Holiday Happenings

The elves have been out in preparation for the holiday season! Come see the twinkling lights and sparkling storefronts in Saline. This weekend (Dec 4th & 5th) there are lots of fun holiday activities in town. Friday we have the tree lighting ceremony downtown, the holiday tea party and Ele's place fundraiser (see our school administrators 'dance thru the decades') as part of the Moonlight Madness Craft Show (at the middle school), and on Saturday the holiday parade at 5:30. (I still miss the Christkindlmarket, sigh...). Last week as part of our city council meeting we adopted a resolution in support of the 3/50 initiative (you know I have been talking shop local for years....). Come revel in all the holiday cheer Saline has in store for you...

Commuity Volunteers

While we were waiting for the fair parade to begin I had the chance to meet some amazing people. They were gathered around colorful wooden carts, which were circling Harris Street in front of city hall. The local First United Methodist Church has started a project to build PETs. (aka Personal Empowerment Transportation). They are building these carts and sending them to disabled people living in poverty around the world. The stories they shared were so moving, I wanted everyone to learn about this great project. They talked about the shoe cobbler who stores his supplies in the back of his PET and can now earn a living. Or the disabled couple who now are able to be married because they can both make a living, every day he goes 3miles out to his farm field to harvest while she sells the produce at the market. Right here in Saline we are impacting lives far away. The group is looking for more volunteers and financial contributions. Their goal is to produce 1,000 PET's and change the world, one person at a time. And they are always looking for volunteers!

Tuesday afternoon I biked in the memorial ride for our Saline resident Tim Pincikowski. Tim's death was a shock to our community and our hearts go out to his family. It was a very moving and somber experience to participate in. The ride provoked a lot of thought and discussion as you can see on the annarbor.com blog entries for the article.

In Saline we are now hosting a community bike ride once a month thanks to the healthy living coalition (Pick up the Pace, Saline aka PUPS) and PEAC. We are also working on the final pieces to a citywide nonmotorized transportation plan, which should be completed mid September. What other action items can we take to make the road a safer place for all? I bike regularly out Austin Road to Bridgewater for a quick workout. Biking is an important part of the healthy lifestyle we should all be able to participate in safely.

Looking for sunshine in Saline?

Okay, so it is taking a little longer to get those hot summer days we have been so longingly waiting for. If you walk into The Cobblestone Rose (101 S Ann Arbor St) you will find the interior design store that has fully embraced our summer longings. Bright colors, florals, and outdoor patio effects will inspire you to be patient for the delightful days to come. The owner, Karen Hodgson, started her business years ago with beautiful arrangements of dried flowers. She has expanded to support your creative urges through many different alternatives, interior design fabrics pieces, clothing, jewelry and everlasting florals. If you stop by for a visit, you will find friendly faces and styling inspirations. Have fun!!

New business in town...

Now that it is warming up and I see all the walkers out and about, I hope you can visit one of our newer business owners downtown. Jamal just had his grand opening of Back Door Cafe which is situated behind the Town & Country Bike Shop. He has been working his magic and changed the interior and the food selections. Saline is fortunate to have several great coffee shops downtown, this one is the newest espresso bar. Also he has great selection of lunch items like burgers and sandwiches, yummy desserts and pastries. Jamal intends the Back Door Cafe to be the family coffee drinker destination...there is lots of room including a small banquet facility next door (available by appointment). Stop by and say hello to one of our newest Saline business owners!

Apologies

Due to technological difficulties I have gotten behind on my goals here (my biggest fear when I considered setting up a blog). Please bear with me as we have a lot to talk about. Really delightful stores that have not been introduced yet. And some really amazing people....of course, that is what I love most about Saline, the people.

The Pineapple House celebrated its 25th anniversary in Saline last year. The reason they are still here is because they have beautiful merchandise and great service. When you walk in The Pineapple House you feel embraced. The products speak to you. Then, add to that the great service Joy and her staff give you. Joy, by trade, is an interior designer. And boy, has she done some amazing homes and showcase houses!
But as she raised her children in Saline, she also chose to participate in our community by being active on the Saline Chamber of Commerce. She served as the president a few years ago. And to this day she continues to actively participate in the efforts we make to improve our downtown.
Another reason that Saline is such a special place to be!

A Place to find Spring

When it is cold and snowy out like it is right now, I love going in Maureen's Designs. This flower shop is so cheery with beautiful flowers and growing things everywhere. The colors of the store remind me of summer and in these dog days of winter it is nice to have a place to get a break from the cold and gray. Maureen is so much fun and her work is exquisite. One of these days I am going to get a bunch of my girlfriends and go in for a training class on flower arranging. Stop by and buy yourself a sprig or two of spring...you deserve it!

Saline's Newest Business Downtown

The newest store downtown is quite a treat. The Resale Boutique has a great selection of clothes and accessories at a price that can't be beat. Owner Jamie Westcott is delightful and very happy to be settled in Saline. The store is quite cozy and she knows how to present her clothes. I think you will find shopping at The Resale Boutique a positive and memorable experience.

Downtown Icon

I've gotten a little behind on getting out my blog. I appreciate your patience with me while I try to get a system going.
The featured store today is very interesting because they are actually having a end of career closing sale, sort of strange for me to pick as our first retailer to talk about but....
I chose The Calico Cat because Marsha Duncan was one of our first retailers in Saline. She started in Manchester over 30 years ago and moved to Saline over 25 yrs ago to the store she is in today. Then she expanded to have 2 stores in Saline by doing an incredible job renovating the Methodist Church (she even used some of the church doors for her display cabinets!)
I love her store because you can find the most unique gifts there and she has a great selection of childrens books. The store she is in now (next to Benny's bakery) has a lot of Christmas collections, even pieces of the wooden German collectibles that I inherited from my grandmother!
We will so miss Marsha, Jim, the great gift selections and their wonderful stories and friendliness.
I hope you get a chance to stop in there before they are gone and visit this fabulous store.