Health + Wellness

A Place To Breathe

Local nonprofit Yoga Moves MS celebrates 20 years — and MS Awareness Month. Article by Susan Thwing | Photography by Elayne Gross March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, a time to spotlight the people and programs helping patients live with greater strength, connection and hope. In Southeast Michigan, one nonprofit has been quietly changing lives for more than two decades — one carefully supported pose, stretch and breath at a time. Yoga Moves MS (yogamovesms.org) recently celebrated its...

Home + Design

Modern Love

At Italcasa, high design meets human connection. Article by Susan Thwing Walk into Italcasa Design and you’ll notice two things pretty quickly: the boldness of contemporary European furniture and the ease of the conversation happening around it.  There’s no hard sell, no pressure to “know” design before you arrive. Instead, owner Bill Bahoora starts the same way he always does: with questions, stories and, depending on the time of day, espresso, water — or maybe a glass of Prosecco. For...

Home + Design

Whimsical, Wonderful

Designer Carrie Long’s own home is a functional, friendly and polished sanctuary. Article by Lynne Konstantin | Photography by Diana Paulson Carrie Long has an uncanny ability to see beauty in bones. For example, when the founder and principal designer of Royal Oak’s Carrie Long Interiors set eyes on the circa-1936 Colonial in West Bloomfield Twp., she saw beyond the long-neglected foreclosure. What she envisioned was a light-filled, welcoming and livable home for her own family — her...

Home Services

Built to Serve

How one couple is changing lives, one kitchen at a time. Article by Todd Haight The first time Ashley Dill truly understood how fragile independence can be, she was standing in someone else’s kitchen. A woman in her seventies had her pots and pans neatly lined along the counter, because she could no longer bend down to reach the cabinets. Embarrassed, she told Ashley her son would be coming later to put them away for her. “I don’t like needing help,” the woman said. Dill never forgot that...

Health + Wellness

Finding Calm in the Chaos

Inside The DRIPBaR Troy — where wellness meets peace of mind. Article by Todd Haight | Photography by Simran Bajwa On a busy afternoon at The DRIPBaR Troy, the scene feels less like a medical spa and more like a family gathering. Children jump on the chairs. Sisters talk over one another. Someone is hungry. Someone else is annoyed. And in the center of it all, owner Ruksana Salam reclines peacefully, an IV drip quietly doing its work. The moment captures both the rhythm of her life — and the...

Food + Beverage

Swoon-Worthy Spots

Whether it’s date night or girl’s night — where to wine and dine this Valentine’s Day. Article by Cindy Stewart PICANO’S ITALIAN GRILLE Domenic Picano arrived in Michigan from Cassino, Italy, in 1949, armed with a passion for food and the dream of a future in the restaurant industry.  On a cold, snowy day in January 1985, Picano realized his dream. He opened Picano’s Italian Grille in Troy with one goal: “To provide an authentic Italian dining experience with Old World recipes using only...

Travel

From Paris to Provence

A yoga journey through France. Article and Photography by Cindy Stewart I started practicing yoga 15 years ago, never expecting it would become my passport to the world. My latest retreat with The Travel Yogi and Explore Yoga took me to France, with a backdrop of ancient history, world-class art, food and fashion and sun-dreched lavender fields.  Landing in the City of Lights, our group settled into a centrally located Airbnb with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1889 for the Exposition...

Life + Culture

JOY

A local couple unites Western traditions with Indian culture for wedding celebrations. Article by Linda Ditch When Simran Bajwa swiped right on a dating app, he had no idea he was about to match with his future wife — or that their wedding would become a breathtaking fusion of two worlds. The local couple’s Cincinnati celebration this last spring brought together the spiritual depth and beauty of their Punjabi Sikh heritage with the modern details of American weddings. The result? A three-day...

Finance + Legal Services

Planning With Purpose

How Chuck Vercellone can help you build the life you’ve envisioned. Article by Susan Thwing | Photography by Simran Bajwa When Chuck Vercellone talks about financial planning, it’s never just about the numbers. The longtime Troy-based financial advisor, owner of Wealth Strategies (wsgllc.net) and an Investment Advisor Representative with Osaic Advisory Services, believes that true financial wellness comes from clarity, purpose and relationships built on trust. “I don’t want to be looked upon...

Health + Wellness

Making Smiles

KB Dental turns dreaded visits into family fun. Article by Linda Ditch A visit to the dentist isn’t at the top of most people’s list of favorite activities. But, the team at KB Dental wants to change that perception. Their goal: to make patients of all ages feel comfortable throughout their visit, and happy that they took steps to care for their oral health when they walk out the door.   With locations in Troy and West Bloomfield, KB Dental (kbdental.com) can be a one-stop shop for a family’s...