Photo Gallery: Grosse Pointes Aglow

Here are just a few of the homes decorated throughout the Grosse Pointes. Add pictures of your house or even a neighbor's home you think is deserving of recognition.

The Grosse Pointes are aglow this holiday season. Late fall brought unseasonably warmer weather, likely leading to the stringing of many more outdoor lights.  Patch has captured just a small sampling of homes sporting a variety of holiday deocration and cheer. There are many many more.  Add photos of your own home or photos of those homes for which you love the decorating. Show them off to the community! 

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City of Grosse Pointe Arrests Short-Change Artist

The 58-year-old homeless man was released after the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office declined to prosecute.

Criminal activity in the Village in the City of Grosse Pointe has been fairly quiet this holiday season but police are warning merchants to be aware of short-changing behavior after they arrested a man earlier this week for the crime.  The 58-year-old man is from Detroit but is currently homeless. He entered two businesses in the Village, Cold Stone Creamery and Einstein Bagels Monday evening and short-changed employees at both businesses.  An employee from one of the businesses realized it right away and called police. She lost $10 and then pointed the man out to responding officers as he was just down the block standing in the Village, according to a report. When the officers approached the man, he began complaining of chest pains and …

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A Guide: Grosse Pointe Holiday Happenings

Festive fun awaits Grosse Pointers.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, with holiday tours, Santa visits, concerts, and living Nativity scenes -- and much more -- going on. Hungry for more holiday happenings? Visit our Holiday 2011 Events page here. Or suggest your can't-miss events in the comments section below.

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To the Pointe . . .

Shopping Local: Grosse Pointe Style

Drive miles away if you want, but you can find many of your holiday gifts right here in the Pointes. In a two part series, shops from throughout the Pointes will be featured.

The calendar has flipped to December. That means Christmas shopping has begun in full force. Before you head out to Somerset or Partridge Creek, do what I did. Shop local. And by local, I don’t mean just the Village. Of course there are many fine stores that offer wonderful holiday gift options in the Village, but there is plenty to offer elsewhere within the Pointes too. And by shopping local, you will not be sacrificing your options, either. In fact, life can be a lot simpler and more fun by staying in the Pointes to do your shopping. Consider this: I am a firm believer in supporting our local businesses. They are the lifeblood of our community, after all. For a well-rounded shopping experience: Take a walk. Park your car on Mack Avenue …

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In Photos: Santa Visits Grosse Pointe Park

Santa heads to Tompkins Community Center for lunch with Grosse Pointe Park children.

Santa Claus joined nearly two dozen children Saturday morning for 'Lunch With Santa' at Tompkins Community Center inside Windmill Pointe Park in Grosse Pointe Park. The kids were not only treated to a visit from the Big Man himself, but also had the chance to visit with Santa, build crafts, color and share a hot dog lunch with Mr. Claus.

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Chef's Secret

Secret for Homemade Cranberry Sauce Straight From City Kitchen

Making your own, flavorful cranberry sauce couldn't be easier, according to one expert.

Great news! You may have bought your last can of jellied cranberry sauce. After chatting with Ericka Floyd, line cook at the prestigious City Kitchen in the Village, we believe that making your own cranberry sauce is well worth the few minutes it takes to mix the limited ingredients and create your own cranberry masterpiece. All you need is a bag of fresh cranberries, and a water and sugar mixture. Of course, you can add other ingredients such as orange or lemon zest, or walnuts, but the base remains the same. “Start with equal parts of sugar and water,” said Floyd. “Then add two times that in cranberries.” That means if you have one cup of water and one cup of sugar, add four cups of cranberries. Put them in a saucepan and cook over …

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Poll: How Early Should Stores Open on Black Friday?

From Hall Road to Twelve Oaks, and Laurel Place to Somerset, stores are opening earlier than ever this day after Thanksgiving, if not on Thanksgiving. What do you think is appropriate?

Early birds are getting even earlier this year. Target is opening at midnight on Black Friday this year. You can shop at Toys R Us after tucking into your turkey–it opens at 9 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Patch readers are already talking about their feelings on Black Friday's early openings on Facebook. In Macomb, reader Heather Misiewicz said she usually shops Cyber Monday, "but I'm going to brave it this year and do Black Friday." In Dearborn, reader Andrea V. Haag took the salesperson's perspective: "HATE IT! For us sales people who have to work, these retail store keep pushing up the time of opening....it's no longer Black Friday, it's THANKSGIVING!!!!" What do you think?

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