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contents fyi 4

Powow with Ann Arbor Dance for Mother Earth

green corner 4

The ‘Greenbelt’ Program

back to our roots 10 On-hand to harvest at Tantre farms

by Nick Roumel

food: in review 21

april 2013

vol. 24 / no.4

30 theater: 33 Variations

The Purple Rose deconstructs Beethoven

by San Slomovits

35 everything else 37 street spotting Revenge of the Nerds

by Emily McAlister

38 crossword

Blue Nile

by Julian Garcia

perspective: folk 24

Josh Ritter on his break-up album

by Scott Recker

32 artbeat

Senior U of M MFA presentations on display

by Louis Meldman

Kayla Romberger: “Astronaut Ice Cream”

online exclusives Exclusive features at www.ecurrent.com

Bobby McFerrin is still happy -

We sat down with Bobby and got a peek inside his wild imagination before he returns to play Hill Auditorium Thursday, April 18 at 7:30pm.

Tyrone Wells concert -

We got up close and personal with singer Tyrone Wells during his performance at The Ark on Sunday, March 17. Check out our Facebook page for exclusive concert photos.

Make sure to like us on Facebook where we have Matt Costa's wild awesome ticket giveaways range of influences - every week! Just ask Before the 31-year-old folk Jennifer, who won A2 rocker swings into The Blind Film Fest tickets, or Stacy Pig for a Sunday, April 7 who won her way in to the show, Current catches up American Dance Theater with him to talk about his performance in Detroit. range of influences, Spotify and skateboarding.

Farmer’s Market Guide

Chit Chat - Get the

scoop on Ypsi punks, Chit Chat, in Jeff Milo’s web exclusive.

Just in time for spring, Current rounds up a directory of local farmer’s markets.

ecurrent.com / april 2013 3

Collette Jacobs cjacobs@ecurrent.com Publisher / Editor in Chief

fyi

Mark Jacobs mjacobs@ecurrent.com Co-publisher / Chief Financial Officer EDITORIAL Joseph Schafer josephs@adamsstreetpublishing.com Interim Arts & Entertainment Alia Orra editor@ecurrent.com Assignment Editor Julian Garcia calendar@ecurrent.com Calendar Editor Amanda Goldberg agoldberg@ecurrent.com Social media ADVERTISING Aubrey Hornsby ahornsby@adamsstreetpublishing.com Sales Manager Kelly Schwarck kelly@adamsstreetpublishing.com Sales Representative Jamie Hull Jamie@adamsstreetpublishing.com Sales Representative

Native pageantry

Photos by Forrest Cox

Earth Day and the month of April is about taking care of the physical environment on Earth, but it is also important to honor the spiritual aspects of this little green planet. Nobody represents the spirit of Mother Earth with greater pageantry than America's indigenous nations. Native American dancers, singers, artisans & crafters from all over the continent will gather at Crisler Arena for the 41st annual Ann Arbor Dance for Mother Earth Powwow on Saturday & Sunday, April 6-7. Different troupes of dancers and accompanying drummers, ranging in age from toddlers to elders, will compete throughout the weekend. Vendors will provide a variety of American Indian cultures with art exhibits, traditional foods and informational booths. Saturday & Sunday, 10:30am-7pm. $10 day pass / $15 weekend pass. Crisler Arena, 333 East Stadium Blvd. 734-408-1581. www.umich.edu/~powwow —JG

green corner

Charles Towne charles@adamsstreetpublishing.com Sales Representative Emily Gibb classifieds@ecurrent.com Classified and Display Advertising ART & PRODUCTION Leah Foley leah@adamsstreetpublishing.com Art Director Kristi Polus kristi@adamsstreetpublishing.com Senior Designer Megan Anderson manderson@adamsstreetpublishing.com Graphic Designer Sarah Baird production@adamsstreetpublishing.com Graphic Designer Brittney Koehl adsin@ecurrent.com Graphic Designer Jameson Staneluis jameson@adamsstreetpublishing.com Graphic Designer ADMINISTRATION Robin Armstrong rarmstrong@ecurrent.com Accounting Jan Thomas jthomas@adamsstreetpublishing.com Publisher’s Assistant

