Detroit Archives - Page 2 of 3

Detroit/Michigan Gift Guide

December 8, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 3 Comments

I’ve been meaning to write this post since last year. I was initially a transplant to Michigan, born in Ohio, lived in Pennsylvania for 7.5 years and started high school here in Michigan. So not having grown up here, I didn’t really have an preconceived ideas about Detroit. When I got my first PR job out of college at Pewabic Pottery, a Detroit treasure, I was open to loving the city. After 10 years of working in all different Detroit spaces and currently the Renaissance Center, I have a deep appreciation and love for the city. Because of this, I want to share some of my favorite Detroit things for a fun holiday gift guide.

Pewabic Pottery Twelve Days of Christmas Ornaments ($60/set or $22/ornament)

These are one of my favorites. I was still working at the Pottery in 2005 when they developed this series. Each ornament represents one of the gifts from The Twelve Days of Christmas classic. You can buy them individually or in sets of three. It would be so fun to give someone one of these ornaments every year and they would look beautiful on your favorite Christmas tree.

Jenna Kator Lake Superior Handbag ($108)

Jenna Kator is a Michigan designer who creates animal friendly vegan leather handbags with fun Michigan names. Her bags are high quality and beautiful. I loved this recent Lake Superior bag.

Shinola The Runwell Contrast Chrono Bracelet Watch, 41mm ($975)

Made right here in Detroit, Shinola’s watches are beautiful. They sell them at Nordstrom, which makes it the perfect purchase to use your triple points day on.

Faygo Candles ($50)

Faygo “Pop” is a Michigan tradition and these candles would make a fun gift! They come in a Faygo 6-pack container with Grape, Orange, Rock & Rye, Redpop, Vanilla Creme and Root Beer fragrances.

KO Photo Vogue Detroit 2 a.m. Prints

Our friend, Amin, is a talented photographer and has created a line of photographs showcasing Detroit at 2 a.m that you can order for your home. These are stunning and I can’t wait to have one in our new home. I am sort of loving the Joe Louis Fist right now.

Reclaim Detroit End Grain Butcher Block ($109)

This is beautiful and so cool, these cutting boards are made of old growth reclaimed lumber from Detroit area homes salvaged by Reclaim Detroit’s deconstruction crews. Each board is handcrafted and unique.

Caliber Detroit Steel Cuff Links ($250)

Caliber Detroit created these cufflinks to eradicate illegal violence in the city. They take weapons found at crime scenes, melt them down and create these cool steel cuff links. The serial number corresponds with a gun that has been removed from the streets. The proceeds from these cufflinks benefit the Caliber Foundation which offers support to persons and communities devastated by gun violence.

Good People Popcorn White Cheddar Salsa ($32)

What says holiday more than a popcorn tin? This popcorn is so delicious and made in Detroit!

LDV 6 Bottle Raw Steel Wine Rack ($44.99)

These wine racks are designed and manufactured in Detroit out of one single sheet of automotive grade steel. Each rack is completely custom and designed to be hung vertically.

Stormy Kromer Petal Pusher Cap ($44.99)

I’ve been admiring this cap for a while now and I love that their factory is right here in Michigan.

I would love to hear what your favorite Detroit/Michigan made gifts are in the comments!

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: 12 Days of Christmas Ornaments, Caliber Detroit, Detroit, Faygo, Gift Guide, Good People Popcorn, Jenna Kator, KO Photo Vogue, LDV Steel Wine Rack, Pewabic Pottery, Reclaim Detroit, shinola, Stormy Kromer

FashionSpeak

October 27, 2014 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I received a complimentary ticket to FashionSpeak. All opinions expressed are my own.

I never felt more like a fashion blogger than when I was invited to attend the Detroit Garment Group Guild’s FashionSpeak conference as a blogger. Never mind that I’ve worked with retail clients for nearly a decade or that I’ve taught marketing to fashion students for nearly five years. Becoming a blogger has made me more conscious of my style and I’ve become thoroughly invested in the Detroit fashion scene.

FashionSpeak is a one-day conference for Michigan’s fashion entrepreneurs. The line up for this conference was awesome!

This was the second year for the conference, and the location downtown set the scene for a fun day of fashion.

First up on the conference agenda was Rachel Lutz. Rachel owns The Peacock Room, a darling boutique in Detroit. I was surprised to hear about her eclectic background. She once even worked for the White House! I’ve followed The Peacock Room on Facebook for a while and I love her funny dressing room quotes.

