Family Hootenanny

One of my favorite gifts of the holidays is my Detroit Family Hootenanny CD from April Mydol.

The CD is a compilation of songs from bands who have played April's Family Hootenanny concerts, including the Mydols, of course.

My son and I love to rock out in the car and we're always looking for good children's CDs. This has become an instant hit.

Verick loves Stuck in the Playpen (Again) by Dan Miller of Blanche. My favorites so far are Get Up Already by Candy Band, Knock Knock Banana by The Go and Cereal by Happy Tom.

The CD also includes Run Crazy Baby by the Mydols, Freight Train by the Salt Miners (Johnny Mydol's old band) and Baby Duck by the Come Ons.

We'll be playing at the next Family Hootenanny concert on Sunday, Jan. 25. Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, you can sample the CD by clicking here.

Happy Holidays!!!!

Mydols X-Mas Video!

I am so excited about the Mydols new Christmas video, Winter Wonderland. It was so fun shooting it at CMN TV studios (above), and the final version, edited by Joe Johnson, came out so cute!
Verick and Violet both make adorable appearances. They're stars already!
Check it out here ...
http://mydolstv.blogspot.com/

Mydols Dream Babysitter

Okay, I found the perfect sitter. She's not only great with kids, but she's a photographer, painter, fashion stylist and all-around artsy gal.
For her first job with our family, she watched Verick and Violet during the Mydols video shoot for White Christmas at CMNTV studios.
Then, she took our photographs. She shot one set for Daisy Rock guitars, showing off the adorable pink axes we got for being Daisy Rock Featured Artists, and another using frames of now-precious Polaroid film (shown here courtesy of Lauren Montgomery).
Of course, Lauren has tough shoes to fill (former babysitters Meryl and her sister Leah are studying for a year in Japan). And the other problem is we stole her from the Jones Gang, so we have to tread lightly ...

Christmas Cookie Party

Our nextdoor neighbor Chris hosted the most wonderful cookie decorating party for the neighborhood kids yesterday.

She doesn't have any children of her own, so she spoils the kids that live around her. Every year she throws an Easter egg hunt in her late husband's memory and more than 100 little munchkins come.

For the cookie decorating party she baked mounds of sugar cookies using her grandma's special recipe. The kids had a blast piling on different color sprinkles and sugars, then taste-testing their creations.

They burned off their sugar buzz playing with the toys Chris had stuffed in their goodie bags.

So much fun!

Fieger Times

Last night Jeff and I were honored to attend Attorney Geoffrey Fieger's annual Christmas party. For the first time it was held at Meadowbrook Mansion, and I think it was the best ever.

The historic house was beautifully decked out for the holidays, and the festivities included a Beatles tribute band, DJ, caricaturists, psychics and horse-drawn carriage rides - not to mention an endless supply of free drinks and gourmet food.

We ended the night lounging on couches in a room draped with red velvet, where a man hand-rolled cigars for guests and an electric violinist played to rap songs (don't ask).

Needless to say, I haven't partied like that in a long time.

Happy Holidays!

My Dolls: Rockin' Rag Dolls

I was inspired to make these MyDolls after reading Knitted Icons by Carol Meldrum. The adorable little book features Meldrum's homemade dolls of Jimi Hendrix, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and dozens of other stars and rockers.

I don't knit, so I sewed these versions of me, April and Judy Mydol.

The dolls will star in the Mydols video for Winter Wonderland, set to air on CMN.

Jeff Von Buskirk: New Work

Jeff just completed his three new paintings for CPopportunity, the group show opening Saturday night at CPop in Detroit.

He used our former babysitters, sisters Meryl and Leah, as models for the pieces!

From the Archive: Joan Jett

When Superbowl XL hit Detroit, I was lucky enough to score a ticket to cover the Playboy Party. As one of the reporters granted access to the star-studded event, I had the opportunity to interview and photograph celebs like Kanye West.
My favorite guest was Joan Jett, accompanied by a few Blackhearts.
Although I dressed for the party, I never made it past the media corral. Instead, I suffered in my gold high heels, hobknobbing with jet-lagged sports guys from across the country, all of us trying to figure out a way to get inside.

C Pop Art Show

My husband Jeff will unveil three paintings in CPop Gallery's latest exhibit.

The show features dozens of artists who have never exhibited at CPop before. The opening reception is 6 p.m. Saturday night.

I can't wait to see the paintings myself!

Walkin' In A Winter Wonderland

If my beautiful family weren't enough to get me into the spirit of the season, the Mydols are cooking up even more holiday cheer. Our band, with new lead singer April Boyle on the mic, will be filming a Christmas video this Friday for CMN TV.

Our inspiration is the Del Rubio Triplets.

Their video on YouTube (click live link above) proves you're never too old to rock, and legs are the last thing to go!

Cheers!

Rosh Sillars Photography Exhibit

I am so excited to go out this Saturday night for the first time since giving birth six weeks ago. I am meeting some friends from the Daily Tribune for drinks at Dino's in Ferndale and then we're going to the opening reception of Rosh Sillars' photography exhibit at Octane Photographic Studios.

Rosh's art is truly incredible and he is hands-down Detroit's hardest working photographer. I worked with him at the Tribune, and when I left for the Observer & Eccentric his photographs helped me launch the award-winning fashion section PINK.

I can't wait to see his latest work.

Rosh was a good sport and shot this album cover for my former band The Basements.

Although the band broke up before we finished recording, the photo of my stiletto descending into the Tribune's basement ended up in one of Rosh's exhibits, as well as on my dining room wall.

Thanks Rosh!

Santa Baby: My Style Wish List

Okay, I know there's a deep recession going on, but my thought is if you're going to buy something, buy something of value and quailty that's going to last. I just got the cutest little book out of the library that encapsulates fashions that never go out of style.
I already have some of the pieces in Nina Garcia's The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own.
A trench coat? Check. Havaianas? All summer. Frye Harness Boot? Bought my pair at a cute boutique Up North. Cocktail ring? I'll count the gigantic birthstone emerald Jeff bought me last X-mas.
Other things must be earned over time. Investment pieces a young woman can't expect to have, unless her rich parents bought them.
1) Sunglasses: Aviators or Wayfarers will never cease to look sophisticated in any decade.

2) Hermes scarf: Channel a Paris beauty with the classic colorful silk. There are million ways to tie on this simple luxury to adorn your hair, neck or handbag. and tie one of these classic silk scarves to your handbag.

3)