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March 8, 2012 | 10:24 AM | By Micki Maynard

SURVEY: What Do The Detroit Tigers Mean To You And To Detroit?

Spring training is underway, and avid Detroit Tiger fans are counting the days until April 5, when it will be Opening Day at Comerica Park.

Comerica Park, by Micki Maynard

This year, there’s a lot of attention surrounding the team, which stunned baseball when it snapped up slugger Prince Fielder. Opening Day tickets sold out in 45 minutes last Saturday, and demand for regular season games is soaring, which will bring a lot of people downtown.

And the impact will be even greater if Tigers’ owner Mike Ilitch get his dream of a World Series.

We want to know what the Tigers mean to you. Are you a lifelong fan, or did you only catch Tiger Fever last year? What are your memories of Comerica Park (or as some of us won’t stop calling it, Tiger Stadium)? How do you think the interest in the Tigers will affect Detroit?

Take our survey. Send us your thoughts, memories, photos. We’ll feature them every day during Opening Day week.

Then re-live last year’s Opening Day. See you at the ballpark!

FILED UNDER: Communities, Your Story, baseball, Detroit, Detroit Tigers, Your Story
March 6, 2012 | 2:47 PM | By Meg Cramer

Staying Connected To The Old Culture, While Fitting In With The New

When we asked what cultural traditions people have kept or lost, many wrote about the difficulty of fitting into American culture while staying connected to their own roots.

Yen Azzaro tried to learn her mother’s native Mandarin Chinese in college, but never mastered it. “I never learned how to read or write Chinese. Sometimes I feel inadequate or guilty about this,” said Azzaro. “But most of the time I just feel relieved that I understand some Chinese. Many people my age worked so hard to assimilate; they lost all knowledge of their native tongue,” she said.

Those who hold on to traditions often have a way of adapting and updating them to reflect new cultural experiences.

Sausage making in Anette Kingsbury's family. Credit: Annette Kingsbury

One way to track those changes and adaptations is through the way people cook and share food. We heard from a Sicilian family that once made 700 cannolis and another that (enthusiastically) honors their Sicilian roots by making hundreds of sausages.

Our culture project incorporated many stories from people who keep up a family food tradition and put their own spin on it.

Sharlene Innes writes: “The most important Polish tradition for my family and for me is Wigilia, the Christmas Eve celebration. We come together to share a meal which now includes items like a large nacho prepared by my Mexican-American brother-in-law.”

Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Communities, Your Story, assimilation, culture, Food, immigration, Your Family Story, Your Story
February 28, 2012 | 11:29 AM | By Meg Cramer

Cake, Shortbread, or Pastry? Mazurek Is All That, And More

As part of our Your Family Story series, we’re collecting recipes that have been passed down within families. Send in your mother’s, grandfather’s, or cousin’s famous recipe for goulash, pozole, dumplings or any dish that your family has enjoyed.

We’re collecting recipes until midnight tomorrow. We’ll publish all the recipes. The winner, to be chosen by the Changing Gears team, will be announced here and on our partner websites. They’ll collect a grab bag of public radio goodies.

Today, Changing Gears Senior Editor Micki Maynard shares this recipe for Mazurek:

My father’s family, which is of French descent, has been in the United States for many generations, settling primarily in Massachusetts. But my mother is a first generation American. Her family came to the United States around 1905. Her father hailed from what was known as Byelorussia, and now Belorus, an area also known as White Russia.

My mom learned European dishes from her mother and New England recipes through my dad, so we enjoyed a varied menu at home. I’ve always heard my mother say what a good cook my grandmother was. But, I didn’t know until this year that my grandmother was co-owner of a bakery in Grand Rapids. The Northwestern Bakery stood on Leonard Street, although the building is no longer there.

Each Easter, my family gathers for brunch, and Mazurek (pronouncd mah-ZUR-eck) is always the last dish that is served. We sit over coffee and tea and enjoy this dense, rich pastry, very much like a soft shortbread. My mom was always the Mazurek baker, until she offered to teach me. She also shared the recipe with my brother, who baked the Mazurek that you see here.

Want to add Mazurek to your repertoire? Follow this recipe.

Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Communities, Your Story, family traditions, Food, immigration, Public Insight Network, recipe, Your Family Story, Your Story
February 22, 2012 | 12:01 PM | By Meg Cramer

35 Years of Letters Within a Midwestern Family

Jillian Jones Sisko of Michigan writes:

Letter-writing has always been an important part of my family’s legacy.