Greener pastures

The City of Ann Arbor’s ‘Greenbelt’ Program is an exciting land preservation initiative that has successfully protected over 2,000 acres of farmland surrounding the city. In addition to protecting the land from destruction via development, the ‘Greenbelt’ program has raised over $12 million dollars towards maintaining current farms as well as constructing new green projects in the surrounding areas. Through the ‘Greenbelt’ program, private citizens can reach an agreement to preserve the integrity of their land, with the City of Ann Arbor compensating the landowner in exchange for the promise that the landowner will not alter the land except in ways that are agreed upon prior to the deal. For more information contact Project Director Ginny Trocchio at 734-794-6210 or email her at gltrocchio@a2gov.org or visit www.a2gov.org/greenbelt/Pages/greenbelthome.—GMK

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m pg 5 . fro Contd Place For Alt. Health Care

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Get into a healthy rhythm at The Beet Box

Don’t be fooled, San Street (above) and A2 Pizza Pi (below) open at Mark’s Carts on April 1

Patio Dining Returns

By Ned Randolph

In what’s become an annual rite of spring, Mark’s Carts courtyard is unlocking its gates to summon Ann Arbor foodies to its outdoor dining patio, featuring a reshuffled lineup of local vendors.

Two new carts, El Manantial Mexican food and Satchel’s BBQ--expanding its operations from Washtenaw Avenue--are taking over slots of Eat and the Lunch Room, which have opened and announced openings of brick and mortar restaurants.

The newcomers join San Street, a Korean style eatery, and Darcy’s Cart, which are the two original vendors remaining, and last year’s newcomers Hut-K Chaats, a vegetarian Indian cart, A2 Pizza Pi, which offers wood fired pizza, Cheese Dream and health food cart The Beet Box. Opening for his third season at First and Ashley streets around the corner from Downtown Home and Garden, owner Mark Hodesh has found a culinary hit in Ann Arbor providing a wide palette of tastes with upscale, locally sourced food for $5-$10 a plate.

“It’s become a community hub and we’re excited that folks come here not just to eat, but to hang out, meet old friends and make new ones,” Hodesh said.

The courtyard opens from April 1 – Oct. 31 every day of the week. Live music often fills the evenings and some vendors open for a 9 a.m. breakfast Wednesday through Sunday.

Building on his success, Hodesh last year partnered with Bill Zolkowski to open Bill’s Beer Garden on the south parking lot of the garden store. Bill’s serves a variety of Michigan beers from a small enclosed bar to customers at benches set up on the pavement. Bill’s enjoyed a short opening during St. Patrick’s Day weekend March 15-17 and will briefly open for FestiFools weekend the first week of April.

The official opening of the beer garden is May 1. Hours are Thursday through Sunday 7-11 p.m. and six days a week in July, eventually closing down operations again in December.

Bill’s schedule allows for the garden store to use the parking lot, but will also make allowances for warm weather and other special events to be announced through Facebook and other social media.

A preliminary lineup of breweries includes Arbor Brewing Co., New Holland, Dark Horse, Original Gravity, Wolverine Brewing, Founders and Dragonmead.

Serving with Synergy

Last month, Biz Buzz covered a slew of new restaurants in downtown Ann Arbor, whose sheer number of openings seemed noteworthy in its own right. But one striking feature among the newcomers is that almost all of them are run by families or ventures with stakes in multiple restaurants in Ann Arbor, sometimes in the same block.

Instead of competing, they offer different menus and dining experiences to take advantage of the economies of scale that range from sharing bookkeepers to bathrooms.

