Big changes coming to Oakland Mall and I was there at the beginning: A remembrance of stores and stadiums past

Birmingham Eccentric photo, opening of Oakland Mall, at Hudson's, now Macy's, 1968

Yesterday, Oakland Mall sent out a press release, announcing Macy's would close early this year. It's not the only Macy's in Michigan to shut down in 2025, but it is housed in the only mall whose grand opening I attended. It launched both a relatively new shopping concept and my media debut. The year was 1968.

First, a few important notes:  

1.) The store that occupied Macy's current location was originally Hudson's, a department store chain that began in Detroit.

2.) Being of a "certain age", the media was "old school" print. My name and picture made the cover of hometown newspaper, "The Birmingham Eccentric". Remarkably, the photo my parents picked up at the Eccentric's office - though a bit tattered and wrinkled - has survived over fifty years. 

And, being of a certain age, I've witnessed the construction and deconstruction of, not only flagship stores and malls, but sports stadiums, too. 

A recent trip to LCA to watch the Pistons

Some here saw Pistons at The Palace

As a child, I'd join my parents on an occasional Sunday drive through their old neighborhood and they'd point to a vacant spot and talk about what used to be there or reminisce about the old corner store they'd shop at before it became a strip mall. I thought how ancient that past seemed, filled with so many changes. 

Now I'm reflecting on my own ancient times and what's come and gone in a half century plus. 

I think about Olympia stadium being replaced by the multi-staired behemoth Joe Louis. It, like The Palace, has been replaced by Little Caesar's Arena. Then, Tiger Stadium giving way to Comerica Park (better viewing for all, for sure) and the Pontiac Silverdome, erected in 1975 and deflated in 2018, giving our Detroit Lions a better home at Ford Field. (I was a spectator at all venues, and -bonus- also rock concerts at the Joe and the Silverdome).

The Joe, once home to Detroit Red Wings and host to rock concerts, now a coaster for my tea cups.

The story of Macy's is similar. I've seen Hudson's morph into Marshall Field's then ultimately to Macy's. Not only was I at this Hudson's inauguration but was a loyal patron for many years. I have very special memories of meeting my mom at its mezzanine every Friday in the late 1990's for lunch. We'd opt for the day's special, or their signature Maurice Salad, accompanied by cup of hot tea or coffee. 

In the early 1980's, I worked downtown and shopped for my de rigueur office-ware, suits, scarves and heels, at Hudson's beautiful flagship store. I was also there in 1983 when it closed its doors permanently.

And, now, the cycle continues. As noted in Fox 2 on-line news, Macy's is shutting down over 60 stores this spring. In addition to the Oakland Mall location, the other three Michigan Macy's to close are in Traverse City, Sterling Heights and Flint. 

And, what is to come next for the vacant space created by Oakland Mall's Macy's? Per the mall's owner, Paul Kieizi, at this time, it has "yet to be determined", but he adds "we can confirm we are actively exploring transformative opportunities".

To those who may need to hear this, we at BTS, are still available for photo shoots for the launching of said transformation. 😉

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The story behind the vintage photo:

I was almost ten at the time, and, the parents of my good friend, Liz, were planning to be part of the new Oakland Mall celebration and invited me to come along. Once we took the short drive from Birmingham to Troy, we joined a growing assembly of shoppers outside of Hudson's, the west hub of the new indoor shopping center. I don't recall all the goings-on, but aided by the photo, I do remember a few activities geared for kids hosted by a cartoonish, big-headed monkey and lots of hometown paparazzi.

One of the reporters approached Liz's parents, and, learning I met their home city requirement, asked if I could be photographed for their newspaper.  Although the memories remain fuzzy, I have a clear picture of young me attaching myself to the reporter without hesitation, following her to the monkey and hearing Mrs. C, in the background, asking me if that was something I would like to do. 

Once in the middle of crowd's perimeter, Mrs. C., gave one last shout to ask if I would like Liz to join me.  I was a little dazed with the attention, but it seemed like a good idea. However when I turned around to wave her in, Liz was violently shaking her head "no". She was slipping behind her mother, shunning the cameras. 

Undaunted, and back to the original plan, I awaited instructions.  I'm sure they directed me on how to pose, but it was a blur - even back then. 

