arts & entertainment >> the best of everything The Flax Don't Lie Vineyards scores big making and marketing healthy flax products. T here are two types of success stories ...When it is first attained and it is followed by more suc- Bars, which have become so triumphant that a national and international distribution pro- cesses. gram will soon begin. Both make up the Vineyards' success The Live Smart Flax Bars story, that began from a meager beginning resulted from Ron and Maggie's in 1985 to evolve into a marketplace that continuous search to find fresh, today encompasses a multitude of opera- nutritional, simple foods for their tions. Vineyards Marketplace business When Ron and Maggie Asmar took over ...After discovering the flax grain the bedraggled little semi-burned 1800 to be a miracle health food, they square foot spot on Northwestern Highway combined it with more simple between Middlebelt and 14 Mile Road, high antioxidant foods to eventu- Farmington Hills, a successful future, if ally give birth to their extremely any, seemed an unlikely distance away. popular and healthy flax bar ...And thus However, Ron and Maggie fooled many the name Live Smart Flax Bars and cookies people as they continued to open addi- with their 100 percent natural antioxidants tional internal enterprises through their and extreme nutritional value and wheat- perseverance, ambition, hard work and free and vegan contents that include so creative ideas. many healthy ingredients. As a result, what began with just one So in demand have been the Vineyards' full-time employee today has more than Flax Bars in original and chocolate fla- 35 regular and 15 part-time employees vors, that they are now being sold at drawing paychecks and occupying about Plum Markets and about 50 health food 11,000 square feet at stores, 12 fit- the same location. ness centers and In addition, the the coffee shops Asmars operate a at Providence warehouse and manu- Hospital and the facturing setup in Detroit Medical Oak Park that origi- Center. nally took up 2,000 Ground flax square feet for one to sprinkle on of its products and cereal, beverages, The Vineyards' Ron and Maggie Asmar has been increased ice cream, etc., is and their son Tony, the general manager to 9,000 and soon also available at to be 15,000 ... Vineyards in plas- Just another highly successful operation tic cartons, original and chocolate. to go under the Vineyards Marketplace Assisting Ron and Maggie in no small umbrella that already includes Deli way is their son Tony Asmar who was 7 Basket, Vineyard Catering, Bloom's Jewish years old when Mom and Dad opened Cuisine, Vineyards Fine Wine & Spirits, Vineyards, standing on a milk crate to Nibbles & Nuts, Maggie's Chocolates and be tall enough to enjoy the in-store food Strawberries and Bubbie's Biscottis. tasting promotions ... Today, Tony is their Added is the unbelievably successful highly efficient, knowledgeable and cour- manufacturing of its own Live Smart Flax teous general manager whose multi-fac- MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH SPECIAL FOR 2 $15.99 CHOIC E FISH PLATE & EGGS • Nova Lox & Whitefish Salad Plate • Scrambled Eggs • Hashbrown Potatoes • Served with Vegetable Garnish • Cream Cheese & 2 Bagels OMELET SPECIAL O R • Your choice of Any (2) Omelets • Hashbrown Potatoes • Served with Vegetable Garnish • Bacon, Ham or Turkey Sausage • Cream Cheese & 2 Bagels Good only with purchase of 2 beverages No Coupon on Brunch Packages • Dine in Only Bagel & LaxFor 4 $15.99 Includes: • 1/2 LB Nova Lox • Whipped creme cheese • Sliced tomatoes and onions • 4 N.Y. Ba els eted talents have contributed The dream of owning a first class restau- in no small way to the huge rant had finally come true 30 years later Vineyards success. in 1973 ... Within the beautiful Raleigh Whatever the future con- House catering edifice on Telegraph in tinues to bring to this fine Southfield was the pre-opening of his still hard-working family, elegant House of Lords Gourmet dining one can almost bet the mort- room and Lion's Head English-style pub gage that their Vineyards ... But he never forgot his little restaurant Marketplace will not stop roots, and just two days later Sammy's rolling along with more ideas Piccadilly Delicatessen-Restaurant joined and marketing realizations. the two inside the Raleigh House in hav- THE SOON-COMING ing a triple public opening ... Three res- Texas de Brazil will bring taurants built in the record time of just 10 another most welcomed res- months ... The Piccadilly with George Fink, taurant opening in this area ... A hardhat formerly of Ben & George's on Dexter tour is being planned for a few weeks Blvd., as manager, was a Miami-style prior to its opening, slated to be the lat- deli, fully carpeted with covered ceilings, ter part of May in Detroit's Compuware mate's chairs, booths and counter service Building ... The Brazilian steakhouse will ... The Lion's head was an actual English- have meats prepared over an open flame designed room with wild-game scenes ... and carved tableside by servers dressed in and the Elizabethan House of Lords was Brazilian cowboy style. within a plush atmosphere where patrons QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ... could receive French-style service directly "We just got back from California and at their table with food brought in and had a wonderful lunch at Nate 'n Al Deli served from carts ... Executive chef was in Beverly Hills. We saw movie star John the wonderful Certified Master Chef Milos Voight, who is Angelina Jolie's father, Regis Cihelka who, only a year before in 1972, Philbin and others. Is it the same Nate had won two gold medals as a member of who owned Nate's Delicatessen years ago the United States Culinary Olympics Team on Dexter?" ... Gertrude Newfeldt that competed in Frankfort, Germany ... [No, the Nate 'n Al Deli in Beverly Yes, Sammy had sure come a long way! Hills, Calif., was named for Nate Reimer REUNION DEPT. ... Central High class who opened it with Al Mendelson. Both of 1951's 60th shindig is 6 p.m. Sunday, worked together behind the counter Sept. 4, at Baypointe Golf Club, West at Boesky's Delicatessen on 12th and Bloomfield ... Contact Janet (Lowenger) Hazelwood before moving out West ... Halpern, (248) 682-8555, or JoAnne Nate's Delicatessen on Dexter was owned (Satovsky) Shatanoff, (248) 682-8555. by Isadore Atler and Joe Mosten.] CONGRATS ... To Ilene Schaefer on her REMEMBERING WHEN the gen- birthday ... To Susan Katz on her birthday eral manager and vice-president ... To Patti MacFarlane on her birthday ... walked around with a face that beamed To David Goss on his birthday ... To Steve higher than the rafters above ... Sammy Schwartz on his birthday ... To Mindy Lieberman thought of the long-ago when Levine on her birthday ... To Billy Rose on he ran the Blaine Restaurant and Avalon his 80th birthday. I I Room in Oak Park back in 1943 ... Here he was shaking his head is disbelief ... Danny's email is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net . Deli For 4 $15.99 To-Go Includes: 1 LB or corned beef or turkey 1LB slaw or potato salad 1 LB Jewish Rye Old and new kosher dills Russian dressing 32418 Northwestern Hwy. • between Middlebelt & 14 Mile • 248.855-9463 • www.JewishCatering.com 56 April 21 . 2011 VINEYARDS DELI • CAFE • CATERING