings [and get you drunk] (threewaystop.wordpress.com)