APRIL 2017| FREE
MUSIC | ART | CULTURE
City
2017 READERS’ CHOICE
BEST OF
WASHTENAW VOTE NOW P5
A La Carte
Zingerman’s newest, Miss Kim, P16
wt
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Al
The Cocktail Stars of Washtenaw County, P10
t W o throw the ed ultima di te ng
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contents
April 2017 vol. 27/no. 04
Wedding Guide 8 It doesn’t have to be “going to the chapel” to get married these days. By Cole Bednarski
City Sips 10
Need a well-made cocktail? Here’s the what and the where. By David Bardallis
16 food: Miss Kim Zingerman’s newest by Sam Fisher
20 music: Hiiigher Minds Louis Picasso’s masterpieces by Jeff Milo
25 film: Revolution cinema The Michigan is bringing thr edge by Nan Bauer
33 cannabis
Get active, locally By Vic Tanny
37 astrology 38 crossword
Cover photo: Matt Goddard, Mach Studios
ecurrent.com / april 2017 3
Adams Street Publishing Co. Washtenaw Commons Growing The popular Ann Arbor shopping center is gaining two new retailers this spring. Jamba Juice opened in March, and Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is set to begin dishing out Texas-style, fast and casual BBQ in May, after recently announcing their move into Ann Arbor. Retail timeshare D&D Bicycles and Hockey is joining Ann Arbor’s Sun & Snow, sharing its Westside retail space on Jackson Ave in a six month split. The Ann Arbor family-owned business, Sun & Snow, will remain in the space for the summer months and transition to D&D, a thriving Detroit-based shop, in the fall. More than checkerboard slip-ons Vans is coming to Briarwood Mall, opening in May. The popular shoe store signed a 10-year lease with Briarwood to bring the Ann Arbor area its trendy, colorful foot-wares. Food truck expansion Mark’s Carts is opening May 4 with a longer than ever list of vendors including Everest Momo, with Himalayan specialties, and Wood Fired Up, a specialty wood-fired pizza truck. More tea, please Ann Arbor’s Tea Haus will open its second location, Eat More Tea, in mid-April. The Maidstone Theatre The Maidstone Theatre is Ypsilanti’s new nightlife and local music hub. Playing a wide mix of genres from live bands, this club opens in the spot formerly occupied by Mr. Mike’s. Musicians interested in booking gigs, hit them up on Facebook. Thrift store no more Kiwanis Thrift Sale of Downtown Ann Arbor, although still open to the public 9 am-Noon Saturday mornings, is now available for lease or sale after residing in their “flagship” store for close to 90 years. Grab your running shoes Ann Arbor Running Company will expand with its second storefront in The Kerrytown shopping district of Downtown Ann Arbor with plans to open the first week of April - just in time for the beginning of jogging season. Feeling healthy for spring 3D Nutrition, Washtenaw County’s newest Nutrition Club will celebrate its grand opening in Ypsilanti on April 7 at 6 pm with product samples, weight-loss challenge registration and live music.
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What’s your go-to cocktail? Publisher/Editor in Chief
Collette Jacobs (cjacobs@toledocitypaper.com) Moscow Mule
Co-publisher/Chief Financial Officer Mark I. Jacobs (mjacobs@toledocitypaper.com) My friend john daniels
Editorial
Assignment Editor: Cole Bednarski
(annarboreditor@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Chai Tea— i’m boring
Photobomb Editor: Swani Swanigan (sswanigan@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Pineapple juice makes me do the happy dance Editorial intern: Jacqueline Bull (jbull@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Dr. pepper with tequila Contributing Writers: Sam Fisher, Cammie Finch, Jeff Milo, Rob Brezsny, Krista Gjestland, David Bardallis, Nan Bauer, Vic Tanny, Jennifer Brough, Jeff Klima
Digital Media
Saul Jacobs (saul@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Stoli on Ice
Art/Production
Production Manager: Imani Lateef (imani@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Pure Absinthe— from a siberian insane asylum Senior Designer: Leah Foley (leah@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Bloody Mary Designer: Anita Tipton (prodintern@adamsstreetpublishing.com) courvoisier Kelli Miller (kmiller@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Beer— All Kinds of BEer
Advertising Sales Catherine Bohr (a2sales@adamsstreetpublishing.com) vodka soda Sales Coordinator Jen Leach (sales@adamsstreetpublishing.com Vodka Tonic with lime
Administration
Accounting: Robin Armstrong (rarmstrong@adamsstreetpublishing.com) gin and tonic
© 2017 by Adams Street Publishing Co., All rights reserved. 3003 Washtenaw Ave., Suite 3, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, Phone (734) 668-4044, Fax (734) 668-0555. First class subscriptions $30 a year. Distributed throughout Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and neighboring communities. Also publishers of:
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ecurrent.com / april 2017 5
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Massage Therapy: Day Spa: Skincare: Yoga: Fitness Center: Trainer: Cool Eyewear: Tanning: Nail Salon:
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Lawyer: Optometrist: Dentist: Doctor: Plastic Surgeon: Veterinarian: Travel Agent: Alternative Health Care: Chiropractor: Budtender:
Art/Theater Best Art Gallery: Museum: Live Theatre: Theatre Troupe: Dance Company: Movie Theater: Artist: Place to Buy Local Art:
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green corner Happy 4.543 billionth birthday! Get in the green spirit with the day-long Ann Arbor Earth Day Festival. The annual event celebrates the Earth with local environmental nonprofits and agencies. Join in the all species parade, at 2 pm, where all are encouraged to dress up as a favorite plant or animal, on the Leslie Science and Nature Center property. With educational presentations on a variety of sustainability topics, the festival will be a zero waste event. Participants are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles. —JB
Sunday, April 23. 12pm. Leslie Science & Nature Center, 1831 Traver Rd. 734-997-1553. a2earthday.org. Free
fyi YMCA memberships go statewide As of March 1, members of the Downtown Ann Arbor YMCA’s benefits have been expanded to allow visits to any YMCA in Michigan. Fran Talsma, Executive Director of the State Alliance of Michigan YMCAs and Ann Arbor YMCA Board member explained that the reciprocity program recognizes the Y movement as cohesive across the state to encourage members to utilize the Y to meet their health and wellness goals. The program covers the use of standard facilities (pools, track, gym) but not Child Watch or other specialty programs. Restrictions will be noted on the website of specific locations.-CB
www.annarborymca.org and www.ymca.net
Best of Washtenaw M?DD;H H; (&', ; 7: ; H IË 9>E?9
Open 10a - 8p 7 Days a Week 300 W. Huron, corner N. First
(734) 623-1951 relaxstation.com s6OTED "EST -ASSAGE s7ALK INS 7ELCOME s!PPOINTMENTS !VAILABLE &2%% 0!2+).'
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If you love us, vote us “Best Yoga Studio” in Washtenaw!
Workshops
APRIL 22, 5PM. Yoga, Beer, Cheese with Carter Check the website for more information! 2030 Commerce Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103 a2yoga.net | 734-216-4006 Monday 9:15 - 10:30 AM 9:30 - 10:45 AM 6:00 - 7:15 PM 7:15 - 8:15 PM 7:30 - 8:45 PM Tuesday 9:15 - 10:30 AM 9:30 - 10:30 AM 10:45 - 12:00 PM 11:00 - 12:00 PM 6:00 - 7:00 PM 6:00 - 7:00 PM 7:15 - 8:30 PM 7:15 - 8:30 PM Wednesday 9:15 - 10:30 AM 9:30 - 10:30 AM 10:45 - 11:45 AM 11:00 - 12:00 PM 12:00 - 1:00 PM 6:00 - 7:15 PM 6:00 - 7:15 PM 7:30 - 8:30 PM 7:30 - 8:45 PM Thursday 9: 15 - 10:30 AM 9:15 - 10:30 AM 6:15 - 7:15 PM 7:15 - 8:30 PM Friday 9:15 - 10:30 AM 9:30 - 10:45 AM 12:00 - 1:00 PM 5:30 - 6:30 PM Saturday 8:00 - 9:15AM 9:15 - 10:30 AM 11:00 - 12:15 PM Sunday 9:00 - 10:15 AM 9:15 - 10:15 AM 10:30 - 11:30 AM 10:30 - 11:45 AM 4:30 - 5:30 PM
Classes Vinyasa II Gentle Yoga & Meditation Heart-Centered Hatha Yoga Gentle/Restorative Yoga Vinyasa Classes Vinyasa Hatha (All Levels) Gentle Flow Yoga FREE Community Yoga: Onã Flow Vinyasa (DW) * NIA Hatha Flow Vinyasa Pre-natal Yoga: Mommy Time Classes Heart - Centered Hatha Yoga Vinyasa: PrAna Vinyasa Inspired (All Levels) Yoga Fundamentals/Beginning Yoga NIA Power Hour: Hatha Flow Vinyasa: Movement Flow Ashtanga: Primary Series I/Foundations Hatha Flow Hatha: YIN Inspired & Meditation (Beginners Welcome) Classes Gentle Yoga & Meditation Classical Vinyasa Yoga (Preferably no beginners) Vinyasa: Movement Flow Vinyasa Classes Vinyasa Pre-natal Yoga: Mommy Time Power Hour: PrAna Vinyasa Inspired FREE Community Yoga: Onã Flow Vinyasa (DW) * Classes FREE Community Yoga: Ashtanga Primary Series (DW) * Vinyasa I & II Traditional Hatha Yoga (All Levels) Classes Heart - Centered Vinyasa Yoga Hatha Yoga Foundations (Great for beginners) NIA Pre-natal Yoga: Mommy Time FREE Community NIA: NIA (DW) *
Teacher Sandra Natasha Carter Natasha Carter Teacher Rachel P. Carter Sarah Ana Megan S. Colleen Wendy Lisa T. Teacher Carter Ana Ouafa Ana Marty Natasha Wendy Sarah Dina Teacher Natasha Samantha Lisa Wu Jo Teacher Wendy Lisa T. Sarah Ana Teacher Self Lead Rachel P. Natasha Teacher Natasha Carrie Megan S. Samantha Ana
* Donations Welcome: CommUNITY Class
NEW students $20/7 Days Unlimited Trial Pass (Washtenaw County residents, starts 1st class visit & must fill-out W² Form) ecurrent.com / april 2017 7
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
photo credit: amanda mae photography of saline
With a little imagination and playing to your strengths, your wedding never has to be ordinary.
How to throw the ultimate alternative wedding The Washtenaw County alt-guide By Cole Bednarski
Although wedding trends continually change, the trend for 2017 weddings is simply to not follow a trend. Planning your own “alt-wedding” in Washtenaw County? Check out these local venues and services that are sure to match your style and budget.