For instance, the new upscale Mexican eatery on Liberty Street, Isalita, which specializes in small plates, is owned

by Adam Burus and shares a next door kitchen with Barus’s popular Italian eatery, Mani’s Osteria, The firm 2Mission Design and Development LLC run by real estate developers Jon Carlson and Greg Lobdell implemented a model of shared facilities when they opened the sleek Latina American restaurant, Lena Cafe, in the old Parthenon Restaurant on Main Street. Lena shares a kitchen and restrooms with Habana, a lounge and eatery that moved into the basement from its original location next door to the now-expanded Blue Tractor.

The partnership, which also owns Grizzly Peak and Jolly Pumpkin, installed a bar and music venue, Mash, in the basement of Blue Tractor. They are also planning to open (or resuscitate) the Old German, a former mainstay Ann Arbor establishment in the basement of Grizzly Peak.

“What they will tell you is, economy of scale,” says Susan Pollay, executive director of the Downtown Development

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Quick Buzzes cont. from page 7 Association. “You still need a bookkeeper whether you have three restaurants or one. It makes sense at some point to grow your business to pay for basic things you need. “ Another newcomer, Vellum serves upscale American Nuevo cuisine, and is owned by Peter Roumanis. His father, John, owns Mediterrano and Carlyle Grill. And What Crêpe, a Chic French bistro, is the third location, opened by entrepreneur Paul Jenkins Jr., in the former Squares restaurant on Liberty Street.

Mainstreet Ventures set the trend in such economies of scale, owning five downtown locations all in the same block. The Chop House and Gratzi share La Dolce Vita, a desert room and cigar bar between them, while Palio and Real Seafood Co. sit on the other side of the street.

The Mainstreet model is one of healthy internal competition, which the ownership believes insures the best product. “Each restaurant has to compete for every guest by providing great food and service in a nice feeling environment,” said president Mike Gibbons. “Where we benefit is from synergy. People often park and go to the restaurant with the shortest wait. It is not uncommon to see guests stop in one of our places for drinks and appetizers then walk across the street for dinner.”

Having several restaurants does offer more buying power for ingredients, which enables the venture to get high quality products at discounts, he said.

“I think we’ve had remarkable entrepreneurs who have pursued the best restaurants. We are fortunate these are outstanding people who have made a commitment to Ann Arbor,” said Pollay. “I don’t know that it’s always easy to start, but once you have sense of palette and price point, and the seasonality of a college town, it makes sense.”

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^ Despite the uncertain future of marijuana dispensaries in Michigan, Mediswipe is pushing ahead. The company, is opening an Ann Arbor office with three physicians who can write marijuana prescriptions and another half dozen administrative folks who can help patients with their certification paperwork. ^ After 51 years of operation, Herb David Guitar Studio will close its doors on March 31 following one massive liquidation sale. Herb himself will retire, and is considering leasing the space his studio once occupied. ^ The Florida sandwich chain, Firehouse Subs, is expanding in Michigan with an Ann Arbor location that opened in mid-March at 609 East William Street. ^ Bikram Yoga, located next to Whole Foods on Washtenaw Ave., is expanding its facilities in anticipation of increased traffic, thanks to new businesses moving into the Washtenaw Corridor. The additions include new locker rooms, showers, and an expanded reception area. ^ Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea will open its first Ypsilanti location at 735 Cross St. this month. The local franhcise has three locations in Ann Arbor proper.

ecurrent.com / april 2013 9

feature

organic

hope

College students flock to its fields to work.

New York journalists arrive to document its allure. What draws people to a certified organic farm in Chelsea? Nick Roumel gets seduced by the fields of Tantre Farm.

By Nick Roumel Photos by Natasha Barros

Richard Andres, founder of Tantre Farms

The bull was killed the day I visited Tantré. Richard asked if I wanted to go along for the ride. I said no. I was there just one day, and wanted to harvest.

There were mixed feelings about the bull. Some of the interns felt it rueful, but necessary. He was a behavioral problem, and his meat would be useful. Others wondered if the bull could have been saved. The debate was not prolonged; there was work to do, and work binds everyone at Tantré Farm. Whether transitory student or seasoned farmhand, conversation is secondary to the rhythm of the harvest.

