Christopher Nolan dreams up ‘Inception’ to movie-goers delight
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Arts & Culture, Birmingham MI, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, art, events, fashion, movies, people
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy star in Inception.
I walked into the Emagine Novi theater to preview Christopher Nolan’s latest film, Inception, with truly high expectations. It was earning comparisons to his earlier work, including Memento, a mind-bending and time-skipping film that stuck with me for years after seeing it. Images of its tattooed main character are burned into my brain.
And as the the film opened, blurring from beach scenes to Leonardo DiCaprio thrust at an ornate table before an important-looking man, I sunk right into Nolan’s trap with glee.
The film centers on dream thieves Cobb (DiCaprio) and Arthur (the always-impressive Joseph Gordon-Levitt), capable of entering and extracting information from the dreaming state of some rather powerful individuals. But when a job goes awry, Cobb is faced with a dilemma. He’s hired to make amends. To use his skills to manipulate the heir of a powerful corporation to dismantle his father’s fortune.
By invading the dreams of Robert Fischer’s (Cillian Murphy) dreams, and demonstrating that it’s possible to force the inception of an idea, rather than extraction, Cobb could earn the freedom to return to his family – the only thing that truly matters to him. It would be his final job.
The plot grants Nolan tremendous freedoms to create layers of dreamworlds, and rules that exist within those worlds. It all lends itself to a visual complexity that is stunning to watch, soundscapes that capture your full attention and characters who truly have to be at the top of their game.
The cast - rounded out by Ellen Page, a dream architect in training and moral voice of the film, and the always stunning Marion Cotillard, Cobb’s wife who haunts his own dreams – keeps this story moving along like a freight train.
The concept that you can enter another’s dream – or even a dream within a dream – and control it, comes off brilliantly. While it does require a certain suspension of disbelief, Nolan provides enough evidence, enough answers and plenty of entertaining action sequences to keep the audience strapped in their seats. Inception runs more than 148 minutes but never feels too long.
If you’re looking for a summer blockbuster, look no further. This is it. It’s part science fiction, part action-adventure without sacrificing a smart storyline. It’s rated PG-13 and showing also in IMAX - which I imagine must look pretty amazing. Catch it at the Henry Ford IMAX or the Birmingham Palladium.
But enough about what I thought. Let us know what you think. Leave your review in the comments below.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments and theUrbane Lobby. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter @UrbaneLife.
Tags: Birmingham, christopher nolan, dreams, inception, leonardo dicaprio, movie, Urbane, urbane apartments
Let the summer movie release mayhem begin! We’re ready
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, events, movies, people
July 4 weekend is just around the corner. If you don’t plan to spend it at a lake or poolside - chances are you’re gonna take in a blockbuster movie. The anticipation has been building around my neighborhood for weeks, so I thought it might be worthy of quick flick recap. Here are a few of the movie moments I’ve found memorable about metro Detroit lately - and some I’m looking forward to seeing:
Harold and Kumar took over Somerset Collection – On June 21, everyone’s favorite funny guys started filming their next comedy, a holiday film titled A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, at the posh Troy mall. Twitter revealed the whereabouts of stars John Cho and Kal Penn.
Team Edward and Team Jacob sparred over Bella at Pleasant Ridge’s Stevenson Park – I have to say I’m a little biased. Anytime I can walk from my apartment to watch a vampire movie at dusk and drink Vitamin Water, I’m a happy girl. Saturday night provided me just that opportunity with a free screening of New Moon. What a cool event, and a great way to get ready for this week’s release of the third installment in the Twilight series, Eclipse.
Sunday night Birmingham’s Palladium rolled out its red carpet for a preview performance of The Kids Are All Right – Directed by Lisa Cholodenko (Laurel Canyon), stars Mia Wasikowska, of Alice in Wonderland fame, and Josh Hutcherson, strolled into the theater in style for an evening premiere that benefitted the JARC, a non-profit organization supporting children with developmental disabilities. The film opens in metro Detroit theaters, Friday, July 23rd for the rest of us, but check out the trailer here: www.KidsAreAllRightMovie.com.
Twilight Fans and sleepless nights – I’ll be attending a screening of Eclipse on Tuesday evening with friends (and yes, I’m giddy about it like a 12-year-old!). But the film opens to the public on June 30. The Henry Ford has announced that its midnight shows (12:01 a.m.) are already sold out. There are still tickets available for the 2:30 a.m. showing for Twi-hards who plan to stay up late! We’re talking IMAX people – and The Henry Ford is armed and ready with a Cappuccino Bar. That’s serious espresso and one gigantic screen. The movie runs 2 hours and 10 minutes, so plan to head straight to breakfast afterward! Get your details here: http://www.hfmgv.org/events/twilightEclipse.aspx. Then check out the Team Edward YouTube for a giggle.
