ACTIVITIES = hmm, maybe Detroit’s not so bad after all

Architecture

When Joshua Ray was new to Cranbrook he was taken on an architectural tour by Dylan “Mr. Sweetpants” Nelson and it left an indelible mark. He has since felt a responsibility to pass on the knowledge. There are many great places to visit in the area, but most of you will be here for a short time, so we will limit the list to the highlights and the hidden gems. We wish we could take you to all of them ourselves, but we will be too busy getting gussied up for the wedding.

1. Cranbrook’s campus is where you will start and it is rife with architectural wonder. The original campus itself was designed by the inimitable Eliel Saarinen. Steven Holl designed an addition to the Cranbrook Institute of Science. The Williams Natatorium was designed by Todd Williams and Billie Tsien. And the New Studios building was designed by Rafael Moneo.

2. There are two Frank Lloyd Wright houses very near Cranbrook’s campus. The Affleck House is located here. And the Smith House is located here.

3. Another real gem is the Michigan Theater. In quintessential Detroit style an old theater house was gutted and turned into a parking deck. Rather than bulldoze it and build over the rubble, or restore and preserve it, the decorative interior was just left intact where it didn’t need to be destroyed. It is located here.

4. One more great piece of Detroit dereliction is the abandoned Michigan Central Depot, once Detroit’s bustling train station. It is located here.

Food

The Detroit area may not be known for its cuisine, but for the scrupulous foodie there is most definitely gastronomic pleasure to be had. 

1. The Moose Preserve is without a doubt a must chew. The best bar food around without question. They have a great selection of game meats and draught beers. Joshua Ray recommends the salmon club and Mary unabashedly hawks the big juicy bison burger. Don’t forget the seasoned fries, and you must save room for the big gooey fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. After stowing our luggage, this is the first place we visit when we arrive in Bloomfield Hills.

2. Aunt Olive’s Good-Food-to-Go is very close by and offers a more than satisfactory array of pre-prepared foods. This is one of the places we make sure to frequent every voyage we make to Michigan. If you are with us in time for the rehearsal dinner you can save a trip as it will be brought to you!

3. The Redcoat Tavern is another great place to go. It would also be a must visit, but it is a little farther away than the Moose and of a similar demeanor. It is designed in the style of a woodsy English/Scottish tavern. Low lighting, dark wood and cozy booths make for a very pleasing ambience. They also have very good draught beer. If you can handle the extra cholesterol order the Scotch egg. You will be sorry you did it later, but then glad again after later. 

4. Amici’s Pizza is a bit farther away, but if you are craving gourmet pizza this is the place. They have a delicious variety of toppings and can be very pleasing to the vegetarians among us.

5. Another very good vegetarian/vegan spot is the Inn Season in Royal Oak. There is a great art and indie-film movie house nearby so you could easily make a night of it if you are in the mood for a flick. It is a nice place where you wouldn’t want to be dressed in rags, but you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable in a t-shirt and slacks. A perfect spot for dinner and a movie. 

6. The Pita Cafe is one of the best bangs for your buck going. The food never fails to satisfy a persnickety palate and it is mega cheap. For those of us feeling the pinch of our stagnating economy or just after some tasty middle-eastern fare this is the locale. Don’t forget that the Detroit area has the largest concentration middle-easterners outside the middle-east so they know how to serve it up. 

7. For all you fans of the local dive spots the Hunter House is a veritable institution. A burger hut with only bar seating they serve up small burgers quickly and greasily. If you have a good appetite you should be able to knock out three with fries or onion rings. 

8. And the remedy for that after party hangover is most certainly the Whistle Stop. A definitively locally colored breakfast and lunch joint. Try the bumpy cake. It’s named the bumpy cake. Any questions?

Art

While it is true that Detroit is no New York when it comes to an art scene, it is also true that it has much more to offer than it is often given credit for. Here are just a few places you should check out if you are in the mood for some culture.

1. Of course the number one spot to hit must be the Cranbrook Art Museum. You are next door to it.

2. The Detroit Institute of Arts is the fifth largest art museum in the United States and the employer of the talented and beautiful Madelaine Winslow one of our very own bride’s maids.

3. MoCAD is also a good one to check out for contemporary and often provocative work.

4. Let’s face it if you have gotten down to here and are also attending our wedding events you are pretty much done.

POST-RECEPTION RECEPTION = a few of my favorite (St. Louis) things

Summer isn't complete without a gloriously muggy trip to Mary's hometown of Belleville, Illinois, and we normally try to time it so we can bookend the trip with the Schlau family reunion and the annual softball party on back-to-back weekends. Given this year's out-of-town wedding festivities, we thought to extend the party for the St. Louis crowd by co-hosting with ma and pa Santanello both the reunion and the softball in one fabulous post-reception reception.