It was over too quickly for my taste, but, thanks to a lucky break with the press, I secured my 15 minutes of fame in long-ago local history. 

Lion's take the cake: Home Bakery creates a life-size Amon-Ra St. Brown confection, inspiring an afternoon tea!

Lion's fan, Barb G., at Home Bakery to view Amon-Ra St. Brown cake

 

Amon-Ra St. Brown is an extraordinary wide receiver whose cake-constructed life-size image has been well received by local Detroit Lions fans thanks to the creativity and skill of Home Bakery's staff.

The Rochester bake shop is known for its festive cake and fondant masterpieces that are showcased in the storefront's large windows. We've visited Home Bakery in past holiday seasons to view their impressive culinary art displays, including a recreation of the characters from "Frozen" and the gang from "Peanuts". 

Home Bakery's holiday display in 2022, Peanuts

Admiring Charlie Brown and Snoopy

But, this year, the cake sculptors, headed by master baker, Heather Tocco, found inspiration with Detroit's record-setting football team.  As noted in Saturday's Detroit Free Press, Tocco and team had no difficulty agreeing on what form their new cake creation would take:  Amon-Ra St. Brown's celebrated headstand after he scored a touchdown during last November's match up with Green Bay.

Inside view of the Amon-Ra St. Brown life-size cake.

The six foot life-size confectionary doppelganger of St. Brown took a month to assemble. It now stands (upside down) in the Home Bakery's front window and has scored big with fans in the area, including Barb's Tea Service.

Home bakery offers game day treats. . . 

football cookies and cupcakes!

We paid a visit today, and even on a bitter cold Tuesday afternoon, both inside and outside of Home Bakery were full of gawkers and customers. And, even though the Amon-Ra St. Brown cake is not really edible (the cake and rice Krispies had to be very firm for construction, so too dry to be tasty), the bake shop does offer plenty of Lion's themed sweet treats for consumption, including football-shaped sugar cookies and cupcakes topped with football-frosting designs. While picking up a half dozen of the latter, our server told us the Amon-Ra St. Brown cake is "by far" the most popular of any Home Bakery's previous window displays.

Detroit Lion's afternoon tea, a work in progress. 

The Detroit Lion's win over Minnesota Vikings Sunday has continued to fuel the Honolulu Blue fever and we're all in.  With the playoffs coming up and, inspired by Home Bakery's football goodies, we're working this bye week on a Detroit Lions themed afternoon tea. We're experimenting with blueberry tea (not quite "blue" enough") and other three-tiered sweets and savories worthy of a 15-2 season. 

Home Bakery, downtown Rochester

In the meantime, for more information on Home Bakery, visit their website at the Home Bakery, or take a drive on Main Street in downtown Rochester and see Amon-Ra in the window. 

Go Lions! 

S*TEA*P: A delicious Michigan tea company with blends inspired by the Mitten State

S*TEA*P teas offer a variety of blends, including Michigan-themed teas such as "Soo Locks".

S*TEA*P is a Michigan-based tea company that has several Michigan-inspired tea blends. It's delightfully delicious fun to see our home state so wonderfully represented - although the Mitten State teas are not all S*TEA*P offers, 

I was introduced to S*TEA*P just recently when gifted "Soo Locks" from daughter, Rachel, and son-in-law, Sean, upon their return from touring the historical landmark in Sault St. Marie. 

After brewing up a pot for our latest Barb's Tea Service's podcast, both Chris (husband/co-host) and I really liked this "Soo Locks" blend, an oolong tea with orange flavoring, orange peel and safflower. 

Oolong leaves are rolled into tiny balls.

Add hot water, the leaves unfurl, quite a show!

S*TEA*P states that this oolong blend is "affectionately named for the engineering marvel, the Soo Locks". S*TEA*P also describes the tea as "smooth and delightful".  

We agree!

And, like its namesake, Soo Locks tea puts on quite a show. The leaves are rolled into tiny balls and once the hot water hits, they unfurl in a mesmerizing display. 

Quick to check out S*TEA*P's website for more, we were excited to see they have an impressive line of Michigan teas, including, Belle Isle Breeze and Pictured Rocks (both rooibos), Michigan Strong (pu-erh), Lighthouse (herbal) – which would have paired well with our Grand Traverse Lighthouse visit last fall.

