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