THE PURPLE GANG AT REST

Bars, Babes & Booze: A take-off of the 1930 Detroit mobsters

Mention The Purple Gang to metro Baby Boomer Detroiters, and almost everyone has something to say about them. They were the most notorious bootlegging mob in the nation's history. Friend or foe, to them "collecting" knew no difference.

Described as: 

"They're not someone you want to have tea with."
"They were so bad, like tainted meat, which is why they were nicknamed the Purple Gang."
"During Prohibition, they ran 75% of the nation's booze through Detroit."

And the list goes on.  They were known as the Sugar House gang. It was organized crime at its finest. The mob life offered a lot of perks they couldn't get in Eastern Europe: money, romance, mystery, intrigue and most of all, importance. Being somebody.  

Criteria to be a member of the Purple Gang, was tough:
1. Had to be Russian. But not necessarily born in Russia. As long as the parents were from the Russia was all that mattered. 
2. Must be Jewish
3. Men only were part of the gang
4. Had to be fearless

Yes, it was a club of it's own -- with a deep reputation for spreading terror.

Their members killed, tortured, kidnapped people who were later murdered and broke legs if gamblers didn't pay. And, yet in spite of all of the rogue behavior, they were allowed the dignity of a funeral and burial.  Some were killed and their bodies were never found. Others were laid to rest in Jewish cemeteries. Most died broke. Here's just a few:

Harry Millman, one of the most fearsome of the lot and known as a "loose cannon", was assassinated and shot 10 times at Boeskey's Restaurant as Hazelwood and 12th streets, Detroit. His marker is at Beth Isaac Cemetery.  His death signaled the end of the Purple Gang era.

Irving Shapiro, born 1906 and killed in 1929. A young man. A bad apple through and through. He went for a joy ride with a couple of "associates", which included two bullets to back of head. His body thrown from speeding car and was discovered on Taylor Street in Detroit. He is interned at Machpelah Cemetery, Ferndale, Michigan.

Irving Milberg, rotten to the core. A hit man. He killed the thugs who went to the Collingwood Manor to work out a truce among the various gangs.  He died on Sept. 29, 1938 at 35 years old. Sentenced to life for Collingwood Manor Massacre. Funny that he died of peritonitis during surgery at Marquette Prison, a disease of the gut probably caused by excessive drinking in his case. His grave is at Machpelah Cemetery, Ferndale, Michigan.

The mastermind and behind-the-scenes leader of most of the Purple Gang crimes was Sam Norber.  He was known for a huge wad of cash that even his mother always somehow thirsted over. Actually, he really was a showman, an emcee in prison and even wrote a book:  Prose From the Cons, which was produced by tough-guy comedian Jackie Kannon with the blessing of the prison chaplain, Rabbi Morris Shapiro. Imagine that. Norber died in 1995 and is interred in Detroit’s Hebrew Memorial Park.

The one thing that made the Purple Gang so different from other gangs in the world, was that they rarely if ever involved family members in their outfit. After all, when some teachers learned that their students at Schul were related to the ruffians, they were all but expelled for not doing something to stop them from causing grief and havoc.  THAT wasn't the purpose of the gang at all. And, they realized it.

Our Tour: Bars, Babes & Booze does a tongue in cheek half-day tour of the city with brief explanations, and visits to famous Purple Gang haunts.  

Meatface can tell you more:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHQLa0u0BZU

THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN ... IT'S IN CHINA

The Good Luck Foo Dogs, flowers and symbols on a Temple

In Beijing, formerly known as Peking.  While Europe was going thru it's Renaissance in the 1400's, China was praising all aspects of the elements, much like the American Indians.  

Of course, China had invented the compass in year 100 however, it did not find its way to Europe until the 1400s.  Besides, China figured out how to make maps way before Europe, so how do you think Chris Columbus discovered places?  

And during that bright time in China, The Temple of the Sun, The Temple of the Moon and The Temple of the Earth was also constructed.  These temples were used for some kind of  ritual sacrifice, we don't know exactly what.  The great leaders visited these temples to pray for an abundant harvest. 

The ordinary human was never allowed to set foot in the Temple areas. Nor watch processions. That was reserved for royalty, and like all civilizations for good reason. Only the Emperor could perform the ceremony as he was considered the Son of Heaven.  It was felt that the slightest mistake could affect the outcome of the harvest. A deep responsibility -- especially if there was a drought. 

So throughout China, there are many holy places in spite of China being a Communist country, was happened rather recently in the 1940s.  China outpaced the rest of the world in the arts, science and industry. But it was in the early 19th and 20th centuries, China was beset with major famines, civil unrest, military defeats and foreign occupation.  . 