In a S*TEA*P blog story from 2022, owner, Samantha Musli, explains how the Michigan tea line was created. When Covid hit, S*TEA*P could no longer sell at farmer's markets and shifted their focus to wholesaler relationships. One customer in mid-Michigan, specialized in local products, which inspired  S*TEA*P to develop teas that had ties to the Great Lakes state like "Cherry Capital" and "Green and White".

Visiting Soo Locks in early 1990's.

Musli found she not only enjoyed coming up with the names but it served its market well. Bottom line, the Michigan connections "make. . . people feel good".

Again, we agree!

Just seeing the "Soo Locks" listed on the sleek black packaging with a Detroit-area map label brought back memories of taking our children to the Locks. For three kids under ten, it was remarkable how it held their interest for the roughly 45 minutes it took a ship to pass through.  Today, accompanied by a cup of Soo Locks, I retrieved some photos from that trip in an "old school" photo album (no smartphones yet).

Friends Rik and Carol visited Soo Locks this fall. 

Though Rachel and Sean, didn't take any pictures in November, good friends, Rik and Carol were there in October. They shared their highlights of that trip with us when they came back (and I called upon them for a few of their photos for today's blog).

We're anxious to sample more Michigan teas, already seeing our next purchase for February:  S'mitten. This is a dark tea with rose petals packaged in heart-shaped tea bags. Per their website, S*TEA*P "loving named this. . 'mini-cake' for [their] love of Michigan".

We 🩷 Michigan (and S*TEA*P), too!

For more information on S*TEA*P Michigan blends and other teas, visit their website at: Home | S•TEA•P

Merry Chrismukkah and Happy New Year from Barb's Tea Service!

Seasons Greetings from Barb's Tea Service. It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

 

The holiday season, with all its bows and wraps, is, bowing out and wrapping up for another year.  Our December calendar was filled with traditional celebrations as well a few new ones, including Chrismukkah. 

This weekend, we're taking down the trimmings (and making resolutions for our own "trimming down") with a freshly brewed cup of Harney's Holiday spiced black. While we're packaging up the ornaments for next year, we're reflecting on some wonderful memories of the past few weeks.

Last stop of this year's tour. Three stops, three games, one winner.

Family standards for December are the Christmas tree tour and Fun-due! and we continued those last month with a few new twists. The first, "the tour", is our annual trek to a few of the homes of our local family where we stop to not only view the decorated tree, but to have a light repast and engage in some friendly competition. This year, entertainment hosts, Glenn, Marti, Rob and Megan, brought their A-games to their respective games (Christmas Jeopardy!, Feely Meely and Santa Baby) and, kudos to Rachel for the Triple Crown win.

One week later, our favorite New York couple, Matt and Jenna, joined us for our annual Fun-due! (like Jeopardy!, the exclamation point is requisite). This genius strategy and delicious dinner was orchestrated by Chris a few decades ago to keep the "kids" close to home for NYE and, now, Chrismukkah.

While the term - and celebration - have been around for over a century, it's become much more popular in the new millennium.

Chrismukkah is a portmanteau of Christmas and Hanukkah. The word first came about in German-speaking countries within middle and upper-class Jewish communities of the 19th century, per our go-to authority, Wikipedia. 

The lighting of the menorah, tradition calls for all to join hands.

Many of current-day Christmas traditions - indoor trees, decorations and gifts -  came to Germany and Austria in the 1800's and were perceived more as seasonal, rather than strictly religious, customs and were adopted by many Jewish families.  The proximity of Hanukkah and Christmas also added to the blending of holiday rituals. 

After World War II, Chrismukkah immigrated to the United States but it would take another half a century before it gained wide-spread awareness. 

Thanks to "The OC", the teen drama that ran from 2003 - 2007, Chrismukkah entered into the modern-day lexicon via the fictional character, Seth Cohen, who's father is Jewish and mother is Protestant and with much youthful enthusiasm, he plans to maximize both holiday celebrations.

And, might I add here, I witnessed the phenomenon first-hand, as I used to watch "The OC" regularly with, then teenager, Rachel. 

Every ten years or so, Hannukah and Christmas intersect on the same day, when the Gregorian and Hebrew calendar align for both holidays and that makes an extra special Chrismukkah - which is what we celebrated last week.

