Le Detroit Macaron

When someone asks me what my favorite sweet treat is, my answer is always macarons. French macarons are small round thin meringue-like cookies that are sandwiched together with some kind of filling. The meringue is what makes these cookies unique. They have a smooth, crisp shell and a moist, chewy interior. The fillings can be whatever you dream up from decadent sea salted caramel to buttercream frosting and everything in between.

Macarons are a French staple and if you happen to be in Paris (I\’ve never been, but it’s on my bucket list), you’ll have no trouble finding them at a bakery. Back here in the US, these delicious treats are growing in popularity, and take some searching to find – especially ones that are actually good.

While in New Orleans with my grandparents multiple years ago I tried my first macaron at Sucré. New Orleans is a French city, and Sucré has a pastry chef straight from Paris, therefore these little delicious wonders were as real as real gets. You can imagine it was love at first bite. From then until now I have tried macarons anytime I see them at a bakery, and nothing has come close to comparing. A couple years ago the guy I was dating went to Paris for a work trip and brought me back 12 of the most delicious macarons I have ever tasted. They were just like the ones I remember having when I was in NOLA, and since then that flavor, texture, and amazingness has never left my mind and I have been on the hunt for a real macaron since. Naturally when I heard of a place called “Le Detroit Macaron” I knew I would have to make the trek out to their shop.

Straight from the Le Detroit Macaron website, it says “Anyone who knows their history, knows that Detroit, at its beginning, was French. Le Detroit Macaronby pays homage and respect to that beginning.” The website also states that they use traditional, French macaron method that results in a firm outer-shell with soft insides. 


Le Detroit Macaron ONLY sells macarons, and when your specialty is one thing you better know what you’re doing, and guess what – THEY DO. You guys, it was love at first bite – the macarons tasted amazing, and were actually FRESH!! There are a couple of local bakeries that sell macarons with so much potential – however, they freeze theirs which ruins the taste completely. Le Detroit Macarons fulfilled all of my macaron dreams. Hamtramck is about an hour away from me and worth every minute of that drive to get these delicious little treats.

If you want to taste a traditional macaron, and feel like you’re in a dainty little Paris shop for just a moment – I highly recommend going to Le Detroit Macaron. 



From their traditional flavors, my favorites are Almond, Lemon Zest, Fruity Pebbles and Creme Brûlée. 



Price: $2.75 each

You can also get custom 5 ($12) or 10 ($24) macaron boxes. 



Bon Appétit

Small Aspirations

On March 7th, my best friend Brian lost his battle with cancer and passed away. Brian and I had been friends for twenty plus years, and throughout that time he dealt a lot with my confidence issues. He worked hard to make me see the positives instead of the negatives in life. That being said, you can imagine how much love and light he brought into my life. Now that he\’s gone I am on my own to keep myself from falling into negative self-talk. One thing I have decided to do is write small aspirations on sticky notes and place them on my mirror. Since I look in the mirror first thing in the morning while I am getting ready I have noticed that they have definitely made an impact on how I begin my day. That\’s why I wanted to add some light into your life by sharing 15 small everyday aspirations.

15 Small Aspirations
1. Smile a lot
2. Be happy
3. Step outside of your comfort zone
4. Discover a new workout class
5. Be passionate
6. Show love
7. Value nature
8. Be a goal digger
9. Laugh a lot
10. Compliment others
11. Be happy
12. Find the good
13. Careless about others acceptance
14. Reduce overthinking
15. Think \”Yes I can\”

8 Tips to Opening Yourself to Love

Where my single ladies at? This one is for you! I started writing this article in December, and was going to throw it at you in January and get all cheesy about how we make resolutions for so many things in our lives, why not resolve in matters of the heart. Then, I decided to step back from that aspect, at least the whole new years resolution cheesy part of it. If 2018 wasn’t your year in the relationship department, maybe 2019 is the time to refocus on you and what your heart needs. Here are seven tips that will help open yourself up to finding love.



1. Start with yourself
Write down all the good qualities you have as a mate and all your bad qualities. Pick two good qualities you want to improve that would make you even more attractive to potential mates. Now pick two negative qualities you can reduce or eliminate that will make you more attractive. 
I will give you two personal examples: my good quality is I am very caring and like to do little things for people that matter to me. My biggest negative quality is I have body image issues and constantly call myself “fat”, and dismiss compliments. 


2. Get off the dating apps and sites
Relationship sites claim that one in five relationships start online. That means four in five start offline. Follow the offs and get out there. Expanding your social circle, taking new workout classes…etc will increase your chances of finding that special someone. 