Yet, the holy Temples throughout the country, remained intact. They've become visitor attractions with many showing a deep respect for these sacred sites.  

No matter where you look at any of the Temples, you'll always see images of gods and goddesses, or good luck animals and omens. When visiting remember the importance of the holy places and take a minute to count your blessings. Just like the Chinese have done for centuries.  

Martha Stewart and Amish Shoofly Pie

Typical Amish baking oven and stove top.

 The Amish live a wholesome life, uncluttered by the overwhelming presence of technology and modern conveniences like cars and internet access. But while these "plain people," as they are referred to within the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, opt for the more simplistic things in life, they certainly know how to deliver on robust flavor by way of all natural ingredients. 

      Case in point: shoofly pie. A sticky, sweet, molasses pie characterized by a wet bottom and sugary aroma is one of the most beloved traditional Amish desserts. As legend would have us believe, the name comes from the need to "shoo flies" away from the saccharine dessert as it cools in the springtime air. Whatever the origin, one can count on the sweet treat hitting the spot in the best way.

            Further demonstrating just how popular the dish has become in mainstream society, Martha Stewart took time to highlight her own spin on a shoo fly pie recipe on her signature website as a seasonal delight fit for spring and summer. Below, you'll find that recipe and the easy steps for making it, even without the clunk and clang of a cast iron oven like that of the Amish. By the end, you'll be able to serve up a little slice of heaven and shoo your own flies away from this heart dessert.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Pure Cane Granulated Sugar

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE TOPPING AND FILLING

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 cup light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

  DIRECTIONS

1. Make crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. Form dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Place in a 9-inch pie plate, trim excess, and crimp edges. Make topping and filling: In clean bowl of processor, pulse flour, butter, and brown sugar until combined. In a bowl, combine baking soda with boiling water and whisk to dissolve. Whisk in molasses, then egg until combined.
3. Fill crust with molasses mixture, then sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over top (some will sink into filling). Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until set in middle, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHAIRS OF DISTINCTION

Chair made ca 1915-1925 now sits in Library.

Chairs... libraries have plenty of them. Some are more important than others especially if they're part of A Celebration of Grand Rapids Furniture Design.  

At the Grand Rapids Public Library, this Jacobean Chair was made about 1915 to 1925. It's made of Oak with the original caning. It was Manufactured by the Century Furniture Company. 

And, it as acquired by the Shakespeariana Club Collection -- a group of savvy ladies in Grand Rapids who obviously know the worth and value of this piece. 

So why is the antique here? Because the Grand Rapids Free Museum has loaned the Library 6 pieces of furniture to familiarize patrons with early 19th century pieces. And the ladies of the Shakespeariana Club were also asked to lend a piece to round out the exhibit. 

Seems that the Jacobean era, 1560, which includes our bard Shakespeare, focused on elaborate architecture, visual arts, decorative arts, and literature which predominated in that period. Heavy oak was part and parcel of tables and chairs. However, none of the pieces at the library date back further than 1800. 

Of course, since Grand Rapids used to be called the "Furniture Capital of the World", the Library does hold the world's finest collections of books devoted to furniture and design. The lot of furniture is worth the view. 

What makes this fascinating is that the Furniture Design Collection was acquired in 1904 from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair when the Grand Rapids Library bought every furniture title available from the French book Trade Exhibit.  Someone really was ahead of their time and knew exactly what they were collecting. Plus, there were plenty of funds available for the the big buy.

Does the general public appreciate it? Well... I sure do.

What makes this such a coup for arts curators, antique collectors, students and hobbyists is that both the Library and the Grand Raids Furniture Designers Association have added hundreds of important titles published in various languages. 

Local designers have enhanced the collected with their private donations. There's about 4,000 items and the collection just keeps growing. The thing is, it's for reference only, so it warrants a trip to the former capital of furniture city. 

This library has lots to offer not just those interested in furniture, but also the advertising and design community who can look at the very well designed catalogs and trade periodicals of the early 1900's.   

The library has 5 floors and lots of historic artifacts on each. It's worth a visit. Plus, you'll find plenty of places to sit. 

THE FREEDMEN'S BUREAU PROJECT

Watch for stories about the Freedmen's Bureau Project of 1865

Slavery in the United States from the 1600 - 1867 was the most heinous crime committed against humanity in a country that espoused freedom. One cannot even begin to imagine the horrors that people lived under then.

