HIGH PERFORMANCE TOILET, BEAUTIFULLY STYLED EDITOR'S LETTER TOTO, the world's largest plumbing manufacturer; has developed a full line of high performance toilets that are beautifully styled. Based on years of extensive research, TOTO developed a powerful flushing system that delivers a commercial grade performance andforcefid, quiet, one-flush technology. For more information, or a free 46-page guide to TOTO high-performance bathroom products, call Advance Plumbing Supply Co. 248.669.7474 VADVANCE Plumbing & Heating Supply co: Come visit our outstanding showroom! 1977 E. West Maple Road, Walled Lake, MI 48390 on Maple Road one mile west of Haggerty 248.669.7474 • www.advanceplumbing.com PROM DRESSES AR RE! In roan season is a rite of passage filled with mixed emo- tions for parents, students and even editors. This year writer Lisa Brody, above, went prom dress shopping for the first time with her daughter, Hillary, and Hillary's friend, Stephanie Davidson. Hillary and Stephanie will be attending the Cranbrook Kingswood High School prom June 2, on the Bloomfield Hills campus. "It was really fun," said Brody, who is home recuperating from back surgery. (No, it wasn't the trauma of prom shopping; it was the progressive back pain.) Brody explains the girls tried on several dresses. "They went in having preconceived notions of what they liked and didn't like and when they saw the panorama of colors and styles, they tried on every- thing," explained Brody. "It was a bonding experience being with the aids • " b Not only did the shopping go well, but also note the beautiful pho- tography by Angie Baan. Special thanks to the Cranbrook House, which allowed us to dance in their dining room. I personally find Cranbrook, now in its centennial year, one of the most special sites in the country. If prom season is upon us, so is graduation. Our intern, Jodi Charnas, shopped our local retailers for new and exciting gifts for the graduate at all price points. Check the latest merchandise. Yes, prom and graduation are two rituals that are emotional. Brody admits to having sadness and joy. The prom is the same night as the 5th-grade dinner she will be attending with her youngest child. "I'm excited for Hillary for her future and for her moving on with her life, but I'm also melancholy. " As a mother of three children in their twenties, I know the feeling. Congratulations to all graduates from elementary school through college. Sincerely, Carla Schwartz 34000 S. Woodward Ave. 570 S. Main Birmingham Plymouth (248) 645-0500 (734) 455-1100 4 • MAY 2004 • PLATINUM BRIDAL COUTURE Evening - Special Occasion COVER: Photographed exclusively for Platinum by Angie Baan at Cranbrook House, Bloomfield Hills. Model Hillary Brody, 19, of Birmingham wears a Siri tea-length dress, $350, from Roma Sposa, Birmingham; Stuart Weitzman shoes, Saks Fifth Avenue, Troy; Mona beaded bag, $74, Imelda's Closet, Birmingham; pearl choker and bracelet, Roma Sposa.