THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Arts, Beats Kosher Eats? Milk & Honey sets up for Labor Day weekend in downtown Pontiac. P OTPOURRI ... For the first time in its exis- tence, the 12th Annual Arts, Beats & Eats shindig will feature kosher food among its numerous dining selections ... Matt Prentice's Milk & Honey may not be a restaurant anymore, concentrating now on kosher catering, but a portion of the former Milk & Honey restaurant at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield will be opened for events, breakfasts, lunches, etc. ... Arts, Beats & Eats, Oakland County's taste, music and arts festival, Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 4-7, in downtown Pontiac, will again be produced by community-ite Jon Witz ... New partaking restaurants this year include Epoch Restaurant Group's Tribute and Forte, plus Matt's Coach Insignia and Northern Lakes Seafood ... A 40 x 100-foot tent will be shared by Tribute and Forte for white-tablecloth sit-down dining-and-wining service. WHAT STARTED OUT somewhat quietly five years ago has now evolved for many into an awaited event ... The Fifth Annual Grub Crawl by Rotary Club of West Bloomfield and the WB Chamber of Commerce is Tuesday, Sept. 15, 6- 9:30 p.m. ... Folks visit 15 restaurants and food services along Orchard Lake Road, 14 Mile to Pontiac Trail ... $40 per person proceeds go to scholarships for kids at risk, shelters and fighting polio ... Restaurants traveled to for special- ties include Yotsuba, Max and Erma's, California Pizza Kitchen, Shangri-La, D'Pauli's, Outback, Uptown Parthenon, Rusty Bucket, Original Romano's, Mezza, etc. ... For more info, call Shelly Newman, restaurant and sponsor chairgal, (248) 737-0266, or e-mail her, sred9@sbcglobal.net. MANY RAVES being FEW RESTAURATEURS received by a little carryout deli- in the nation deserve the catessen that celebrates its first tremendous honor more than anniversary in October can be Michael Gibbons. On Sept. attributed in no small measure 13, in Washington, D.C., he to the wisdom of its owners ... will be inducted as the 2009 The highly wished-for desire by incoming board chairman Debbie Dalaly, son Jordan Dalaly of the National Restaurant and Constantine Carstea, boss- Association ... That's how folks of Detroit Deli & Catering well-liked and respected Mike Danny Raskin on Southfield Road, Beverly is ... He is president and one Senior Columnist of the owners of Mainstreet Hills, was for an experienced chef to assist them in creating Ventures, headquartered in traditional Jewish foods from Ann Arbor, which operates greatly cherished family recipes ... Tom 15 upscale eateries in five states ... In Hyland, sous chef at the fine Birmingham Ann Arbor, they are the Real Seafood Co., Country Club, divides his time between Chop House, Gratzi's, Palio and Carson's the country club and Detroit Deli, helping American Bistro ... National Restaurant prepare the dishes from recipes by Debbie's Association embodies about a million late mother, Martha Brickner, and Debbie's restaurants and food service groups and grandmother, Dorothy Stotsky ... Just more than 13 million guys and gals work- about all are prepared from scratch, which ing in the dining industry. is a major attribute in the precise prepara- GOOD SERVER DEPT. ... Kayleigh tions of Jewish traditional food for carry- Watson, at Buddy's Pizza, Northwestern, out, trays and holiday and event catering. Farmington Hills ... Smiling, attentive, QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ... "Do efficient and personable ... Customers you know if In-N-Out hamburgers is going enjoy her gracious qualities. to open here? I had one in California and TIP TO MANY untrained waitpersons, have never tasted one so good:' ... Chelsea and a few who should know better ... Rubin. Remove dirty dishes, or if available, get a [I heard a rumor about In-N-Out corn- busperson to do it ... There are few things ing to this region, but that's all ... Just talk as unappetizing as dirty dishes lying so far ... The Irvine, Calif., chain is pres- around while a person is eating ... Also ently only in four states, California, Utah, ask before refilling coffee cups ... Don't Arizona and Nevada ... I do know that pour hot onto cold ... And don't be lazy Five Guys Burgers and Fries is here and waiting for other orders before bringing going over in a big way ... The local fran- those that are ready. chise is owned by hereabouts residents WHILE MOST SUPER entertainers Michael Abrams and Brian Adelman, with who appeared at Windsor's Elmwood Brian's brother Glenn its director of opera- Casino years back during this region's tions ... Mike and Brian will open their golden show-biz age cruised around here fourth location Sept. 14.] in Lincolns and Thunderbirds, some had to make do with downsized Mustangs, says author and veteran publicity man Bill Garwood ... "Hilarious but sharp-tongued Totie Fields, Borscht Circuit veteran, was loaned a sporty little red convertible by Ford Management gent Stan Drall, who handled those dream freebee deals. On stage the next night, she wise-cracked that Ford had given her a little set of wheels called a Mustang that she had to pull along behind her when shopping. The Elmwood audience laughed, but Stan didn't even smile. Next day, that Mustang was gone." ... Another time, recalls Bill, "Phyllis Diller received the millionth Lincoln and left it parked behind the motel her entire time here and took cabs or rode with me having to wear the chauf- feur cap she bought ... Sammy Davis Jr. was given a Lincoln Continental and almost wore out the brake linings riding the brakes hard as he followed me in my second-hand Mustang clunker." I REMEMBER DEPT. ... "Actor Robert Lansing was over for dinner and got into a conversation with Milt Weiss about soap operas. Milt mentioned how much he disliked the character played by Emily McLaughlin on General Hospital. Lansing just stared at Milt and icily said,"That's my wife!" ... Mike Kallen. CONGRATS ... To Mary Nosanchuk on her 100th birthday ... To Jody Neirynck on her birthday ... To Brad Smith on his 16th birthday ... To Dr. Morton Lazar on his birthday ... To Hecky Lazar on her birthday ... To Thom and Sandy Millman on their 40th anniversary. Danny's e-mail address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net. u4.4 441 201 S Old Woodward Avenue • Birmingham MI 48009 248.594.7300 • www.forterestaurant.com August 27 • 2009 47