Arts + Culture

If Historic Walls Could Talk

John and Laurie Brian share the timeless charm of their 1895 colonial Article by Amy Salvagno | Photography by Kevin Shea Their house is more than a home – it’s a step back in time. Few can lounge where ladies once sipped tea in ruffled skirts and blouses that boasted simple brooches. Or share meals in the same dining room that hosted lively chats between dapperly-dressed gentlemen. For the past 13 years, John and Laurie Brian have lived among a century’s worth of memories in their historic...

Real Estate

Heartbeat for Home

Revered realtor is an advocate for her community Article by Amy Salvagno | Photography by Kevin Shea Each week, you’ll find Kathleen Kelchner, eyes lit up from a smile, serving lunch to tummies at Mount Clemens Montessori Academy. At monthly meetings of the Mount Clemens Housing Commission, you’ll hear her voice advocating for fair housing. At Christmastime, you’ll spot her behind the scenes of the city’s annual parade. Up and around Macomb Place to the edge of Main Street, Kathleen’s heart...

Real Estate

Selling Strategically

Realtor Kristie Lohman shares her tips to make your house sell-ready, and encourages buyers to embrace a remodel Article by Amy Salvagno | Photography by Kevin Shea Emotions can run high whether you’re a first-time buyer eager to create a home filled with memories or an empty nester ready to pack up and down-size. For 12 years, Kristie Lohmann has walked clients through the highs and lows of buying and selling a home. Her savviness, knowledge and determination have kept her at the forefront...

Home + Design

A Legacy to Build On

Designer-turned-owner and her creative team develop relationships through renovations Article by Amy Salvagno | Photography by Kevin Shea Your home should be your haven – a sanctuary of solace that provides warmth, respite and even functionality. Yet over the years, it can become a space that needs sprucing up. So, whether you’re looking to add usefulness to a mudroom or completely overhaul the look of your kitchen, the talented team of experts at Cabinetry by Better Bilt can guide you from...

Local Services

A Bed All Their Own

One local nonprofit's mission to bring stability to the homeless Article by Amy Salvagno Four years ago, Ashley King received news no mother could imagine: Her 3-year-old little boy, Eddie, had leukemia. Far along in a pregnancy with her second child and at the height of the pandemic, the stay-at-home mom faced added heartbreak. Rather than remain at her son’s bedside while he fought the illness, her doctor asked her to stay away from the hospital to protect her unborn baby. This meant...

Food + Beverage

Designing Delicious Decadence

A peek inside the craft of a chocolatier Article by Amy Salvagno | Photography by Kevin Shea There is something beautiful about a box of chocolates – the sculpture-like shapes, the delicate details, the galaxy of colors.  And once you understand the mastery required to create this cherubic confection, you can fully appreciate each flavor as it melts on your tongue.  At Champagne Chocolates, owner Anna Rizzo says they focus on pulling out the natural undertones of chocolate. Some are fruity...

Beauty

Celebrate the Beauty of Romance

Article by Amy Salvagno February is for roses and romance, candles and chocolate, sweethearts and suitors. It’s a time to cherish the special love that causes your heart to flutter, whether it has lasted decades or developed within only a few days. No matter who you hold dear, embrace the opportunity to express your affection and appreciation, from a thoughtful gift to an elegant dinner to tenderly-penned prose. In honor of the month of love, we bring you a gem from the local history books: A...

Home + Design

Fond Feathered Friends

How to care for wild birds in the bitter winter Article by Amy Salvagno | Photography by Pam Gors As we take time this month to spread kindness and love to those around us, we can’t forget to also care for our feathered friends. Birds bring life to a bleak outdoor winter landscape and provide enjoyment when we take time to sit and observe them.  Yet, while we marvel at the beauty of a snowy day, we may not realize that the harsh winter can pose a challenge to wild birds. The reason these...

Arts + Culture

Master of Arts

Local artist Jeff Jantz combines his love of tinkering and technology to create unique works of art Article by Amy Salvagno | Photography by Kevin Shea Within Jeff Jantz’s imagination, science and art go hand in hand. Left brain and right brain are of the same mind. Screwdrivers and a paintbrush intertwine. The Mount Clemens native and founder of Janzter Studios has spent years perfecting the relationship between nuts and bolts and arts and crafts.  “Art is like a science experiment,” Jeff...

Fitness

Find Your Fitness

Explore best route to get moving in the New Year Article by Amy Salvagno The New Year ushers in a blank slate for success. We look at the untouched landscape of January with fresh eyes and an optimism that sparkles like a fresh blanket of snow. For many, it’s the prospect of a more active lifestyle – and sticking to it. Fitness resolutions can be kept, but the trick is to establish the right ones and make them realistic and achievable. Here's a round-up of fitness avenues in the area to try. ...