COMMUNITY Unique, hand crafted gifts that stand the test of time. MAVEN Dear Debra G ot a burning question? Need some advice? You can now submit a question anonymously at Red Thread's website, www.redthreadmagazine. com/contact/send-question, and look for an answer in next month's edition. Dear Debra: I love to entertain, but Debra Darvick suddenly it seems all of my friends have dietary issues: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, carb- and sugar-free, red meat- and fish-free. Some are kosher; some are not. I would love to make some of my favorite recipes at future dinner parties. How do I satisfy all the different special needs of my friends and still enjoy cook- ing? Stewing Over Menus G RI N ST E I N JEWELRY DESIGN www.grinsteinjewelry.com 162 South Old Woodward, Birmingham Ml 248-647-4414 MINI1 — ■ 11M- 1899120 Dear Stewing: Cooking is a great creative outlet. There are so many innovations going on in the food world. Why not use your friends'dietary issues to explore new cookbooks? Come up with some new favorites so you can begin entertaining again with gusto. You can also try substituting ingre- dients in some of the old favorites. Or perhaps invite the gluten- and dairy-frees to one dinner party and the meat- and fish-and nut-frees to another. Guests who keep kosher could certainly attend either dinner. As for those well-loved recipes, if none of your friends can eat them, you might just have to enjoy these dishes with your husband or a few select couples who are restriction-free. Get a jump start on the upcoming school year with our fast-paced summer programs... get ahead of the class! One-to-One Instruction • Grades K through 12 Programs: Math, Reading, Writing, Study Skills, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II THE TUTORING CENTER Empowering Children to Reach their Potential O Birmingham 765 E. Maple Road 248-494-6225 West Bloomfield 6247 Orchard Lake Road 48-432-7288 www.tutoringcenter.com _I 1918550 Beauty (SALON) by J. LYLE LTD. Happy to announce Johnny and Elie Maalouf have joined our team! $20 BLOW OUTS Tuesday thru Friday Beauty (SALON) by J. LYLE LTD. 235 Willits Alley • Birmingham MI • 248.540.0046 • beautysalonbyjlyle.com 32 June 20141 THREIID Dear Debra: I am an avid cook and spend a lot of time in my kitchen, which seriously needs an overhaul. My husband and I set aside some money; we know a good designer/ renovator. lam tired of complaining about lack of counter space, etc. My friends and family encourage me to go forward, but I cannot pull the trigger. I am daunted by all the decisions and with spending all that money. Help! Losing My Appetite for Renovation — Dear Losing: I hear you. It's a chunk of change, a huge mess, and once they rip out your countertops there's no going back. Not to mention pulls versus knobs and honed or polished countertop finishes. Make a hate list. Yep, list everything you hate about your kitchen. Minimal food prep space? Dishwasher 50 paces from the cabinets? Avocado green cabinets? On second thought, keep the cabs; mid-century modern is all the rage. With your hate list in hand, start researching solutions.That should get you drooling over the possibilities. And that is where your designer comes in — to take at least some of the crazy out of the decision-making process. As for the expenditure. You are an avid cook. Think how much more avid you would be in a kitchen that works with you instead of against you. Anyone who spends a lot of time in her, or his, kitchen deserves a space that maximizes all those great culinary skills.Think of the cost in terms of your wasted energy, inefficiency and the drag of working in a dreary space. Take the plunge and create a kitchen that you will revel in for years to come. Dear Debra: Every time my daughter is with her future mother-in-law, the woman criticizes the way my daughter dresses. Nothing is out of place or inappropriate; my daughter has beautiful taste. At her bridal shower last weekend, the woman again criti- cized what my daughter was wearing — a lovely dress, tights, nice leather boots. Other than telling the woman to shut up, what can my daughter do? — Every Hair in Place Dear Every: Telling one's future mother-in-law to zip her lip would further unravel a relationship that has already gotten off to bad footing. Nevertheless, your daughter certainly has the right to ex- pect respect from her fiance's mother. The woman seems to have serious tact and boundary issues. Your daughter needs some quick responses in her quiver. When future mother-in-law pipes up with criticism, your daughter can simply say,"Thank you, Marge,"and then change the subject. She can also tell her fiance to make clear to his mother that such criticism is off limits. Or she can be proactive. Next time they are together, your daughter can pre-empt any criti- cism by first complimenting her future mother-in-law on how beautiful she looks. I know the words might stick in her throat, but since your daughter dresses well, she probably has great necklaces or scarves to hide any rising gorge. If all else fails, your daughter is going to have to be blunt, as in "Marge, every time you criticize the way I dress, I like you less and less and want to limit our time together. Please think about that if you want to be a part of our lives once Jared and I marry' Debra Darvick shares her unique take on life, books and more at debradarvick.com. www.redthreadmagazine.com