Tantré Farm is a certified organic farm 20 miles west of Ann Arbor. Richard Andres lives there full time with his wife Deb Lentz and their daughter Ariana. In 1993 it was a hayfield. Richard and Deb read Wendell Berry’s “Unsettling of America,” a criticism of “agri-business” and a call for a return to the roots of farming. “Soil is the great connector of lives,” Berry wrote. Richard and Deb heeded the call.

Richard and Deb learned as they went along. They kept day jobs at first, he constructing and her teaching. They struggled for five years while developing narrative for Tantré. Their organic produce is destined for farmers markets, restaurants, and directly to consumers (via CSA’s or Community Shared Agriculture). Their farm also serves as a destination for farm workers, student interns, and families. Parents will bring their children just to hang out after picking up their CSA share.

They, too, are part of the human fabric of Tantré.

A growing need

Erin S. and Noelle riding back after harvesting corn.

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Andres is unassuming: he introduced himself as “the owner I guess,” and his demeanor was like that of a Buddhist monk.

But that description belies Andres’s skills in organization and people management. Deb’s enthusiasm and attention to detail complement her husband perfectly. I found myself amazed that they could share their house with over a dozen workers with such equanimity.

The workers come from a variety of backgrounds, yet when you hear their stories, it makes perfect sense that their paths led them to farming.

I picked trellised beans with Allia Cole and Serafin, a Mexican farm worker who has been at the farm for years.

They taught me to go along the trellis several times so as not to miss the long, curly beans, and to judge the right size for harvest. We took off our shoes and worked barefoot in the warm soil.

Allia has a masters in women's literature from the University of Liverpool. Most recently, she worked as a full time nanny in Sycamore, Illinois. She found Tantré on a Google

‘‘

bite of the raw corn. She explained that corn loses a high percentage of its natural sugars after being picked.

I was astounded at how sweet the raw corn was — like candy. I ate greedily, learning throughout the day that munching the produce was the key to surviving the six hours between breakfast and lunch. It also reminded me how utterly delicious fresh vegetables can be.

satisfaction in what she called Tantré’s unique brand of “community.” Lizzie relates, “I live in the loft of a barn with many people, all in one room. We each have our own bed, but every night seems like some sort of exhaustedbut-hilarious sleepover. We are all caked in mud, but we'll just fall into our beds like we've been awake for days. We fall asleep together, we wake together, and we work together all day long. I feel like I have known my fellow interns their whole lives, when really our connection will be just a snippet of time.”

One of five interns remaining through this winter (besides cold weather outdoor crops, Tantré features several “hoop houses” for four-season growing), Lizzie explains that cold mornings pose a special challenge. “In order to cope with the weather, we have taken some extreme measures to make the experience survivable. For example, everyone on the farm literally wears every sweater he or she owns during work each day, wool on wool on wool. We can barely bend our arms, at times.

And, in order to warm up for our work, we dance before we go out. I keep my iPod in the barn, and I'll turn on Dr. Dre, or Bruce Springsteen, or MGMT, and we'll waddle and jump around on the pavement for a while to get pumped.”

Unique offerings

Tantre lifestyle

... the work is demanding, but it’s rewards make it worth the effort.

Elizabeth Olenzek hauling a cart of fresh radishes.

search, reading a New York Times’ Magazine’s 2011 feature on student interns at Tantré. She was motivated to contribute to food systems in line with her values — local, organic, and community supported.

Allia communicates with academic thoughtfulness and attention to iconic detail. Recalling a broccoli harvest one morning, she said, “We loaded up the Cushman [truckster] with bins and knives, then piled in ourselves and drove to the various broccoli fields checking to see what was ready for harvesting. There were six of us women together walking through the frosted rows of plants and counting each head of broccoli as we cut them from their stems and added them to our bins.”