My mother discovered her family origins through letters written in the early 1900′s that were found in a desk drawer in an attic in Epernay, France. The letter was written by my grandfather and addresses to his brother. When my mother discovered the letters, she started communicating with her family.

When my oldest sister left for college in the 70′s, my father, Wayne Muren, began writing weekly letters just as my great grandfather did many years prior. The letters served as a source of inspiration for my sister and as well as a blanket of comfort.

After all five children grew up and graduated from college, several moved away. Wayne kept writing letters. To this day, 35 years later, I am blessed to still receive a weekly letter filled with newspaper/magazine articles. The no. 10 envelope that was once delivered to my college dormitory is now a large manila envelope packed with news and information.

Maureen Houston/BND.com

Jillian's mother and her father Wayne with a stack of letters

The letters are sent to not only his children, but also to his 11 grandchildren. The letters are now mailed in large envelopes which accompany 10-20 newspaper clippings to keep the family up-to-date with current events as well as comic strips from a local artist.

This gift of communication is one that I hope will never stop arriving at my door for many years to come. This ritual is now our family tradition.

FILED UNDER: Communities, Your Story, family, family tradition, France, Michigan, Your Family Story, Your Story
February 21, 2012 | 10:55 AM | By Meg Cramer

In Minnesota, South Korean Traditions with a Twist

Rosalyn Park of Minnesota writes:

My parents emigrated from South Korea to Iowa in the early 1960s. My mother struggled with the dualities of raising children the American-born way and being the wife of a traditional Korean man. Every night, she would cook two dinners: a Korean meal for my father, and an American one for us girls.

Over time, as my tastes expanded, I grew to truly appreciate Korean food.

One tradition in particular really epitomizes this shift. Growing up, my mother would make traditional Korean potstickers (mandu) once a year. It was a huge ordeal—everything was made by hand. We’d sit down and make mandu for hours.

Being the last of 3 daughters, I eventually found myself facing this daunting task alone. I’d come home from high school to see the big mandu bowl and be filled with dread—it was like a bad Chinese movie: Night of Three Million Eggrolls. I’d sit at the kitchen counter, hand stuffing each mandu by myself and thinking wearily of the unfair plight handed to Sister Number 3.

Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Communities, Your Story, Food, iowa, Minnesota, South Korea, Your Family Story, Your Story
February 17, 2012 | 10:54 AM | By Meg Cramer

The Cannoli Assembly Line: Efficient and Delicious

Michelle Guevara writes:

My great-grandfather migrated from Sicily. Like a lot of Italian migrants, he was poor but carved a name for himself and ended up having a large family.

I miss the big family gatherings. Most of us are grown now. Weddings and funerals are the only time the extended family gets together any more. The older generation held more of the old traditions together than we do now. I find that a shame. Those were some of my best memories.

I remember cannoli day, a tradition that my family and cousins continue to this day. Everyone brings a batch of cannoli dough and we set up an assembly line. A few roll the dough out then pass it along to those rolling the forms. They drop the rolls gently into the deep fryer.

Michelle demonstrates her cannoli rolling technique

Before the last batch is done, my cousins start dinner of spaghetti, meat balls or sausages, salad, and garlic bread. We fill our bellies to the point of bursting.

For dessert we eat…what else? Cannolis! By the end of the day, we pack the shells into boxes and divide them among the family. One day we made 700 shells.

-Michelle Guevara, Michigan

(In case you’re wondering—700 cannolis would add up to 4950 cubic inches of Italian dessert, or: one giant 3.5×1 ft cannoli.)

Most Americans have ethnic and cultural roots outside of the U.S. We’re asking you to share cultural traditions that are still important to you.

Changing Gears is looking for stories, recipes, songs, and pictures. We’ll be collecting these stories  on the Your Family Story page. They’ll also appear at changinggears.info and we’ll even put some on the air. You can share your story here.

FILED UNDER: Communities, Your Story, Detroit, family tradition, immigration, Italy, Michigan, recipes, Your Family Story, Your Story
January 27, 2012 | 1:00 PM | By Sarah Alvarez

Your Story: A Cautionary Tale of Sub-Prime Leasing

courtesy of Lisa Nichols

Lisa Nichols took out a sub-prime lease on a used car

Kate Davidson just reported on the risks and rewards for Buy Here-Pay Here car dealers and customers across the region.

Lisa Nichols didn’t buy her car at one of those lots, but she ended up in a similar situation. She sees her tale as a cautionary tale of “buyer beware.”