Next up was Jeanette Puig-Pey and Bridget Sullivan who work on industrial design at LEAR. I thought this was a great message for my students. Here you have someone like Bridget who was working in the fashion industry and then went to work designing at LEAR. I thought it was a great lesson showing the many different aspects of fashion and showing that there are many fashion career options right here in Michigan.

Now, I’ll be honest, I didn’t hear too much of Matthew Burnett’s speech. Mostly because he was conferenced in and I was sitting in the back. I was also ready for lunch which was hosted by Michigan’s own Buddy’s Pizza! It was so delicious!

Malina Joseph Gilchrist, T Magazine’s Senior Market Editor. She makes fashion decisions every day and had some great advice on how to get your product in front of editors.

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for! Tracy Reese was up next. I loved her passion and enthusiasm for fashion! She also focused on the business side of fashion. It’s not enough to be creative or an artist. If your business is going to grow you will eventually have to be a manager and succeed in the business world too.

There was a fun afterparty following Tracy’s presentation and I wish I could have attended. I had to run off to teach my class so I had to skip the afterparty. I was jealous seeing everyone’s pictures meeting Tracy Reese. Maybe next time I can stay for the whole thing.

I had a great time at FashionSpeak and was able to meet some new fashion blogger friends who I look forward to connecting with again in the future.

I can’t wait to see who presents next year! I hope it will be John Varvatos as he recently announced that he was opening a store here in Detroit!

Who would you want to see at the next FashionSpeak?

Filed Under: Detroit, Fashion Tagged With: Detroit, Detroit Garment Group Guild, fashion, FashionSpeak

Detroit Restaurant Week 2014

September 18, 2014 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year again…Detroit Restaurant Week! Restaurant week kicks off tomorrow and runs through September 28, 2014. During restaurant week, diners can enjoy three course meals at Detroit’s hottest restaurants for just $30 per person! It’s a great deal if you have time to dine. This year there are 21 restaurants participating in the event.

The following Detroit restaurants are participating in this year’s event:

You can read about my experiences at La Dolce Vita, the Rattlesnake Club, Santorini Estiatorio and Ottava Via if you are interested in making a reservation. Those are some of my favorites, but Restaurant Week is about trying new things. I would love to try Top of the Pontch with my husband. I’ve also never tried Prism at Greektown and the menu looks delicious.

Are you excited for Detroit Restaurant Week? What restaurants are you planning to try out?

For more Detroit posts, click here.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: Detroit, Detroit Restaurant Week

Let’s De-Stress with YogaOutlet.com

August 28, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 2 Comments

Disclosure: I received a $50 gift card to YogaOutlet.com to select products for this review. All opinions are my own.

I love doing yoga! I always want to start a more regular yoga practice because I love the benefits that yoga gives me. I originally started doing yoga years ago, when I was working a stressful job. I thought that yoga would help me relax and de-stress and it did just that. I stopped practicing once that situation had resolved itself, but last year I got really into the P90x yoga and LOVED it! After doing it for a while, I was more flexible than ever and I loved reaching physical goals that I never thought I would be able to achieve. I don’t know why I stopped doing it, but I have been thinking of starting a regular practice for a while now.

Enter YogaOutlet.com…

I received a gift certificate to shop at YogaOutlet and wasn’t going to pass it up. I was in desperate need of new yoga pants, so I ended up getting these Pure Karma Kua Wela Capri Crystal Wash Pants ($40.95). I had a little money left over and also needed a yoga bag for my mat, so I settled on a blue Hugger Mugger Ultra Yoga Bag ($11.95) which fit my mat perfectly!

I recently discovered a fun, free outdoor yoga class downtown on the Detroit Riverfront and decided that it would be the perfect opportunity to test out my new yoga purchases. The class is hosted by Urban Solace and runs through August 29th. I wish I would have known about it at the beginning of summer, but I will definitely be there every week if they do it again next year!

What a fantastic view!

I am loving my new yoga pants!

I love that my mat isn’t unrolling and now secure in my new yoga bag!

I had a great experience with YogaOutlet and can’t wait to shop there again. My order was processed quickly and I had my items in less than a week, which was awesome! I am so excited about it, I picked out five wish list items for my next purchases:

Manduka Pro Mat

I have heard that this is the best mat out there! I have a cheapy mat from I don’t even remember where, but it has served me well so far. I would like a little more padding and it sounds like this is the one to get.

Gaiam Dragonfly Yoga Block

If I am going to start a regular practice again, I definitely need a yoga block to help me reach those goals. I just loved this one!

Yoga Glyphs Muscle Tee

I love this! You can get “Be Still,” “Peace,” or “Surrender.”

Beyond Yoga Back Gathered Legging

I definitely need some hot pink yoga pants!