What movie are you most likely to see this holiday weekend?
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments and theUrbane Lobby. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter @UrbaneLife.
Tags: Birmingham, Eclipse, ferndale, Harold and Kumar, JARC, Josh Hutcherson, Mia Wasikowska, New Moon, pleasant ridge, Royal Oak, Team Edward, The Henry Ford, The Kids Are All Right, Troy, Urbane, Urbane Life, Vitamin Water
10 Questions: Comedian Erik Allen headed to Royal Oak, Birmingham’s #LaughUp
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, drinks, events, food, life
- Erik Allen
Erik Allen: I grew up in a small town called Becker, Minn. till I was 18. Lived in La Crosse, Wisc. for 4 years after high school, where I was a radio DJ on a rock morning show, and then moved to Minneapolis to pursue comedy realistically. I have been in Minneapolis for 4 years now, and the comedy scene is ripe with talent, creative, intelligent humor. I would pit Minneapolis’ underground open mic talent against any other city in the world.
Erik Allen: I won in 2007 a year after moving to Minneapolis and it was the greatest feeling ever in my life at that point. I just knew with that win, I now had a comedy club to call home, and that is what I really wanted.
Erik Allen: Life experience, knowledge, also my brain is broken so I just look at thing differently.
Erik Allen: It’s not easy but as long as you are creative and original, and I don’t see it coming, you can get me to laugh.
Erik Allen: I did some theaters with Nick Swardson those were the biggest shows I have done thus far in my career. Some of my favorite comics touring now are Brian Regan, Jim Gaffigan, Louis CK, Chad Daniels, Maria Bamford, Mike Birbiglia. Tons of others.
Erik Allen: I was at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle last summer, and I am excited to return. I am opening for the Hilarious and Wonderful Karen Rontowski who I know and love. Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle is one of the top clubs in the country. We had such great crowds last summer I am glad to be able to come back. Mark Ridley’s has also showcased some legendary talent. I feel honored to be able to perform there.
Erik Allen: Come to #LaughUp and come see a show at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle. I promise a good time.
Tags: Birmingham, comedy, David Murray, Erik Allen, LaughUp, Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, Royal Oak, Urbane, urbane apartments
Wanna hear something funny? LaughUp is June 9
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, events, people
Nationally-known comedian Erik Allen is heading our way to perform at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle next month in Royal Oak. But that’s not the only place to see him perform his original, off-beat brand of comedy.
Erik Allen
The Urbane Way, a social media marketing laboratory based in Royal Oak, has teamed with Social Media Club Detroit Founder David Murray to create a LaughUp event. We’ll be transforming Urbane Space, 1050 N. Adams in Birmingham, into an improv comedy haven for one night only.
David Murray
LaughUp will give aspiring improv comedians a chance to test out their act and take the mic. From 6-10 p.m. on Wednesday, June 9, we’ll open the stage to anyone interested in attempting a 5-minute improv set. We’ll cap off the night with a set by Erik Allen, who’s sure to keep everyone in stitches. It’s a free, casual affair and a chance to gather with friends and funny people alike.
What’s more, during the event current residents and those interested in leasing Urbane Apartments can check in on Foursquare for an opportunity to enter Urbane’s first Free Rent Summer Swarm drawing. The winner will receive 3 months of free rent at Urbane Apartments. The winner will be announced during LaughUp and must be present to win.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments and theUrbane Lobby. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter at@UrbaneLife.
Tags: Birmingham, David Murray, Erik Allen, Free Rent Summer Swarm, LaughUp, Royal Oak, social media club detroit, The Urbane Way, urbane apartments, Urbane Space
The fashionable flock to Birmingham’s Art Loft for Creative Connection
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, art, design, food, life, people, trends
Detroit’s fashion-forward are invited to gather at one of Birmingham’s most eclectic and interesting shops tonight. Part art gallery and part home decor boutique, Art Loft at 123 W. Maple in downtown Birmingham will host the Creative Connection at 6 p.m., Thursday, May 13.
The event, sponsored by Fashion Group International of Detroit is free and open to all. It’s a great opportunity to shop, enjoy free appetizers and meet new people. Network with some of the area’s best and brightest professionals, specializing in fashion, interiors, design and related industries. FGI members will receive 15 percent off any purchase.