The Venue
Straying from the traditional church ceremony, the original altwedding trend, is becoming significantly more popular Washtenaw County residents have an assortment of parks, nature preserves, and recreation areas within a short drive. Matthaei Botanical Gardens of Ann Arbor hosts weddings. “We continue to attract more people than ever who seek a romantic, flower-filled, intimate, and low-key al fresco wedding,” says Joseph Mooney of Matthaei. “A wedding at Matthaei Botanical Gardens is a wedding made by nature. Guests can choose from several spaces with views of flowers, gardens, water elements, and vistas. We also offer a conservatory, packed with tropical plants, for winter weddings.” After vows are exchanged, where will the party continue? While many couples opt to host their reception and ceremony
110 S. MAIN STREET · ANN ARBOR, MI 48104
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at the same venue, a selection of restaurants, private rental spaces and even microbreweries offer unique spaces for the ideal reception. “Our private spaces each have a unique character and personality, from exposed brick and stone walls to an actual wine cellar,” said Jennifer Cornell of Ann Arbor’s Vinology. “They are romantic and rustic, alleviating the need for additional decor like the typical banquet hall… Couples are enjoying an independence from tradition and embracing venues that offer that. From the savings of having a smaller wedding, to the flexibility of being able to have a strolling affair or a seated three-course dinner, they enjoy being unique and offering their guests a new experience.”
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
The Ring
A traditional yellow gold band with a square-cut white diamond has company from other options for 2017 engagements, as couples display permanent symbols of their lifelong commitment with birthstones, tattoos, and custom, contemporary rings. Urban Jewelers and Abracadabra, custom Ann Arbor jewelry staples, have seen decades of wedding trends in the custom jewelry community, but nothing like the alt-wedding. “We’ve enjoyed the recent uptick in alternative weddings as couples realize they don’t have to play by anyone else’s rules,” Mary Simkins of Abracadabra explains. “The rise in alternative weddings is an indication that people are celebrating their own unique preferences and idiosyncrasies rather than adhering to traditional formulas… We love traditions, Urban Jewelers but we often remind our customers that there are no rules when it comes to your wedding or your wedding jewelry. The highest compliment we receive from customers is that they’ve never seen anything like our jewelry anywhere else…. from classic bands to meteorite, wood, and Mokume Gane.” Abracadabra
The Dress
Seven distinctive spaces, including a fragrant herb knot garden, colorful perennial garden, Willow Pond Island, or the summer-blooming Gateway Garden.
Let’s face it, not everyone looks fabulous in a floor-length white gown. In 2017, knee-length (and shorter), teal, black, and even devil-red are popular styles strutting down the aisle worn by altbrides. Brides that feel the itch for a billowing gown are giving traditional bridal attire an alternative flair. Boutiques, such as The Brides Project in Ann Arbor, offer the opportunity to purchase designer gowns affordably, and for a good cause. The Brides Project “provides brides with a socially conscious, budget and eco-friendly option for purchasing a bridal gown.” The proceeds from sales go to The Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor for people touched by cancer.
The Flowers
If you have flora at all, a trend for 2017 is to go with a living and potted version. With a plethora of Washtenaw County farmer’s markets at your fingertips, it is easy to meet the need. Another benefit? Potted plants can be purchased weeks in advance. Not a floral person? Alternative items such as succulents and even rescue puppies are growing in popularity with alt-wedding couples. What could be better than your bridal party saving a few fur-baby lives on the happiest day of your life?
The Cake
Three-tiered chocolate cake with white frosting and pink fondant flowers? Not likely at an alt-wedding. If there is a cake, it’s probably in the shape of a seahorse or festooned with neon orange frosting. The trend for 2017? Doughnuts. And plenty of them. According to The President of Washtenaw Dairy, Mary Raab, the Ann Arbor go-to for morning doughnuts and after-dinner ice cream has experienced the change first-hand with wedding doughnut orders of up to 200 of the favorite fried snack. “We have an order or two every month and already have a couple for the summer,” says Raab. “It is an interesting phenomenon. We have doughnut holes that we call our minis and people are starting to do Sundae bars with ice cream... The same with the minis with toppings. (You can do) a lot of interesting things. We love working with the couples and the wedding planners to find what’s right for them.”
ecurrent.com / april 2017 9
City
ips S
From original beverage concoctions to refined takes on the classics, you’ll never be thirsty if you stick to this guide. Here’s what to drink when you’re in this neck of the woods.
Brecon Grille & Pub
Cocktails of Washtenaw County By David Bardallis
Long-time townies may remember browsing the stacks of Borders in the 1990s, when Robert James Waller’s The Bridges of Madison County was a runaway bestseller. The romantic, if sappy, story of Robert and Francesca’s brief love affair may have tugged at heart strings everywhere, but we here at Current have our own long-standing love affair – with the many unique and interesting watering holes that dot our area’s landscape. Borders is long gone, but the number of quality places to get a tipple have proliferated. We’re truly blessed with a place, and a beverage, for every style, taste, and mood. This love affair prompted us to embark on an odyssey to just a few of the establishments that have captured our hearts – and may capture yours, too. Dear reader, we present to you “The Bars of Washtenaw County.”
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Bigalora Wood-Fired Cucina
3050 Washtenaw Ave., Ste. 112 Ann Arbor Bigalora.com What to try: Wash down your weekend brunch with Death in the Afternoon, an absinthe and Champagne cocktail invented by Ernest Hemingway and named after his book on bullfighting, given a twist here with Spanish cava and a pinch of sugar. You can pass many a happy hour at Bigalora’s long bar, which sports not only 40 tap lines but also one of the largest walls of booze in Ann Arbor. The light, open space is a great place to throw a few back while you also enjoy the growing chain’s justly famous gourmet pizzas.
101 W. Michigan Ave. Saline What to try: For the perfect palatecleansing aperitif, order The Cooper, made with Bulleit Bourbon, Anisette, limoncello, mint, and lemon. This quaint English-style pub and restaurant takes its name from Brecon, Wales, Saline’s sister city. Belly up to the intimate wood bar for drafts of Michigan beers, choose from a sizable wine list, or check out the menu of signature cocktails, all while enjoying house specialties inspired by the United Kingdom such as fish and chips, corned beef hash, and more.
COCKTAIL PHOTO CREDIT: David Bardallis
500 W. Main St. Brighton Brewerybecker.com What to try: Vargdricka, a taproom favorite described by head brewer Matt Becker as a Scandinavian farmhouse ale based on “the daily drink of vikings,” is a light amber ale bittered with bog myrtle and juniper. Located in a beautifully restored 1873 hotel in Downtown Brighton, Brewery Becker offers an inviting atmosphere of brick and wrought iron in which to enjoy a wide variety of hand-crafted beers, many of which are based on recipes at least as historical as the taproom itself.
Mixology Mavens While we love our cocktails, a favored cocktail destination is dependent on the staff. A conversational, approachable server can make days brighter with a friendly, knowing smile. Both time-tested and new Washtenaw County cocktail scene locales share the sage wisdom of their veteran barkeeps here with Spring 2017 low-down.
Photos by Matt Goddard, MacH Studios
Brewery Becker
Fraser’s Pub
2045 Packard St. Ann Arbor Fraserspub.com What to try: Sunday Loaded Bloody, named by MLive.com as the state’s second best Bloody Mary, is made with New Holland vodka and bloody mix; spiced up with steak and hot sauces, pickle and olive juices, and pepper; then topped off with a splash of stout, a Cajun-seasoned glass rim, and a loaded skewer of various olives, cheeses, and meats. For more than half a century the squat tan building that is Fraser’s Pub has welcomed thirsty townies into its dim but warm embrace. In recent years the popular neighborhood sports bar has upped its drinks game, accommodating those comfortable in a vintage neighborhood bar setting alongside those seeking the latest and greatest brews. CONT’D ON P12
The Ravens Club
Alistair Dickinson, Bartender Tell us about yourself: I’ve been working at Ravens Club for over 2 years, bartending the last year or so.
What is your favorite bartending tool? Anything I can smash ice with.
What’s new at your restaurant? We have a great new chef, Joe Schaffer, who’s putting some amazing food on the summer menu. Also some interior renovations are in the works to make our beautiful bar more user friendly, which means faster drinks.
Strangest tip: I’ve gotten some good Evangelical literature from customers of various religious backgrounds. I guess people are concerned about bartenders’ souls.
cont. on pg. 12 ecurrent.com / april 2017 11
COMING
Mavens CONT’D FROM P 11
Headed your
WAY!
Photos by Matt Goddard, MacH Studios
SOON!
Maiz Mexican Cantina Vicente Estrada, Bartender Tell us about yourself: I’ve worked at Maiz for a year and a few months. I was awarded employee of the month in February. What’s an off-menu concoction you’ve made that people should try
If you could only have one drink for the rest of your life what would it be? Corralejo Reposado on the rocks
could be my only drink… because it’s that damn good.
I think people should try the Frog Island iced tea.
CONT’D FROM P11
Karl’s Cabin
BREWED WITH
Renewable
POWER | WIND | SOLAR
801.467.0909
UINTABREWING.COM
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6005 Gotfredson Rd. Plymouth Karlscabin.com What to try: You can’t go wrong with a classic Old Fashioned, made with Old Forester Bourbon, or, if you’re feeling tropical, try the Caribbean Painkiller, made with Pusser’s Rum. Built as a country roadhouse in 1945, Karl’s Cabin is reputed to have once played host to a traveling young singer named Johnny Cash as well as to any number of drunken fist fights. Today the space enclosed in dark log walls continues to be a venue for live music, hearty food, and fine beverages, but the bare-knuckled brawls of yesteryear thankfully remain in the past.
Rappourt Brew & Chew
2721 Plymouth Rd. Ann Arbor Rappourt.com What to try: Holland’s Collins, Rappourt’s twist on a classic Tom Collins, makes use of New Holland Blue Haven Gin, fresh lemon juice, soda, and blueberries grown on the family farm of New Holland’s head brewer. Rappourt opened on Ann Arbor’s north side in February, making a bold statement with its long, modern bar featuring 48 tap handles of beer, wine, cider, and mead. The space formerly occupied by the Wine Seller retail shop has been transformed into a bright, sleek venue for enjoying a carefully curated menu of craft beverages and gourmet dishes. CONT’D ON P15
Photos by Matt Goddard, MacH Studios
The Session Room Kyle Sharp, Bartender
Tell us about yourself: I’ve been tending bar for several years now, mostly in downtown Ann Arbor at craft breweries and late night cocktail bars. I was approached about working at The Session Room when they were still in construction mode. After seeing the venue, with an event space and beer garden, and meeting some fellow staffers, I was hooked. I’ve been here since day one and I can tell you that we are a family. Come visit and introduce yourself! It is a different kind of place... a bar you can hang out at every day of the week! What’s an off-menu concoction you’ve made that people should try? I recently
spent a week in New Orleans where the street jazz and history revived my love of cocktails with that southern Creole flair. I’ve been working on a cocktail called “La route de la Louisiane” which incorporates Kentucky rye whiskey, French Benedictine, vermouth, caramelized peach brown sugar syrup, Peychaud’s bitters and a splash of absinthe. Served on the rocks or up with a brandied cherry.
