Life + Culture

A Game Remembered

One vintage program reveals Thanksgiving football's place in Mount Clemens Article by Kimberly Janowicz | Photography by MCPL Archives, Jon Keller Illustration For generations, Thanksgiving Day has meant more than turkey, family and football. In Michigan, plenty of families still plan their holiday around the Detroit Lions, gathering around the television for the game, building traditions around kickoff and making football part of the day’s rhythm. More than six decades ago, Mount Clemens had...

Health + Wellness

The Thank + Full Life

Gratitude is easy. Contentment is harder. I’m learning to appreciate where I am while becoming who I’m meant to be. Article by Kimberly Janowicz I love saying thank you. I can easily make a list of what I’m grateful for—my people, my home, my community, my work and the opportunities that have come my way. But being content? That’s harder. Discontentment shows up in different corners of my life: my work, my finances, my home, even my relationships. I’m a striver. I’m always thinking about...

Arts + Culture

FALL INTO A GOOD BOOK

Five seasonal stories to encourage young readers Article by Ashley Lesage | Photography by Provided 1. Magic Tree House: Good Night for Ghosts by Mary Pope Osborne Two siblings travel back in time to New Orleans and meet mysterious ghosts. This fun historical fiction chapter book weaves real history into a kid-friendly adventure. 2. Bailey School Kids: Witches Don’t Do Backflips by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones A cute and spooky chapter book about gymnastics students who...

Life + Culture

The Neighborhood Grocer

For four decades, Edward Lefevre’s Cass Avenue grocery was part of everyday Mount Clemens life Article by Kimberly Janowicz | Photography by Mount Clemens Public Library Archives Imagine strolling down Cass Avenue in the early 1900s. At 309 Cass, you’d find Edward Lefevre’s grocery store—a neighborhood fixture started around 1899. This wasn’t simply a place to pick up groceries. It was part of the rhythm of everyday life. Lefevre operated the store until his death in 1940, when butcher John...

Food + Beverage

A Spooktacular Dessert Worth Savoring Together

A silky chocolate dessert becomes a playful Halloween scene with cookie dirt and meringue ghosts Article by Kimberly Janowicz | Photography by Provided Halloween is the season for a little kitchen magic—and this dessert is almost too cute to eat. Silky chocolate panna cotta becomes a spooky little landscape when tucked into glasses, covered with chocolate cookie “dirt,” and topped with adorable meringue ghosts. It is elegant enough for a Halloween dinner party, yet simple enough to make with...

Arts + Culture

How Lucky: Lessons from Mr. Skelly

A dancing skeleton, a beautiful book, and a gentle reminder to savor the fleeting, extraordinary magic of being alive today Article and Photography by Kimberly Janowicz I first discovered Mr. Skelly videos and Illustrations on Facebook, and I was intrigued. There he was—a dancing skeleton, joyfully moving through meadows, holding hands with Mrs. Skelly and reminding me to enjoy life. It struck me as somewhat odd that a skeleton would prod me to celebrate being alive. But really, who better to...

Home + Design

Fall Of The Wall

For twenty years, Betsy Peters knew she was right. With one call to Cabinetry by Better Bilt, she proved it. Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Eston Asher IV, Skyview Experts Betsy Peters knew she was right about the wall. She'd known for years. The wall divided her kitchen from her living room, and it made the house feel smaller than it was. Her husband Ed said it was a load-bearing wall, so it couldn't come down. And besides, Ed liked the house exactly as it was. "I knew he was...

Arts + Culture

THE MASKED AFFAIR

A masquerade. An iconic theater. Incredible food, live music, and one unforgettable evening that's quickly becoming the most stylish ticket of the season. Article by Kimberly Janowicz | Photography by Kevin Roberts @FatherPhoto, Michael Pfaendtner Many causes tug at my heart strings. But I'll admit it. When someone asks me to buy a ticket to a fundraiser, my first question isn't,  "What's the cause?"  It's,  "Is this actually going to be fun?"  Every once in a while, an event comes along where...

Life + Culture

Tailored Tradition

A century ago, Mount Clemens merchants built lasting reputations through craftsmanship and timeless men's fashion Article by Kimberly Janowicz | Photography by Mount Clemens Public Library Archives Long before department stores and national brands, haberdasheries —offering fine men's clothing and accessories—were a cornerstone of downtown shopping. Boley's Haberdashery at 42 Macomb Street became one of Mount Clemens' best-known men's furnishing stores after Eugene Boley assumed ownership in...

Life + Culture

Wild Wings

How an annual hatching of falcon chicks turned an endangered species into neighbors worth knowing Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Make Macomb Your Home Every spring, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel starts a list of nouns. A lake he grew up near. A police partner he loved. They’re for a piece of Macomb County that’s about to take flight. Since 2005, peregrine falcons — once nearly extinct in Michigan — have nested atop the Old County Building in downtown Mount Clemens. Each...