1; Country Chic An old-fashioned b'nai mitzvah in the country celebrates the fall harvest and the accomplishments of a brother and sister. Lynne Konstantin I Contributing Writer Photography by Brett Mountain hen planning her children's b'nai mitzvah, Cindy Warren had to work within certain parameters. She and her husband, Mark, of West Bloomfield, have family all over the country, including grandparents Dr. William and Geraldine Warren, so she wanted to ensure that no one's travel plans were foiled by weather. And because her son, Joseph, and daughter, Alison, are only 17 months apart, Warren decided to throw one soiree for the both of them, rather than make everyone come into town twice. "I just wanted to make it easy for every- one," she says. And easy it was. And elegant, and organic — and a whole lot of fun. Following the morning b'nai mitzvah service and kiddush at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, rented school buses picked up Joe, Alison and 250 of their best friends and family members and transported them to the Lazy J Ranch in the farming community of Milford, just 45 minutes from West Bloomfield. There, a barn and a tent nestled amid 50 years of history and 30 acres of sprawling pastoral greenery beckoned guests to a sophisticated yet down- home fall harvest barn dance b'nai mitzvah bash. W continued on page C20 Mark and Cindy Warren beam with daughter Deanna Lynn Hallet and b'nai mitzvah Alison and Joe Warren. C 1 8 celebrate! I March 2013 Joe and Alison put on their party clothes to welcome guests, along with a sign handmade by Lauren Jackson. Jackson found packages of miniature woven baskets at Michael's and filled them with sour cherry candies to resemble apple-picking baskets. Warren handwrote the place cards — luggage tags that Jackson picked up at Office Depot.