The men and women tend to work in the fields separately. Allia enjoys, for example, when a “group of us women, with a cart of bins for the radish harvest, walk by the rows of kale and see the guys working together on that harvest. I like sharing the workload, talking and laughing as we work. I like being and working together.” The closeness of the group allows one to be acutely missed if gone for an afternoon — and conversely, makes one feel guilty for missing a day.

I harvested corn with Elizabeth Ann Olenzek, a recent University of Michigan graduate, and poet inspired by her work at Tantre. “Lizzie” drove me, Michelle, Noelle, and Erin S. to the cornfields in an ancient truck with a manual choke. They showed me how to judge corn’s readiness by its heft, how to twist and yank it off the stalk. Lizzie invited me to take a

feature

Learning of Tantré from her visits to the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market, where she met Richard, Lizzie explained “they [Tantré] always had something for sale that none of the other stalls did, and the news would travel around.” Her previous work with local food producer “The Brinery,” explained that her chief motivation to work at Tantré was the desire to work out of doors. Her energy is indefatigable. Arising at 5 a.m., she writes for a while (whether poetry or updating the farm’s website or Facebook page) before joining the group for breakfast. At the end of the day, she will go for a run before dinner. Those who have written about Tantré — from Horan’s book, to the New York Times, to The Nation, and many local journalists — often find themselves impressed by the vitality of the interns. Indeed, the work is demanding, but its rewards make it worth the effort.

She found “personal satisfaction from completing work independently, from picking, washing, and packing beets into a box that would land directly on a restaurant table a few miles away.” She has also found

Speaking of iPods, Gary Mazzeo had last worked in the Apple store at Briarwood Mall for three and a half years, and before that, in graphic design, but found himself dissatisfied.

“I felt I was consuming too much, and creating too little.” After reading Michael Pollans’ “The Omnivore's Dilemma,” Gary became “more interested in where my food was coming from,” and wanted to work on an organic farm. “Whenever I asked around, everyone recommended Tantré.” Gary found the people “incredible” and his experiences “life-changing.” “I've learned more about myself than I would have ever thought.” He’s become more confident, learning about food production, honing his cooking skills, and “becoming part of a whole new network of people.”

Tantré “has become more of a lifestyle for those working there; the farming fading into the background, but remaining present. I didn't expect that.” Living in close quarters took some adaptation, but Gary is lucky enough to have his own room; he sometimes disappears there with

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cont. from page 11 his guitar, or walks the trails around the farm. He’s warmed up to the living situation, and finds “it's actually really nice to have [the interns] nearby.”

A variety of opportunities

Baling hay: a fact of life for the workers at Tantre.

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Michelle Amiott and I picked tomatoes. I was astounded at the varieties mingling on the vines, from Heirlooms to Romas, and everything in between. Michelle graduated from Loyola University of Chicago in May, 2012 with degrees in anthropology and biology. At Loyola, she found herself “part of a growing movement, quite literally. In partnership with the university, neighborhood and the nation, I became invested in food justice and urban agriculture. As […] graduation quickly approached, I sought a deeper understanding of this problem and a new type of knowledge.”

Loyola has an existing formal relationship with Tantré, as the farm annually hosts “"Alternative Break Immersions" or spring break trips aimed at social justice education. Michelle heard “tales of an organic vegetable oasis where all my cultivation dreams would come true. Tired of computers, meetings, and insurmountable miles of concrete […] I applied to the farm and was accepted as an intern, beginning in July 2012.”

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Michelle had no specific expectations, and she found Tantré less of a job than a “kind of life ... I realized I came to Tantré to learn how to live. It has become impossible to separate work from everything else. I live with my friends and coworkers, my work is preparing food for my community. Words that come to mind are a tangled mess of toil, satisfaction, sharing, community, and joy.”

Michelle left the farm to apply for non-profit work, but not before one last contemplation during the “last whisper of summer, sitting outside as dawn crept over the hills and I shucked the last of the crop of sweet corn. I listened to the roosters’ belligerent calls and paused to wonder if this could possibly be my life.”