Fashion Group International was founded in 1928 when Edna Woolman Chase, editor-in-chief of Vogue, gathered a group of 17 women who worked in the fashion industry and shared the belief that fashion needed a forum to increase awareness of women’s roles in the business.
Among those founders were Elizabeth Arden, Eleanor Roosevelt and Edith Head. Membership today is open to anyone with an interest in the fashion industry – from apparel to accessories to beauty and home. The non-profit has 5,000 members worldwide who provide insight on fashion trends in the media and offer a gateway to showcase the influence fashion has on the marketplace.
Since Birmingham’s Art Loft focuses on form, fun and functional works from around the world, it seems the appropriate forum to gather. If you’d like to learn more about FGI, or plan to stop by tonight’s Creative Connection. send an RSVP to FGI.Detroit@gmail.com.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments and theUrbane Lobby. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter at@UrbaneLife.
Tags: Art Loft, beauty, Birmingham, Creative Connection, downtown Birmingham, fashion, Fashion Group International of Detroit, home, MI, Urbane, urbane apartments, UrbaneLife
Mom, movies, theater & more this weekend around Detroit
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, art, events, movies, music, people
Whether your plan is to spoil mom on Mother’s Day, catch an action flick or support the arts in your community, you’re in luck this weekend.
There are plenty of cultural options to go around. The first of which, is absolutely free. Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester Hills, is offering up a Cabaret benefit at 9 p.m. Saturday, May 8.
Don’t miss your chance to see the cast of the current production, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, singing songs from their personal repertoires – all in an effort to create a musical night to remember. Admission is free to this event and donations are greatly appreciated.
Catch actors from recent Meadow Brook shows, including the side-splitting Boeing-Boeing and memorable Beyond the Rainbow. Yes, it’s free. But donations are greatly appreciated. Click here for more information.
If you’ve got a penchant for the National Public Radio variety show, A Prairie Home Companion, you might plan to spend Mother’s Day with Garrison Keillor. A single performance is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, May 9, at the Max M. Fisher Music Center, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
Take a trip to the fictional town of Lake Wobegon and wander into A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Phillip Brunelle conducts the DSO. Tickets for Mother’s Day with Garrison Keillor range from $22 to $73, with limited box seats for $108, call (313) 576-5111 or click here.
Of course, live theater and musicals might not be your thing. If you prefer your entertainment on the big screen, get ready for the Marvel action adventure, Iron Man 2.
The sequel marks the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark and brings Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and Mickey Rourke into the fold. Rated PG-13, Iron Man 2 is now showing in area theaters, including the Birmingham Palladium.
What are your plans for the weekend?
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments and the Urbane Lobby. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter at @UrbaneLife.
Tags: A Prairie Home Companion, Birmingham, Birmingham Palladium, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Cabaret benefit, Detroit, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Garrison Keillor, Iron Man 2, Meadow Brook Theatre, metro Detroit, Mother's Day with Garrison Keillor, Robert Downey Jr., Rochester Hills
Celebrate Earth Day in celebrity style with A-ShirtBag
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, eco, events, food
When Royal Oak’s Jeff Newsom considered planning an Earth Day event for his eco-friendly non-profit A-ShirtBag, he went for an all-out celebrity spin.
From 6-8 p.m. the public is welcome to peruse Newsom’s collection of celebrity-donated shirts – which he’s handily crafted into stylish, reusable tote bags – at Pluto, 400 Hamilton Row in downtown Birmingham. Newsom reached out to celebrities with a Michigan connection – everyone from Kid Rock to Mayer Hawthorne, Sandra Bernhard to Dita Von Teese – to donate a shirt to his cause.
Today’s event, though, is primarily look-don’t-touch. The celeb bags, complete with autographed tags, will auctioned off beginning tomorrow, April 23, on Ebay.
It’s all part of his A-ShirtBag mission. Proceeds raised from the sale of the celebrity totes will go directly to support educational programs for third, fourth and fifth grade students at Detroit Public Schools.
A-ShirtBag’s free, project-based learning program, 7 Things You Can Do in 7 Days to Save Our Environment, ensures each child receives a Tree-in-a-Box kit, a handout and eco-friendly pencil. Newsom started the program to address the concern that Detroit Public Schools showed the lowest science scores on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program tests.
