It Is Fat Tuesday and Time for Paczkis

Donut Cutter Berkley, Michigan

I grew up in the Metro-NY area, a very diverse place, but I had never heard of a Paczki until I moved to the Metro-Detroit area.  For those of you who don't know this is a Paczki:

Gurwin and his blueberry Paczki

Looks a lot like a doughnut and well, Paczki is Polish for doughnut.  Here are some things to know about Paczkis:

• They have been around since at least the Middle Ages
• Started as a way to use up lard, sugar, eggs and fruit for fasting during Lent.
• Cities that have Paczki Day celebrations:  Detroit, Chicago, Toledo, Buffalo, Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, South Bend and Windsor (Ontario)
• An old Polish proverb states; "If you don't eat at least one doughnut (Paczki) on Shrove Tuesday, you will no longer be successful in life."
• They are DELICIOUS

Gurwin and his sack of Paczkis

Gurwin and I got out #Gadflyin early to get ours.  Maybe next year we will trek to Hamtramck to get our Paczkis, but this year we got them at The Donut Cutter in Berkley.  They were fresh out of the oven and the trays just kept coming - big demand for Paczkis today.

Donut Cutter Berkley, Michigan

Hope you live somewhere where you can get a Paczki.

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Hamtramck + Polish Food = Polonia

Polonia - Hamtramck, Michigan

Y-U-M is all I can say.  #Gadflyin for lunch in Hamtramck at Polonia Restaurant - what a great place.  Love the decor and service.

Polonia - Hamtramck, Michigan

The food is plentiful and it is good Polish home cooking.

Polish Sausage - Polonia- Hamtramck, Michigan

There is plenty of parking located next to the restaurant, the prices are more than reasonable and they have a senior menu after 4PM.  They do accept all credit cards; however they charge 4% for using the card - (this IS printed on the menu and the waitress did advise me before I paid).

Welcome to Hamtramck, Michigan

The Polonia Restaurant is located at 2934 Yemens St. in Hamtramck and is open M-TH 11-8, F-Sat 11-9 and Sun 1-7 (Closed on Mon during the winter). For more info and to look at the menu: http://www.polonia-restaurant.net/index.php

As always more pictures on Pinterest.  Next up - PACZKIS!!!!!!!!! 

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U of M + Figure Skaters + Camp for Kids = Giving

The Detroit Skating Club Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

The Gadfly Investigations Newspaper got their tickets for Frenchie Skate 2014, did you?  Saturday we were #Gadflyin at The Detroit Skating Club, and bought our tickets to the  benefit for North Star Reach a camp for children with serious health challenges.  FYI - 100% of the proceeds will go to the camp and that is wonderful to hear.

Detroit Skating Club Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

North Star Reach is located in Pinckney, Michigan and is a provisional member of The SeriousFun Children's Network founded by Paul Newman. You can learn more about the camp here:  https://northstarreach.org/  The Gadfly Investigations Newspaper hopes to do a future blog about the camp.

Frenchie Skate 2014 at Yost Ice Arena - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Frenchie Skate 2014 will be held at Yost Ice Arena home of the University of Michigan Ice Hockey Team.  The show will feature some skaters you may know.  Those who have confirmed to skated so far that you may know are:

•  US National Champ - Alissa Czisny
• Canadian Olympic Team members, Ice Dancers  Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje
• National Champion and Olympic Team member, Jeremy Abbott 

Jeremy Abbott Detroit Skating Club

I am hopeful that either The Shibutanis or Meryl Davis and Charlie White will be there; as  they are all University of Michigan students - stay tuned.  For more information about the event, including other performers and to purchase tickets online, follow this link:  http://frenchieskate.com/ 

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One Never Knows, Do One? This One The Gadfly Knows

 

2013-2014 Stagecrafters Baldwin Theatre Royal Oak Michigan

Last night I was #Gadflyin at the Baldwin Theatre for the Stagecrafters production of "Ain't Misbehavin" - WOW - "The Joint was Jumpin"!  Fats Waller may have said "One never knows, do one?"  But the Gadfly knows this was one good show.   "Ain't Misbehavin" is the 1978 Best Musical Tony Award winner., it is a musical review filled with Fats Waller music performed by 5 talented performers and backed by an equally talented band.  Some of the standouts for me:

• "The Vipers Drag" - Jair  (he has his own YouTube Channel) http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXaZUcSw9lRlC3lAdtGC6A    

• "Mean to Me" -Tanya  (this was the role performed by Nell Carter)
• "You Feets Too Big" - Dez  (he appeared in the previous show "Shrek" as Donkey)
• The last part of the Second Act starting with "Black and Blue" into a Medley that included "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" then into a reprise of "Honetsuckle Rose" - Ensemble of Shondra, Christiana, Tanya, Jair and Dez

