Monday, February 4, 2013
When Garri Madera isn't working at Starbucks, he's finding humor in what happens to him every day.
Farmington Hills native Garri Madera is the first to admit that he is not always the funniest guy in the room. But he still found his way last month to the stage at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, a Royal Oak club that draws nationally-known talent. "Family-wise, I think I was definitely one of the funnier, goofier people," said Madera, who works at Starbucks in Farmington Hills. "But when it comes to friends, I am by no means the funniest one." A graduate of University of Detroit Jesuit High School (after attending St. Fabian and Dunckel Middle School), Madera describes his humor as "observational and personal", based on what he sees from day to day. He keeps a notebook with him to record ideas, which he later fleshes out into a routine. …
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Registered dietitian and Farmington Hills resident Julie Feldman says choose fiber and protein to create a 'filling and satisfying' way to eat.
Farmington Hills resident Julie Feldman says there's an easy way to cut through all the conflicting and confounding advice about how to maintain a healthy weight. "I'm a strong believer in education," the North Farmington graduate says. "I think it's empowering." A registered dietitian since 2000, Feldman went into private practice after having her second daughter eight years ago. Since then, she has used a combination of education and her own personal experience to help clients with problems ranging from celiac disease to eating disorders. She is the author of Food News You Can Use and Ecology of Food and Nutrition Journal, consults for food and beverage companies, including Coca-Cola, and is a media representative for the Michigan …
Monday, March 12, 2012
Craig Hearn and his partners help start-ups and small businesses with web sites, computer issues and more.
From the time he was a student at Wooddale Elementary School in Farmington Hills, Craig Hearn dreamed about being in business. Now the 1999 graduate of North Farmington High works on Hills Tech Dr. with Sector 7 Design Studio, a company he founded with partner and tech guru Brian Hernandez. Both are Novi residents, but chose to locate in Farmington Hills after speaking with economic development director Teri Arbenowske who "had nothing but good things to say" about the area. Hearn graduated from Michigan State and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis on graphic design. But his love of computers started much earlier. "We didn't have a family computer until 1998," he said. "I learned everything about computers in middle …
42.489981
-83.43108
37776 Hills Tech Dr, Farmington Hills, MI
Sector 7 Design Studio
/articles/north-farmington-grad-sets-up-one-stop-internet-shop-in-farmington-hills
/locations/6562526
Friday, February 24, 2012
Mark Ostach's entrepreneurial bent started in his sophomore year at Farmington High.
Ever pull up a web page and feel worse after spending time on it? Farmington Hills native Mark Ostach has, and that realization spawned the idea for mymentalspace.com, a website he hopes will soon be in use every day on college campuses, in workplaces and homes. He made the connection between mood and web browsing as he watched friends become sad while looking at an ex-girlfriend's Facebook page. Ostach knew his own mental space was affected when he would purchase something on eBay, and then have the expenditure lead to financial issues down the road. "People don't realize those things affect their well-being," he said. "I thought, 'Hey, it would be cool if you could manage your time and experience on-line.'." Ostach has been an …
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Lori Capitani opens Capies Candies just in time for Sweetest Day Saturday.
There's having a passion for something ... and then there's the Ziggy mold. "As a kid, instead of bringing in cupcakes to school as my birthday treat, I would home-make and bring in chocolate suckers," said Lori Capitani, a 1990 North Farmington High graduate and co-owner of the new Capies Candies in downtown Rochester. "In fact, I still have my Ziggy mold." While Ziggy may still hold a soft spot in Lori's heart, the small, bald and trouserless comic strip icon hasn't made an appearance on the shelves of the new Capies Candies location on East Street — yet. The store prides itself in customization and specialty jobs. So hold on, Zig — with the right customer request, you may get your moment in the chocolate spotlight once more. Lori's …
42.67965
-83.13226
304 East St, Rochester, MI
Capies Candies
/articles/north-farmington-grad-opens-sweet-shop-in-rochester
/locations/5575764
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Farmington High graduate Cliff Donovan's family has been in the catering business locally for 40 years.