The event is free and open to the public. Stop in for cocktails, check out the bags, and grab gift to take home – complete with treats from Randy’s Granola, Figo Salon, TIGI haircare, Scout and Pure Food 2U.
Tags: A-ShirtBag, Birmingham, Celebrity Auction, Dita Von Teese, Earth Day, eco-friendly, Kid Rock, Mayer Hawthorne, Royal Oak
Detroit Symphony Orchestra soars in superhero-inspired Pops program
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Urbane, events, movies, music, uncategorized
Bill Lucas, trumpet, Detroit Symphony Orchestra
I left Detroit’s Max M. Fisher Music Center yesterday feeling like a superhero – or at least a secret agent. Sunday afternoon marked the final performance of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Pops concert, Bond and Beyond. From the first notes of the James Bond theme song, the DSO soared into exciting territory. An audience of all ages came out to hear the concert, augmented by Conductor Michael Krajewski’s entertaining quips and facts about the James Bond series of films – one of the most successful franchises in movie history.
From the time Dr. No hit screens in 1962 to today, six actors have played suave secret agent 007, he noted. Through that time, percussive and tense music from movies like On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, to recognizable themes, like Goldfinger and recent films like Quantum of Solace, have set themselves solidly into American pop culture. It was quite a treat to hear the Detroit Symphony Orchestra perform them – proving just how intricate and important these songs are within the medium of film and outside of it.
The DSO sparkled and shined, with plenty of bells and chimes in Diamonds Are Forever, and evoked the Asian-inspired theme of You Only Live Twice, a film where Bond transformed into a Samurai warrior. I was nothing less than giddy to hear the theme to A View to a Kill, made famous by Duran Duran. It also happened to be the first Bond movie I saw in a theater.
But the show wasn’t solely devoted to the evocative and elegant music made famous by John Barry and Lionel Bart in James Bond scores. The DSO stirred audiences with unmistakable songs from Spiderman and Superman as well as TV sleuth tunes from Mission Impossible and Peter Gunn. Trumpet player Bill Lucas, of Bloomfield Hills, was truly a standout on the latter number. Even the whimsical Pink Panther theme made its way into the program.
The show marked the first time a cell phone ring during a performance earned applause –rather than the usual dirty looks and disdain among audience members. This time, the ringtones were part of a tongue-in-cheek Concerto for Cell Phone. It was welcome a touch of comic relief by Violist Caroline Coade of Birmingham. It’s shows like this that remind me how very important access to arts and culture is to the experience of living in Metro Detroit. Find out how to support the DSO here.
Tags: Bill Lucas, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bond and Beyond, cell phones, Conductor Michael Krajewski, Detroit, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, James Bond, Max M. Fisher Music Center, Mission Impossible, Peter Gunn, Pink Panther
Don’t pay your rent – let strangers do it for you
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Clawson Neighborhood, Cool People, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, life, people, property management, travel, trends
As a longtime renter myself, it never occurred to me that my own little Ferndale apartment could be an income generator. I’ve been more concerned with getting that check over to my landlord by the first of the month since as long as I can remember, at least since college. That all changed when I read the provocative post How I Generate Extra Income by Letting Strangers Pay My Rent, by Rebecca Rosenfelt on GetRichSlowly.org.
As a founder of her own site, RealSavvyRealEstate.com, Rosenfelt details how she’s managed to go years without paying her rent – or mortgage – in its entirety. And no, she’s not breaking any laws or in danger of being evicted.
As she writes: “I’m able to keep my condo and apartment because I let strangers pay my bills for me. I’ve created a situation where my home generates income.”
Rosenfelt details her tactics, which proved successful even in a high-rent New York City neighborhood. There’s no reason this process couldn’t work in metro Detroit or across Michigan.
From the concept of a seeking out a part-time roommate, with an opposite commuting pattern, fit to “share” her East Village apartment, she managed to save enough to buy a condo in Portland. She now rents out that space for longer stretches or extended vacations, using the services of a management company to make the process easier.
Rosenfelt is confident her methods would work anywhere. It takes a touch of creativity, an open mind and the discipline not to obsess over your space or the items you own. She does recommend homeowners and renters look into lease, zoning laws and condo bylaws before trying out her concepts.
Here are four ways to use your apartment or home to generate income:
- Vacation Rental – When you know you’ll be out of town for several days, post an ad for your home in the vacation rental section of Craigslist. Other great resources are AirBnB.com and SecondPorch (This could be a great opportunity for Detroit or Grand Rapids city-dwellers or those with homes Up North).
