Just Beginning: A Prequel to Just Destiny (Destiny #1) by Theresa Rizzo
I research my books thoroughly and try not to take much “creative license” to fudge facts to suit my story. Below, I’ve listed real organizations and places in the Grosse Pointe/Detroit area that pop up in Just Beginning, and a few other interesting tidbits. Take a look…
The Grosse Pointe Hunt Club is nestled in the middle of a residential area. We used to play tennis there, and one summer I took horseback riding lessons. My children loved going through the barns and seeing all the horses and watching riding events. https://grossepointehuntclub.com
The Hill is a restaurant in Grosse Pointe Farms and one of my very favorite restaurants for a special lunch or dinner. They take reservations and don’t actually hand out pagers when there’s a wait. That, I made up. https://www.thehillgrossepointe.com
Nino Salvaggio is a wonderful market in St. Claire Shores that my family’s been going to for decades for fresh fruit, produce, and lunch meats. My children have special memories of shopping at Nino Salvaggio’s with Grandma. https://www.ninosalvaggio.com
Sanders, is a Detroit area institution, and if you’ve never tried their chocolate or ice-cream toppings, you’re missing out! Fred Sanders first opened the store in 1875. In 2002, Morely Candy Makers purchased the Sanders name and original recipes to add to its own. No trip back home is ever complete without a visit to Sanders. My personal favorite is the Dark Chocolate Honeycomb chips—oh—and the assorted creams and Easter bunnies…It also has a special place in my heart because my mom used to work the soda fountain when she was in high school. And occasionally, after a dentist visit with a good no-cavities report, Mom would take us to Sanders for a treat! https://www.sanderscandy.com
French’s Flowers & Gifts is a family operated florist in Livonia that our family has happily used for years. https://www.frenchsflowers.com
University Liggett School is an amazing private school in Grosse Pointe that both my husband and I attended and is, in fact, where we met. I am dyslexic and wasn’t diagnosed until third grade, and if not for the incredible help I received at Liggett from a whole host of excellent, patient teachers, I’m not even sure college would have been a realistic option for me.
Also, in reading the history of ULS, I love that in 1878 the Liggett family established the school as an “accessible school for girls devoted to high standards, proper behavior and preparation for college, as well as life”. They were feminists before their time! It wasn’t until 1954 that Liggett became co-ed. https://www.uls.org/page
Dawood Boutique of Grosse Pointe is an elegant boutique that’s family owned and operated since 1960. I’ve always admired and occasionally frequented it when my mom was looking for a special dress for a wedding or dinner dance. https://www.dawoodgp.com
Christ Child House has been caring for abused and neglected children in the Detroit area since 1948, providing residential services for up to 31 boys, ages 5 through 17. When I started researching foster care and this organization, I quickly understood why this outstanding place had always been one of my mother’s favorite causes. I made up John Spears and his multi-million dollar donation for the extension of Christ Child’s services to include the Supervised Independent Living house, but I think it’d be a wonderful if a wealthy benefactor would do something like this. I have immense respect for good foster parents. https://christchildhouse.org
I chose Woodward House because several of my Detroit area friends suggested it and I found Augustus Woodward to be a really interesting visionary. Also, I thought it would be oddly endearing to name the new home after a man who’d never had a family or children. Augustus Woodward was the first Chief Justice of the Michigan Territory; he’s credited with playing a prominent role in the planning and reconstruction of Detroit after a devastating fire in 1805 and for spearheading the establishment of the University of Michigan. He was a supporter of freedmen. For more specific information on Augustus Woodward check out this Wikipedia page.
Chez Lou Lou Salon & Spa is a real salon in The Village in Grosse Pointe Farms that a friend recommended. https://salonloulou.com
“Learn To Fly” by Larry James is a beautiful poem I found while researching butterfly releases, and it spoke to my heart, so I had to include it in Jenny and Gabe’s wedding. Copyright © 2014 – Larry James. Reprinted with permission. Larry's poem is adapted from Larry’s Wedding Website and Wedding Blog. Larry James is a non-denominational minister. You’ll find more than 475 pages of Wedding ideas, tips, ceremonies, and more at: https://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com.