Just imagine what historic gems and dialogue this will uncover. This is history that intrigues us. I guarantee that major media will report on this story throughout the rest of the year. Don't miss the coverage. I'm looking forward to seeing the actual documents.

The Freedmen's Bureau Project is shedding new light on this era -- showing how people thought and what made their actions to oppress another ok with their churches.  How can hurting another be okay?  There will be documentaries, story telling and more reports about this tremendous undertaking. Maybe we will learn about the role of the agents and how their lives were threatened in their newly assigned duty.

Some people were courageous enough to tell about their experiences as slaves shortly after their Emancipation, which was frightening to them because as newly freed, they were convinced that if they said anything that disagreed with popular opinion, that they would be netted back into the Peculiar Institution. What tremendous convincing it must have taken to assure former slaves to talk about their life under oppression. 

At the end of the Civil War the Freedmen's Bureau Project (FBP) was established in 1865 to help those freed in 15 states and Washington, DC -- again not every State freed slaves at the end of the War. And many didn't know they were free for years after the Civil War. However, this post focuses on the FBP -- which was design to help newly freed slaves with housing, medical,food, clothing and life in general during the Reconstruction of the country after the war. 

It was a very difficult assignment for the 900 agents assigned to collect information and help resettle former slaves. They received little to no assistance from former slave owners who only mocked them. Southern legislatures passed laws for Black Codes that restricted movement, conditions of labor, and other civil rights of African Americans, nearly duplicating conditions of slavery. There was no winning for former slaves. 

The agents "encouraged" plantation owners to hire and house former slaves -- that was met with laughter and indignation. Andrew Johnson, a Southerner who replaced Lincoln upon his assignation, vetoed the Bill because it offered people too much independence. The KKK was on the rise, and the FBP was closed in 1872. Imagine just how many agents were beaten.

However, the story of the FBP is becoming more important.  Check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_iKCXE8MaY

A new national family history effort will connect African Americans with their Civil War-era ancestors through the release of 1.5 million digitized images containing four million names from the Freedmen’s Bureau.

“For many of the freed slaves freedom was almost as perilous as bondage. They often had no job, money or shelter. They didn’t have proper training or education, and bigotry was almost ubiquitous. For some, the situation was so desperate that they were forced to continue working for their former masters — an indignity compounded by their lack of access to basic public services.” Sherri Camp, a genealogy librarian in Topeka, Kansas said in a recent editorial in the Topeka Capital Journal.

It was resurrected in 2000 when U.S. Congress passed the "Freedmen's Bureau Preservation Act," which directed the National Archivist to preserve the extensive records of the Bureau on microfilm, and work with educational institutions to index the records.

Take this opportunity to walk back in time ... good or bad, it's our history. 

AIRBNB: IS IT FOR YOU? 12 THINGS TO CONSIDER

My lovely room at an Airbnb. Clean & nicely appointed.

When I travel I enjoy staying in an approved lodging facility. Preferably one that has an elevator, lit exit signs, an antiseptically clean and private room and parking so I can see my vehicle. Motels and Bed and Breakfast Inns are alright by me. 

So when I stayed at Airbnb recently, I really learned a lot about an undercurrent of the lodging industry that's taking billions of dollars away from the hotels/motels. 

The reason for my staying at an Airbnb is that I attended a travel conference about 1.5 hours from my home or four tanks of gas plus the wear and tear on my "senior" vehicle. 

Hotels were too expensive for my budget so I searched online for an Airbnb. My criteria was simple -- a historic structure, close to the conference, inexpensive. 

I found a lovely 1920s home with history for $25 per evening plus the $6 Airbnb fee.  The owner and I communicated and we both felt that the reservation was okay and that each of us is an upstanding citizen. As I explained to her, I would be at a nearby conference all day long and simply needed a bed and shower. Nothing more. I applied for the stay and my credit card as immediately debited for the amount. 

When others asked about my criteria and why didn't I put safety first, I balked, never even considering that I wouldn't be safe. I've traveled the most in Canada and Europe for decades on my own or to meet up with friends. I've had to depend on strangers when the Italian railroad workers went on strike in the middle of nowhere and I didn't know where to go and others took me under their wing; when I was horribly sick; when I couldn't understand the language and needed to be driven to the train station. Maybe I am too trusting. And, I made it out alive. 

However, in my rich-like-fine-wine life, I read people well. The lady of the Airbnb is a great person with an immaculately clean home. She was very friendly and even helped me locate my favorite BBC-TV show Grantchester so I could watch the latest episode.  How very thoughtful.