What’s new at your restaurant that we should know about? We’re approaching our inaugural beer garden season with a lot of plans for celebration. We also have weekly live music, a week-long Short’s anniversary celebration the last week of April, and monthly beer dinners. There is always something exciting happening at The Session Room.
CONT’D ON P 14 ecurrent.com / april 2017 13
Photos by Matt Goddard, MacH Studios
Sava’s
Kelsey Wonsavage, Sommelier Tell us about yourself:
I am a Culinary Institute of America graduate, and I actually did not like the business before I began working with wines and studied in Napa Valley. I thought it was a pretentious industry, and often times the men involved would talk down to me and act condescending; “do you not taste the subtle dehydrated raspberry flavor in this wine?”. I was simply not a fan. I started to eat tree bark, rocks, soils, leaves: anything really to expand my palate so I could taste what everyone else was claiming to taste. I bought a one way plane ticket to France after college, and worked at a vineyard during harvest time to gain experience, knowledge, and appreciation. Now I love the industry and I am trying to make it more approachable for everyone to enjoy. It should be a fun subject- not one people feel shy about. What’s new at your restaurant? The wine
culture at Sava’s is growing! It’s super exciting. We have expanded a composed list of classic offerings, along with some really fun, obscure wines for people to try. We also have wine tastings each month that focus on a specific wine region, called Sava’s Uncorked. It is a fun way to learn, taste, and explore a region; it’s essentially a casual party. With our 10 year anniversary coming up, we are excited to offer our own label for sparkling wine! Celebration usually calls for something bubbly, so we have worked with Rack and Riddle Winery in Sonoma County, California to offer our own label for the celebration!
What is your favorite bartending tool? My favorite tool
for wine is called a Coravin. It is a tool used to extract wine out of a bottle without pulling the cork. The tool inserts a needle through the cork and simultaneously pumps argon gas into the bottle- creating a vacuum and pulling the wine out. Long story short- you can taste wine and still store the bottle for a few weeks without worrying your wine will go bad. Its pretty cool.
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David Chesser, Bar Manager
Tell us about yourself: I have been working at Sava’s now
for five years so I’ve seen all the hard work that we have done and what we have accomplished throughout the years. I’ve been in the restaurant industry for nine years and I love the fact that every day is different. I also love being creative with cocktails and seeing the looks on our guests’ faces when they try a cocktail with their overall experience at Sava’s.
Tell us about a trending cocktail/drink for spring: We
have had huge success with versions of the Moscow Mule recently. For the winter, we did one called “Winta Ginja” which had vanilla-ginger infused Tito’s vodka. For the spring, we are going to come up with a cucumber-infused gin and throw it in a Mule, so keep an eye out for it!
What’s an off-menu concoction you’ve made that people should try: Currently, I am starting to make housemade tonic
water for Savas! My first batch was a lavender-forward tonic and the outcome was amazing. I’m thinking that I’ll try a hibiscus one next
Cocktails CONT’D FROM P12
Red Brick Kitchen & Bar
8093 Main St. Dexter Redbrickkitchen.com What to try: What its name may lack in creativity, the Mezcal Cocktail more than makes up for in imaginative, flavorful ingredients including Dos Jaimes Mezcal Joven, Cynar, agave, and fresh lemon juice inside a smoked black sea salt and peppered glass rim. As its name implies, Red Brick boasts an atmosphere of exposed nineteenth-century brick wall, accentuated with warm, modern wood. The cozy space in the heart of Downtown Dexter is classy without being stuffy, offering a respite from the Main Street bustle just outside its doors.
Seitz’s Tavern
110 W. Middle St. Chelsea Find them on Facebook What to try: Beer and a shot. If you’re feeling adventurous, don’t specify your brands and leave it up to owner/ bartender Randy, the self-proclaimed “last of the Seitzes.” Look up “unpretentious” in the dictionary and next to the definition will be a photo of Seitz’s Tavern, a 101-year-old family-owned bar hiding in plain sight amidst the tonier establishments of Downtown Chelsea. From the deer heads adorning the walls to the antique cash register to the lack of any bar stools, this place is a throwback to a time when people got the news from their “local.”
Seva
2541 Jackson Ave. Ann Arbor Sevarestaurant.com What to try: Made with bourbon, lemon and simple syrup, soda, and a bracing shot of fresh ginger, the Ginger Julep is a refreshing way to welcome in spring. Following its 2014 move to the city’s west side, Seva continues to thrive in its fifth decade as Ann Arbor’s premier vegetarian restaurant. The airy, open space and hand-made cement-andglass bar are the perfect setting to enjoy an incredible happy hour that is one of Tree Town’s best kept secrets.
Ypsi Alehouse
124 Pearl St. Ypsilanti Ypsialehouse.com What to try: The Blue Racer – brewed with all-Michigan wheat and barley malts, hops, and honey – is as much fun to watch as it to drink: It’s topped off with Michigan-grown blueberries that bob up and down with the beer’s lively carbonation. Occupying the first floor of what in the 1920s was the Huron Hotel, the Ypsi Alehouse has the distinction of being the second commercial brewing venture for co-owner Ted Badgerow, who in 1982 founded Michigan’s first modern microbrewery, Chelsea’s Real Ale Company. Today Ted’s creations can be enjoyed in a historic if spartan space that most recently housed a national chain restaurant.
HENRYSHARDSODA.COM ecurrent.com / april 2017 15
Photo credit_ Katie Jozwiak
food
Kerrytown Korean Zingerman’s newest venture— Miss Kim, kicks food cart cuisine up a notch. by Sam Fisher
White-painted brick walls, soft lighting, crisp linen tablecloths covering deep brown wood tables: The Miss Kim design scheme seems purposely designed to prevent distraction from the kaleidoscope of color and flavor on your plate. This sitdown expansion of a food cart, the newest Zingerman’s restaurant, had a soft opening in Kerrytown last December. Now thriving on a recent Saturday night, a mixed crowd filled the tightly packed tables while others waited for the next open spot. The menu, devised by managing partner Ji Hye (pronounced “gee-hey”) Kim, draws on memories of the foods her grandmother and mother made in Korea. We skipped the appetizers (oysters, crudités, and edamame) in favor of a small plate of handmade steamed buns filled with savory mushrooms. Our teeth sank through pillowy exteriors into shiitakes sliced wafer thin, seared to golden perfection. A
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Miss Kim has a no-tip policy, and the staff is relaxed— they’re not worried about upselling you—and clearly collaborative. kale and spicy green salad, garnished with peanuts and pickled watermelon radish, sparkled in a dressing that nicely balanced sweet and tart. Korean comfort
For the main, we split the recommended stone bowl bibimbob. The heat of the bowl sizzles the rice to a golden crust, which arrives topped with more of those lovely mushrooms and strips of tender beef, tender-crisp marinated cucumbers, sweet crunchy bean sprouts, and some blanched spinach that tasted as if it had been harvested that afternoon. A barely warmed egg yolk sat centered, ready to break and swirl with the stainless steel chopsticks provided to every diner (forks available on request). The only misstep was a pile of tough, woody burdock strips (similar to a parsnip), which could have benefitted from a sliver cut—or, perhaps, could simply be left out of the bowl.
Miss Kim has a no-tip policy, and the staff is relaxed—they’re not worried about upselling you—and clearly collaborative. If it’s a Zingerman’s trend to pay wait staff a living wage and abolish tipping, we applaud it and hope it spreads citywide. Wines, beers, and cocktails are available, though we loved the ginger tea. Since desserts aren’t intrinsic to Korean cuisine but are loved by Michiganders, there’s a selection of incongruous choices from the Zing’s bakery a block away. But—Pavlova? I found myself wondering what the kitchen could do with simple fresh fruit, as artfully arranged as the rest of the offerings on the menu. You will dine elbow to elbow; be prepared to eavesdrop on the next table’s conversation, whether you want to or not. Plan on $30 per person without drinks, and $40 and up with. For food prepared this thoughtfully, in an atmosphere both laid-back and energetic, it’s an excellent value.
Miss Kim 415 N 5th Ave, Ann Arbor (entrance through Kerrytown or from East Kingsley). 734-275-0099 misskimannarbor.com Tues-Sat 5pm-10pm, Sun 5pm-9pm Reservations only for 6 or more
Ongoing Wine Night Wednesdays
4pm. Evans Street Station. evansstreetstation.com Free
Try out some new wines. There are half priced bottles of wine, and unfinished bottles can be corked and taken home.
Wednesdays and Saturdays 7am. Ann Arbor Farmer’s MarketKerrytown. a2gov.org Free
As it gets warmer, the market is heating up and continuing to offer fresh local produce.
Sunday Artisan Market
11am. 315 Detroit St. sundayartisanmarket.org Free
The market reopens this year on April 2. The market features over 40 local artisans with handmade creations.
1 saturday Ann Arbor All Grain Brewing Class
11am. $10. Adventures in Home Brewing. homebrewing.org
This class will cover the all grain brewing procedure. The class is geared towards extract brewers and newcomers who are interested in all grain brewing.
1950’s Coffee Klatch Luncheon
12pm. Alexander Blue House, Livonia. ci.livonia.mi.us/
This retro luncheon is a celebration of ‘coffee & conversation.’ Guests will enjoy lunch, dessert, and bottomless coffee.
2 sunday 5th Annual CSA Fair
1pm. Ypsilanti Farmers Marketplace. Find 5th Annual CSA on Facebook. Free
Slow Food Huron Valley hosts this fair to give an opportunity for people in the community a chance to meet the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers and producers. These CSAs produce vegetables, meat and even prepared foods.
4 tuesday Mastering the French Mother Sauces: Hollandaise 7pm. AADL-Downtown. aadl.org Free
Add a new sauce to your toolkit. This class showcases the Hollandaise sauce and some of its many variations.
