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Local Columnist

M

SPORTS BANQUETS

REHEARSAL DINNERS

HOLIDAY BANQUETS

SPECIAL OCCASIONS.

CUSTOMIZED
BANQUET SPECIALISTS

NTAIN

IVISI CK'S®

PRIME RIB • CHOICE STEAKS

26855 Greenfield Road
Southfield

557-0570

Superb Northern Italian Cuisine

Mon.-Fri. 11-11, Sat. 4-12 mid., Sun. 2-11

Nationally Known
For Serving 4-H Blue Ribbon
Steaks and Chops. Excellent
Seafood and Liquors.

83 3-942 5

RESERVATIONS
TAKEN
ALL BEEF AGED IN OUR OWN COOLERS
FOR
MOTHER'S
T
RO
KO ,
DAY
Serving Daily From 11:30 a.m. — Sunday From 2 p.m.

3026 Grand River • Valet Parking • 833-0700

ONE OF A KIND

IS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR YOUR
BAR MITZVAH, BAT MITZVAH OR SPECIAL OCCASION

We handle every detail so you don't have to! Let this
truly be a time of excitement for you and your family
— not a time to worry over party details! Featuring

Chef John Szegedi.
Mr. Sports has 2 locations to better serve you . . . Far-
mington Hills and Redford . . . Call our Banquet

Manager Kim at

8512990 or 534, 7420

78

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1991

Little Hotel In Birmingham
Is Having An Elegant Impact

DANNY RASKIN

BUSINESS MEETINGS

4222 Second Blvd.
Bet. Willis & Canfield

I BEST OF EVERYTHING

any times, a hotel
will pass the days in
quiet steadiness, as
if to say, "Let the world go by,
I'll keep pace and maybe pass
without anybody knowing
about it."
Those who do know of the
Townsend Hotel in Birm-
ingham, named because of be-
ing at 100 Townsend Ave.,
look upon it with adoration
because of a certain type of in: '
formal elegance that seems to
beckon them back.
"Let's have tea at the lbwn-
send" is a noted expression as
folks meet to absorb the
hotel's lobby setting lux-
uriously designed in an
English 18th century style
replete with reproductions of
that era's pieces from classic
halls and palaces . . . Even
the rugs, mural and chande-
lier are one-of-a-kind designs
created solely for the Town-
send Hotel as tea-totalers sip
English brew and munch on
fresh pastries from the Town-
send's own pastry kitchen,
served on Royal Doulton
China, while sitting on over-
sized sofas of claret damask
and French bergere chairs.
When it opened in 1988, the
Townsend Hotel was cause for
much oohs and aahs with its
interior decor of cherry panel-
ing, marble floors, bronze
grilles, antique lead crystal
and so many more elegant
amenities.
With all its quiet dignity,
Townsend Hotel has also
become a place to go and to be
seen . . . Especially on Thurs-
day evenings. with Martin
Scot Kosins at the keyboard
and Friday and Saturday
nights when the Martin Scot
Kosins Trio has folks dancing
in the lobby.
Managing Director Bonnie
LePage is a dedicated sort of
gal . . . a devotee of guest ser-
vice with pleasantness .. .
She brings out a lot of good in
her employees with a know-
ledgeable smile and ex-
huberant behavior . . . They
respect the fact that Bonnie
knows what she's doing and
honor her judgement.
The Rugby Grille opened in
1988 shortly after the Town-
send Hotel opened its doors
. . . and is an example of good
things coming in small
packages . . . It seats only 68
in both the Grille and an
outer area . . . Little touches,
like the waitpersons holding
a folded napkin while pouring

coffee to prevent the steam
from hitting the customer, are
among the many qualities .. .
Probably two of the best are
the presence of Maitre d'
Louis Weideman and Ex-
ecutive Chef Carol Haskins,
one of the finest and
Michigan's first female cer-
tified chef.
The present Regency Room,
now used primarily for ban-
quets and special occasions,
was originally to have been a
formal restaurant named
Tony's after its developer
Tony Brown . . . However,
more party space was needed
and so the Regency became a
200-capacity place to hold
functions.
A new addition is being
built that will connect the
former Walter Herz Interiors
with the hotel . . . and become
the Townsend Ballroom,
scheduled to be open by May
1992 for banquets up to 400
and standup receptions for
800 in a column-free space
with 12-foot ceilings . . . The
6,000-sqUare-foot ballroom
will also have another
2,300-square-feet of pre-
function space.
Its rooms, suites — regular
and deluxe — and hallways
are also designed with 18th
century English styling,
elegant but comfortable look-
ing .. . The Townsend Hotel
houses 87 dignified and
graceful quarters within its
four stories of brick and stone.

Vivian Kovach, director of
sales, is another quality
Townsend touch . . . per-
sonable, cooperative and
highly learned in her ways for
much hospitality satisfaction.
Small wonder so many peo-
ple are suddenly re-discover-
ing a three-year-old Birming,
ham jewel . . . Townsend
Hotel owns a personality all
its own that goes out of its
way to be inviting.
NOTED FOR HIS seafood
operations of 25 years, Chuck
Muer has collaborated with
John Magnovich of Pitts-
burgh to open a new steak
house here.
Johnny Magnum's is name
of the former Clamdiggers on
Grand River just east of Or-
chard Lake Road, recently re-
opened by Chuck.
Teaming with others is
nothing new for him . . . He is
partner with Bill Kruse in
three Rochester restaurants
and with Jim MacDonald in
a Sarasota, Fla., Charley's
Crab.
But a steakhouse is . . .
"Magnum," Johnny's nick-

name from childhood because
of his size . . . He is from Pitts-
burgh's south side where his
parents owned a butcher
shop.
After his tour of duty as an
army cook, "Magnum" open-
ed a neighborhood bar and
grill and butchered the top
grade meats himself.
While at his Grand Con-
course restaurant in Pitts-
burgh, Chuck went to
Magnum's place and convinc-
ed him to join forces in the
Metro Detroit area . . . At
the new Johnny Magnum's,
John's meat and Chuck's sea-
food are featured items .. .
While here, "Magnum" is
usually in the kitchen cutting
meat and cooking . . . Ray
Cruse runs the restaurant for
Johnny and Chuck.
BEST BETS Of The
Weekend . . . "Mama Loved
Littman's" at Congregation

An informal
elegance beckons
to visitors, with its
interior decor of
cherry paneling,
marble floors,
bronze grilles and
antique lead
crystal.

Beth Achim, Saturday 8:30
p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. and
4 p.m. ... Night of Games

Saturday night by Greater
Detroit Mr. and Mrs. Group at
Days Hotel on Nine Mile.
CONGRATS . to Ruth
and George Winger . . . on
their 55th anniversary.
DISA 'N DATA . . . Give
credit to current Chancellor
Commander Max Rubin for
Detroit Lodge 55's recent din-
ner evening honoring its past
chancellors and 25-year
members . . . Been a long
time since the lodge with
such a rich tradition has had
a past-chancellor night which
used to be a yearly look-
forward-to event by many .. .
Senior past chancellor in
point of service, barrister Lou
Wexler, who held the gavel in
1940 on John R, was among
the almost 100 guys 'n gals at
the K of P 55 Castle Hall on
Coolidge in Berkley to par-
take in the festivities.

There's dancing every Fri-
day, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., at
McDonnell Towers, tells Irv-
ing "Rico" Rike who enjoys
the weekly terpsi-ing to
music of a four-piece band .. .
More nicknames . . . Louis
"Leapy" Levine, Jake "The