ETCETERA
THE Q & A
KIDDUSH CLUB
When Life OfferA
Lemons ... Spike 'Em
Leah Moss is the Jill Behind Jack
he may appear an ingenue but print's newest darling, Jack
Detroit editor and publisher Leah Moss, evokes the tenacity
of the New Yorker's Tina Brown and gumption of Washing-
ton Post heroine Katherine Graham. The 23-year-old MSU
grad is gearing up for the third installment of her new
men's lifestyle publication and, in the spirit of collegial
detente, granted RT an audience.
The dog days of summer are upon us and
the best way to beat the heat — while
IL maintaining good standing in the Kiddush
Club — is to combine an iconic summer drink
with the KC's potable mandate; time for electric
lemonade!
Sure, the experts may claim that drinking
alcohol in the heat leads to quicker dehydra-
tion but, since we're not doctors, we feel funny
passing that along. Instead, embrace the lovely
citrus succor borne from lemons with the only
thing we feel confident in endorsing ... booze.
Enjoy the rest of summer; Old Man Winter
sent us a postcard from the Southern Hemi-
sphere saying he's eager to throw some spec-
tacular storms our way in short order. Brrr
RT: How did a young upstart find the capital
to launch a new publication?
LM: I funded the first issue through two
platforms: Startup capital came from
donations placed via Kickstarter.com and
Hebrew Free Loan's new division for small
businesses.
RT: Why "Jack" over, say, Greg or Bobby?
LM: Jack has his Jill. Greg and Bobby are
single, last I heard.
SUMMER BREEZE
Summer breeze, makes you feel fine,
inebriating gray matter in your mind.
(Seals and Croft's alternate lyrics.) This
classic lemonade"spritzer"will bring
you back to antebellum days of sitting
on the veranda and watching the crops
wave in the breeze. Scarlett, dear, you
look flush, here, have a drink: 2 cups
lemon-flavored seltzer or club soda (chilled); 1/2
cup citrus-flavored vodka (chilled); 1/2 cup fresh
lemon juice; 1/4 cup sugar; 1/4 cup orange schnapps;
crushed ice. (We will deny that the Kiddush Club
ever used the word "spritzer.")
RT: A men's magazine is a curious choice
of audience for a 23-year-old woman; what
led you to make that decision?
LM: When I decided to start a local magazine, I had to think
strategically about what the Metro Detroit market needed.
The void to be filled wasn't for young women, but rather
for men. Journalism shouldn't be for the journalists but
rather for the consumers that will enjoy it and appreci-
ate the content.
1.
RT: How has the reception been?
LM: I'm happy to say people have really loved the
magazine. I get calls from our distribution points that
they're already out of copies and want more, and
I've had people tell me it's the first magazine they've
read cover to cover. When people can't put the
product down, it serves as the highest compliment
an editor could receive.
•-•••••7 4)1
BLUEBERRY LEMONADE
It's been rumored that Violet Beauregarde
really turned purple after knocking back a few
of these delightful refreshments. Touted for its
antioxidant potency, blueberries are the perfect
accompaniment to classic electric lemonade
— also touted for its potency: 1 cup sugar; 1
cup fresh lemon juice; 6 cups water; IA cup
fresh blueberries; 2 cups citrus-flavored vodka.
Throw everything into a pitcher and muddle the
blueberries with a wooden spoon — then get
muddled!
RT: You look 19 (it'll be more of a compliment in a few
years); has it been a challenge to be taken seriously as editor
and publisher?
LM: It's been about 50-50. Half the people I meet are just blown
away by my age and accomplishments, and are inspired by my
story — and recognize I'm a young person trying to help our city.
That said, there have been plenty of people who view my age as
an easy way to discount my credibility. I do my best to ignore that,
focus on the positive, and realize that I'll appreciate it when I'm 40
but look 28.
LEMONADE CRANTINI
Perfect for elegant sipping
during cocktail hour, or help-
ing to clear up your urinary
tract infection — or both — a
Lemonade Crantini need not be
served in a martini glass to be
enjoyed. In fact, a martini glass
will just cause you to feel guilty about pour-
ing numerous drinks. Perhaps a Big Gulp cup
from 7-Eleven would be more suitable: 1 (46
oz.) can pineapple juice (chilled); 1 (32 oz.)
bottle cranberry juice (chilled); 1 (12 oz.) can
of frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed); 3
cups of lemon-flavored rum; 1 (2-liter) bottle of
ginger ale (chilled). In a punch bowl, mix the
juices, lemonade concentrate and rum. Prior to
serving, mix ginger ale and ice into the bowl (or
pitcher). Place car keys in a safe place. Enjoy!