5 wednesday Easter Treats Class
5:30pm. $50. The Baker’s Nook. thebakersnook.com
Learn how to make a bunny pretzel, an Easter chick with a nutter butter cookie, painted suckers and filled candies. Leave with a nice box of chocolates.
7 friday Spring Tea
1pm. $12. Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea, Ypsilanti. sweetwaterscafe.com
The Sweetwaters take on the classic English High Tea. Indulge in the afternoon of refinement.
California Bistro
6pm. $50. Fustinis. fustinis.com
A menu inspired by the west coast. Camembert with figs; mushroom bourguignon; beef tenderloin with golden beets and gorgonzola; cara cara cream ambrosia cake. This class is a demonstration.
8 saturday Barre, Bubbles & Brunch
Short’s Brewing Anniversary Party The exclusive southern peninsula spot Short’s Brewing Company celebrates its 13th anniversary this year with exclusive week-long festivities at The Session Room of Westside Ann Arbor. Kicking off the party is a ticketed beer dinner featuring an off-menu coursed dinner and four specialty Short’s brews available at only two Michigan locations - the brewery pub in Northern Michigan and The Session Room.
April 26, 7pm. $45. 3685 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. (734) 585-7300.
Join our CSA in 2017
9am. $36. Aventura Ann Arbor. aventuraannarbor.com
The morning begins with a 50minute strengthening barre class led by The Barre Code’s very own Adrianne Madias. After the workout, enjoy spanish tortillas (egg and potato omelette), paella, and full brunch plates including soft-poached eggs, peppadew peppers, manchego and more. Finish off with the build your own mimosa bar.
Sourdough Culture Workshop
10am. $60. Stone Coop Farm, Brighton. stonecoopfarm.com
Pregitzer
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​ earn to bake easy to digest L breads, cakes, pizzas, muffins, and even crackers using sourdough. In this workshop participants will learn how simple it is to begin a sourdough culture from scratch, how to bake a basic loaf of bread using high quality whole grains or gluten free flour, and how to properly store their culture for later use. Price includes a fresh sourdough starter and a recipe guide.
10 monday Cocktail Class: Along the Bourbon Trail
7:30pm. $45. The Last Word. tammystastings.com
Learn about bourbon’s journey from the beginnings in Kentucky to its cult status. Bourbon’s smoothness makes it good on its own, but also leaves room for cocktails. The class will offer history, stories and technique instruction.
11 tuesday Nature’s High-Energy Diet 7pm. AADL-Malletts Creek. aadl.org Free
Foray into the world of raw food diets.
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Cont’d from p17
12 wednesday
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5:30pm. $50. The Baker’s Nook. thebakersnook.com
15 saturday Ypsilanti Food Awards
5pm. $50. Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace. growinghope.net
This gala event will support Growing Hope. It is an evening of food, drink and music ending in an awards ceremony for local heroes in the Ypsi’s food world.
18 tuesday Indian Spice Special Dinner
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7pm. Zingerman’s Roadhouse. zingermans.com
Spice Trekker, Philippe de Vienne, will guide participants through the traditional flavors of Indian cuisine. Chef Alex Young will add a dash of his own culinary talent by collaborating with Philippe on the menu for this event.
19 wednesday Cocktail Class: Flips, Fizzes and Sours
7pm. $45. Antietam. tammystastings. com
Many classic cocktails call for an egg white or a whole egg. Prepare to be be surprised how much difference an egg can make. The class will offer history, stories and technique instruction.
20 thursday Cheers for Children Breakfast
8pm. Ann Arbor City Club. washtenawchildren.org
A breakfast to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect in the county.
21 friday Uncorked 2017
7pm.$60. Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center, Plymouth. eefforkids.org
The 7th Annual Wine Tasting & Strolling Dinner. Proceeds from this event benefit Plymouth and Canton schools. Enjoy the dinner, tastings, a silent auction, the Wall of Wine and multiple sponsorship opportunities.
22 saturday Big Green Egg Spring Fling Cookout
10am. Downtown Home and Garden. downtownhomeandgarden.com Free
Taste the chef’s choice, smoked meat and grilled vegetables.
Chocolate Extravaganza
10am. $60. Sprouting Chefs. sproutingchefs.org
Learn where cacoa grows to how it is transformed into what we know as chocolate. Owner of Sweet Gem Confections will instruct on how to make, shape, dip and decorate chocolate truffles, chocolate fruit cups and dipped pretzels. Also make chocolate ganache and learn how to work with tempered chocolate.
20th Anniversary Cookout & Campfire
1pm. Indian Creek Camp and Conference Center, Tecumseh. facebook.com/ indiancreekcamp Free
Indian Creek Camp is celebrating 20 years of camping with food and a campfire. There will be brats from Jerry’s Market, hot dogs and s’mores around the campfire.
Whiskey Talk with Charles K. Cowdery
6pm. $60. The Last Word. thelastwordbar.com
Cowdery is an internationally renowned whiskey writer and is coming to The Last Word for a talk and tasting.
23 sunday 12th Annual Dining For Kids Fundraising Event
5pm. Ticket prices will be posted soon. LIVE Ann Arbor, 102 S 1st St., Find 12th Annual Dining For Kids Fundraising Event on Facebook.
This dinner and wine tasting event raises money for the Allen Creek Preschool.
24 monday Asian Slow Cooker Cooking Class 6:30pm. Wok Asian Bistro, Northville.
Slow cookers aren’t just for briskets and pulled pork.
Savor Detroit
6pm. Prices vary. Great Lakes Culinary Center. savordetroit.com
This five-night dinner series consists of custom menus by Detroit’s finest chefs with wine and cocktail pairings.
Cocktail Class: Classic Martini Lab
7:30pm. $45. Antietam. tammystastings. com
Learn the tricks to the iconic gin martini by tasting different gins and vermouths. Then experiment by mixing and matching to arrive at your perfect martini.The class will offer history, stories and technique instruction.
26 wednesday Allen Farmers Market in Lansing 3pm. Allen Market Place, 1629 E. Kalamazoo St., Lansing. allenmarketplace.org Free
The Allen Farmers Market offers locally grown products.
27 thursday Infusion Effusion w/Keegan Rodgers 7pm. AADL-Downtown. aadl.org Free
Infusion is a technique that sounds fancy and difficult, but it is actually pretty simple to pick up. Head Baker at the People’s Food Co-op talks and demonstrates how to infuse flavor into oil, vinegar salt and honey. Then put the infusions to work with a few different flavor pairings.
28 friday U-pick Asparagus Opening Day
9am. Price varies on how much is picked. Slow Farm, 4700 Whitmore Lake Rd., Find Slow Farm on Facebook.
Come pick some home grown asparagus and rhubarb.
29 saturday The Chili Bowl
6pm. Indian Creek Camp and Conference Center, Tecumseh. facebook.com/ indiancreekcamp Free
The Annual Chili Bowl is a people’s choice chili cook-off competition. Enter your own favorite pot of chili to compete for free or just join for the spoils. Reservation is required.
Ann Arbor Going BANANAS Bar Crawl Ann Arbor Area Bars. 11am. $16-$30. Find Ann Arbor Going BANANAS! Bar Crawl on Facebook. A list of bars will be posted soon.
Veggies and beer The traditional Happy Hour gets a farm-fresh makeover. On Tuesday nights, the Wolverine State Brewing Company will host Sunseed Farm’s CSA pickup. Get your fresh vegetables and have a beer at the same time. Visit with friends, and find out more about this friendly local farm and brewery collaboration. CSA members will receive discounted pints on Tuesdays, and the two businesses plan to offer CSA and Mug Club bundle deals during the spring and summer months. –JB
5-7pm. Wolverine State Brewing Company Tap Room, 2019 W. Stadium Blvd., 734-369-2990. wolverine beer.com
Sometimes it is nice to have a little bit of ridiculous fun. Come out dressed like a banana with other fellow banana crawlers.
The Cream Top Shop Grand Opening 10am. Zingerman’s Creamery, 3723 Plaza Dr Ste 2, zingermanscommunity.com Free
After a nine month renovation process, Zingerman’s Creamery is ready for its grand opening, which features a tour of the new space, a party size cheese plate along with other samples, and two tickets to a cheese tasting of your choice.
Stone Ground, Locally Made Chips visit annarbortortilla.com to see where you can find our products
No Preservatives 100% NON-GMO Gluten Free
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music
Advance a New Sound
Louis Picasso’s GOLD album and the Hiiigher Minds Art Collective by Jeff Milo
Louis Picasso passes into a trancelike state when he performs. The energy is intense, in the room, amid an audience, and especially emitting from the Ypsilanti emcee, at any of his shows. Actually, we should call them “happenings…” He says he’s feeling fine up to the very minute he gets on stage or his set begins; once the music starts, everything gets hazy until he comes back out of it to catch his breath, asking with sincere inquiries ‘how it went…’ Cuz he’ll just go! And it’s inspiring to watch, and to hear; tidal energies, sinewy wordplay and declarative expression to create an urgent energy that is transmittable.
Hiiigher Minds
In 2013, Louis Picasso founded the local arts collective Hiiigher Minds, a multifaceted network of musicians, producers and unique artists like CJ Rene, Chris Guru, AP, and King.Solo. Over the last year or more they’ve hosted a handful of happenings, shifting preconceptions of what a concert can be, at venues like 23 Ypsi (at 23 N. Washington) and Friend’s Closet (at 310 Perrin St). “We come, as a whole collective, to put on dope events together,” explains the
lyricist and producer otherwise known as Mark “Louis Picasso” Gholston, describing Hiiigher Minds. “To utilize each other’s own resources and energy and help each other out, I always believe in working together and helping the next person in the scene. That’s what I wanted Hiiigher Minds to be, to help individual artists reach out, branch out, network with other artists. That’s really how we can help strengthen the music community.”
Evolving Projects
Gholston moved to Ypsi just under 10 years ago, halfway through high school. He grew up near Romulus/Inkster, in a musical household, with everyone in his family engaged in the arts, either in a choir, playing an instrument or writing poetry. Key influences were Biggie Smalls (Notorious B.I.G.), Jay-Z, and other seminal mid-late-90’s East Coast/gangstarap auteurs. “My projects, since then, have never sounded similar to each other; I’m always trying to create a new sound or advance a new sound.” Over the last five years, he dove into music (& music theory), broadening his sensibilities for ambient, electronica, and rock, as well as R&B and rap.