Airbnb's aren't for everyone though. It's an interesting concept and was created for people to see the area of their choice with a local. However, many are in it for the dough. As a way to keep their homes, to pay the mortgage, to earn extra income. There are almost 200 countries offering Airbnbs -- even some in your backyard. You'd be surprised. If you want to know more about Airbnbs, search online. This post is only about MY experience and not a summary of the latest stay-and-play fad that is quickly growing in extreme popularity and taking billions away from the lodging industry -- which quickly translates into people's jobs. 

Here are things to consider though if you are planning a stay at an Airbnb.

1. Neighborhood could be marginal

2. Stairs, not clearly marked. Bannister may not be handicapped approved. And, don't expect handicapped accessible. 

3. Bring your own soap and towels. It's not a hotel. There is no box of tissues for your runny nose.

4. Parking may not be close and you may not even see your vehicle.

5. Coffee and/or breakfast may not be supplied.

6. Only you are going to haul your luggage to your room - there's no porter and don't scratch the wood floors. You're responsible for damages.

7. Stay close to your location -- crucial for me.

8. Economical for me, but some Airbnbs may be more expensive than a hotel

9. Noise -- traffic, dogs barking, aquarium running all night long -- you have no control.

10. You are Housekeeping and are told off the bat to leave the place better than you found it. Both you and the owner review each other much like an ebay purchase.

11. If you have a slip and fall you bear the cost as the Airbnb's insurance will not cover anything for the guest or homeowner. This will be news should an owner try to collect and may be discontinued for running a business using standard homeowners insurance as protection. You're at risk. Be very careful.

12. Don't expect to see a fire extinguisher all kinds of safety this and that, a smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. You're in a person's home.

13. People snore and you will hear each other all night long. Go to the bathroom at night, you'll hear that, too.

If you haven't tried it, don't knock it. Again, I was on a severe budget.

The Airbnb experience was fine with me. I had no problems, no difficulties, no complaints. 

As I said, I prefer hotels. I am uncomfortable staying in someone's house. Yet, the Airbnb was there for me when I needed it. And, it's not regulated. Use caution.

BECOMING AMISH? SIX STEPS TO CONSIDER

Typical hats worn by Amish men

"How do I become Amish?" the email said. "I admire their culture. I'm sick of the rat race. I want to unplug." 

I don't laugh at these requests as we are constantly asked how to join the Amish. Since we offer a number of trips to Amish communities, we suggested the following before even making a decision: 

1. Read books about the Amish. All kinds to learn about their lifestyle.  When my travelers visit an Amish community, the Amish speakers make it very clear that there is nothing special about them. And, that they were born into a lifestyle just as we were born into ours. They are quick to point out that the majority of books about the Plain People are incorrect, fairy tales and a writer who has not a clue. They shake their heads and tell me how the stories do not relate to them. 

2. Find out what they wear. Buy the kind of clothes they purchase. Wear them. Are you comfortable? There's no designer "Amish by Miller" labels. Remember that these are the kinds of clothing that you would wear everyday. Party dresses? There's social gatherings of course with attendees wearing their regular clothing. Some communities are stricter with attire than others. The garments are quite durable, plain and usually in dark colors to reflect the simple life. 

3. Stay at an Amish Bed and Breakfast. Watch how long and hard these people work. Note the cleanliness of the facility. The maid and the housekeeper are generally one in the same, the owner of the lodging facility.  Have you noticed that there's no stopping to watch the football game?  

4. Amish place God above everything. Is this something you can do? Do you read the Bible now? Can you live according to the Bible? Do you do so now? Do get a copy of a book called "Martyr's Mirror", a highly respected publication that chronicles the history of the Amish people and honors those who died for their faith.

5. Don't use your computer. There are no computers in their homes. Can you unplug? If you live and die by your cell phone ... you've already made your choice. This could be quite the challenge. Try not using your computer for a week. Can you do it?

6. Become a tee-totaler. Yep. They do not kick back with a Bud Lite at the end of the day. More like a lemonade, a book and discussions with family members. 

Carefully think about their lifestyle. Ask yourself if you are ready for this kind of cultural immersion. How do you think your friends and family will react?  

It's not an easy choice and takes determination and perservance. Don't just think you can do all of the above. The lifestyle is unusual and not easy for us "English" as they call us.  

So what's the next step after you do all of the above? Approach a church elder to request admittance into the community. The process is long. Be prepared to do everything you can to show that you are ready. Know that very few non-Amish have succeeded in joining a community. It takes an enormous amount of dedication to step from one lifestyle to another.