- Home Exchange – Consider doing a home exchange when you take vacations. A great place to start is HomeExchange.com, a vacation swapping website. (You never know when you’ll find the chance to trade your Royal Oak digs for a vacation house overseas)
- Room for Rent – If you have an extra bedroom in your home, consider listing it on a site like AirBnB.com, where travelers all over the world look for inexpensive accommodations. (Imagine your Birmingham bungalow as a B&B)
- Part-Time Roommate – If you travel regularly for work, find someone with the opposite commute pattern who needs a place to stay in your home city. Craigslist and social media like Facebook and Twitter are great resources for this.
For Rosenfelt’s complete story, click here.
Tags: apartments, Birmingham, condo, ferndale, filming location, GetRichSlowly, home exchange, let strangers pay my rent, Michigan Film Industry, mortage, part-time roommate, RealSavvyRealEstate, Rebecca Rosenfelt, renters, room for rent, Royal Oak, vacation rental
The Runaways’ Cherie Currie tells the tale behind ‘Cherry Bomb’
Posted by s_casola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Clawson Neighborhood, Cool People, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Urbane, UrbaneApts, events, life, movies, music, people, video
Before The Go-Go’s gave us Vacation and Madonna danced around in a corsets, decades before The Donnas released Turn 21, The Runaways broke new ground as Hollywood’s first all-girl rock band. The year was 1976 and bandmates Cherie Currie, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Sandy West and Jackie Fox were on the verge of making rock history – and give us rebellious teen anthems like Cherry Bomb.
In just a few short years The Runaways took over the Sunset Strip, playing clubs they weren’t legally old enough to enter, signed to Mercury Records and toured the world. Their story – or at least a biopic focused on Cherie and Joan – hits metro Detroit movie theaters today.
Despite a cast featuring Twilight sensation Kristen Stewart (as a spot-on Joan Jett) and Dakota Fanning (as Cherie Currie), The Runaways story earns it an R-rating. The band’s disorienting rise to international acclaim, accompanied by rampant drug use, sex and a heavy dose of rock n’ roll, plays out convincingly on screen.
Cherie Currie herself stopped in Detroit on her press tour this week – introducing a movie screening at Ferndale’s Magic Bag on Wednesday and signing copies of her best-selling book Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway Thursday at Birmingham’s Borders Books & Music.
The film is primarily based on Currie’s book, which is a revised version of a young adult book she published in 1989. She was initially approached to share her story while working as counselor for drug-addicted teens and a children’s book illustrator. She never imagined The Runaways would become a film, or that she’d have a second chance to tell the whole story. “This book took everything I had,” said Currie.
As for Fanning’s performance, Currie couldn’t have been happier. “She did such a great job,” said Currie, an actress in her own right, having starred in movies like Foxes.
Currie, now a chainsaw artist living in California, said she has no regrets and she wouldn’t change a thing about her time with The Runaways. She left the band at age 17, after just 2 years – always hoping they’d ask her back. Exhaustion from a non-stop schedule, a looming European tour and fight with bandmate Lita Ford signaled her exit as a Runaway. “I thought they wanted me out,” she said. “I was hoping they would call me but they didn’t. I felt I had given it everything I could.”
When asked if a reunion might be in the works, Currie said without drummer Sandy West, who died in 2006, there couldn’t be a true reunion. But, she added “I’ll never say never. I never thought I would rewrite a book that came out in 1989. Now it’s a Top 10 Best-Seller.”
Overcoming obstacles is a prominent theme throughout The Runaways. For a group of teenage girls to break into the male-dominated rock scene took more than just talent. In the film, Director Floria Sigismondi focuses on eccentric manager Kim Fowley as he puts the girls though their paces to prepare them for the bitterness they’d face on the road. Beer cans were thrown at their heads, instruments and rehearsals were sabotaged and fellow musicians didn’t take them seriously. Their story is one of survival – and it happened long before VH-1’s Behind the Music debuted.
Currie said she caught a few early Runaways videos on YouTube and was amazed to see how they held up. “I thought I couldn’t sing,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it. It was pretty rockin.”
Judge for yourself – do the original Queens of Noise still stack up?
Tags: Birmingham, Cherie Currie, Cherry Bomb, Dakota Fanning, Detroit, ferndale, Joan Jett, Kim Fowley, Kristen Stewart, Madonna, movie, Neon Angel, Queens of Noise, The Donnas, The Go-Go's, The Runaways, Twilight
Royal Oak’s Emagine project stirs up local government
Posted by s_casola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Cool People, Ferndale MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, movies, people, politics
During a recent meeting of the Royal Oak City Commission, members approved the first reading of a proposed ordinance that could limit the power of the city’s Downtown Development Authority. The debate – spurred on by a $300,000 tax rebate the DDA approved to help usher in Royal Oak’s Emagine entertainment complex – has pitted city commissioners against one another.