When her car broke down, Nichols’ credit score was low enough that she fell in the sub-prime lending category. She went to lots of dealerships, but couldn’t get a loan.

“The funny thing is when you have bad credit, they won’t finance a car that you can afford,” Nichols said. “I wanted to buy one for four or five thousand dollars, but they won’t finance a car for that little money if you have bad credit.”

Another dealer sent her along to Summit Place Kia, a dealer that works with sub-prime customers. She was offered a two-year lease on a used Hyundai Accent. “It was a nice car, it was way more car than I had any business trying to buy,” said Nichols. But she needed a car to get to work. “I didn’t feel like I had any choice.” Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Your Story, Your Story
January 5, 2012 | 1:46 PM | By Micki Maynard

Midwest Money Question: Is It A Good Idea To Go Back to School?

Last month, Changing Gears teamed with authors and CNN anchors Ali Velshi and Christine Romans to collect your questions on the personal finance issues that you’re facing because of the recession.

Today, we’re bringing you the next in our series of Midwest Money answers from Ali and Christine, based on their new book, How To Speak Money: The Language and Knowledge You Need Now. (Each person whose question is used will receive a copy of the book.)

Today’s question comes from Regina Baldwin of Bowling Green, Ohio.

I am returning to school, while continuing to work full-time, to try to expand on my experience and enhance my ability to get a better job with a degree.  I’m concerned that I am on the correct path as I am over 40.  I am keeping my student loan debt at a minimum by attending a community college.  I am worried that I will not get a better paying job by the time I finish.  (If it makes a difference, I am pursing a BS in Business Administration-Computer Information Sciences with a focus on Accounting, and I currently work in healthcare.)

Ali and Christine answer,

If we were writing another book, we’d highlight you as an example of someone with exactly the right attitude and initiative in a new, more difficult jobs market. You are making exactly the right investment in yourself with this education and retraining, and the student debt you are taking on is what we consider “good debt.” Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Jobs, Your Story, Education, jobs, Midwest Money, Your Story
August 31, 2011 | 5:00 AM | By Dan Bobkoff

Stories of the Plan B

 

Whether you think the recession is over or not, it’s been hard on many people in the Midwest and the country. So, our Changing Gears team went out to find some people whose circumstances have forced them make some tough choices that are, perhaps, working out for the better. Here are three stories of the Plan B.

Continue reading →

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FILED UNDER: Communities, Jobs, dog walking, peace corps, Plan B, recession, stay at home dad, Your Story
June 29, 2011 | 2:34 PM | By Sarah Alvarez

Your Story: Felicia Ferrone, Chicago Designer

 

 

 

Felicia Ferrone and her partner hope their project “Shared Practice” will bring more attention to Chicago area designers and manufacturers

Designer Felicia Ferrone worked as an architect for six years in Milan, Italy before returning home to Chicago a year and a half ago. She now runs her own design practice and wishes Chicago had more of a reputation as a design center.

Ferrone thinks what has kept Chicago from being better known is its Midwestern work ethic.

“Everyone is just busy working, instead of clamoring for attention,” she said.

Ferrone and her business partner David M. Krell are now trying to bring more attention to the city’s designers and manufacturers. They have just launched a new project called Shared Practice. It’s a web-based project in which designers share resources and publicize what they’re doing.

Ferrone got the idea when she was selected to show several pieces at a downtown gallery last year. She designed her pieces and wanted to try to get them all made locally. “I was totally surprised,” she said. “We were able to get everything made within a one-mile radius of the downtown loop, except for one piece, and that we had made in Indianapolis.”

She says there are very few places that can manufacture high-end materials and pieces in the United States, so many designers still send their designs to be made in Europe. She thinks if Chicago would stop underselling itself, it could gain part of this lucrative market, which includes the manufacture of, for example, Ferone’s own “Tuck” benches, which sell for about $5,800 each.

Ferrone and Krell plan to expand Shared Practice to other cities, including New York, this fall. But Ferrone says she is happy to be working in Chicago. “I came back here for a job. And I thought, ‘I’m giving up a lot for this.’” But, she later added, “I’ve never been so professionally satisfied in my life.”

She thinks Chicago can continue to make design a much larger part of its economy and identity. “The impact of design is everything from Millenium Park to the many schools that are teaching design, to the manufacturers that make the pieces,” She says. “It is so important to this city.”

FILED UNDER: Communities, Your Story, Chicago, Your Story