Gore Women’s Sunlight 3.0 Ombre Tank

I love anything ombre and this top would go great with my hot pink yoga pants! The little bow is so cute!

If you are interested in shopping at YogaOutlet, then I have good news for you! They have generously offered to give my readers a 15% discount by using the code “bridgepose” at checkout.

What are your favorite items at YogaOutlet?

Filed Under: Detroit, Fashion, Fitness Tagged With: Detroit, Manduka, Urban Solace, Yoga, YogaOutlet.com

Detroit Review: A Healing Touch Spa

July 21, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 4 Comments

I am still working on recapping Weddingpalooza 2014 and wanted to mention this awesome place we went for my friend Tracy’s bachelorette party. As my grandmother and mother were both breast cancer survivors this struck a chord with me.

I may have mentioned that my friend Tracy loves to hot tub and relax, so that was exactly what she wanted to do for her bachelorette party. She found a place that hosts bridal parties for a day of spa treatments, relaxation, champagne and hot tubbing called A Healing Touch Spa.

I didn’t know it at the time, but A Healing Touch has a much bigger mission. They are a nonprofit organization that provides free massages to cancer patients undergoing treatment and cancer survivors. I could not get over how amazing that is and had to share it!

As for the bachelorette party, A Healing Touch was a garden oasis! (All pictures taken by A Healing Touch – I was too busy enjoying the party).

We got to hang out in the big outdoor tent and drink champagne while waiting for our services.

I had an amazing massage one of the best I’ve ever had. It made me feel even better knowing that part of that money was going to support the mission.

They are also set up to do pregnancy massages, which was great for my friend Carolyn, who was in heaven finally getting to lay on her stomach on the pregnancy pillow.

They even set up a special cabana just for the bride!

They offer a number of other services, like couples massages with dinner, mud wraps, salt scrubs, hot stone massages and more! We will definitely be getting all of our massages at A Healing Touch in the future.

I also wanted to share this in case any of you know someone with cancer that might benefit from free massages while they are going through their treatments. I wish I would have known about this place when my mom went through radiation.

You can visit their website here. They are currently running an awesome Groupon for a Swedish massage for $35 here.

If you’ve visited A Healing Touch before, I would love to know how your experience was.

For more Detroit reviews, click here.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: A Healing Touch, Bachelorette party, Detroit, Massage Therapy, Spa

The Lincoln Luxury Experience

July 15, 2014 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

I was recently contacted by Lincoln Motor Company to attend a VIP Experience to celebrate the all-new 2015 Lincoln MKC. The event was held at the Shinola Detroit store, which is a fun place to visit. Shinola is an American manufacturer headquartered right here in Detroit. They make beautiful watches that are also available at Nordstrom if any of you are looking to make some extra reward points.

Since John had to work, I decided to bring my best friend, Jen as my date and have a girl’s night. As soon as we arrived, we headed to the bar to get a custom cocktail created by The Sugar House (if you haven’t been, make sure to get there ASAP). They had amazing Detroit75’s which were fun to watch them make.

It seems that everyone was out and about, because we met up with Lauren from Mrs. Weber’s Neighborhood and Lish Dorset as well as some of my other Detroit pals (Lauren was taking the photo).

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Weber’s Neighborhood

Since we were at Shinola, we had to check out some watches. I tried on the new Runwell Contrast Chronograph (definitely going on my wish list):

Before we left, we had to take the Lincoln MKC out on a test drive! Lucky us, they had drivers to take us on a spin through the city which gave me a chance to check out some of the great features in the vehicle.

The interior was elegant and Jen and I got to check out some of the fun features like the awesome panoramic sun roof. I have never seen anything like it! I also liked hearing about the Lane-Keeping System which vibrates the wheel if you happen to doze off and are drifting out of your lane.

I think my favorite feature was the purse holder they had under the console. I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve seen something like this! I could definitely use that feature on my current vehicle!

I had a blast at this event and loved catching up with some old friends!

If you want to learn more about the Lincoln MKC visit Lincoln on Facebook and Twitter or search for the #LincolnMKC hashtag.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: #LincolnMKC, 2015 Lincoln MKC, Detroit, Lincoln Motor Company, shinola, The Sugar House

Five on Friday: Pewabic Garden Party Edition

June 6, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 8 Comments

It’s time for another edition of Five on Friday with A Liz Adventures, The Good Life Blog, Hello Happiness and Carolina Charm.

Every year, I attend Pewabic Pottery’s annual For the House & Garden Show, or as we like to call it, The Garden Party. Back in 2004, I joined the Pottery as the Special Events and Membership Coordinator. This was my first job out of college and I learned so much from working there. I also fell in love with the Pottery and its mission. Check out my previous post for additional background.

