Arts & Entertainment
—iw-
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING
A Thing Of Beauty
Friedmans have journeyed from downtrodden USSR to exotic palace of pampering.
E
aromatherapy steam
The years rolled by, and
rooms, specialty foot
Tamara continued to build
treatments, licensed
a lavish reputation with
medical doctors to
international awards to fill
offer non-invasive
her walls ... Tamara Spa,
treatments, etc.
recently renamed Tamara
Dreams years ago
Spa + Wellness, outlasting
behind the Soviet
them all.
Union's Iron Curtain
No more painting for
Danny Raskin
were many in the
Eugene ... Today, they are
Senior Columnist
dark days of no free-
together in a world-class
dom or privilege ... Tamara and
operation amid the glamorous
Eugene can never forget having to
setting of their newly remodeled
share one outhouse with 50 other
bigger-than-ever home away from
people, their one room "house" for
home ... Out of that little 600-
eating and sleeping . or the ter-
square-foot operation has come
rible anti-Semitism they faced with
the greatest testimonial to a hard-
regularity ... or the thrill -of finally
work endeavor that today stands
as the massive 10,000-square-foot, being allowed to leave with their
4-year-old twin daughters, Edita
renovated and expanded Tamara's
and Gaby.
Spa + Wellness in the Courtyard
"We had no idea of theinfinite
Plaza on Northwestern Highway
between Middlebelt and 14 Mile in opportunities living in a free
country would bring' recalls
Farmington Hills.
Tamara ... "Within the first three
Not in their wildest dreams did
or four months, we saved enough
Tamara or Eugene ever envision
money to buy a beat-up old Chevy
that one day they would own their
Chevette, but I felt like a movie star
own building, let alone a large
magnificent spa that would include driving it. In Russia we were not
allowed such luxuries.
a beautiful water journey room
As Tamara and Eugene look
designed for complete relaxation
around their new-look Tamara Spa
with its elegant water passage, or
+ Wellness ... and what to them
52 rooms filled with wellness fea-
has to be a modern miracle, they
tures including the incorporation
can only shake their heads and
of a new emphasis on hydrothera-
count their blessings ... Tamara
py ... plus rooms for customized
and Eugene may not have opened
whirlpool treatments, wet rooms
that restaurant of yesterday's
with Jacuzzi and sauna, private
dreams, but the two life partners
makeup room, spa boutique,
ven many experienced
professional chefs would
be hard-pressed to pre-
pare salmon eight different ways
... So when an amateur chef has
that culinary talent, together with
preparations that also focus on
healthy cooking, the wonder is why
he or she isn't doing it on a money-
paying basis.
The truth is that it has really
been a secret ambition of Eugene
Friedman along with wife, Tamara,
of someday opening a restaurant
serving food that they couldn't buy
in the Soviet Union ... like salmon
or shrimp or half of the things that
can be prepared here.
But fate deemed another direc-
tion for them when the Friedmans
left Lvov, in what is now Ukraine,
to come to the United States in
1974 with a borrowed $200 in their
pockets ... They needed immedi-
ate money and continued their
trades, he a house painter and she
a cosmetician.
Then came 1980 ... not to
open a restaurant, but for Tamara
Friedman to go into her own busi-
ness ... Eugene kept doing his
independent house painting while
she opened a little 600-square-
foot beauty spa at the Claymore
Apartments in Southfield ... a
little pea in a big pod, competing
against biggies like Kitty Wagner,
Mira Linder, Bloomies, Capelli's,
etc.
.54erize Eg000t
are servicing many women today
with outer health beauty that more
than satisfies their inner souls.
AFTER MANY years in the
restaurant business, Rick Halberg
(R.I.K.'s, Emily's, Tutto Bene) has
taken a new route with his fine
culinary knowledge ... He's now
the Director of Culinary Services
for Hiller's Markets ... Rick
reviews all its food activities like
prepared foods, catering, wines,
cheeses and whatever relates to the
world of gastronomic delight.
A MEXICAN
RESTAURANT with barbecued
small lamb ribs? ... Why not? ...
Many ethnic restaurants today that
don't deviate their menu to accom-
modate the varied tastes of custom-
ers are finding it rough out there
... The tender and succulent lamb
ribs at Ole Ole on 14 Mile and East
Lake Road, Novi, across the street
from Walled Lake Road, are going
over big ... And didn't Caesar Salad
originate in Tijuana, Mexico?
"Bob and
MAIL DEPT.
I just love the food and service at
Commerce Grille. It is one of our
favorite restaurants. The food is
always fresh and everybody is so
pleasant. And the dinner music,
too, is so good. We can't find too
many places anymore with dinner
music" ... Marilyn Tringali.
PROUD MOM AND POP
are Shirlee and Jack Iden
Alhambra, owned by their Israeli
...
daughter, Tzviah Idan, was cho-
sen show champion at the first
Egyptian Event Show held in Israel
... Also, at the recent national
Arabian Horse Show in Israel, her
mare, Sof Sof, was a winner.
Shirlee and Jack still remember
when he bought a small farm in
Ann Arbor for Tzviah and she bred
her first horses there ... Tzviah
is now a pedigree expert, doing
business around the world, buying,
selling, breeding, etc.
Her 23-horse farm is on a
moshav in the Jezreel Valley ...
During the recent 30 days of war, the
constant day and night- sounds of
the Israeli Air Force caused one of
her mares to deliver a month early.
Tzviah has been in love with
horses since age two, and is now
living her dream.
KIDDIE KORNER ... "I
was a substitute teacher recently
at Wood Creek Elementary School
in Farmington Hills and asked my
first grade class if anyone knew
who Christopher Columbus was. A
little girl raised her hand and said,
`He doesn't go to this school any-
more!" ... Paulette Koffron.
CONGRATS To Gary Young
on his birthday ... To Marilyn
Tringali on her birthday.
To
GET WELL WISHES
Cathy Ciccone.
...
...
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcgiobal.net.
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27566 Northwestern Hwy.
November 16 a2006
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