Gholston put out a flurry of singles on his Soundcloud page over the last year, (produced by Hiiigher Minds’ ally AP.) Stand-outs include anthemic songs like “COOLAX” and the sleek, stylized edge “Bet That,” each adorned with swells of soulful synths and percussive cascades, pulsed with Gholston’s vibrant rhymed bars. At the end of March, Gholston released his pièce de résistance, a full length rap symphony tellingly titled GOLD. Recorded and performed with a full backing band and a choir, Gholston described it as the kind of album he’s wanted to make all along. “People sleep on Ypsi, bro, I don’t understand it,” Gholston said, referring to the scene’s recent renaissance in rap music and energized hip-hop artists. “They’re gonna have to wake up, cuz we keep working at it and showing people: if you have talent, you can do this. Same with Hiiigher Minds, you can do this!”
GOLD by Louis Picasso is out now. Follow Hiiigher Minds at: facebook. com/HiiigherMinds & listen at: soundcloud.com/louispicasso
Searchable lists updated daily at
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music Kentucky rockabillies join local punks for night at Crossroads Dive into one of Ypsilanti’s legendary dive bars April 7 for a night of punk rock genre hopping with NP Presley and the Ghost of Jesse Garon, Beer Van,
The Lowcocks and Jason Dawdy.
NP Presley and the Ghost of Jesse Garon are out-of-towners on this bill, bringing sultry alt-country vibes from Kentucky. Crossing somewhere between Elvis Costello and Social Distortion, with a heavy dose of 1950s rock-and-roll, this nine-piece is sure to get you grooving early and often. If NP Presley is bringing the night’s rockabilly, then Ypsi’s Beer Van is bringing the aggro-crust. With fast, aggressive three chord progressions, fans craving proper punk rock won’t leave disappointed. Vocalist Vicky’s crackled, unpolished tones will harken listeners back to the venerated Brody Dalle. Detroit’s The Lowcocks are bringing authority-smashing punk rock to the stage. Their woke AF, modern punk is packed with a fast-and-heavy rhythm section and trashy guitars. Fans of gender equality and ‘Die For the Government’-era Anti-Flag won’t want to miss this set. Jason Dawdy is rounding out the bill with acoustic folk. This Pickney-based solo artist picks his way through Midwestern narratives with a gritty edge. Fans of altcountry soloists like Cory Brannan will find a home within Dawdy’s set.
A NEW CHOICE IN DIAMONDS LAB GROWN SUPERIOR QUALITY EXCEPTIONAL VALUE BUY WITH CONFIDENCE
—by Krista Gjestland
NP Presley and the Ghost of Jesse Garon w/ Beer Van, The Lowcocks and Jason Dawdy Friday, April 7 | 8 p.m. Crossroad’s Pub, 517 W. Cross St, Ypsilanti 734-340-5597 | facebook.com/crossroadsypsilanti
Ongoing Mondays Acoustic Mondays
7pm. ABC Microbrewery. arborbrewing.com.
RJ Spangler Trio
7pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. annarbordistilling.com
Lifelong pals combine trombone and drums for a bluesy swinging show.
Grab a beer and settle in with some acoustic jams.
Rabbit Wilde
Thursdays Oz’s Guitar Jam
High energy classic string band instrumentation and heavy percussion.
7:30pm. $20. Oz’s Music Store. ozmusic.com
Moderate and pro performers and bassists welcome.
Fridays Live Music at Om of Medicine
8pm. Om of Medicine. omofmedicine.org Free
Relax in the membership lounge and enjoy some tunes.
Sundays
Traditional Irish Session 7:30pm. Conor O’Neill’s Pub. conoroneills.com/annarbor
Get surrounded with irish food and music.
1 saturday Saturday Night Bands: T-Bone Paxton and the
7:30pm. $15. The Ark. theark.org
Blues and Brews: Chris Canas Blues Revolution 8pm. $5. Guy Hollerin’s. hiannarbor.com
Blues and funk with skillful guitar and rich vocals.
2 sunday Sunday Jam Sessions
5pm. Eluminous Studios. eluminousstudios.org Free
Bring your own instruments for a social jam. A sound engineer will be present and recordings can be requested.
The Michigan Pops Orchestra Presents “Drop It Like It’s Pops”
directed orchestra brings a unique show of classical pieces and pop hits from West Side Story, Mamma Mia! and more.
3 monday
The EMU Center for Jewish Studies Presents Divahn 7:30pm. $18. The Ark. theark.org
A bold musical performance featuring an all-woman Mizrahi/Sephardi ensemble with Middle Eastern grooves.
OUR DIAMONDS GUARANTEED CONFLICT FREE ECO-FRIENDLY & SUSTAINABLE CERTIFIED & LASER-INSCRIBED PURE & RARE TOTALLY ETHICAL
4 tuesday
Acoustic Tuesday: Sam Corbin 7pm. Arbor Brewing Company. arborbrewing.com Free
Ypsilanti-based singer songwriter playing classic Americana.
Joshua James
8pm. $20. The Ark. theark. org Moody atmospheric rock.
734.761.8120 215 S. MAIN ANN ARBOR MI. 48104 www.urbanjeweler.com
7pm. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org
The student-run and
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Protomartyr to bring dirty brand of post-punk to the Blind Pig
Delve into the darker side of rock-and-roll with post-punks Protomartyr April 17 at Ann Arbor’s Blind Pig. This Detroit-based band is a gritty and darkly ambient four piece that pumps out grooveladen rock-and-roll. Packed with technicality, Protomartyr’s punk roots shine through with heavy distortion and the baritone rasps of singer Joe Casey. Slightly rough around the edges, this band delivers technicality without loosing the renowned rawness of the Motor City music scene. Equal parts Queens of the Stone Age and Joy Division, Protomartyr is a must-see for anyone wanting to indulge in a little bit of thoughtful noise. Protomartyr’s third and most recent full length, ‘The Agent Intellect,’ released in 2015 on Hardly Art Records. They’ll be joined on stage at the Blind Pig by Paint Thinner and Double Winter. With The Blind Pig now up for sale, there’s no time like the present to catch some live music at this venue. —KG
Protomartyr w/ Paint Thinner and Double Winter Saturday, April 17 | 9 p.m. | 18+ | $15 The Blind Pig, 208 1st St. 734-996-8555 | blindpigmusic.com
music Cont’d from p21
The Understorey
5 wednesday
A Michigan indie/soul quartet.
Music Trivia
8pm. Conor O’Neills Pub. conoroneills. com/annarbor
Put your music knowledge to the test. Also on Apr 12.
Adam Lebeaux
9pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free
The Ragbirds guitarist performs solo.
Cheat Codes
9pm. $15-$18. Necto. necto.com
An LA-based electronic trio.
6 thursday Open Mic featuring The Syd Burnham Band
7pm. The Rumpus Room. therumpusroomchelsea.com Free
Practice your pipes or just enjoy the show.
Baroque rock described as “structured chaos.”
Brett Mitchell & the giant GHOST 10pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free
Drummer turned guitarist turned songwriter.
9 sunday An Evening with Brandy Clark & Charlie Worsham 7:30pm. $20. The Ark. theark.org
Country and rockabilly.
11 tuesday Amy Grace
7pm. YpsiAlehouse. ypsialehouse.com Free
An American rock band popularized by college radio in the mid 80’s.
Morgan James
7:30pm. $17. Trinity House Theatre. trinityhousetheatre.org
Blues and soul.
7 friday Lucy Wainwright Roche
8pm. $15. Green Wood Coffee House.
greenwoodcoffeehouse.org Born into a musical family she brings her take to folk singing and songwriting.
Ellis
9pm. $10. The Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com
Indie and alternative rock.
Nobody’s Business
10pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free
Swinging rockabilly and roots trio.
8 saturday Saturday Night Bands: Michael Hurtt and His Haunted Hearts
7pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. annarbordistilling.com
An electrified string band with a Cajun back beat.
Blues and Brews: Alligators
8pm. $5. Guy Hollerin’s. hiannarbor.com
Much like their reptilian namesake, this blues band has been around for many years.
2017 / ecurrent.com
9pm. $8. The Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com
Folk with acoustic pop roots. Also on Apr 28.
10pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free
april
Earth Engine
The 77’s
Laura Rain & The Cesar’s
22
8pm. $20. The Ark. theark.org
12 wednesday 8pm. $20. The Ark. theark.org
Charismatic soul and R&B.
13 thursday Candyland
9pm. $15-$18. Necto. necto.com
The sweet sounds of dubstep and house music.
14 friday Great Lake Swimmers 8pm. $15. The Ark. theark.org
A canadian take on americana.
Jukebox The Ghost 9pm. $16. The Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com
A three-piece power pop outfit.
Sonic Freeway
10pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free
R&B and soul from Detroit.
15 saturday Billy Joe Hunt
7pm. YpsiAlehouse. ypsialehouse. com Free
Songs written with a trusty old guitar.
Saturday Night Bands: Dede and the Dreamers
7pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. annarbordistilling.com
Described as “Ethereal Gypsy music.”
Blues and Brews: Lady Sunshine and The X Band
8pm. $5. Guy Hollerin’s. hiannarbor.com
Energetic blues with a touch of funk and soul.
sessionrooma2.com Free
Rock 101, Performance, Adults and Roadhouse will rock the afternoon.
Protomartyr
Saturday Night Bands: Salmagundi
A post-punk band formed in Detroit.
A classic rock and soul band with an emphasis on the horn section.
9pm. $15. The Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com
Chris Canas Band
10pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free
Native Michigan blues, soul and funk. A staple at mash.
17 monday Jackie Greene: More Acoustic Than Tuesday 8pm. $25. The Ark. theark.org
Relaxed blues. Also on Apr 18.
18 tuesday Acoustic Tuesday: Jen Sygit 7pm. Arbor Brewing Company. arborbrewing.com Free
A folk/americana artist with roots music background
19 wednesday
7pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. annarbordistilling.com
Blues and Brews: Laura Rain and the Caesars
8pm. $5. Guy Hollerin’s. hiannarbor.com
Blues and soul.
Rock Jones
10pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free
Rock, blues and country music with guitar, bass and harmonica.
23 sunday Benefit Concert: Helping the Kids in Flint
4pm. $20. First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor. uuaa.org
The folk band Harmony Bones will be playing to benefit the Flint Child Health & Development Fund.
25 tuesday
Jennifer Westwood Solo
Acoustic Tuesday: Jay Fry
Rock and roll with nods to classic country and blues.
Stripped down classic rock.
9pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free
20 thursday Will Kimbrough & Brigitte DeMeyer 8pm. $15. The Ark. theark.org
A meeting of americana and alt country.
The Messarounds
10pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free Northern soul.