3. Clean up your living space
Prepare your space with the intent that you’re getting it ready to entertain a potential partner. If your space is dirty and cluttered, it conditions your mind to think that your space is not ready for someone and gives you the excuse not to meet potential suiters. 



4. Get rid of things that remind you of your ex…. thank you, next!
Your ex is an ex for a reason, if reminders are around they will trigger your mind to think about your ex instead of shifting your focus to meeting someone new and wonderful.



5. Know the qualities you want in a potential mate
Make a list of things you want and stick to it. Don’t waver your desires or compromise for someone just for the sake of being in a relationship. Wait for Mr. Right and not Mr. Right Now. 




6. It’s okay to be single
Being hard on yourself because you are single manipulates you into feelings of despair. Forgiving yourself creates hope for what’s to come and eventually feelings of happiness. Positive vibes are far more attractive than negative ones, so be kind to yourself.



7. Read the book The Five Love Languages (singles edition) by Gary Chapman
Learn what your love language is so you know what you require in a relationship. 



8. Listen
Most people love to talk, but few are really good listeners. When you pay close attention, you can learn so much about someone.

Broadway in Detroit – What\’s Coming in the 2019 – 2020 Season

Broadway In Detroit today announced the seven remarkable Broadway productions that will share the spotlight in Broadway In Detroit’s 2019-20 Subscription Season headlined by pop culture phenomenon Dear Evan Hansen, winner of six 2017 Tony® Awards including Best Musical and the 2018 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theatre Album! 

 
The 2019-20 Broadway In Detroit Subscription Season opens with Cats, winner of seven Tony Awards® including Best Musical, at the Fisher Theatre, September 2019, followed by: Come From Away, at the Fisher Theatre, October 2019, the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them; Hello, Dolly!, Winner of four Tony® Awards including Best Musical Revival, at the Fisher Theatre, November – December 2019; A Bronx Tale, the streetwise musical based on Academy Award® nominee Chazz Palminteri’s true life story, at the Fisher Theatre, January – February 2020; Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, at the Detroit Opera House, February – March 2020;  Dear Evan Hansen, winner of six 2017 Tony® Awards including Best Musical and the 2018 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theatre Album, at the Fisher Theatre, March – April 2020; and, SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical, featuring more than 20 of Summer’s classic hits, at the Fisher Theatre, June 2020. Please note that all show dates may be subject to change.


The 2019-20 Broadway In Detroit Subscription Seasonis now available for renewal by current Broadway In Detroit subscribers by visiting www.BroadwayInDetroit.comor by calling the Fisher Theatre at (313) 872-1000, ext. 0. New subscription sales will begin April 22.
 
“The 2019-2020 Broadway In Detroit Subscription Season is an eclectic and exciting line-up of award-winning shows that we are thrilled to present to Detroit audiences,” said Broadway In Detroit Executive Director Alan Lichtenstein. “Subscribers will appreciate this interesting mix of the hottest touring productions along with popular fan favorites, including some spectacular new revivals.” 
Broadway In Detroit 2019-20 Subscription Shows
Cats, the record-breaking musical spectacular by Andrew Lloyd Webber that has captivated audiences in over 30 countries and 15 languages, is now on tour across North America!  Audiences and critics alike are rediscovering this beloved musical with breathtaking music, including one of the most treasured songs in musical theater — “Memory.” Winner of seven Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Cats tells the story of one magical night when an extraordinary tribe of cats gathers for its annual ball to rejoice and decide which cat will be reborn. The original score by Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the Opera, School of Rock, Sunset Boulevard), original scenic and costume design by John Napier (Les Misérables), all-new lighting design by Natasha Katz (Aladdin), all-new sound design by Mick Potter, new choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton) based on the original choreography by Gillian Lynne (Phantom) and direction by Trevor Nunn (Les Misérables) make this production a new Cats for a new generation!
Broadway’s Come From Away is a Best Musical winner all across North America! This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don’t miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony® nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein and helmed by this year’s Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley. Newsweek cheers, “It takes you to a place you never want to leave!” On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all.