Cliff Donovan didn’t think twice about where he wanted to open his catering business, Grand Celebrations. Farmington was his choice, and not only because his family had a business in the area for 40 years. This is also where he grew up. A 1977 graduate of Farmington High School, Donovan followed in his family’s footsteps because catering was “something born in to, something I know.” He is the manager and executive chef at his banquet and full service catering company, located on Grand River Ave. With room for up to 200 people, Grand Celebrations provides a fine dining and entertainment experience. His family's business was operated out of the American Legion post on Grand River, before moving in 1976 to the Chalet, also on Grand River …
42.460303
-83.365666
Grand Celebrations Banquet Center
32305 Grand River Ave, Farmington, MI
/articles/grand-celebrations-keeps-business-all-in-the-family
706330
/locations/5575757
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Farmington High grad Jolie Skwiercz will serve up pastry and hot foods.
Jolie Skwiercz has qualified for a U.S. Olympic team, but not in a way you might expect. A 2001 Farmington High graduate, Skwiercz is part of a team that will prepare pastry and hot food for athletes and others in the organization. She earned her spot with five other chefs after preparing several desserts for judges in North Carolina. Preparing food for Olympians is not something Skwiercz ever expected to be doing. "My boss was on the website for the American Culinary Federation, and he saw there was a pastry opening (on the Olympic team)," she said. Michael Herr, who is no longer with Skwiercz's employer, Oakland Hills Country Club, encouraged her to try out. To apply, she sent a resume and cover letter, along with several pictures from …
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tom Mattison, founder of Farmington-based Following Your Heart Players, invites young actors to Jack and the Beanstalk auditions Saturday
Tom Mattison is following his heart, and he wants others to join him. Mattison, the musical director and founder of Farmington-based Following your Heart Players, is hosting auditions for the new theater's first production, Jack and the Beanstalk. Auditions will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Cheryl's School of Dance, 40500 Grand River in Novi, with call backs later that afternoon. Hosting auditions for a show that will open Nov. 5 is just one of the first steps for the budding company's debut production. Mattison hopes that the company will grow to embody it's name. "I was going to do it way in the future, but I decided to do it now," Mattison said. "I just closed with another company and decided I could do this myself…
42.474462
-83.447151
40500 Grand River Ave, Novi, MI
Auditions for Jack and the Beanstalk
/articles/following-his-heart-onto-the-stage
/locations/5575790
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Steven Hartman is holding a book signing today at Biggby Coffee in Novi.
Steven Hartman left Michigan in 1999, headed for Los Angeles and a career in the entertainment industry. Today, he'll host a meet and greet for his first novel The Ten-Day Forecast at Biggby Coffee in at Grand River Ave. and Novi Rd. in Novi, between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. His journey from Michigan to the west coast and back started right after he graduated from North Farmington High School. Hartman attended Columbia College in Los Angeles and delved into writing scripts, but after eight years in California, he said, "I was getting frustrated with the people and the environment." At the nine-year point, he realized, "I wanted to do what I was doing, but not where was doing it. Between 18 and 27, my priorities in life kind of changed." …
42.48079
-83.47556
Novi Rd & Grand River Ave, Novi, MI
/articles/north-farmington-grad-writes-his-way-home
/locations/5575793
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Food blogger Ann Elkina's braised beef takes top honors.
Farmington High graduate Ann Elkina started blogging about food last year because she loves to cook. That passion has earned her the grand prize in Spartan Stores' and Tender Ridge Angus beef's Share and Tell recipe contest, a statewide competition held in February. Elkina's recipe for Braised Beef in Red Wine won top honors; the dish is slow-cooked, with the beef braised in Spanish red wine. "Ann's special preparation of top blade steak set her recipe apart as one that I would enjoy making and, hopefully, one that many Michigan families can enjoy eating," said Chad Schafer, Tender Ridge Angus beef chef and recipe contest judge. "There's nothing like a rich, flavorful dish to remind us of the joy we take in cooking and sharing food," he …
42.463426
-83.362476
Farmington High School
32000 Shiawassee Rd, Farmington, MI
/articles/hills-womans-recipe-wins-statewide-contest
705169
/locations/5575809
Mary Burck
8:51 pm on Monday, July 18, 2011
Grand Celebrations played a big part in the opening of the Sundquist pavilion, many times they gave us free coffee service for our events there, we sure appreciated them then and now. They gave away a boatload of fruit for the chef demo at the Farmers market a few weeks ago too. Great food! more ›