The Versagi Voice detailed the ordinance amendment, commissioners opinions shared during the meeting on April 3, as well as reactions from the community.
Commissioner Jim Rasor, one of two dissenting votes that night, shared his opinion in an e-mail to press, including UrbaneLife. Rasor believes the DDA acted properly in granting the tax rebate. He said: The DDA did not vote to give Emagine DDA money for construction of the project. This is not a $300,000 ‘gift’ to Paul Glantz, Emagine’s owner.
“This is a $300,000 tax rebate to Emagine, only when they complete their project, and only from the DDA portion of the tax revenue that Emagine will be paying. Indeed, the money will come from Emagine’s tax payments, and will reimburse Emagine for improvements to the public right of way –streetscape, benches, trash barrel, bike racks, streetlights – that the DDA would have had to have paid for if Emagine did not do the project. After the $300,000 is rebated, DDA then collects its full amount of tax every year, like clockwork, from Emagine.”
Rasor went on to clarify that this type of rebate was also granted to new additions like L.A. Fitness and Lockhart’s BBQ in Royal Oak. He noted that without a DDA to facilitate the development of Royal Oak’s downtown, those tax dollars would not exist in the city’s General Fund but instead be re-routed to taxing authorities like Oakland County, The Detroit Zoo or Oakland Community College. “Without a DDA, downtown property would receive a tax decrease of 2 percent, which is the extra that downtown building owners pay for having a DDA,” said Rasor.
As Urbane Apartments are headquartered in the downtown area and have neighboring properties in Ferndale, Clawson, Birmingham and Berkley, we do have a vested interest in maintaining a thriving downtown district.
Business owners and residents alike flock to this area for its mix of independently-owned eclectic shops, restaurants to suit any appetite, parks and entertainment venues. The addition of Emagine Royal Oak fits perfectly into the overall plan to further develop our city. The two-level movie theater and boutique bowling alley will only add to the value we already experience when living in, working in or visiting Royal Oak’s entertainment district.
What’s your take on the Emagine Royal Oak project – and the direction in which the City Commission seems to be moving when it comes to the DDA? Ultimately these decisions have the power to impact us us. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Whatever your opinion on this issue, the City Commission also welcomes comments and concerns alike at its next meeting, 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 19, 3rd Floor, at City Hall, 211 S. Williams Street, Royal Oak.
Tags: Berkley, Birmingham, Clawson, Emagine, ferndale, Jim Rasor, Royal Oak, Royal Oak City Commission, Royal Oak DDA, Urbane, urbane apartments, Versagi Voice
Indulge in spa specials in April
Posted by s_casola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, fitness, life, trends
When the group-gets-a-deal site Groupon.com kicked into gear around Metro Detroit recently, I was excited to see what all the hype was about. I logged in for free and now receive daily messages detailing available discounts of at least 50 percent at metro area businesses. I’ve seen everything from rock climbing to smoothies available for a steal. My first Groupon experience - a full hour long Swedish massage at Revolution Wellness Center in Shelby Township was a hit. Last weekend, I paid $25 for a relaxing service that retails for $60. I left feeling refreshed and ready to start the week.
Today’s deal sounds equally as appealing. Those interested in slendering down before bikini weather officially hits may want to purchase a Groupon for Instafirm Body Wraps – the $125 service in Troy is going for $55 but you have to act fast!
If Groupon just isn’t your thing, but you’re looking for an affordable spa treatment - for you or to give as a gift – Birmingham-based Avalon Salon & Spa has announced it’s April deal. And it’s a good one.
Make an appointment Monday-Friday in April and you’re eligible for an hour-long Swedish massage and an hour-long Replenishing Facial for a total of $110. It regularly costs $160. I can say from previous experience the Replenishing Facial is one of the most comforting spa experiences around. I’m a sucker for an Aveda concept salon, too, so to me, the natural plant-based products smell heavenly.
Do you have a favorite area spa or spa service? Tell me about it.
Tags: Avalon Salon & Spa, Birmingham, deal, discount, Groupon, Instafirm Body Wrap, Replenishing Facial, Revolution Wellness Center, Shelby Township, Swedish massage, Troy