Pewabic is on the register of National Historic Landmarks and is a Detroit treasure. I love coming back to this annual event every year to reconnect with old friends and check out all of the awesome new pieces. It also reminds me of how far I have come and makes me grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve had so far in my career.

At the Garden Party, Pewabic introduces its new pieces, and don’t worry those who don’t live in Michigan, you can buy online or via phone. Here are some of the awesome new pieces presented at this year’s party:

1. Detroit Tigers Olde English D Tile ($50)

This tile was presented last year and this year they have a two-tone option. If you’ve ever visited Comerica Park, you might have noticed the 325 Pewabic tiles that decorate the facility.

2.Detroit Map Tile

This is so new, they don’t even have it online yet, but there are all sorts of amazing options. I loved this framed version.

3. Detroit Ornament ($32)

This Detroit ornament is another brand new option. It will look great on our tree next Christmas!

4. Cog Tile

The tile picture is coming soon, but in the meantime, here is a preview. Every year Pewabic makes a pin to hand out at the Garden Party based on their new tile.

5. Botanicals Garment Rack ($390)

I cannot wait to get a house so I can set this up in the mudroom!

What Pewabic item is on your favorites list?

For more Five on Friday posts click here.

Filed Under: Detroit, Five on Friday Tagged With: Detroit, Five on Friday, Pewabic Pottery

Red Carpet Charity Preview Glamour

January 11, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 1 Comment

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of DressFirst for Sverve. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s that time of year again…Auto Show Prom, a.k.a. North American International Auto Show Red Carpet Charity Preview event on January 17th from 6-9 p.m. Many of us in Detroit work in the automotive industry (myself and my husband included) and have had the opportunity at one time or another to attend the Charity Preview. John and I have attended once before and would love to go again.

Many auto shows around the country have some sort of charity preview event associated with them, but in Detroit this is one of the biggest events of the season. It’s also fun to see everyone get dressed up for a good cause. The proceeds from the Charity Preview go to support children’s charities. Tickets are $350 per person, so it is a real treat to attend if you get the opportunity. This year Sheryl Crow is performing, so it would be a fun one to go to.

There are also a number of after parties following the Charity Preview hosted by various organizations around town, so there are plenty of reasons to get dressed up!

I thought I would take this opportunity to share my top five dress picks from DressFirst for the Auto Show Charity Preview. Some things to remember when choosing a dress for this event:

Keep it classy – this is a work networking event, your boss or future boss might attend
Don’t go with a bridesmaid dress – it’s obvious
Most of the Charity Preview consists of walking around on a hard concrete floor, so 4-inch heels might not be your best bet

Here are some of my favorite options:

Mermaid Scoop Neck Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Beading ($155.99)

This is so classy, I prefer Royal Blue, but they have a wide selection.

Sheath V-neck Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading ($152.99)

This is so elegant, with just a little bit of sexy in the back. Plus, I love Navy (notice a trend here?).

Sheath One-Shoulder Sweep Train Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading ($150.99)

I love the color on this one, plus I think it would be very flattering in the front if you have a little tummy to hide. I like the open back, because it shows a little skin, but not too much.

Sheath One-Shoulder Sweep Train Charmeuse Evening Dress ($144.99)

I’m not sure why I like this dress, because animal print usually isn’t my thing, but I think this would be really fun and playful.

Sheath One-Shoulder Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading ($146.99)

I love the color and the beading on this one.

A-Line/Princess One-Shoulder Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading Sequins ($151.99)

I have been on a pink kick lately, I’m loving this princess style dress!

A-Line/Princess One-Shoulder Court Train Chiffon Lace Evening Dress With Beading ($169.99)

This dress is so unique, I love all of the different details, plus it is in Radiant Orchid, our Pantone Color of the Year.

A-Line/Princess Sweetheart Court Train Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading Sequins ($147.99)

This is a more traditional dress, but I like the cut and the sleeves just give it that pop of glamour.

A-Line/Princess Scoop Neck Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading ($154.99)

Blue is my favorite color, so I couldn’t resist posting this look. I love the neckline and think this shows the right amount of cleavage for the event.

Last but not least, we are in Detroit and it will be cold, so you need a furry wrap to stay warm in your dress.

Faux Fur Special Occasion Shawl ($29.99)

I would love to know if you plan to attend the Charity Preview this year, so send me your photos and have a great time!

