THE BEST OF Ely
YTH NG
Then And Now
Mary Tamaroff savors the joys of food and freedom.
W
hile a prisoner of war during
World War II, and eating the
"slop" in Germany's Stalag 5-
A, he yearned for the days when he could
hopefully return to normal civilization
and enjoy the taste of real food by real
people, "not animals!'
Now celebrating his 40th year with
General Motors, when he was given a
Buick franchise in his new car business
on Telegraph in Southfield, Mary Tamaroff
can again look back on those terrible days
and savor even more the wonderful dining
moments of today.
Enjoying Arctic char served by Red
Williams at Sea Grille on Orchard Lake
Road, West Bloomfield; Dover sole
deboned at the table by Helen Uddin at
Rugby Grille in Birmingham's Townsend
Hotel; short ribs by Jennifer Bacardi at
Sposita's Italian Restorante, 14 Mile, West
Bloomfield; rare filet mignon by the excel-
lent waitresses at Pepino's in Walled Lake,
etc.
Mary sold the Buick franchise two years
ago although Buick is still available at his
son's Jeffrey Automotive Group on Gratiot
in Roseville ... At one time, he and Jeffrey
made up the only father-and-son team in
the United States with the same automo-
tive franchise (Buick) in the same metro-
politan market.
Other than the food and restaurants
which Mary savors so much, he recalls
with a laugh his experience when open-
ing his dealership in Southfield in 1969
... Before being able to open, he had to
move light poles two feet from where they
were anchored ... Mary also wanted to
originally call it Southfield Buick, but Bob
Ingersoll, then Buick zone manager, said,
"Why not call it Tamaroff Buick"
... "I wanted to use Southfield
to fix the location," says Marv,
"since Southfield as a city was
only 11 years old at the time.
Bob's answer was to use my
name so customers could blame
someone in case I went out of
business. I proved him wrong by
becoming the No. 1 Buick dealer
in Michigan and, in 1972, num-
ber two in the country"
Marv, today, sells Dodge and in 1993,
he was named the largest Dodge dealer in
Michigan, plus Honda and Nissan along
with used cars, his first automotive love
for which Mary was so prominently noted
at his Marwood Motors of yesteryears.
THERE'LL BE PLENTY of dogs
around barking up a storm, so if you have
one or more, bring them for the fun ... It's
the national launching of full-colored pho-
tographs by noted localite photog Linda
Solomon in the picture book authored
by her sister, Jill Rappaport, NBC's Today
Show correspondent, titled Jack & Jill:
The Miracle Dog with a Happy Tail to Tell,
Sunday, April 19, noon-3, at the annual
Bow Wow Brunch and 20th anniversary of
Michigan Humane Society, at Ritz-Carlton,
Dearborn.
Linda will read from the heartwarm-
ing children's book and sign autographs
at Borders on Woodward, Birmingham,
Saturday, April 25, 6-8 p.m. ... And then,
the dogs and their families on Thursday,
April 30, will whoop it up at an invita-
tion-only shindig at Teacups & Toys Pet
Boutique, Merrill Street, Birmingham.
The inspirational book by Jill tells of
"adopting" and enjoying her German
shepherd, Jack, before and
after he is diagnosed with leg
cancer that required removal
of a leg.
Jill's book is in the "voice"
of Jack, who dedicates it to
his canine cousins Linda
and Barry's terrier, Chance,
and cat, Ozzie, Jack's Lhasa
apso Aunt Sassie, owned
by Linda's mother, Mona
Rappaport, and Jack's four
brothers and sisters back home on Jill's
farm.
A NICE CHUNK, one-half of the pro-
ceeds going to her team ... Other than the
wonderful cause, a huge incentive for folks
to attend the fundraiser being sponsored
by Breast Cancer Victim Tami Fink, taking
part in the Susan B. Komen Race for the
Cure, and her husband, Gary ... Sunday,
April 26, at Andiamo Novi, on Grand
River, with strolling dinner and ticket to
Andiamo Novi's Second City ... Tami is
the daughter of Miriam "Mickey" and the
late Sam Fink ... $50 tickets must be pur-
chased from Tami in advance of the April
26 date ... 30012 Briarton, Farmington
Hills, MI., 48331, (248) 421-1303, e-mail:
tamifink@yahoo.com ... This year's Susan
B. Komen Race for the Cure in Detroit is
May 30 at Comerica Park.
MAKING ROUNDS ... To Steve &
Rocky's Grand River, Novi, for smoked
salmon and oysters appetizer with coarse-
grain mustard sauce ... To Northern Lakes
Seafood Co., Woodward, Bloomfield Hills,
for seafood steamer basket ... To Pasta
Fagioli, Square Lake Road, Bloomfield
Hills, for spaghettini with mussels, clams,
shrimp and angel hair pasta.
A MILTON BERLE remembrance
comes to former local-based publicist
and now cowboy books author William
Garwood ... "Between shows at Al Siegel's
Elmwood Casino in Windsor, Berle told
Bill about checking out the opposition
in the Windsor area ... "I always like to
pick up a joke or two for the ol' memory
bank and put in my own twist for 'origi-
nality." So I dropped into Mike Drakich's
Metropole in Windsor and found a blond
kid featured as the funny man. I don't
think I ever saw an act with more going
against it. His complete lack of confidence
sounded as if he were sorry for taking
up the audience's time but hoped they
wouldn't throw things. They just didn't
like the poor goof and began badgering
him with 'get the hook!' When he finally
apologized himself off with the band play-
ing a dirge I went backstage and said,`Kid,
you've got it but don't know what to do
with it. If those jerks get insulting, jump
right back in their faces with 'Hasn't that
skip tracer found you yet?' or 'Hey, Mr.
Demented, watch out, the loony bin police
are looking for losers like you!'
"The comedian began to brighten up,
and I shook hands and left. Two days later,
I read his reviews. Don Rickles was doing
big business with his new routine!"
ERRATA, TYPO, ETC. DEPT. ...
Date of this year's Walk of Ages at West
Bloomfield Jewish Community Center is
Sunday, May 17, not May 19.
CONGRATS ... To Keri Cohen on her
birthday ... To Robert Russman on his
83rd birthday.
Danny's e-mail address is
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .
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April 16 2009
C7