Matt and Jenna brought their menorah and candles to our New Year's Eve dinner. It's tradition for those around the menorah to hold hands while the candles are lit and that's just what our family did - and, in true Chrismukkah fashion - with the Christmas tree beaming in the background.

Like one of my favorite tea mugs advertises, it really is the most wonderful time of year; when we get together with family and friends to share some old traditions and make a few new ones (and maybe unseat the Triple Crown winner this year!😉) 

From Barb's Tea Service, a very Merry Chrismukkah and a Happy New Year!

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Phyllis Earl Grey: A very special TeaTime from Brook37 Tea Atelier

A special tea time, with TeaTime and Phyllis Earl Grey from Brook37 Tea Atelier

Tea time with TeaTime Magazine is always a welcomed pairing, but add a custom tea blend from 

Brook37 Tea Atelier, inspired by the specialty publication's founder, Phyllis Hoffman DiPiano, and it's like settling in with a dear friend.  

Phyllis Earl Grey is a bespoke tea created by Brook 37 and is a tribute to Phyllis Hoffman DiPiano, who established Hoffman media forty years ago with her first magazine, "Just CrossStitch". She continued to add others to the mix including "Victoria", "Southern Lady" and, one that we are admittedly quite partial to, "TeaTime" which hit the stands in 2003. 

Phyllis Earl Grey a contemporary twist on the traditional blend. 

As a great fan of TeaTime, and since 2014, an occasional contributor, writing articles  on a range of topics from Highclere Castle (aka the "real Dowton Abbey") to Herend porcelain in Hungary to an "Escape to the Chateau" family visit to New York, we always look forward to TeaTime's appearance in our mailbox. 

Sadly, in 2023, Phyllis Hoffman DiPiano passed away. Her publishing empire continues with her family and family of amazing editors and staff, including Lorna Reeves.

With Lorna Reeves, editor of TeaTime, at Coffee and Tea Expo 2014.

With the new tea, honoring Phyllis Hoffman DiPiano, we knew we had to add it to our collection. Admittedly, we hadn't heard of Brook 37 before our order, but, we were confident we were in good hands.

And, good hands, indeed!  Our Phyllis Earl Grey arrived last week and we are instant devotees. The Phyllis Earl Grey is a contemporary twist on the traditional blend, with additions of lavender and pineapple, and it's delicious! The blend is balanced and flavorful and was designed to "inspire calm and creativity".  A tasty tea with benefits! 

Delicious tea designed to inspire calm & creativity in beautiful packaging. 

The packaging is beautiful, too -  a vibrant coral-colored tea tin with two lids to lock in freshness (also available in "eco packaging"). 

After a visit to Brook37 Tea Atelier's website, we were drawn to their grand selection (including wellness tea), their mission and commitment to sustainability. We just ordered another black tea blend and plan to order more.

In the meantime, we're taking some tea time with Phyllis Earl Grey and TeaTime Magazine. Grateful for this incredible woman who turned shared passions into our favorite publications. 

To purchase the Phyllis Earl Grey, shop at TeaTime or Brook37. 

Century-old Christmastime at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse paired with our remembrance of Northport just a few months past!

Lighthouse Christmas memories, depression glass, tea and salt cellars.

A century ago, the McCormick clan celebrated Christmas at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse in a setting worthy of a Currier and Ives print. As the workplace of Innkeeper, James McCormick as well as his home along with wife, Mary, and their eight children, traditions of the holiday continued despite the unique abode. On Christmas Eve, the younger members of the family would craft gifts in the dining room while James monitored both the weather and the fireplace and Mary popped corn in a cast iron pan on the kitchen stove. 

Grand Traverse Lighthouse.

These memories were reprinted last week, courtesy, MyNorth.Com  from a book written by Betty McCormick Olli, the second youngest child of James and Mary ("The Way it Was: Memories of My Childhood at Grand Traverse Lighthouse", Lighthouse Publications, 1990).  It brought back memories for us, too, but much more recent ones. We visited the Grand Traverse Lighthouse only three months ago and not only climbed the very, very narrow stairs to the top, but had the opportunity to view many of the McCormick's personal possessions that Betty wrote about, including her mother's depression glass, prized Haviland china, reserved for guests and special occasions, and a set of porcelain canisters for sugar, coffee and tea housed on mirrored shelves (and we do believe we spotted a set of glass salt cellars!)