 Some of the audience paid extra to sit on the stage and be part of the show; they sure looked like they were having a good time.  
There is still time to catch this terrific show as it runs through March 2.(Links to Stagecrafters below)  

http://www.stagecrafters.org/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stagecrafters/111900041829

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The Other Side of Gold

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No secret I am a Figure Skating fan, and I admit I was thrilled to see Davis and White win, and am enjoying all the media coverage of them.  However; for every happy ending there is a not so happy ending, especially when competition is involved. In order for there to be a #1 there has to be a #2 - 3 - 4 and so on.  I refuse to use the word loser as it has too many negative connotations.  
Where I am I going with all this?  Well, first I want to talk about an interesting connection with the musical piece Scheherazade.  In the 1984 Olympics US Ice Dancers Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert came extremely close to winning a Bronze Medal, but lost it as one judge gave them a deduction for their music - Scheherazade - saying it was inappropriate music for Ice Dance.  Interesting that now 30 years later the US Ice Dancers win Gold with the same music.  Ice Dancing and the scoring has evolved a great deal since that time but, it is an interesting coincidence.  
For your comparison and enjoyment - Blumberg and Seibert's "Scheherazade"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyfosI-IcYY

Now on to Virtue and Moir 2010 Gold Medalists and Silver Medalists this year.  They skated beautifully and I am sure their fans felt they deserved Gold.  That is the beauty and frustration of judged sports; not everyone has the same perception.  I will say that I think we skating fans benefited from the competition between Virtue /Moir and Davis/White as it drove them both to ever higher levels.  
I saw this video on NBC's Olympics site and I thought is was very poignant and worthy of sharing. Thank you Virtue/Moir and Davis/White it was an truly epic competition.  No words necessary to describe this - it speaks for itself.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/team-canadas-scott-moir-caught-kissing-ice



 

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Strays Sheltered at The Royal Oak Animal Shelter

This has been some winter - snow, Arctic Vortex, snow and in the middle of all this a cat wanders into my life.  We had put out some stale bread for the birds and I see a cat outside eating it.  Now I know if this cat is eating stale bread it is pretty hungry, so I start putting out cat food for it to eat. After a little time the cat starts to get friendly with me, rubbing against my legs when I come to put the food out.  I decide to try to pick the cat up and he lets me.  I'm worried about the cat being out in the snow and the frigid temperatures.  I already have 3 cats of my own and one of them thinks he should be an 'only cat', so keeping him is out of the question.  I call the Royal Oak Animal Shelter tell the volunteer my story and he says they will be able to make room for one more.  THANK YOU.
The cat isn't too happy when I try to put him in the carrier, but he allows me and then proceeds to cry all the way to the shelter.  The volunteers that I encountered were wonderful and I feel blessed to live in a city that has a shelter staffed by such caring, wonderful people.  I will be calling or stopping by the shelter to inquire about this poor cat who must have belonged to someone at one time. I wonder did he get lost or did someone move and leave him behind.  So sad.  Everyone should have a home and someone to love them.
 I think this picture from The Royal Oak Animal Shelter's Facebook page is 'my' cat (I'll find out this week for sure).  They named him Brennan and I am hopeful someone will adopt him and give him the loving home he deserves.  I am glad that he is warm, fed and safe.  Here is The Royal Oak Animal Shelter web site:  http://members.petfinder.com/~MI151/index.html  Maybe you are looking to adopt a cat or dog, or purchase some merchandise, or contribute, or volunteer.  The animals will be thankful if you do.

Picture from The Royal Oak Animal Shelter's Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Royal-Oak-Animal-Shelter/104152189672177

The Kid from Kalamazoo is Retiring

Picture from Official Facebook Fan Page for Derek Jeter https://www.facebook.com/derekjeter/photos/pb.177902535594701.-2207520000.1392264452./691145740937042/?type=3&theater

I know, I know he plays for the NY Yankees, but...he is still a kid from Kalamazoo, Michigan.  Remember, I am a New Yorker transplanted to Michigan, so yes I am a  Derek Jeter  fan.   Anyway, today the Yankee Captain announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season, and what a career he has had.  Truly one of baseball's and NY Yankee greats.  You can not argue his accomplishments: Rookie of the Year, 13 time All-Star, 5 times World Series Champion, 2000 World series MVP...
I'm going to make it a plan to go see him play when the Yankees come to Detroit.  All the best Derek Jeter and thanks for all the great baseball memories.

Picture from Official Facebook Fan Page of Derek Jeter https://www.facebook.com/derekjeter/photos/pb.177902535594701.-2207520000.1392264199./691145820937034/?type=3&theater