The interconnectedness that Richard Andres and Deb Lentz have sought since converting this hayfield 20 years ago thrives. Tantré could be the life of not only the workers that come there to work, but also the community members who travel to the farm to pick up their CSA share and stay to visit, and of the restaurants that might very well be serving Tantré food right now. Farming was the way of the past, and as people continue to learn more about the food they eat and where it comes from, it promises to be the wave of the future.

Want More?

More photos and poem online at www.ecurrent.com

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Green

feature

Special Advertising Section

AnnGo-Green Arbor

Ann Arbor, is an eco-friendly city that’s dedicated to being environmentally concious.

Here’s a list of local businesses that make the extra effort to “Go Green!”

16 Hands 410 N. 4th Ave., 2nd Floor 734-761-1110 16handsgallery.com

A visit to 16 Hands will awaken your creative side. The shop/ gallery emphasizes unique, handcrafted work made using repurposed or up-cycled materials in unexpected ways, such as elegant purses, belts made of pull tabs, or Tyvek, bike chain bottle openers. Night Lights by Bella Luz, made with recycled materials come packaged in gift boxes made with 100% recycled fibers. And if you’re looking to refresh your dish cabinet, the Fire and Light glassware collection is made from recycled glass.

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Ann Arbor Farmers Market 315 Detroit St. • 734-794-6255 a2gov.org/market

Visit the Ann Arbor Farmers Market year-round to stock up on local produce, dairy, pasta, coffee and more. Every fresh and healthy market purchase supports local growers, artists and chefs too! Get the most out of your experience by stopping by each booth to learn about the products currently in season—vendors may even convince you to try or prepare a new vegetable that you’ve never heard of before!

Special Advertising Section

Jessica’s Skin and Body 301 N. Fifth Ave. • 734-545-4303 jessicasapothecary.com

The Estheticians and Massage Therapists at Jessica’s take care in choosing the best products for each individual who schedules an appointment.

A balanced regimen is prescribed using either organic or pharmaceutical grade products. Jessica’s also offers handmade and made-to-order items such as perfumes made with natural oils, or body scrubs made with Himalayan pink salt. This May, they’ll be launching a new “Beyond Organic-Biodynamic Facial” based on ingredients cultivated through Rudolph Steiner’s concept of high-quality biodynamic farming.

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Special Advertising Section

Downtown Home and Garden 210 S. Ashley St. 734-662-8122 downtownhomeandgarden.com

This century-old downtown retailer has evolved from a farm and feed store into an urban emporium for organic gardening supplies, stylish outdoor furniture, and fine housewares.

Their goal is to support your gardening endeavors from seed to table. The knowledgeable staff takes pride in the fact that all of their products are both long-lasting and effective. Each spring, the sidewalk in front of the store is packed with vegetables and ornamental plants, and an array of time-tested organic products will nurture and support your garden year-round.

The Bead Gallery & Adorn Me 311 E Liberty St., 734-663-6800 bga2.com

If you’re looking to revive your spring wardrobe with unique, handcrafted jewelry items, the folks at Bead Gallery are ready to help you sort through their huge selection of semi-precious gemstones and loose beads—and they even offer classes if you don’t know where to start! Sign up to create jewelry items such as copper or sterling pendants, wire rings, pearl knotted necklaces, beaded hoop earrings and many more.

After visiting with their friendly and passionate staff, you’ll leave inspired to try a new technique you’ve never thought of before.

RoosRoast 1155 Rosewood Street, Suite B. 734-222-9202 roosroast.com

For a truly “deep, local experience,” get your coffee fix from RoosRoast Coffee Works. RoosRoast is a pillar of the Ann Arbor community that can be found brewed and bagged in all corners of town.

RoosRoast shows its commitment to waste reduction and sustainability through the Washtenaw County Waste Knot program, and encourages employees to commute by bike. Resources for the café are locally sourced whenever possible, and John Roos is developing a solar power system for certain aspects of the business. For the perfect gift, stop in the shop and pick up some fresh, specialty coffee packaged in an eco-friendly, screenprinted bag.