SitterCity.com is a real nationwide babysitting site a couple of my daughters used to find good families in need of experienced babysitters when they needed to make a little extra money in college and afterward. https://www.sittercity.com
The Meadow Brook Theatre is a playhouse in Rochester, Michigan, that I’ve been to a couple of times on school fieldtrips. https://www.mbtheatre.org
Canton Express is a restaurant in St. Clair Shores. https://www.yelp.com/biz/canton-express-saint-clair-shores
Grosse Pointe Academy - Gabe and Jenny were going to be married in the Academy’s chapel before they settled on a destination wedding. It’s a wonderful independent day school where “students receive the advantage of outstanding academics, an emphasis on moral and spiritual development through a Christian way of life, a wide range of extracurricular activities that challenge the mind and the body.” I grew up not far from the academy and spent hours playing on the playground and letting my dad beat me in tennis on their tennis courts. Okay, so maybe I didn’t really let him beat me. https://www.gpacademy.org
Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan, is a real organization, founded in 1939, that trains dogs for the blind. They provide dogs to ideal candidates at no cost to the blind person. Their funding comes from gifts, endowments and service organizations like the Lions Clubs. When a dog is not able to serve as a Leader Dog, they call it “career changed” and adopt the dog out as a regular pet. When I was in high school, my family got a wonderful German shepherd named Misty this way. https://www.leaderdog.org/about-us/adopt-a-career-changed-dog
Trevor Allen Photography—Trevor is a Halifax Wedding and Portrait photographer more talented than I can describe. His photos are amazing—so full of emotion. Trevor took the beautiful photo of Mandi and Mark Fanning’s wedding rings, and they all kindly allowed me to use them as Jenny and Gabe’s for Just Beginning’s cover. https://trevorallen.ca/, https://facebook.com/trevorallenphotography
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Theresa Rizzo is an award-winning author who writes emotional stories that explore the complexity of relationships and families through real-life trials. Born and raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, she now lives outside of Boulder, Colorado with her husband of thirty-one years.
Her debut Book, He Belongs to Me, won the 2014 National Indie Excellence Award for romance, the 2014 Readers Crown Award for Mainstream Women’s Fiction, and was awarded a silver medal in the Readers’ Choice Awards. Best selling, Just Destiny, was named a finalist in the Chick Lit/Women’s Lit category of the 2014 USA Best Book Award.
Learn more about Theresa at https://www.theresarizzo.com. Follow Theresa on Twitter (@Theresa_rizzo) and Facebook.
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The Grosse Pointe Hunt Club is nestled in the middle of a residential area. We used to play tennis there, and one summer I took horseback riding lessons. My children loved going through the barns and seeing all the horses and watching riding events. https://grossepointehuntclub.com
The Hill is a restaurant in Grosse Pointe Farms and one of my very favorite restaurants for a special lunch or dinner. They take reservations and don’t actually hand out pagers when there’s a wait. That, I made up. https://www.thehillgrossepointe.com
Nino Salvaggio is a wonderful market in St. Claire Shores that my family’s been going to for decades for fresh fruit, produce, and lunch meats. My children have special memories of shopping at Nino Salvaggio’s with Grandma. https://www.ninosalvaggio.com
Sanders, is a Detroit area institution, and if you’ve never tried their chocolate or ice-cream toppings, you’re missing out! Fred Sanders first opened the store in 1875. In 2002, Morely Candy Makers purchased the Sanders name and original recipes to add to its own. No trip back home is ever complete without a visit to Sanders. My personal favorite is the Dark Chocolate Honeycomb chips—oh—and the assorted creams and Easter bunnies…It also has a special place in my heart because my mom used to work the soda fountain when she was in high school. And occasionally, after a dentist visit with a good no-cavities report, Mom would take us to Sanders for a treat! https://www.sanderscandy.com
French’s Flowers & Gifts is a family operated florist in Livonia that our family has happily used for years. https://www.frenchsflowers.com
University Liggett School is an amazing private school in Grosse Pointe that both my husband and I attended and is, in fact, where we met. I am dyslexic and wasn’t diagnosed until third grade, and if not for the incredible help I received at Liggett from a whole host of excellent, patient teachers, I’m not even sure college would have been a realistic option for me.