21 friday Kitty Donohoe & David Mosher
8pm. $15. Green Wood Coffee House. greenwoodcoffeehouse.org
Rich storytelling with fiddle, mandolin and guitar.
Marbin, Nature’s Garbage 8pm. $10-$15. The Club Above.
A progressive jazz rock band and a three piece band that combines punk and jazz.
Stormy Chromer
9:30pm. $11. The Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com
The real-time compositional style brings new flavor to prog rock.
Steve Nardella Band
10pm. Mash. mashbar.net Free
An American roots music performer.
22 saturday The People’s Choice Spring Show 12pm. The Session Room.
7pm. Arbor Brewing Company. arborbrewing.com Free
The Malty-Taskers
7pm. YpsiAlehouse. ypsialehouse. com Free
An old-time Americana Jug Band.
Take a Chance Tuesday with Linen Ray 8pm. The Ark. theark.org Free
Michigan americana drawing from many genres.
27 thursday Celebrate Spring
7:30pm. Washtenaw Community College, Towsley Auditorium. ypsicommchoir.org Free
An eclectic mix of choral music.
28 friday A Special Evening of Dan Fogelberg Music by Don Campbell
8pm. $20. Green Wood Coffee House. greenwoodcoffeehouse.org
Contemporary and country crossover.
29 saturday Saturday Night Bands: The Whiskey Charmers
7pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. annarbordistilling.com A Detroit-based Americana band.
Blues and Brews: George Bedard and the Kingpins
8pm. $5. Guy Hollerin’s. hiannarbor.com
Swinging R&B.
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DRINK. EAT. SHOP
Downtown Ypsilanti Scan for map of Downtown!
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film
Talking ‘Bout a Revolution Rocking the world one movie at a time with the Michigan Theater’s new series. By Nan Bauer
At one point in Citizen Kane, a proper stuffed shirt asks Kane what he would like to have been. “Everything you hate,” growls Orson Welles, who starred in, cowrote and directed one of the greatest movies ever made. Welles inspired generations of filmmakers to embrace that badass, uncompromising ethic, making movies that don’t just smash the rules of filmmaking, but gleefully dance on the smithereens. Those films form the canon of art house cinema, and a number of the gutsiest have been chosen for the Michigan Theater’s Cinema Revolution series. Daring theater
The common thread: Ira Deutschman, the subject of this year’s Cinetopia symposium. The producer and passionate movie promoter has dedicated his life to getting daring new work into theaters. The series includes both his inspirations such as Kane, as well as some of his many triumphs of distribution and marketing. The selected movies broke down many
Photo Credit Michigan Theatre
doors, and will hold particular interest for viewers who either stick to box office hits or prefer to binge-watch on the small screen. “This screen is a lot taller than you,” says Russ Collins, Executive Director of the Michigan. “So you’re completely absorbed in the movie, with no distractions.” Story telling
In other words, Game of Thrones geeks can blow their minds with the crazed opulence of Fellini Satyricon. The pitch-dark Putney Swope views late ‘60s advertising in real time, without the glossy soft focus of Mad Men. Fans of La La Land should mark Truffaut’s Day for Night on their calendars, a much earlier movie about making movies and the emotional minefields that accompany the process. Complex “nasty women,” along the lines of Homeland’s Carrie Mathieson, owe at least some debt to Gena Rowlands’ ballsout performance in A Woman Under the Influence. For oddball, Mr. Robot-esque science fiction/social commentary hybrids, see The Brother from Another Planet.
Lush Masterpiece Theatre-style romance arguably began with A Room with a View. For political agitators and Erin Brokovich lovers, there’s the strikingly topical 1976 documentary, Harlan County USA. The series ends with a northwest odyssey that anticipates grunge (My Own Private Idaho) and Robert Altman’s sharptoothed vision of Hollywood, The Player, which revels in the squirmy discomfort that Larry David would perfect. Any movie in the series offers a chance to feel the thrill of seeing something entirely new “There’s this intrinsic impulse of sitting around and listening to a story,” Collins says. “A darkened theater lets you experience story in a social setting around a flickering light.”
Cinema Revolution, Mondays from March 27 to May 29. For full details, visit michtheater.org. The Michigan Theater, 603 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor. 734-668-8397
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arts & culture
Foolish frolicking FestiFools 2017 is a public art spectacle the celebrates the
magnificent, the colorful and the bizarre. The beloved parade, featuring giant papier-mâché puppets, carries this year’s theme — WishFOOL thinking. All are invited to join in the revelry, community and foolishness. The one hour event, 4 to 5 pm, Sunday, April 9, takes place on Main Street between Williams and Washington, Downtown Ann Arbor. —JB
Sunday, April 9. 4pm. wonderfoolproductions.org Free
Ideas worth spreading The Ypsilanti District Library and Eastern Michigan University are partnering to create a TED (Technology Entertainment Design) talk style event, TEDxYDL 2017. The theme for the event, “Interdependence” and the many ways that people, organisms and ideas depend on each other, will draw speakers and participants from diverse in backgrounds and disciplines. The event is free to attend, but registration is required online. —JB
Thursday, April 13. 7pm. EMU Halle Library, 955 West Circle Dr, Ypsilanti. 734-482-4110. ypsilibrary.org Free
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Ongoing
[health] Ladies only Zumba
9:30am. $10-$15. Peachy Fitness. peachyfitness.com Wednesday & Fridays; 9:30-10:30am Saturdays; 8:30-9:30am Latin-inspired dance fitness.
[health] Free Community Yoga Class
A2 Yoga. a2yoga.net Tuesdays/11am Vinyasa, Fridays/5:30pm Vinyasa, Saturdays/8am Ashtanga. Sundays/4:30pm NIA.
[film]
Tuesdays
Thrifty Ticket Tuesday
Times vary. $7. Goodrich Quality 16. goodrichqualitytheaters.com
GQT is giving a reason to get out and love movies, even on a Tuesday.
[misc]
Wednesdays
Sporcle Trivia
7pm. The Rumpus Room, Chelsea. therumpusroomchelsea.com. Free
Pub trivia made by a community of whizzes.
[eductation] Saturdays
Saturday Morning Physics: Casting Light on the Fourth Dimension
10:30am. U-M Central Campus, 182 Weiser Hall. saturdaymorningphysics.org. Free
Apr 1: Thermoelectricity: Environmentally Friendly Power Generation, Apr 8: Hunting for Evidence of Galactic Cannibalism.
1 saturday
[health] Twinkie Run 2017
9am. $15-$22. Gallup Park.
The run benefits ALS research, and is followed by grilled twinkies and chocolate.
2 sunday
[art] Luminary Workshop
10am. $10 suggested. Workantile.
The last workshop to prepare for the FoolMoon event. Make luminaries for the moon parade.
[health] Deep Relax Yoga and Meditation Retreats 1pm. $105. AIKIDO Dojo. yogaandmeditation.com
A half day retreat with an experienced yoga teacher.
[art] HOLI 2017
1pm. Palmer Field. Search Facebook for “HOLI 2017.”Free
UM Hindu Students Council and Indian Students Association are celebrating Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors, which signals the arrival of Spring.
[health] Yin Yoga Workshop
3pm. $20. AUM Yoga. aumyogaannarbor.com
Yin positions are long-held postures to access a deeper stretch and increased circulation and flexibility.
3 monday
Check out the stars in a 19th century telescope, weather permitting.
[art] Pocket Accordian Book & Double Pocket Card Class 1:30pm. $30. USArtQuest. usartquest.com
All materials are included in this paper craft class.
[film] Film Club
7pm. YDL-Whittaker. ypsilibrary.org Free
Film critic, Perry Seibert, leads a discussion about films.
[film] 1984
8pm. $8-$10. Askwith Auditorium, Lorch Hall. michtheater.org
Michigan Theater will show the film adaptation of the classic George Orwell novel.
5 wednesday
[misc] Spring Bird Feeders
2pm. AADL-Downtown. aadl.org Free
Treat the songbirds in your backyard with a feeder.
[literary] Poetry and Illustration 7pm. Nicola’s Books. nicolasbooks.com Free
6pm. The Ann Arbor Art Center. annarborartcenter.org Free
Keith Taylor, poet and editor, is joined by illustrator and children’s author Tom Pohrt.
The exhibitions director talks about the unique event and how local artists can be involved.
[theater] Tap Room Comedy Night
[Misc] Power of the Press Fest
9pm. The Tap Room. taproomypsi.com Free
A mix of new and experienced comedians.
4 tuesday
[literary] Erica Westly: Fastpitch
You know the drill.
Westly’s latest work Fastpitch: The Untold History of Softball and the Women Who Made the Game.
[art] 19th Annual African Culture
9pm. Detroit Observatory. facebook.com/DetroitObservatory Free
[art] Artists Meet & Greet: Get the Scoop on Art Prize
[misc] 2017 Ann Arbor Hash Bash 10am. Monroe St Fair. monroestreetfair.com Free
[misc] Viewing Night
7pm. Literati Bookstore. literatibookstore.com Free
Show: SHAKA 7pm. $12-$15. Crisler Center. muto.umich.edu
[literary] The Moth Storyslam: Duped
[theater] Jessica Grové Cabaret
Times vary. April 5-9. Prices vary on event. Signal-Return. powerofthepressfest.org
Celebrate Detroit’s traditional printing, visual and literary arts with a five day celebration featuring lectures, exhibits, workshops and a family friendly festival.
6 thursday
[art] Heather Dewey-Hagbord: Hacking Biopolitics 5pm. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org Free
A night of dance, musical guests, comedy, and fashion
6:30pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. annarbordistilling.com Free Enjoy storytelling as a listener or a performer.
This show features the project Stranger Visions, in which she created portrait sculptures from analyses of genetic material (hair, cigarette butts, chewed up gum) collected in public places.
8pm. $50+ Encore Musical Theatre. theencoretheatre.org
[art] Watercolor Feathers
[misc] Take Back the Night Rally
An autobiographical journey through song.
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7pm. AADL-Westgate. aadl.org Free
For all skill levels, enjoy a step-by-step class for a colorful feather.
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7pm. Michigan Union. tbtnaanarbor.org Free
The rally aims to create awareness about sexual violence. There will be performances by two slam poets.
7 friday
[misc] FoolMoon 2017
8pm. Downtown Ann Arbor. workantile.com Free
A community-built event that celebrates light and creativity in the community.
8 saturday
[green] Backpacking Day Trip
10am. $15. Eddy Discovery Center. robinhillsfarm.com
Capping off the backpacking tutorial series is the day trip to test your skills in a 10 mile round trip.
[film] Korean Cinema NOW: Inside Men 1pm. $8-$10. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org
The most popular R-rated film ever produced in South Korea.