Winner of four Tony® Awards including Best Musical Revival, Hello, Dolly! is the universally acclaimed smash that NPR calls “the best show of the year!” and the Los Angeles Times says, “distills the mood-elevating properties of the American musical at its giddy best.” Director Jerry Zaks’ “gorgeous” new production (Vogue) is “making people crazy happy!” (The Washington Post). After breaking box office records week after week and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, this Hello, Dolly! is now touring America, paying tribute to the original work of legendary director/choreographer Gower Champion — hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theater history. Rolling Stone calls it “a must-see event. A musical comedy dream. If you’re lucky enough to score a ticket, you’ll be seeing something historic. Wow, wow, wow, indeed!”
Three years ago, Academy Award® nominee Chazz Palminteri teamed up with Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro, Tony® Award winner Jerry Zaks and Tony® Award nominee Sergio Trujillo to create this streetwise musical based on Palminteri’s true life story. A Bronx Tale, Broadway’s hit crowd-pleaser, takes you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. Bursting with high-energy dance numbers and original doo-wop tunes from Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and Glenn Slater (Love Never Dies), A Bronx Tale is an unforgettable story of loyalty and family. The New York Times hails A Bronx Tale as “A Critics’ Pick! The kind of tale that makes you laugh and cry.”
 
Roald Dahl’sCharlie and the Chocolate Factory is now Detroit’s golden ticket! “This winning production lifts the spirit and fills the heart as only live theatre can,” (Philadelphia Inquirer). It’s the perfect recipe for a delectable treat: songs from the original film, including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man,” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of Hairspray. Willy Wonka is opening his marvelous and mysterious chocolate factory… to a lucky few. That includes Charlie Bucket, whose bland life is about to burst with color and confection beyond his wildest dreams. He and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a mesmerizing joyride through a world of pure imagination. Now’s your chance to experience the wonders of Wonka like never before — get ready for Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, the great glass elevator and more, more, more at this everlasting showstopper!
A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Winner of six 2017 Tony® Awards including Best Musical and the 2018 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theatre Album, Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. Dear Evan Hansen has struck a remarkable chord with audiences and critics everywhere, including The Washington Post who says Dear Evan Hansen is “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theatre history.” The New York Times calls it “a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical.” And NBC Nightly News declares the musical “an anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond.” Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony® Award winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy®, Tony® and Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony® Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).
She was a girl from Boston with a voice from heaven who shot through the stars from gospel choir to dance floor diva. But what the world didn’t know was how Donna Summer risked it all to break through barriers, becoming the icon of an era and the inspiration for every music diva who followed. SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical features a score of more than 20 of Summer’s classic hits including “Love to Love You Baby,” ”Bad Girls” and “Hot Stuff,” this electric experience is a moving tribute to the voice of a generation.
Purchasing Subscription Tickets
2019-20 Broadway In Detroit Subscription Season tickets are priced starting at $399 for all seven shows.Current Broadway In Detroit subscribers can renew their subscription for the 2019-20 series by visiting www.BroadwayInDetroit.com or by calling the Fisher Theatre at (313) 872-1000, ext. 0. New subscription sales will begin April 22.
Benefits for Subscribers
Broadway In Detroit season subscribers always get the best seats in the house, the same seats for each show, priority access to buy additional tickets for season shows and extra attractions, and full exchange privileges at no charge. Another added benefit for subscribers is the ability to post tickets for sale or forward to friends or clients up to two hours before show time via My Broadway In Detroit Ticket Exchange Program. Subscribers also enjoy the ability to have tickets reprinted at the box office for no charge. Subscription prices include parking costs in the Fisher Theatre surface parking lot and deck.
 
Group reservation requests for all season shows are being accepted now for groups of 12+ to 20+ (minimum varies depending on show) by emailing groups@broadwayindetroit.com and using the name of the show as your subject line, or by phone (313) 871-1132, Monday – Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
 
Individual tickets for subscription shows will go on sale at a later date.
 
Extra attractions not included with the season subscription will be announced at a later date.
 
For more information, please visit www.BroadwayInDetroit.comFollow Broadway In Detroit on Facebook, as well as on Instagram and Twitter @BroadwayDetroit.

Giveaway: The Sound of Music CLOSED

[this is a sponsored post]

Rodgers + Hammerstein\’s The Sound of Music is coming to the Fox Theatre and I want to hook one lucky winner up with a Family 4-Pack of Tickets! Scroll to enter! This is one show you won\’t want to miss!

The Sound of Music will be in town for three performances from Saturday, April 13 through Sunday, April 14. The spirited, romantic and beloved musical story of Maria and the von Trapp Family will once again thrill audiences with its Tony®, Grammy® and Academy Award® winning Best Score, including “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Edelweiss” and the title song.

The Sound of Music features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp.

The Sound of Music enjoyed extraordinary success as the first live television production of a musical in over 50 years when “The Sound of Music Live!” aired on NBC in December, 2013 and was seen by over 44 million people. 2015 marked the 50th anniversary of the film version, which continues to be the most successful movie musical in history.