The marathon celebration will begin at the traditional summertime field of battle, heartbreak and glory, the softball diamond at Wolf Branch school, located off of Huntwood Drive in Swansea, just across from the tennis courts. The first pitch will be thrown out at 2 or so, but guests are welcome to join up throughout the afternoon, even if just to pinch hit for an inning. After we are all sufficiently stinky and sore and Joe has pulled a leg muscle from running to first on a rope down the right field line, we will hobble into the church hall at Holy Trinity, just a few minutes down the highway from the softball fields, sometime around 6 for a delicious bit of Catholic heaven—a traditional fish fry (with roast beef for our meat-eaters), accompanied by plenty of vegetarian sides and barrels of Budweiser. Landmarks abound for those in need of detailed directions to either venue, please just let us know if you would like more information.

Some of you may have noticed that there is no date on the paper invitation we sent out for this extravaganza/fiasco and thought, oh my, they really are losing their heads with all this wedding planning. What you didn't realize is that such an awesome combination of fish, sweat and smiles deserved a special marketing approach to build the right amount of buzz in the greater St. Louis area, hence the teaser in the mail. After much anticipation, we are ready to reveal the date of the post-reception reception to end all receptions ... Labor Day weekend ... Saturday, AUGUST 30. Start your preparations now, and do let us know of your attendance, s'il vous plaît.

Important note: all of our friends and family outside of the St. Louis metropolitan area are certainly invited to the festivities as well—just let us know your plans and we will save a paper plate for you.

THE BASICS = a magical summer evening

A resolute and resounding welcome to our lovely and loving guests! By now you’ve probably received the splendidly-crafted invitations, but below is a refresher on the vital statistics for our wedding celebration:

Joshua Ray Stephens to take the hand of Mary Lynn Santanello
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Ceremony at 5:30 p.m., under the Peristyle
Reception to follow immediately thereafter, along the Reflecting Pools

For the rest of the bloody details, best to explore the other posts… but first an explanation for the question that has most often popped up upon announcement of our engagement: Why Detroit?!? She’s a Cardinals fan, he’s got the southern drawl, they live in Brooklyn—how is Michigan involved? The obvious link to Detroit, and Cranbrook specifically, is that Joshua Ray attended graduate school there. The campus also happens to be one of the most stunning man-made sites in all of the States (= not too shabby a backdrop for wedding photos). But perhaps the dearest reason for choosing Cranbrook is that we both share a whole-hearted and full-bodied belief that it is one of the most essential, subtly-influential and consequential institutions of our time, and we’re delighted to use the opportunity of our nuptials to introduce even more special people to its magic.

RSVP = early and often

Borrowing from our resourceful friends Kara and Sean, we’ve decided to save a tree or two and forego the old-fashioned reply cards. Instead, we’re requesting that our guests RSVP by taking a moment to call, email or post a comment here.

One important thing to note in your RSVP is which of the following main courses you would prefer:
1. Pan-sauteed Lake Michigan whitefish, served with a lemon caper sauce
2. Spice-rubbed free-range chicken cooked under a brick, accompanied with a roasted tomato chipotle sauce
3. Herb crepes filled with grilled summer vegetables and fresh ricotta, seasoned with a basil tomato sauce

Being that Mary is both incredibly impatient and woefully worrisome (and that Joshua Ray must endure Mary’s aforementioned endearing but exhausting traits), we would greatly appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience and kindly before August 1.

But we would also welcome any updates or queries you may have leading up to the big day, from switching your dinner selection to scoping out who will be staying in the dorms. We realize that attending a “destination” wedding requires a tad more planning than the usual hometown affair, and we truly want to offer whatever assistance we possibly can—so keep us posted!

RECEPTION = revelries and reveries

Our first act as husband and wife will be sharing a decadent meal with our guests—not unusual as wedding receptions go, but especially fitting for us because we love eating! Living in the big city for five years has exposed us to some amazing food and drink, so we've attempted to choose the freshest and most high quality selections possible for our nuptial feast. Our amazing caterer, Kathleen at Canape Cart, has worked with us to source as many locally-grown, humanely-raised and ecologically-sound ingredients as can be found in Michigan, and the menu she has put together looks simply scrumptious.