[art] Annual Docent Show
3pm. Riverside Arts Center. riversidearts.org Free
Check out the gallery for the 13th annual docent show.
[theater] Auditions for Criminal Hearts
6pm. $10. Ann Arbor Civic Theater Studio. a2ct.org
A burglary attempt turns into an unlikely criminal friendship. Also on Apr 9.
[literary] FRUIT: A Literary Reclamation for the Unseen 7:30pm. Literati Bookstore. literatibookstore.com
This independent communityled reading and dialogue series highlights marginalized voices. Check their facebook page for the featured reader.
[misc] Getting to Know your Cameraphone 9:30am. $25. Robin Hills Farm. robinhillsfarm.com
A class for those interested in exploring the creative possibilities of smartphone photography.
[theater] The Wonder Bread Years
8pm. $25. Heinz C. Prechter Educational & Performing Arts Center. wcccd.edu
A fast-paced production that combines standup and theater for baby boomers to savor the past.
9 sunday
[theater] Clutter by Brian Cox
[health] Trampoline Fitness Workout 12pm. $18. The Mix Studio. fittogowithmolly.com
2pm. $20. Theatre Nova. theatrenova.org
A funny play following a man sifting through the relics of his failed marriage.
[theater] Insurrection: Holding History Walgreen Drama Center, Arthur Miller Theatre visitannarbor.org/events
This award-winning play, described as “Roots meets The Wizard of Oz,” is a timetravel fantasy of black history set around the Nat Turner uprising. Directed by Timothy Douglas. This production contains adult language and content. Recommended for 14 and up.
[green] Volunteer Workday
9am. Leslie Science and Nature Center. lesliesnc.org Free
Give back to LSNC and help beautify the site.
10 monday
[film] Oscar Nominated Documentary “13th”
A high cardio intensity workout that is easier on the joints. First class free, $18 drop-in. They are changing their Tues night classes to Wed at 12pm.
13 thursday
[literary] Civil Rights and Politics in Detroit 6:30pm. YDL-Michigan. ypsilibrary.org Free
Dr. Miller, author of Managing Inequality, brings a talk about the history of race in Detroit.
[literary] Open Mic & Share Poetry Series 7pm. Bookbound Bookstore. bookboundbookstore.com Free
Bookbound is celebrating National Poetry Month with a full hour of open mic with area poets.
[theater] The Pirates of Penzance
8pm. $10-25. Lydia Mendelssohn Theater. umgass.org
The comic opera following a man who is apprenticed to a band of pirates. Runs through Apr 16.
14 friday
7pm. AADL-Downtown. aadl.org Free A special National Library Week screening.
[theater] Improv Showcase
8pm. $10. Ann Arbor Civic Theater. a2ct.org
[film] Putney Swope
7pm. $8-$10. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org
This 1969 film, directed by Robert Downey Sr., takes a satirical look at race in the advertising world and Hollywood.
12 wednesday
[misc] Michigan Rediscovered
7pm. YDL-Whittaker. ypsilibrary.org Free
Three Civic Improv troupes come together for a spring showcase. Also on Apr 15.
[film] Korean Cinema NOW: Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet 1pm. $8-$10. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org
The film focuses on the life of a poet during the Japanese colonial occupation.
17 monday
[literary] The Shadowland
15 saturday
[misc] Get Historical with Mark Hodesh 11am. Downtown Home and Garden. downtownhomeandgarden.com Free
A guided walking tour of historical Downtown Home & Garden’s buildings.
[misc] Chelsea Quilt Retreat
9am. $235. Comfort Inn & Village Conference Center. chelseamich.com
A three day retreat full of classes, gift exchanges, projects and trunk shows. All meals are provided.
[green] Conservation Cafe: May the Forests Be With You 12pm. Ann Arbor City Club. nature.org/mievents Free
7pm. Nicola’s Books. nicolasbooks.com Free
Elizabeth Kostova brings her latest work of mystery and suspense.
18 tuesday
[green] A Beginner’s Guide to Soil Chemistry
A lunch and lecture on Michigan’s forests and sustainable forestry practices. Pre-registration required.
22 saturday
[misc] 5th Annual Spring Holistic Psychic Expo by Intuitives Interactive
6pm. $15. Robin Hills Farm. robinhillsfarm.com
Get educated on identifying basic soil types and what plants suit them.
[literary] Poetry at Literati: Cody Walker 7pm. Literati Bookstore. literatibookstore.com Free
10am. $10. EMU Student Center. holisticpsychicexpo.com
One of the largest psychic fairs in Michigan.
[misc] Record Store Day
11am. AADL-Downtown. aadl.org Free
Walker brings his third collection of poetry The Trumpiad.
20 thursday
[misc] Macro Photography with Benjamin Weatherston 6:30pm. $40. CameraMall.
Learn how a macro lens works and the critical role of lighting and depth of field.
21 friday
A day dedicated to vinyl.
[music] The Fab Faux
8pm. $30+ Michigan Theater. michtheater.org
The Beatles tribute band performs Abbey Road in its entirety and other later era Beatles classics.
Cont’d on p30
[health] The Brain and Recovery
11:30am. Rackham Theater. dawnfarm.com Free
An Update on the Neuroscience of Addiction.
Discover travel destinations you may have missed in your home state.
PJ’ S
arts & culture
RECORDS &USED CDS
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arts & culture cont’d from p29 [literary] Krystal Steward: Book Signing & Discussion 12pm. Black Stone Bookstore & Cultural Center. facebook.com/BlackStoneBookstore Free
Local Author Krystal Steward will be making an appearance to autograph her book titled Damaged But Not Broken.
[misc] March for Science
12pm. The Diag. Check “March for Science-Ann Arbor” on Facebook for updated information. A sister march of the national March for Science.
[green] Turtle Steward Kickoff & Training 4pm. Gallup Park Canoe Livery. a2gov.org Free
Protect nest sites, monitor populations and look for turtles along the river. This training will be indoors.
23 sunday
[health] Color Vibe 5k
8am. $30-65. Briarwood Mall. thecolorvibe.com/annarbor
The most colorful and vibrant 5k around.
[misc] First Ypsi-Arbor SOUP
5pm. $5 suggested donation. Ypsilanti Freighthouse, 100 Market Place, Ypsilanti. Find Ypsi - Arbor SOUP on Facebook.
Enjoy a dinner to benefit local dreamers. Proceeds are donated to benefit projects of members in the community.
24 monday
[film] A Woman Under the Influence 7pm. $8-$10. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org
This play tells the story of a woman’s unusual behavior that leads her to a mental institution for six months.
27 thursday [literary] Ann Arbor Youth Poet Laureate Commencement Performance
7pm. AADL-Downtown. aadl.org Free Listen and enjoy the five poet finalists.
28 friday
[art] Bellydance for Human Rights 7pm. $10. Greenhills School. unveileddance.com
This dance showcase is a benefit for the ACLU.
[Misc] Pointless Improv
8pm. $12. Pointless Brewery & Theatre. Pointlessbrew.com
Pointless Brewery & Theatre presents a line up of three local improv comedy groups including Bad Boys II, BRENDA and the League of Pointless Improvisers.
29 saturday
[green] DIY Natural Spring Cleaning 1pm. $25. Robin Hills Farm. robinhillsfarm.com
Dive into the world of making your own plant-based cleaners.
[misc] Mutts Gone Nuts
3pm. $15-22. Tecumseh Center for the Arts. thetca.org
An action-packed comedy show with some very talented dogs.
30 sunday
[misc] The Arcade: A Pointless Improv Jam
7:30pm. Pay what you can. Pointless Brewery & Theatre. pointlessbrew.com All levels of improv comedy actors are invited for a night of short form improv games. Guests can join the games or simply watch.
PATIO GUIDE may 2017
call to advertise
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person of interest
Ryan Brown and the U-School by Cammie Finch
What is the U School? An early childhood
and family learning center in Ann Arbor. Our mission is “to offer a happy, healthy, and inspired early childhood learning environment that builds a positive sense of self in children and a connectedness to community.” We are in our second year of operation.
What sets your school apart from other preschools in the area? A lot! The U
School approach to early childhood learning is inspired by Reggio-Emilia practices and is rooted in the recognition of each individual’s self-worth while embracing the importance of the collective group. Our goal is to build each child’s foundation for, and excitement about, a lifetime of learning. Mostly, I really think it’s the school’s cultural vibe that feels so unique. Can you describe a few of the community partnerships the U School has acquired over the years? We’ve
been able to develop community partnerships between some exciting organizations including the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, Ann Arbor Art Center, Sic Transit Cycles, Summers-Knoll School, Allen Creek Preschool, Maker Works, and Big George’s.
What is your school’s vision for the future? Our vision is for the U School to be
a place that is inclusive to all family income levels. This is one of the largest issues early childhood providers face and we feel that we have a plan that can get us there.
If you could change anything about Ann Arbor, what would it be? I’d love to see
a more child-friendly downtown. I’d love to have a family park space to sit, relax, and play with my wife and children.
The U School Early Childhood Learning Center, www.theubuntuschool.com , 734-368-9551
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Cannabis
Washtenaw County NORML making local cannabis activism accessible The perfect opportunity to get involved By Vic Tanny
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, better known as NORML, has been working to move the United States towards cannabis legalization since the 1970s. The organization has grown to have hundreds of local chapters and a legal committee of 350 criminal defense attorneys who specialize in cannabis related offenses. Michigan with 12 county chapters listed on it’s website, has recently added a 13th, Washtenaw County. ‘ Launched in August Come check out Ann Arbor’s newest medical cannabis provisioning center! Come and check outstaff Ann Arbor’s newest Our highly educated, enthusiastic provide premiere service in a professional and of 2016, the local comfortable environment. We feature a wide variety of high quality, locally produced products, and cannabis provisioning center! chapter is just 7 months old. Eric Babalis, Executive Director offer some of medical the best deals around! With our Daily Specials and Everyday Deals, along with our of Washtenaw County NORML, explained the group’s mission free gift to new members, and our referral program, every day is a good day to grab a friend and come in toaGreenstone Society! Everyday is a good day to grab friend and come into Greenstone Society! to “represent citizens, patients, and businesses in spreading Visit us online at greenstonesociety.com sensible reform within Washtenaw and beyond.” -HIGHLY -HIGHtime QUALITY, LOCAL PRODUCTS Mention this ad onEDUCATED your nextSTAFF visit to enjoy a one free gift with your donation. valid for new and current patients The group holds monthly meetings and has grown to eight -PREMIERE*Offer SERVICE -BEST DEALS IN TOWN members since their inception. They are active on social media -PROFESSIONAL, COMFORTABLE -DAILY SPECIALS & EVERYDAY DEALS (@WashCoNORML), posting updates on local and national news ENVIRONMENT -FREE NEW MEMBER GIFT and events. The group is excited to participate in the campaign to legalize cannabis in Michigan in 2018. Babalis called the ballot Mention this ad on your next visit to enjoy a one time free gift with your donation. initiative “the most comprehensive, small business friendly *Offer valid for new and current patients initiative in the country.”