Filed Under: Detroit, Fashion Tagged With: Auto Show Charity Preview, Auto Show Prom, Detroit, DressFirst, NAIAS

His and Hers Black Friday Shopping Deals with #Local4Shopping

November 27, 2013 by DetroitDuchess 2 Comments

For those of you that missed my last blog post (read more here) I am participating on WDIV-TV’s Tweet Team this year for Black Friday. I will be shopping on Black Friday with a team of bloggers to share the best holiday deals and shopping tips with you. All you have to do is follow the #Local4Shopping hashtag on Twitter and our team of bloggers with keep you up-to-date with the best deals and Black Friday happenings from now through Cyber Monday.

I recently wrote about my first time Black Friday shopping tips and one of them was to make a list of all of the deals you want to take advantage of. My assignment on the Tweet Team is to focus on deals for significant others, so I wanted to share my list of his and hers gifts and get input from you as to what you want your significant other to get you for Christmas.

For Him

1) GoPro Hero 3: White Edition w/ $30 Walmart Gift Card for $199.99

This is a hot item at the moment and you don’t need to wait for Black Friday, you can get it online right now.

2) Beats by Dre Pill Portable Speaker for $149.99

My husband has one of these and loves it! You can get the deal at Staples, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Walmart and RadioShack.

3) Apple TV for $84.99 at Best Buy

My husband recently got Apple TV for his man cave and I have to say it’s pretty cool. I want one for our upstairs TV now. There are also deals for $89.99 at Staples and Target.

4) Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000 Electric Toothbrush (PC 4000) $61.99 down from $124.99 at Best Buy

I added this one to the list, because my husband wants one of these and this is a great deal.

5) Best Buy: Dr. Dre Beats Studio Over-the-Ear Headphones $269.99 down from $299.99

My husband has these and wears them all the time. He prefers the Studio headphones, not the solo headphones. He wears them all the time and they work really well to cancel the noise.

6) Macy’s: Bulova Men’s Stainless Steel w/ Blue Sunray Dial Watch $99 down from $239.20

7) Macy’s: Talk to Hand Glove $49.99 down from $69.99

I thought this would be a fun novelty gift.

For Her

1) Lowe’s: Candor 8-Bottle Black Wine Chiller $49.99 from $99.99

I’ve wanted one of these for a long time and you can’t beat 50 bucks.

2) Cricut Expression for $129.99 w/$100 content card

The deal is available at Walmart and JoAnn Fabrics.

3) Macy’s: Sterling Silver w/ Diamond Accents (1/10-ct. tw.) Love Pendant $32.99 down from $100

I just think this is adorable.

4) Macy’s: Belle de Mer Cultured Freshwater Pearl (9.5-10.5mm) 2-row Strand w/ Sterling Silver Clasp $69 down from $300

Pearls are classic and great for any woman. I don’t think you can beat this deal.

5) CVS: Wine Cabinet $29.88 from $49.

This is an amazing wine cabinet. I mean, 30 bucks, are you kidding?

6) JCPenney: 1 carat diamond stud earrings for $389 down from $995

I have wanted a pair of diamond earrings for a long time and any husband can’t go wrong with this deal.

7) Macy’s: Bulova Women’s Stainless Steel w/ White Sunray Dial & Crystal Accents Watch $99 down from $239.20

Either

1) Target: iPhone 5s 16GB + Free $30 Target Gift Card $179.99

I need a new phone – badly! This is a great deal, especially because I really want the gold 5s.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: Black Friday, Detroit, gifts, Holiday Shopping

Detroit Review: Cellar 59

November 4, 2013 by DetroitDuchess 6 Comments

Cellar 59 in Clinton Township is my new favorite hangout. I have looked for a new wine bar for a long time since I moved to the Eastside of town. It is tucked in the Mall at Partridge Creek so you could really make a day of it – shopping, movies, etc.

Not only does it have a charming facade, but the inside is quaint and homey – a perfect place to get together with friends.

They have a great selection of wine and I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of my Wine of the Week selections available to purchase. They also have a great food menu of small plates and delicious desserts:

We tried the cheese plate and the pretzel roll sliders – YUM!

They even have a little store in the back where you can buy all sorts of wine accessories and gifts – it really is one-stop shopping. I saw this adorable cork chair:

I have already been there numerous times and can’t wait to go back again. They even have TVs in there, so if you have to bring the hubby along with you he can still catch the game.

Cellar 59 is located in The Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Township. You can contact them by calling (586) 228-0010. They are open Mon-Wed. 10am-10pm, Thurs., Fri. & Sat. 10am-12am and Sunday 11am-7pm.

If you’ve visited Cellar 59, I would love to know what your experience was like and what I should try on my next visit.