Yes/No Detroit

Happy Friday the 13th and happy end of the work week, although unfortunately I think Outlook is back and running today—I was actually able to write an article I needed to do yesterday because it was down (gave me more time to focus). What I've been up to the past two weeks: Using my CVS ExtraBucks . I have their CarePass+ program or whatever they call it now, and I get $10 per month to use at their store or online. I generally just buy candy and then pick it up online, but every time I tried to order some Reese's, I got a text back saying out of stock, and they refunded me in ExtraBucks, since that's what I used to pay. I finally just went to the store to get something, and they had a 50% off aisle with Halloween treats and goodies, including the Hello Kitty pictured above (and Baby K loves cats, so she loves it). Not being able to check my work email. Outlook went down around 12:30pm yesterday, for me, and didn't come back ... it looks like it is FINALLY back up, at le...

*Disclosure: I have an ongoing media relationship with 313 Presents.. The opinions listed here, however, are my own. Mystic Pizza  is coming to the Fox this January, and I'm a fan of the movie (with Julia Roberts) so I'm excited to see this one. About the show: Big League Productions proudly launched its new production of Mystic Pizza: A New Musical at the Clemens Center in Elmira, New York on September 26, 2026. Based on the beloved movie classic that launched Julia Roberts’ career, this sparkling musical depicts best friends Kat, Daisy, and Jojo’s search for love and self-identity as they face life’s many unexpected twists and turns. Packed with chart-topping ‘80s and ‘90s hits, this entertaining show celebrating Mystic, Connecticut’s iconic pizza joint will tour the USA with a stop at the Fox Theatre as part of the 2026-27 Fox Theatre Series presented by Fifth Third Bank, for three shows from Friday, January 22 through Saturday, January 23. Tickets on sale now at 313presents...

Somehow it's already November, and we've had really good weather up until today, but the high today is going to be 42 ... I'm not ready for winter just yet. Me after my haircut What I've been up to the past two weeks: Got a haircut . Probably not a big deal to some, but my last haircut was in June 2025 , aka two months before Baby K was born ... my hair was getting Rapunzel-like, LOL (aka really long), though, so it was definitely time. My hairdresser cut enough off that I ended up donating to Maggie's Wigs 4 Kids of Michigan, which is based in St. Clair Shores, and I mailed my hair to them, which was a new experience for me. I got a little more cut off than I wish I did, but it's nice to have shorter hair again. Getting takeout and delivery . We had The Great Greek about two weeks ago, and since then we've had some Noori DoorDash, plus Indian food on Halloween at a friend's house. Also House of Falafel pickup through a Yelp Detroit event, which is alway...

Everyone in my family just finished getting over the plague (not really, I'm being dramatic, but it certainly felt like that), which is why there was no Friday Five last week. This week was better in terms of sickness, but still busy. Maybe Happy Ending at the Fisher Theatre, Detroit What I've been up to the past two weeks: Plague . Last Thursday, I was sick, but thankfully only for a day or two; on Friday, my daughter couldn't keep down food, and we ended up going to the ER at the end of the day (where she, of course, was able to keep down food, and she's fine now); and then starting Saturday, my husband was sick. My MIL is awesome and ended up coming in from Indiana to help us out for a bit, and thankfully everyone is healthy now, I'd say. Yelp pickup event at Onezo . My MIL came in on Sunday, and I was finally able to leave the house a bit. Yelp Detroit was doing a pickup event at Hers Zakka Market & Onezo Cafe, in Novi, so I met a friend there and got my fre...

*Disclosure: I have an ongoing media relationship with Broadway in Detroit. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own. I had never heard of OPERATION MINCEMEAT before ATG Detroit released its lineup for this year, but it sounds like an interesting show, and I'm looking forward to it. It'll be at the Fisher Theatre this January. Read on to find out how to win two tickets to opening night! About the show: ATG Detroit is thrilled to announce that single tickets for Tony® and Olivier Award®-winning OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL, Entertainment Weekly’s #1 Broadway Show of 2025, will go on sale Friday, September 25 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets will be available online at us.ATGTickets.com/Detroit. OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL will play Detroit’s Fisher Theatre January 12 – 24, 2027 on its North American Leg of its World Tour. In OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL, it’s 1943, and the Allied Forces are on the ropes. Luckily, they’ve got a trick up their sleeve. Well, not up ...

It's been a super busy past two weeks—last week I was in Massachusetts on a press trip for work, through Ocean Spray, and even got to go into a cranberry bog, hence no Friday Five. This week I finally have some time, so let's recap the past two weeks! A cranberry bog in Massachusetts What I've been up to the past two weeks: Work trip to Massachusetts . Two weeks ago, on a Monday, I got an email inviting me to Lakeville, MA, courtesy of Ocean Spray, to learn about how a cranberry gets from the bog to consumers' tables. It was a fast turn-around though: the trip was a week after that (aka last week), Wednesday to Friday. I asked my MIL if she could come help with the baby, and last week, I headed to the East Coast—where I was born, and lived until I was five years old—to check out some cranberries! The bog was definitely an interesting experience, I felt a little like an Oompa Loompa in the waders but it was cool to see how the cranberries get harvested—after the bog we w...

