She is Sara" is the latest blogger to join the ranks of MCB
She digs fashion - music - thrift stores, poetry and Detroit
She digs fashion - music - thrift stores, poetry and Detroit
She works in Downtown Detroit
and is a full time student at Oakland University
pursuing her English major.
Saturday was a full day for this blogger in the Ferndale/Royal Oak area. After getting out of the house at around noon, a friend and I headed to my hometown of Ferndale to check out the Craft Revival that the Loving Touch was hosting. The Loving Touch is a pool-hall owned by the same owners of the WAB and The Emory, both also in Ferndale. You can order any of the beers that you normally would get at the WAB at The Loving Touch, my favorite is the Raspberry Blond, but they also have the usual selection on draft, from PBR to Oberon. There are 6 pool tables in the dimly-lit joint and at a $1.25 per game, it’s hard not to want to play, but the Loving Touch also offers plenty of seating, even an atrium inspired area, if you are just in the mood to relax and listen to your favorites from their amazing juke-box containing a ton of indie-rock, classic rock and a few mixed CD’s that are staff-picked (there is also free pool on Sunday’s).
The craft fair they hosted was pretty awesome, sponsored by Handmade in Detroit and every pool table was covered in home-made and vintage goodies. This was the second year that they have done this at it seems to work, I managed to get a hand-knit hat from So and So & Nobody’s table. I also purchased a cool pin from the Handmade in Detroit table, it was hard to not want to buy something unique from each table, as each one held something one-of-a-kind and handcrafted in Michigan. The best part of the fair? The bar was still open, and shoppers could browse with their beer. If only every art fair were that cool.
After the fair we headed over to Royal Oak to check out another community event, Presented by the Royal Oak Community Farm. “Lettuce Rock” was held at the Royal Oak Farmer’s market and was definitely an interesting fund raiser.
Admission was only $5 and kids under the age of five were free, the beginning part of the day was dedicated to vendors and kids activities like crafts and scavenger hunts.
Nth degree fitness
Gilded Lotus Henna
Four seasons Garden Center and custom landscape services
Two Women and a Ho
Yoga Shelter
With my own two hands
Since we skipped the first part of the day, we arrived just in time to snag some food and beer (from Milking it productions, that just moved from Pontiac to Royal Oak) and watch the adult bands perform.
There was food from:
The Inn-season café -vegetarian
Mezza Mediterranean grille
Lazy Bones Smokehouse-BBQ
Royal Oak Women’s Club-Hot Dogs
Royal Oak Elementary schools- Popcorn, drinks, and bake sale
Tasi Juice bar-Power smoothies and coffee
Milking productions-Beer
The bands that performed were:
The Candy Band
The Royal Oak Children’s Choir
Bob Mervak
The Polish Muslims
Jennifer Westwood
The Satin Peaches
The Wednesdees
We got to see Bob Mervak, he did a lot of mellow covers (very well, actually) which seemed to agree with the crowd. A little Ray LaMontange is always easy on the ears. He also had a female singer with him, that I did not catch her name but she had a sound much like Norah Jones. I swear if she had done one of her covers, it would have been her if you closed your eyes.
We also caught Jennifer Westwood and her band. They did a few covers and a few of their own songs, a few of them being about Detroit which was pretty cool. Their sound was a little Country-Rock, which is not my favorite but they did play well, and Jennifer had some tight vocals. The harmonica added a nice touch and the crowed seemed pretty pleased with the performance.
The Wednedees were up next and they rocked the place with their own tunes. By this time, most of the kids had cleared out and it was more of an adult crowed. Almost everyone was bobbing their heads and sipping beer to their music which had a definite Indie-rock feel to it. Which was a great transition to the last band, The Satin Peaches, who were a little more harder with their rock but not unlike a garage band which suited the atmosphere (a farmers market shed) but you would never know with the main lights turned down and stage lights blazing along with the music making it seem like your own private concert.
Although most of the crowd had cleared out by then, the beer was still being served and the band kept playing. They really were worth the wait and they thanked everyone multiple times for coming out to their show. Which was a great way to end the “Lettuce Rock” event, which hopefully will happen again in the future.