The feasting will begin with delightful cocktails and delectable hors d'oeuvres on the patio along the reflecting pools promptly after the ceremony, around about 6ish to be exact. We will then sit down together for a family-style dinner and hearty conversation—please be sure to let us know your preferred entree if you haven't already. A dessert smorgasbord will segue into a dancing deluge (or so we hope) led by DJ Goose Commander. We're open to requests for the iPod interludes, so be sure to send us your suggestions or post a comment here.

LODGING = a soft pillow at the end of the day's merriment

We are coordinating the opportunity to stay on campus, amidst the blooming greenery, the sculpture and fountains and Cranbrook mystique, in the academy dorms. A breezy stroll from the ceremony and reception site, these are clean, comfortable spaces designed by Eliel Saarinen (i.e. the grandfather of this country’s most fillibusteringly fabulous landmark, the St. Louis Arch). And the price is right—at $55 for couples, $45 for singles, we thought this option could help cut down on travel costs.

Our hearts are aflutter with the idea of guests from both sides of the aisle bunking together in the dorms, second cousins and college roommates swapping stories about the lovely couple in the common room—our favorite people hand-picked from the ends of the earth, all under one splendid roof, basking in the glow that is Cranbrook if just for a weekend. You can be part of the dream—email Joshua Ray and he will hook you up with further details.

=====

We have also arranged for accommodations of the more traditional type at the Radisson Hotel in Bloomfield Hills, which is less than a mile away from the festivities and features an indoor pool and a cute little courtyard. The price is $104 per night—here’s how to make a reservation:

Call 248.644.1400 or 1.800.333.3333 and ask for the Santanello-Stephens wedding
OR
Reserve online with code SWW28

Unfortunately, only a limited number of rooms are available (warning: not just the usual corporate speak, we have legit competition with a conference that’s in town that weekend), so be certain to contact the hotel at your earliest convenience if this is your first choice… and definitely no later than August 4.

=====

If you’re interested in a slightly more spacious setting, we’ve also reserved rooms at the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Detroit-Troy, only five or so miles from Cranbrook and priced at $99 per night. These one-bedroom suites offer an indoor pool and a complimentary breakfast buffet. In order to receive the discounted group rate, please make your reservations by August 8:

Call 248.816.6500 or 1.800.call.home and ask for the Santanello-Stephens wedding

=====

There are certainly other lodging options in the surrounding area, on both the higher and lower ends—please let us know if you need assistance in finding a spot that suits you. For purposes of driving directions, note that Cranbrook is located at 39221 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48303.

REGISTRY = a delicate decision

Crafting a registry was surprisingly exhausting. There are so very many choices that abound, especially in the inundation of commerce that is New York City. But we wanted to make careful suggestions for gifts that are more than simply things—for items with spirit that will add interest to our home, not just clutter. Ultimately, we visited four quite different establishments and selected objects that we would feel comfortable buying ourselves, that seemed helpful, joyful, thoughtful or just beautiful. These registries are also conveniently available online, via phone or in-store.

=====

If you’re looking for a stunning, over-the-top gift that will make Mary swoon with glee, consider the highlight of our registry: Grand Versailles china from Bernardaud, a family-owned porcelain producer established in 1863 in Limoges, France. The lushly-detailed narrative quality of the pattern is taken from silk tapestries, embroideries, trimmings and brocades found at Louis XIV’s Chateau of Versailles—ooh la la. We’ve registered for these luscious, luxurious dishes, along with some other fancy shmancy stuff, at another family-owned business, Michael C. Fina, a New York institution since 1935.

Please click here for our registry at Michael C. Fina
or call 1.800.Buy.Fina.

We realize that over the past five years of living in the big city, our tastes (and our tolerance for outrageous prices) have evolved—please be forewarned that this china pattern is no exception. If you would like your gift to be something special but think an item from Michael C. Fina seems a bit much, we would also be quite elated to receive gift certificates.

=====

Perhaps the complete opposite, though equally exquisite, are the playful, functional and smartly original objects at Moss, a haute couture design store that specializes in one-off and limited edition pieces but also carries classic and affordable examples of high-design. Looking to raise an eyebrow of approval from Joshua Ray? These sleekly elegant objects are a wise approach.

Please click here for our registry at Moss
or call 1.866.888.6677.

=====

We’ve also selected some basic but (mostly) essential household items from Bed Bath & Beyond and Williams-Sonoma, nationwide retailers likely with an outpost near you. Even at these two mega-stores, we did our best to find quality products that would last a lifetime instead of ending up in a landfill. Please do keep in mind that if we didn’t register for it, we probably already have it, so don’t be alarmed by the random collection of choices.

Please click here for our registry at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Please click here for our registry at Williams-Sonoma.