RT: Hacked into anyone's voicemail for a scoop?
LM: I haven't but can't make any guarantees about my freelanc-
ers. There's a reason they're all 1099s — just kidding ... kind of.
RT: What's one thing you've discovered about men that you didn't
know before you launched?
LM: The stereotype goes that men aren't willing to ask for help or ask
for advice. I always took that to be true, until the launch of Jack Detroit.
I've had so many men say"thank you"for providing an entertaining
source of relevant and helpful information that they weren't getting
otherwise. In a roundabout sort of way, it's clear they didn't want to ask
for help but are glad to have it, now that it's here. 7..7
— By Red Thread Staff
BROKEN NOSE
THE SCALLION: A SATIRE
Oak Park Girl, 7, Faces Jail Time Over Sidewalk
Art
Residents complain city is on a tear to prosecute "low hanging fruit."
By Drew P. Hodensack
OAK PARK, Mich. — After the failed bid by local officials to
eradicate a family's front yard veggie garden, the city has cited
a 7-year-old girl with defacing public property for using chalk
on the sidewalk in front of her house.
The girl, whose name is being withheld because she is a
minor, said she was surprised when she received a summons to
appear in court.
"I'm just sad in my heart," the girl, a second grade student at
Avery Elementary said. "I've been drawing real nice ponies for a
long time and everybody tells me how pretty I color."
While the city has refused to comment, some residents
contend the authorities have just abdicated fighting real crime
and are going after softer targets, like gardening mothers and
child artists.
"You know, it's bad enough that
they threatened that woman with
the garden," said next-door neigh-
bor Mike Ochs, 38."I swear, next
they'll come back and arrest me for
hocking a loogie in the street."
Ochs and other angry residents
18 August 2011 I
1ED TIMM
are referring to front yard gardener Julie
Bass, who created an uproar with her raised
vegetable garden in lieu of a lawn — and
was charged with a misdemeanor for violat-
ing a city ordinance.
Bass potentially faced a $100 fine and up to 93 days in jail.
The charge was later dropped in the face of mounting criti-
cism.
Of course, not everyone is in love with the chalk art, either.
One longtime neighbor, 67-year-old Abby Anger, said she
wouldn't mind seeing it stop."Really, her pictures sucked,"Anger
said. "I mean, I've seen prettier ponies coming out of a glue fac-
tory:'
While a city officials are adamant that the two cases are
unrelated, the parents of the 7-year-old aren't so sure. When
asked if their daughter should just color on paper, the mother
simply shrugged.
"It's beautiful outside and we only get a few months to
really enjoy the weather,"the mother, Fanny, 39, said."Plus, if
Oak Park had nice sidewalks I could understand, but half the
squares on my block are falling apart anyway."L7
Lest you think we're just gross, we've been told
this drink really is something to try.The secret
ingredient is a liqueur called Advocaat, which is
phlegmy in its consistency, hence the name of the
drink. Please notify us when you're feeling daring
enough to try it, we'll swing by to see the reaction
on your face: 1 oz.Tequila (gold); 1.5 oz. Advocaat
(Bols brand is kosher and is certified by the London
Beit Din [KLBD] but does not have a kashrut symbol
on the bottle); 2 oz. grenadine; 1 cup lemonade.
Mix tequila and grenadine together in a highball
glass; add Advocaat (making sure it does not prop-
erly mix and remains, well, phlegmy); dilute with
lemonade until you feel like not gagging.
RED STAG LEMONADE
Ah, Bourbon, nectar of life, we have
patiently waited for your triumphant
return to this column.This little drinkie,
made with the delicious amber
elixir from Kentucky, may not carry
the punch of a bull, or the prophecy
of the heifer, but it is oh-so tasty: 1.5
parts Red Stag by Jim Beam Bourbon; .5 parts
DeKuyper Pomegranate Pucker (a sweet liqueur,
akin to schnapps, that is certified kosher by the
OU); 4 parts lemonade; lemon-lime or Club soda;
and lemon slices for garnish. Build over ice in a tall
highball glass. Put aside one shot of Bourbon for
your troubles, drink, and enjoy the moment.
By Red Thread Staff
www.redthreadmagazine.com