50 Facebook Pages Troy Residents Should 'Like'

Check out some of the top local Facebook pages dedicated to informing Troy residents about happenings around the community.

The Troy Patch Facebook follows dozens of local pages and groups in order to stay connected with the community. We know you're on Facebook and enjoy keeping in the loop about what's happening in our city, so we have some recommendations for you. Here's a list of some of our favorites. The following list is in no particular order.  1. Krispy Kreme Troy 2. Troy Fire Department - Station 4 3. Longview Boarding & Grooming, LTD 4. Boy Scout Troop 1627 5. Oakland County, Michigan Government 6. Michigan Department of Transportation 7. Whole Foods Market Troy 8. City of Troy, Michigan Government 9. Concerned Troy Citizens 10. Troy School District 11. Troy Historic Village 12. Zion Christian Church 13. Pet Adoption Alternative of Warren 14. Troy …

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Lamberts Online

12:45 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013

LambertsOnline - http://www.facebook.com/lambertsonline   more ›

Meet Patch Blogger Kim Lifton of Wow Writing Workshop

The Huntington Woods resident, who shares tips on how to write effective college essays in her posts, talks about how she and partner Susan Knoppow, also of Huntington Woods, transformed helping neighborhood kids into a small business and more.

Patch blogger Kim Lifton thrives on helping people tell their stories. The Huntington Woods resident and former journalist has used her experience to guide myriad Metro Detroit students along the path to college admissions. She serves as president of Wow Writing Workshop and writes a popular Patch blog on how to write effective college essays. [Would you like to blog on Patch? Click here to get started!] "I am a news junkie, naturally inquisitive (a bit nosey) and interested in everything and anyone," she said. "Everyone has a story; I want to hear them all." The small business owner and her Wow Writing Workshop partner Susan Knoppow, also of Huntington Woods, this summer launched Wow Online – College Essay, a tutorial for college …

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'Shop Local' Holiday Season Push Gets a Boost on Small Business Saturday

Nov. 26 promotion features $25 incentive from American Express to 'shop small.'

This seasonal greeting comes from hometown merchants: Don't be in thrall to the mall. They're spreading the word via social media and window signs with help from American Express, organizer of the second annual Small Business Saturday on Nov. 26. The credit card issuer promotes a nationwide "day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends," it explains online. "We’re asking millions of Americans to 'shop small' at their favorite local stores and help fuel the economy. When we all shop small, it will be huge." The firm puts money where its promotion is by offering a one-time $25 rebate to shoppers spending at least $25 at a small business after registering their credit card here. Any nonfranchised, …

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Hey Troy: Will You Avoid the Malls This Weekend?

Somerset is an acknowledged mecca for holiday shopping in the area. But for Troy residents, it can be a giant traffic jam in their "backyard."

  When everyone heads to the malls for holiday shopping, Somerset mall is a major destination. But for Troy residents, that means throngs of shoppers descending on the city, clogging the roads, taking seats at local restaurants, making it tough to find that normal parking spot at the mall. As many as 152 million people are expected to shop over Black Friday weekend, according to a report from the National Retail Federation released last week. That's 10 percent more than last year. Not that it isn't great for Troy businesses. But what about you, Troy residents? How do you feel about it? Let us know in the poll, then add your comments.

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50+ Places to Party Tonight in Oakland County

Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving, is traditionally the biggest bar night of the year. Here's our list of your best bets.

Thanksgiving Eve is traditionally the busiest bar night of the year and Oakland County business owners are gearing up for a fun night and holiday weekend. Here's a roundup of places to go this evening. We invite you to add your favorite to the list. The Emory's general manager, Emily Husband, said the night is a busy one for bars because "most people come home for Thanksgiving and want to get together with the friends and family they haven't seen all year. ... We're tapping a firkin this year, not necessarily in order to increase business, but to do something fun and different." What's a firkin, you ask? "It is a keg of the Livery Brewery Action Jackson IPA that will be on the bar top all evening until it runs out. Really, though, the …

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David Gifford

8:35 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011

I'm walking up to Penny Black to meet up with Friends. Its cold out tonight! Glad to live within walking distance.   more ›

Countdown to Thanksgiving, Day 7: Let Someone Else Do the Work

Local markets, hotels and caterers serve up a cornucopia of pick-up options for the big feast.

Follow along with Megan Swoyer as she prepares for Thanksgiving, with daily tips to keep you on track.  Day 7 offers tips for takeout, from sides to the whole meal. One of my friends is a bit freaked about hosting Thanksgiving at her boyfriend’s home.  “I’m a little crazed,” she told me. “His kids will be there and all of that (he’s divorced and has children who live out East). While she was sharing this with me, I was simultaneously reading email and had serendipitously received a note from the owners of Canapé Cart in Ferndale. “Hey,” I told my friend. “You can order all of your sides from this great place. It won’t be like you’re not cooking; you’re just making it easier and you can get to know his family better, etc. by not being a …

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Countdown to Thanksgiving, Day 6: Get Your Game On!

What to do when Uncle Kenny hits the couch for a snooze and Grandma won’t move from the dinner table.

The Turkey Day Countdown Day 6 follows The List, Delegation, Choosing a wine, Gravy and The Turkey. While I was in Trevarrow Ace Hardware in Troy the other day, checking out aluminum baking pans for the Jennie-O turkey experiment last weekend (I opted for the pan without handles – less expensive!), I wandered into the candle aisle  and lo and behold, I spotted my first Thanksgiving Day game prize — Yankee Candle votives, at $2 each. A hardware store is chockfull of affordable surprises at every turn. Ranging in scents from the new “Cherries on Snow” to “Pumpkin Pie” to “Sparkling Cinnamon,” these votives are as festive as you can get. Who can’t use a few new candles to jumpstart the holiday season? I’m known as “mistress of games” in my …

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Countdown to Thanksgiving, Day 5: Selecting a Turkey

Have you made your decision on what type of bird you’re after? Frozen, fresh, organic or free-range, here’s the lowdown.

To catch up on the first four steps of the turkey planning process, read the full series. It's time to plan, purchase or order a turkey for the big day. Whether you like your bird freshly processed or frozen, there are several options and sizes from which to choose. Some turkeys can go from frozen right to the oven. Over the weekend, I tried out a Jennie-O Oven Ready Bone-In Turkey. I was skeptical and so was my family. No thawing? It  seemed too good to be true. It goes directly from freezer to oven and, because it cooks in a bag, the cleanup is a breeze. I just placed it (in its bag) into a foil pan with 2-inch sides, cut three small slits into the top of the bag and let ‘er roast for a couple hours.  The pros: It’s gluten-free, …

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Countdown to Thanksgiving, Day 3: Choosing the Right Wine

You can serve anything from a Riesling to a Rose with the big bird, say area wine experts.

Day 1 was The List; Day 2 was Delegation Day. Here's Day 3 of the Turkey Day planning process: If anyone knows about wine it’s Linda Jones of the Lansing-based Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. Come Turkey time, Jones starts contemplating her favorite pairings with a Thanksgiving feast. “For a Pure Michigan Thanksgiving dinner, I’d suggest with turkey a dry or semi-dry Riesling, perhaps by St. Julian, Chateau Grand Traverse, Black Star Farms, Bowers Harbor or other Michigan producers,” she said.  Michigan wines are available at a variety of different stores in the area, including Meijer,  Busch’s and Cloverleaf Fine Wine in Royal Oak. “Michigan wineries make a variety of Rieslings of varying sweetness levels," said Jones. "There's …

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