We also purchased the Grand Traverse Lighthouse souvenir book while there and it provides more information on the McCormicks, other innkeepers and lighthouse details.

Shelf filled with porcelain cannisters for sugar, coffee and tea. And, perhaps, salt cellars!

The Grand Traverse Lighthouse, a museum since 1987, is located in Northport at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. It's a cozy place filled with vintage charm and incredible views of the bay, which, if it was a VRBO today you'd pay dearly for. But, in that same lens, in the time of the McCormick's occupancy, the lighthouse home lacked many modern conveniences that would convince me to keep looking, especially the outdoor facilities. In the winter months, the route to the privy might mean facing an obstacle path constructed of several feet of snow. 

Kitchen stove where popcorn would be popped.

Dining room hutch holds Haviland china.

         

But, for all the challenges of living in a remote area of northern Michigan, hours of chores were rewarded with fun adventures in the woods and warm days in the lake.  

Very, very narrow staircase to the top.

Here, it's the destination - not the journey. 

And, at Christmastime, it meant a freshly cut tree decorated with candles, a warm fire, some tasty treats from kitchen, and, perhaps, a cup of tea. 

The climb is worth the view.

Scenic views abound at Grand Traverse Lighthouse

Wherever you spend the holidays, from our house to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Seasons Greetings and a Joyous New Year!

For more information on this Northport lighthouse, see their website: Home - Grand Traverse Lighthouse

To purchase The Grand Traverse Lighthouse book, shop at Grand Traverse Lighthouse book - Grand Traverse Lighthouse

For more on the story of the McCormicks, see MyNorth.Com. (original article: 12/2/21)

Lady Camellia: A highly recommended afternoon tea time in Alexandria, Virginia!

 

Pretty tablescapes and amazing food make Lady Camellia tearoom a worthwhile visit!

Lady Camellia Tearoom review is provided by Pam Burkhart, BTS team member (and great friend!). She and her husband, Quint, recently visited Alexandria to share a fun birthday celebration with friends who live in Virginia. 

The Details: 

Tablescape: 
Very pretty pink-and-blue mix-and-match floral china.  
Each place setting had its own little sugar tongs, tea strainer, plus a three-sectioned dish for the requisite lemon curd, clotted cream, and butter.  

Each place setting has its own sugar tongs and tea strainer, 

The setting: 
The room is bright and pretty, not old-fashioned-stuffy, and not too-white-stark.  
The tables have a sort-of pearlescent light pink finish, a nice no-tablecloth-needed backdrop for the china.  
There are big windows for a view of the Potomac River.  
And the tea room is part of a small complex in Old Alexandria that includes an Indigo Hotel next door.  

Tea sandwiches: 
These were so good that I have to call them out separately from the rest of the food.  These were the freshest and best-tasting tea sandwiches we can remember.  
* The cucumber sandwiches were stacked with cucumbers artfully arranged in an overlapping scallop pattern, and very flavorful.  
* Roast beef sandwiches were super-tender and dressed with a quite tasty herbed mayonnaise.  

* The smoked salmon and chicken salad were both also delish.   

Three-tiered tray includes delicious tea fare: scones, sweets and savories.

Scones etc: 

We were offered choices of homemade scones.  That day's offering was plain or cranberry orange.  And that middle tier of the tea tray also came with mini-croissants (plain or chocolate), and an apple tart.  

The top tier: 
Six options, including fruit tarts, red velvet cupcakes, two flavors of panna cotta, macarons.  Everything was homemade and fresh and delicious.  

And, for the birthday girl, her red velvet cupcake came with a candle on a plate inscribed with Happy Birthday! in chocolate icing...

The GF tray: 
The "avoid-gluten" member of our party got his own tray, and called it a truly "no compromise" offering.  He was surprised and delighted to (for once :-) feel like he was not missing out -- everything was delicious.  

Bottom line:

We've had tea at Claridge's in London and Cafe Florian in Venice, and I've had tea at the Hong Kong Ritz -- and Lady Camellia is our hands-down favorite..!

We're thinking road trip, 2025! 😍 Thanks to Pam B. for this wonderfully descriptive review.

For more information on Lady Camellia, visit their website at :  www.ladycamellia.com