arts & life

f re s s i n g
wit h f i s h ma n

A renovated
guest room and
classroom at the
Townsend Hotel

Changes At The Townsend

L

ast week, Birmingham’s the
Corner served its last drink, as the
Townsend begins work on the final-
phase of a multi-year property renova-
tion that began some four years ago. The
2,000-square-foot space will be redesigned
for private group dining and used as a
meeting room, available by reservation.
The space will allow for more intimate
group experiences at the hotel’s award-
wining Rugby Grille.
At one time, there
had been plans for a
high-end Japanese res-
taurant to occupy the
space, with restauran-
teur Jeremy Sasson of
Townhouse fame at the
helm. Though the city
of Birmingham went so
Ryan
far as to approve a bistro
Fishman
license for the intended
plans, they never came
to fruition.
The hotel’s most recent round of renova-
tions also included a complete overhaul of
the hotel’s 150 luxury guest rooms, includ-
ing an extensive remodeling of its nine
penthouse and specialty suites. Included
were some major in-room upgrades —
adding new HD televisions, high-end
telephones and radios, a wireless bed-side
controller for the room’s heating, cooling
and lighting systems, and new luxury lin-

ens as well as a new line of soaps, sham-
poos and conditioners.
Meanwhile, coming this summer to
the Rugby Grille are a series of monthly
whiskey tastings (reservations required,
call 248-642-5999 for more information);
a superhero-themed afternoon tea for kids
and parents alike on June 12 (248-647-
2196); a weekly Patio Wine Series led by
certified sommelier Nidal Daher, begin-
ning Wednesday, June 1 (248-642-5999);
and an ongoing series of informative
cooking classes presented by the hotel and
Leslie Jacobs Associates (email
cookingwithstyle3@gmail.com).

White and green pizzas from Tomatoes
Apizza

BEST PIZZA WINNER
Food Network Magazine just wrapped up
a cross-country road trip to name the best
pizzas in all 50 states. Here in Michigan,

their top title went to the Naples Sampler
at Tomatoes Apizza in Farmington Hills
(29275 14 Mile Road). The magazine
credits owner Michael Weinstein for
embracing an East Coast-style pie, despite
the local proclivity for square, deep-dish
pizzas. The Naples Sampler combines four
pizza styles — a classic pie with red sauce;
a white with garlic; a green with spinach;
and a mozzarella.

NEW DOWNLOAD
A new app can help relieve at least some of
the stress of travel. Grab, an on-demand
mobile ordering platform, allows you to
pre-order at airport restaurants across
the country. The app is now available
for use at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Participating restaurants include Coffee
Bean & Tea Leaf, Hockeytown Cafe, Le
Petit Bistro, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen
and TGI Friday’s. On Grab, you simply
read a menu, place on hold your pre-paid
order, and get an estimate for when it will
be ready for pick up.

POPUP EVENT
Chef Jared Bobkin of Hell’s Kitchen fame
will host a popup seafood feast at the
Rattlesnake Club on May 26 at 7 p.m.
(300 River Place Drive, Detroit). Bobkin
is the executive chef at Detroit’s Bayview
Yacht Club, and his impressive resume
boasts stops at Joe Muer Seafood,

Birmingham’s 220 Merrill and Ferndale’s
Local Kitchen and Bar. The evening will
feature a unique and creative menu, offer-
ing Bobkin’s take on scallops, lobster, lamb
and clams, and hake. Bobkin is a native
of Oak Park. For more information, call
(248) 640-9711.

DON’T FORGET
Mark your calendar for this year’s
American Cancer Society Relay for Life
— Saturday, June 11, at 10 a.m., running
through the morning of Sunday, June
11, on the track at West Bloomfield High
School.

MAZEL TOV TO…
Paige Mark and Michael Colman on their
engagement.
Amanda Fishman and Alex Redlus on
their engagement.
Amanda Markowitz and Andrew Dahm
on their marriage.
Happy birthday to Steffy Grossman,
Robert McKenna, Ben Barish, Cheryl
Chodun, Martin Manna, Nathan Upfal,
Amy Muskovitz, Aviva Surugeon, Mikey
Skoczylas, Janice Tracht, Lena Epstein,
Drew White, Lindsay Gordon and Arthur
Horwitz — here’s to a tremendous boss,
wonderful family man and important
leader in our community. Thank you for
all that you do, Arthur.

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May 19 • 2016

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