Greenstone Society
You can donate to the cause on the Washtenaw County NORML Facebook page and find info on upcoming meeting and events.
GREENSTONESOCIETY GREENSTONESOCIETY
@GSTONESOCIETY GreenstonesocietyA2@gmail.com
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photo bomb
Photo Courtesy of WCSO
Photos By Swani Swanigan Want to be featured in Current Magazine? Send an email invitation to YOUR event and we just might show up and Photo bomb you! If you’ve taken your own cool photo send it to swaniswanigan@adamsstreetpublishing.com
Water Resources Commissioner Director of Public Works Evan Pratt, Greenhills School teachers Ann Novak and Robert G. Ause Jr @ The Environmental Excellence Awards 2017
Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon &Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton at the Black Men in Unions Town Hall meeting @ U of M Dearborn.
Introducing the new Mr.& Mrs Ryan and Megan Dawson dancing cheek to cheek, literally @ Weber’s Inn
Happy 80th Anniversary to Weber’s! Celebrating Pi(e) Day with Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels @ Cultivate Coffee
World renowned flutist Alexander Zonjic and Weber‘s Vice President, Brian Weber (flute in hand) @ The Habitat Lounge
ecurrent.com / april 2017 35
FARMER’S MARKET GUIDE exclusively on
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April TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Are you in drastic need of redemption? Are you bone-weary from lugging around rotting guilt? Have your friends been wondering about the whip marks from your self-flagellation sessions? Are you losing your power to keep forbidden feelings concealed? If you answered yes to any of those questions, Taurus, listen up. The empathetic and earthy saints at our Wildly Desperate Confession Club are ready to receive your blubbering disclosures. Use them! They are clairvoyant, they’re non-judgmental, and best of all, they’re free! Within seconds after you telepathically communicate with our earthy saints, they will psychically beam you eleven minutes of unconditional love, no strings attached. Don’t wait! Transmit your poignant offerings to the Wildly Desperate Confession Club NOW! GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The next three weeks will be a favorable time to FREE YOUR MEMORIES. What comes to mind when I suggest that? Here are my thoughts on the subject. To FREE YOUR MEMORIES, you could change the way you talk about your past. Re-examine your assumptions about your old stories, and dream up new interpretations. Add new details and feel new feelings about those old stories. Here’s another way to FREE YOUR MEMORIES: if you’re holding on to insults people hurled at you in the past, let them go. In fact, declare a general amnesty for everyone who ever did you wrong. If you’re in a extra playful mood (which I hope you will be, since that’s a good way to FREE YOUR MEMORIES), try this: While taking a long shower or hiking though the woods, make up a song with a chorus line that goes, “I’m free, I’m free, I’m free of my memories.” CANCER (June 21-July 22): How big is your vocabulary? Twenty thousand words? Thirty thousand? Whatever size it is, the coming weeks will be prime time to expand it. Life will be conspiring to enhance your creative use of language . . . to deepen your enjoyment of the verbal flow . . . to help you become more articulate in rendering the mysterious feelings and complex thoughts
© Copyright 2017 Rob Brezsny
free will astrology
that rumble around inside you. If you pay attention to the signals coming from your unconscious mind, you will be shown how to speak and write more effectively. You may not exactly become a silver-tongued devil, but you could evolve into a more eloquent persuader.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): We all need more breaks from the routine -more holidays, more vacations, more days off from work. We should all play and dance and sing more, and guiltlessly practice the arts of leisure and relaxation, and celebrate freedom in regular boisterous rituals. And I’m nominating you to lead the way in the coming weeks, Leo. Be a cheerleader who shows the rest of us how it’s done. Be a ringleader who springs all of us inmates out of our mental prisons. Be the imaginative escape artist who demonstrates how to relieve tension and lose inhibitions. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the coming days, people in your vicinity may be preoccupied with trivial arguments. What’s more nutritious, corn chips or potato chips? Could Godzilla kick King Kong’s ass? Is it harder to hop forward on one foot or backward with both feet? I suspect you will also encounter a number of folks who are embroiled in meaningless decisions and petty emotions. So how should you navigate your way through this potentially energy-draining muddle? Here’s my advice: Identify the issues that are most worthy of your attention. Promise yourself to stay focused on them with disciplined devotion. If you’re ever on the verge of getting drawn into a Godzilla-versus-King-Kong type discussion, flee. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I hope that by mid-May you will be fully qualified to teach a workshop called “Sweet Secrets of Tender Intimacy” or “Dirty Secrets of Raw Intimacy” or maybe even “Sweet and Dirty Secrets of Raw and Tender Intimacy.” In other words, Libra, I suspect that you will be adding substantially to your understanding of the art of togetherness. Along the way, you may also develop new skills that would enable you to write an essay entitled “How to Act Like You Have Nothing to Lose When You Have Everything to Gain.”
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Be interested in first things, Aries. Cultivate attractions to beginnings. Go to the sites of hatchings and breakthroughs and uprisings. Give your generous attention to potent innocence and to familiar faces that are turning toward new sources of light. Marvel at creatures that are in the throes of regeneration, rediscovering the sparks that animated them in earlier years. Celebrate influences that draw their vitality directly from primal sources, and study humble seekers who are devoted to reinventing themselves over and over again. Be excited about first things.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): If you have a dream of eating soup with a tiny fork, it might mean that in your waking life you’re using the wrong approach to getting nourished. If you have a dream of entering through an exit, it might mean that in your waking life you’re trying to start at the end rather than the beginning. And if you dream of singing bad country songs at a karaoke bar with people from high school that you didn’t like, it might mean that in your waking life you should seek out more fulfilling ways to express your wild side and your creative energies. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you’re a Quixotic lover, you’re more in love with love itself than with any person. If you’re a Cryptic lover, your best hope for staying in love with a particular partner is to keep him or her guessing. If you’re a Harlequin, your steady lover must provide as much variety as three lovers. If you’re a Buddy, your specialties are having friendly sex and having sex with friends. If you’re a Histrionic, you’re addicted to confounding and disorienting love. It’s also possible that you’re none of the above. I hope so, because now is an excellent time to have a beginner’s mind about what kind of love you really need and want to cultivate in the future. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your new vocabulary word is “adytum.” It refers to the most sacred place within a sacred place -- the inner shrine at the heart of a sublime sanctuary. Is there such a spot in your world? A location that embodies all you hold precious about your jour-
ney on planet Earth? It might be in a church or temple or mosque, or it could be a magic zone out in nature. Here you may feel an intimate connection with the divine, or a sense of awe and reverence for the privilege of being alive. If you don’t have a personal adytum, Capricorn, find or create one. You need the refreshment that comes from dwelling in the midst of the numinous. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You could defy gravity a little, but not a lot. You can’t move a mountain, but you may be able to budge a hill. Luck won’t enable you to win a contest, but it might help you seize a hard-earned perk or privilege. A bit of voraciousness may be good for your soul, but a big blast of greed would be bad for both your soul and your ego. Being savvy and feisty will energize your collaborators and attract new allies; being a smart-ass show-off would alienate and repel people. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Here are activities that will be especially favorable for you to initiate in the near future: 1. Pay someone to perform a service for you that will ease your suffering. 2. Question one of your fixed opinions if that will lead to you receiving a fun invitation you wouldn’t get otherwise. 3. Dole out sincere praise or practical help to a person who could help you overcome one of your limitations. 4. Get clear about how one of your collaborations would need to shift in order to serve both of you better. Then tell your collaborator about your vision with light-hearted compassion.
Homework: Who’s the person you’d most like to meet and have coffee or a drink with? Why? Testify at Freewillastrology.com
ecurrent.com / april 2017 37
BORN THIS WAY Across 1. Sandwich meat 7. Fair share 11. Tunnel maker 14. Streaking, so to speak 15. “Sure, pal� 16. Pricing word 17. Mussolini’s meal? 19. Marnie’s boyfriend on “Girls� 20. Key letters 21. Show a second time 22. Temper tantrums 23. Cleans the plate, as with a piece of bread 25. Networking equipment giant’s debut show? 28. Engage in some humblebragging 30. Bruin whose #4 is retired 31. Amp settings 32. Flora’s partner 35. ___ Draft 38. Program announcing the election of Bernie? (One can dream) 41. Windsock’s dir. 42. Woman with a famous list 43. Took the heart out of 44. Dean Baquet’s newspaper: Abbr. 45. Complaint 46. What a dentist says after an extraction? 52. Comic Meyers 54. Prod gently 55. Cause of some runners’ advancement 57. Dernier ___ 58. Netflix lacks them 59. Short and sweet foam on a beer? 62. Lovable goofball 63. See 65-Across 64. Tristan’s opera lover 65. With 63-Across, “What nerve!� 66. Comprehends 67. Works in a salon
38 
  april
Down 1. Tough pieces of furniture to move 2. Some LSAT questions 3. Basement 4. A story follows one 5. Sierra Club founder John 6. Cricket, e.g. 7. Old LP players 8. “Choose one of these three� 9. “Springtime for Hitler� producer Bloom 10. Bouquet delivery co. 11. Arbor Day month 12. “That’s cool� 13. Marriage-destroying meeting 18. ___ chi ch’uan 22. Needle bearer 24. Musician’s spotlight times 26. “Taboo� actress Chaplin 27. Frolic around 29. Does some testing 31. Pres. who said “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.� 32. London forecast 33. Bird of crosswords 34. Incorporate 35. Axon’s spot 36. Business that’s not taxing? 37. Drug on a sugar cube 39. Division word 40. Lovers of bucks? 44. Eighty-six 45. Eyelid ailment 46. “Un-unh� 47. “Well OB-viously� 48. Social stratum 49. O’Connor who played Gabrielle on “Xena� 50. Big aquarium performers 51. Canton of Altdorf 53. Seeks cover 56. Pause in music 59. Identifying with the sex you’re born as, and what’s added to this puzzle 60. Lit Crit poem 61. Today in Toledo
2017  /  ecurrent.com
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Š2017 By Brendan Emmett Quigley (www.brendanemmettquigley.com)
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