Ann Arbor Book Festival

I volunteered last year at the Street Fair for the Ann Arbor Book Festival. It rained all day, and I have never been so wet outside of a bathing suit in my entire life (well, except maybe for that time on the Snake River Falls ride at Cedar Point).

This year I did NOT volunteer, and it was gorgeous and sunny. I hope there's not some sort of karmic connection there. Not volunteering also gave me more time to enjoy the activities. At the Emerging Genres panel discussion, I appreciated author Ander Monson's (long hair, beard, in photo above) self-deprecating humor. He has published a book of essays called Neck Deep and Other Predicaments. He writes short essays because it's an appropriate medium for the mundane things that happen in his life. "Memoirs," he said, "are for authors who have really bad stuff happen to them. Nothing really that bad has happened to me. Well, except for that time that I got arrested." Ander might want to also try blogging.

There was an "open mic" for story and poetry reading in the Literacy Pavilion, and Kathlynn Sullivan (photo at right) from Ann Arbor Open school was among the brave students to read a sample of her work. She did a great job, and I enjoyed her poem. On the other hand, I didn't particularly enjoy the work of Kevin Pilkington, in the Poetry Pavilion sponsored by WEMU radio. I found his poetry to be hard-hearted, and one piece vaguely misogynistic.

As usual at this sort of event, CTN was there videotaping comments. A different twist was that radio personality Lucy Ann Lance was in the booth, asking folks to name the favorite book they've read this year. Young Jarvis seemed a little daunted, whether by the camera or Lucy Ann's vibrant personality, it was hard to tell. His favorite book was Artemis Fowl. (My favorite book this year, by the way, was John Adams by David McCullough.)

I don't know about you, but I've been in a near constant state of irritation since January 20, 2001. And the dismissal of the U.S. attorneys (including Michigan's Margaret Chiara) has really pushed me over the edge. So I've been considering becoming more politically active, maybe joining the local Democratic Party. But in Ann Arbor, being a member of the Democratic Party is kind of like having AAA car insurance– everybody does it. So I stopped by the ACLU booth and joined up. Josh Kay, the Grand Poobah for the ACLU's Washtenaw Branch, said the magic words, "you can staff our booth at Art Fair, and get into some really interesting arguments." Sounds like fun to me!

Picnic Pops

I suppose that if you didn’t have a child participating, you could spend your whole life in Ann Arbor unaware of the exceptional nature of our school music programs. And that you could see it in action at the annual “Picnic Pops” an entire day devoted to showcasing the Pioneer and Huron bands, along with the eighth grade ensembles from the various middle schools.

I heard groups from Tappan (pictured below), Clague and Huron perform. As many of you know, Pioneer received the Grammy Foundation Signature School award in 2006 for best high school music program in the country, and Huron has also been highly awarded by the Foundation. Ann Arbor and districts throughout the state are facing a serious budget crisis with our schools. Our bands in Ann Arbor are an example of the excellence that can be achieved when an entire community understands the importance of music in education.

In addition to the music, there were games (my favorite was the “Rooster Booster” – small rubber chickens catapulted in your direction, and you try to catch them in a basket), moonwalks, a cakewalk, and lots of prizes. One boy dropped a two-liter bottle of root beer on the sidewalk (by accident), and the bottle shot like a rocket about 30 feet across the lawn. He did not, unfortunately, win a prize. Only a “lucky you didn’t hit the car” comment from the grouchy man staffing the raffle of a new car, which barely avoided the shower of soda.

All age groups enjoyed the music and the day – toddlers to grandparents. Rain may have threatened, but the “ice cream social” atmosphere couldn’t be dampened.

Agrarian Adventure, and a New Burns Park “Run”

The last time I saw the sheep, it was making its escape down the hill of the Tappan Middle School athletic field. As I tried to catch up, all the while cursing my dead camera battery, it headed down Brockman with about 30 middle schoolers hot on its heels. When I run through Burns Park, I think “wow, look at all the houses for sale.” I wonder what the sheep was thinking? “Iiiyyyeeee! Freedom!!” perhaps? A dad turned to me, saying, “Can you imagine if the kids corner it in someone’s yard? …some poor lady who just planted all her impatiens last weekend.”