Writing up a quick Friday Five before work today—I opted to do daycare dropoff instead of pickup, because I'm seeing Practical Magic 2 later, which I'm excited about. Cactus Blossom from Texas Roadhouse What I've been up to this week: Eating out and getting takeout . Last Saturday, my husband and I went to Texas Roadhouse for a late lunch, around 3pm, and my parents watched Baby K for us. I hadn't been in exactly a year, it seemed, also on Sept. 19, because it came up in FB memories for that day. We split the Cactus Blossom (I had a free app coupon, which was nice) and I also got the NY Strip steak along with the Caesar salad, loaded sweet baked potato, and of course their signature rolls.  On Sunday, Baby K and I met a friend at Guernsey's, and I had their two-piece chicken with mashed potatoes; it was very good but a bit pricey IMO ($12) for the amount of food I got. I also picked up a half-gallon of Mackinac Island peanut butter fudge ice cream to take home. On W...

*Disclosure: I have an ongoing media relationship with 313 Presents.. The opinions listed here, however, are my own. Mrs. Doubtfire the musical is coming back to Detroit next month, and I'm excited to see it - I first saw it in 2023 at the Fisher, and now it will be at the Fox, on Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3. One of my lucky readers will win a 4-pack of tickets to the Oct. 2 show, as well! Read on for details. About the show: Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny is headed to Detroit in this internationally acclaimed hit musical critics call “wonderful, heart-warming, and laugh-out-loud funny” (Manchester Evening News) and “a feel-good, family-friendly comedy that delivers” (The Hollywood Reporter). Based on the beloved film, MRS. DOUBTFIRE tells the hysterical and heartfelt story of an out-of-work actor who will do anything for his kids. It’s “the lovable, big-hearted musical comedy we need right now,” raves the Chicago Tribune – one that proves we’re better together. T...

Today is the 25th anniversary of 9/11, which is crazy - I still remember where I was and what I was doing (9th grade English class) when they announced the news. I was a freshman in high school at the time, and I also remember observing the 1st/2nd/3rd anniversaries with a few moments of silence, too, at gym assemblies.  Practical Magic watch party What I've been up to this week: Practical Magic watch party . Even though the new one has mixed reviews, the first one is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I'm looking forward to watching it. On Friday, my friend Margarita had a watch party for the original, and she always throws a great party—she had decorations, as you can see above, plus lots of good charcuterie and desserts, and we all brought a charcuterie board too; I made a dessert one with marshmallows, chocolate, and more.  Rainforest Cafe birthday party . On Saturday, a friend had a birthday party for her 7-year-old son and it was supposed to be at their house, but un...

This might be a shorter Friday Five today—daycare is closed due to a power outage, so I'm writing this while Baby K and I scarf down some breakfast. She has a doctor's appointment today, so I took off work anyway for the long weekend, but I was hoping to relax a bit until 5pm ...  Domino's Farms, Ann Arbor What I've been up to this week: Birthday party at Domino's Farms, Ann Arbor. I had heard of this place but never been, and Baby K got invited to a 4-year-old's birthday party there (her parents are close friends—her dad actually got ordained and was the "minister" at our wedding two years ago). We almost didn't make it, because my husband was a little under the weather, but my mother-in-law was in town until that day and offered to go with (always good to have a second pair of hands, with a baby). Baby K got to see some farm animals close up, and also go on a tractor ride, which was fun.  Watching TV shows . I didn't know there was a new seas...

I just got back around 10pm yesterday from Fort Myers—I was there starting Monday night for a work conference—and I have to work today. Semi-busy weekend, too, as we are going to a birthday party at a petting zoo tomorrow.  Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, Bonita Springs, FL What I've been up to this week: Traveling for work . My flight from DTW to RSW (Fort Myers, FL) was around 2pm on Monday, and I was supposed to get back at 8:45pm last night but instead got back at 9:45pm, so I'm tired today. I was there for the ECRM conference, which is kind of like speed dating (the first day I met with about 15 candy companies, then about 20 the next day, in 10- and 20-minute meetings). Their August iteration is everyday candy, and the February conference is Christmas and seasonal; in February, I went to Dallas for it.  1st birthday party for Baby K . Baby K's real birthday was in mid-August, but we were in Indiana that weekend for a wedding, so instead we had her party at our house last...

This has been an out-of-sorts week: we were in Indiana last Friday (hence why no Friday Five post last week) through Monday, and then Baby K stayed there with her grandparents until Thursday. She just got home yesterday, since we are having her 1st birthday party tomorrow. Lindsey Stirling at Freedom Hill, Sterling Heights, MI What I've been up to this week: Attending a wedding . The reason we went to Indiana is that one of my husband's friends was getting married—I had met this friend a few times, and had only met his fiancee once, at our wedding two years ago, actually. The ceremony was at a church, conveniently like a 5-minute drive from my in-laws' house, and the reception was at a nearby community center. A lot of our friends went, including some who live in South Carolina whom we don't see often, and it was a fun time; we also attended an after-party with the same friends, too, and stayed out way too late, but it's not something we do that often now with a bab...

*Disclosure: I have an ongoing media relationship with Broadway in Detroit. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own. BOOP! The Musical is coming to Detroit this December, at the Fisher Theatre, and I'm looking forward to seeing it. One of my lucky readers will win two tickets to see it on opening night on December 1st! See below for details. About the show: ATG Detroit is thrilled to announce that individual tickets for BOOP!® The Musical will go on sale starting Friday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m. BOOP!® The Musical will make its Detroit premiere at the Fisher Theatre December 1 – 13. Tickets can be purchased online at us.ATGTickets.com/Detroit . For almost a century, the Betty Boop® character has won hearts and inspired fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style. Now, in BOOP!® The Musical, Betty’s dream of an ordinary day off from super-celebrity in her black-and-white world leads to a “bright and bubbly” (Time Out New York) adventure of color, music, ...