Also, in reading the history of ULS, I love that in 1878 the Liggett family established the school as an “accessible school for girls devoted to high standards, proper behavior and preparation for college, as well as life”. They were feminists before their time! It wasn’t until 1954 that Liggett became co-ed. https://www.uls.org/page
Dawood Boutique of Grosse Pointe is an elegant boutique that’s family owned and operated since 1960. I’ve always admired and occasionally frequented it when my mom was looking for a special dress for a wedding or dinner dance. https://www.dawoodgp.com
Christ Child House has been caring for abused and neglected children in the Detroit area since 1948, providing residential services for up to 31 boys, ages 5 through 17. When I started researching foster care and this organization, I quickly understood why this outstanding place had always been one of my mother’s favorite causes. I made up John Spears and his multi-million dollar donation for the extension of Christ Child’s services to include the Supervised Independent Living house, but I think it’d be a wonderful if a wealthy benefactor would do something like this. I have immense respect for good foster parents. https://christchildhouse.org
I chose Woodward House because several of my Detroit area friends suggested it and I found Augustus Woodward to be a really interesting visionary. Also, I thought it would be oddly endearing to name the new home after a man who’d never had a family or children. Augustus Woodward was the first Chief Justice of the Michigan Territory; he’s credited with playing a prominent role in the planning and reconstruction of Detroit after a devastating fire in 1805 and for spearheading the establishment of the University of Michigan. He was a supporter of freedmen. For more specific information on Augustus Woodward check out this Wikipedia page.
Chez Lou Lou Salon & Spa is a real salon in The Village in Grosse Pointe Farms that a friend recommended. https://salonloulou.com
“Learn To Fly” by Larry James is a beautiful poem I found while researching butterfly releases, and it spoke to my heart, so I had to include it in Jenny and Gabe’s wedding. Copyright © 2014 – Larry James. Reprinted with permission. Larry's poem is adapted from Larry’s Wedding Website and Wedding Blog. Larry James is a non-denominational minister. You’ll find more than 475 pages of Wedding ideas, tips, ceremonies, and more at: https://www.celebrateintimateweddings.com.
SitterCity.com is a real nationwide babysitting site a couple of my daughters used to find good families in need of experienced babysitters when they needed to make a little extra money in college and afterward. https://www.sittercity.com
The Meadow Brook Theatre is a playhouse in Rochester, Michigan, that I’ve been to a couple of times on school fieldtrips. https://www.mbtheatre.org
Canton Express is a restaurant in St. Clair Shores. https://www.yelp.com/biz/canton-express-saint-clair-shores
Grosse Pointe Academy - Gabe and Jenny were going to be married in the Academy’s chapel before they settled on a destination wedding. It’s a wonderful independent day school where “students receive the advantage of outstanding academics, an emphasis on moral and spiritual development through a Christian way of life, a wide range of extracurricular activities that challenge the mind and the body.” I grew up not far from the academy and spent hours playing on the playground and letting my dad beat me in tennis on their tennis courts. Okay, so maybe I didn’t really let him beat me. https://www.gpacademy.org
Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan, is a real organization, founded in 1939, that trains dogs for the blind. They provide dogs to ideal candidates at no cost to the blind person. Their funding comes from gifts, endowments and service organizations like the Lions Clubs. When a dog is not able to serve as a Leader Dog, they call it “career changed” and adopt the dog out as a regular pet. When I was in high school, my family got a wonderful German shepherd named Misty this way. https://www.leaderdog.org/about-us/adopt-a-career-changed-dog
Trevor Allen Photography—Trevor is a Halifax Wedding and Portrait photographer more talented than I can describe. His photos are amazing—so full of emotion. Trevor took the beautiful photo of Mandi and Mark Fanning’s wedding rings, and they all kindly allowed me to use them as Jenny and Gabe’s for Just Beginning’s cover. https://trevorallen.ca/, https://facebook.com/trevorallenphotography
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Theresa Rizzo is an award-winning author who writes emotional stories that explore the complexity of relationships and families through real-life trials. Born and raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, she now lives outside of Boulder, Colorado with her husband of thirty-one years.
Her debut Book, He Belongs to Me, won the 2014 National Indie Excellence Award for romance, the 2014 Readers Crown Award for Mainstream Women’s Fiction, and was awarded a silver medal in the Readers’ Choice Awards. Best selling, Just Destiny, was named a finalist in the Chick Lit/Women’s Lit category of the 2014 USA Best Book Award.
Learn more about Theresa at https://www.theresarizzo.com. Follow Theresa on Twitter (@Theresa_rizzo) and Facebook.