The renegade sheep was the cap of a sunny, springtime evening shared by over 200 locals at the Agrarian Adventure’s Spring Festival. The Agrarian Adventure is comprised of students and volunteers from Tappan, learning to integrate sustainable foods and healthy living into their own lives and in the day-to-day activities of school and the community. Kids and volunteers showed off the club’s brand-new greenhouse, as well as their garden and projects from the year. I don’t have a comprehensive list of the businesses who donated to the evening, but I know DuRussel’s Farm, Grazing Fields, Garden Works, Great Harvest Bread, Nature and Nurture, Needle Lane Farms, Tantre Farm, and Zingerman’s contributed goodies offered up as tea sandwiches, salads, and smoothies. I can vouch that the egg salad sandwiches with sunflower sprouts were divine! Pioneer High students, a local 4-H group, and other clubs joined in the fun, too – there were chickens, guinea pigs, and goats (two babies!), in addition to the restless sheep.

All of this brings to mind a news feature I saw on “the TV” recently. Tufts University’s Nutrition School shepherded a program in its community promoting healthy eating and exercise district-wide with “Shape Up Somerville.” Having read the headline in tonight’s Ann Arbor News that our own University of Michigan just hit $2.519 BILLION in its fundraising campaign, this begs a question. Surely the Maize and Blue can find the resources and the initiative to partner with it’s own hometown schools in taking sustainable foods, healthy eating, and exercise for our children to the next level? The U talks a good game about a diverse student body equaling a successful student body – wouldn’t you say that healthy eating and exercise habits are a key part of insuring that children of all walks of life today are the university students of tomorrow?

A2 Questionnaire: Kathy Milske

(Same 6 Questions, Different Victim)

Kathy Milske, Registered Nurse

Kathy, what’s your favorite dish to cook?
Honey Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

It’s Friday night and you’re exhausted – what do you do for dinner?
Chili

It’s Saturday night and you’re ready to go out and have a great time – what do you do?
Dinner at The Chop House, then walk around Ann Arbor and go to the galleries. Finally get dessert to go, and bring it home for us and the kids.

What’s your favorite restaurant (besides Zingerman’s!) to take out-of-town guests?
Gratzi, because it is "safe." Too many times I've brought guests to The Earle, Godaiko, or West End Grill, and I could tell that they did not really appreciate the food! Curled up noses and whispered asides, such as "Where is the fettucini alfredo?" or "I only eat meat well done."

What do you love about Ann Arbor that you think is unique among other cities?
It is like a jelly donut - conservative dough encasing a liberal gooey center.

Last question – if you were to write a Blues song about living in Ann Arbor, what would the title be?
“I've got a PhD, and the best job I could get was with Yellow Cab”

Students Exit, So Slide Into a Campus Eatery

I am not one of those folks who moan and groan about the student swarm around central campus. I think the kids add an energy to life (and the economy!) in A2, and I never hesitate to pop into a campus restaurant or retailer. But I know that on graduation day some folks sigh in relief and think, “ahh, the town is ours again.” So following are brief notes on a few of my favorite campus restaurants. None are a particular secret, and all have received recognition of some kind or ‘tother (Current Magazine, for instance). But they might have slipped your mind while the kids are in town.

Madras Masala. We’re blessed with some fantastic Indian restaurants in Ann Arbor, but this little place on Maynard under the parking structure stands out. They have the ubiquitous lunch buffet, but my favorite feature is that when you order an entrée, you can specify mild, medium, or hot. I like hot, and I rarely find a restaurant in Ann Arbor that honors the promise of the word. But boy, they know their heat at Madras Masala. I had the specialty Lamb Curry (see photo above of my leftovers) one night for dinner, and it percolated pleasantly in my system until bedtime (sounds gross, but it’s a good thing). And I LOVE whoever composed their menu. The many items are described with enthusiasm, and in detail that’s easy for non-Indians to understand.

Jerusalem Garden. I am not a huge fan of Middle Eastern inspired food, though Pepper has caused me to give more thought than I imagined possible to the nature of good falafel. And Jerusalem Garden, on Division next to the Library parking lot, is fortunate in its falafel. And hummus. Bring lots of mints, cause it’s good and garlicky. But my favorites are the stuffed grape leaves. A friend brought Jerusalem Garden’s to a potluck once, and I embarrassed myself in the quantity I consumed. I stopped just short of standing over the Tupperware, slapping away hands of others trying to horn in on my newly discovered delectable. I was like Gollum, only my “precious” were little leafy packets filled with rice, lamb, and spices.

Totoro. Sushi is another example of an embarrassment of riches in Ann Arbor. Totoro is on State Street, squeezed in among a cacophony of chain establishments. Yet it reminds me of my favorite sushi place in midtown Manhattan – easy to miss, but a quiet respite for those in the know. They slice a nice piece of fish here, and the service and presentation are more polished and serene than one might expect from a place in studentville. They’ve got a superb variety of rolls – Fire Island is my favorite of the moment, with crab, avocado, tempura crunchies, topped with spicy tuna salad.

Red Hot Lovers. Even I hesitate to visit Red Hot during the school year. It’s location on East U isn’t convenient to a parking structure, and I don’t necessarily want to slog in 15 degree weather down icy sidewalks to a place that is really – how shall I say it? – a dump. Ah, but in fine weather a two or three block stroll seems hardly an impediment, when a pleasant seat at a sidewalk picnic table awaits. And then there are the dogs. And the fries. A traditional Chicago “dragged through the garden,” with a side of waffle cheese fries. That’s bliss.

Dominick’s. Who are the wiseacres who phone ahead to “reserve” a table at this campus landmark behind the Law Quad, their supposed class name scrawled on a circle of pizza cardboard? One of these days I’m going to call Rich Devarti and ask, “can you please save a table for my ‘Asphalt and Barrels: Overcharging Your Municipality 101’ class?” Dominick’s gets a lot of knocks for its eccentricities, and “pizza bread, pizza bread for Mandy” on the loudspeaker doesn’t necessarily inspire culinary nirvana. But it’s a great place for lunch on a balmy day, with the subs and grilled sandwiches tasty, filling, and a good value. And of course there’s the cheap beer and wine.

Whoa, I’m well beyond our self-imposed 500-word limit. Watch for “Slide Into a Campus Eatery: Part II”

A2 Questionnaire: Mandy Kay

(Same 6 Questions, Different Victim Each Post)

Mandy Kay, Marketing Consultant and Blogger

Mandy, what’s your favorite dish to cook?
You might as well ask “what’s your favorite room to vacuum?” I don’t like to cook. And if I do cook, it’s usually as a means to an end – like to keep my child from eating cheez-its for dinner, or to offer something besides chips and salsa to friends who come over at mealtime.

It’s Friday night and you’re exhausted – what do you do for dinner?
Order carry out from Mis Saigon – I love the pho ga (chicken soup), and my kid loves the garlic shrimp. Or, if we’re REALLY wiped out, pizza delivered from Marco’s.

Now it’s Saturday night and you’re ready to go out and have a great time – what do you do?
Actually, more often than not, I’ve got a crowd of friends at my house. Usually involves discoveries from the morning’s Farmers' Market, some recipe that I’ve minorly botched (see answer to questions #1), and lots of wine (shout out to Everyday Wines) to disguise the culinary inadequacies. Other nights, however, might find me hopping around downtown – dinner at The Earle, dessert at Sweetwaters, then settling in at Old Town.

What’s your favorite restaurant (besides Zingerman’s!) to take out-of-town guests?
If I’m planning ahead and get reservations, West End Grill or Eve. Both restaurants are comparable to top-name bistros in cities like Chicago or New York – we’re lucky to have them so close to home. If I haven’t planned, The Earle – it's reliably excellent, we never have trouble getting a table, and I love that it’s sort of a secret, Ann Arbor, place.

What do you love about Ann Arbor?
Some people are going to answer this question with a big picture approach, so I’ll go micro – I love Top of the Park. I find that I don’t see familiar faces down on Main Street on weekend nights the way I once did. Chalk it up to the Ann Arbor equivalent of the “bridge & tunnel” phenomenon, I guess. But at Top of the Park, I feel like I know EVERYONE, even if I don’t!
I’ve been a regular at TOP since it’s inception. Friends worked the alcohol concession, so we’d get bottles of white zinfandel (ack!) at the employee discount ($6!), people watch and socialize until dark, then settle back for the movie (those were the days where there was a movie almost every night). Top of the Park is the epitome of everything I love about living in Ann Arbor – a mix of laid-back, interesting people, great music, entertainment, and food.

Last question – if you were to write a Blues song about living in Ann Arbor, what would the title be?
“My American Express is Older Than She Is, But the Hostess at La Dolce Vita Won’t Give Me No Respect”