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Special Advertising Section

Humane Society of Huron Valley 3100 Cherry Hill Rd. 734-662-5585 hshv.org

Every year, HSHV helps over 10,000 companion animals as the only animal shelter in Washtenaw Country that takes in all types of unwanted, injured, stray, abused or abandoned animals. 85% of the animals that are brought in find themselves in new homes with the help of shelter volunteers. The building’s certified “green” geothermal system supplies heating and cooling with no environmental discharge.

HSHV volunteers also help with maintenance, clean up, and nature enrichment activities. They’re always looking for volunteers; check the website for dates and opportunities.

RUB Ann Arbor 214 S. Main St. 734-213-7600 rubannarbor.com

Need a break after a hectic week of work or school?

RUB Ann Arbor offers affordable aromatherapy for those interested in rejuvenating their senses through all-natural, organic essential oils. Michigan-made lotions and creamed honey are also used in their “Bee Spit” face massage to moisturize and stimulate muscles in the head, neck and face.

If you’re feeling “under the weather,” stop in for a therapy session that includes a eucalyptus mint face/neck massage and reflexology treatment.

At RUB, a wellnessoriented lifestyle is easily enhanced by relaxation and all-natural therapy treatments.

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Special Advertising Section

VegMichigan 877-778-3464 • vegmichigan.org

VegMichigan, the state’s largest vegetarian organization, is dedicated to promoting the health, environmental and ethical benefits of a plant-based diet. For those interested in learning more about vegan lifestyles, the group provides year-round opportunities such as classes, cooking demos, and dinner club outings at various veg-friendly restaurants. Events such as the annual VegFest (April 21, 2013) and Ann Arbor Veg Week (April 2228, 2013) offer unique platforms for socializing and educating the community about how each individual can make the world a healthier and “greener” place.

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Special Advertising Section

Ann Arbor Transportation Authority 2700 S. Industrial Hwy. • 734-996-0400 theride.org

This spring, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) encourages employees to go green with its 2013 Commuter Challenge, where employees commute by bus, bike, walk, carpool or vanpool during the month of May. Companies that participate most in the Challenge will receive various prizes. Last year, 239 organizations competed in the Commuter Challenge. The amount of C02 saved by Commuter Challenge participants (253,650 lbs) was equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 23 cars!

Pregitzer Farm 6870 Territorial Rd., Munith • 517-769-2768 yourfarmmarket.com

To educate the community about the benefits of eating locally-grown products, this sustainable farm takes extra care in ensuring the health of their soil and produce. Pregitzer combines an environmentallysensitive approach to pest management with the goal of inducing the least possible hazard to people and the environment. For a fun spring adventure, take a tour of the facilities, check out the selection of fresh flora, and enjoy the serenity of the “farm life.” More information is available on their Facebook page.

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food

food

Spice delight Digging in, utensil free, at Ethiopian restaurant Blue Nile

By Julian Garcia To shake things up in Current's the food, Blue Nile conquered me with the Ethiopian Blue Nile food section we sent some of our staff spiced tea. It's a decaffeinated herbal which pulses 221 E. Washington to an Ann Arbor eatery to develop a between waves of citrus flavor and cinnamon spice, 734-998-4746 group account of the experience — but goes down with a succulent hue. I am shocked it www.bluenilemi.com lunch at A2 ethnic dining staple Blue has no added sugar. I ordered a tin to take home for Nile. Two of our advertising reps, myself after one sip.

Kelly Schwarck and Charles Towne, along with Current's Kelly Schwarck, ad executive newest editorial addition, Joseph Schafer and myself Using the Injera to soak up the undertook some hardnose culinary journalism to investigate flavors makes the meal interactive the lunch options at the Ethiopian restaurant. The owners, and fun. As a recent convert to Habte Dadi and Almaz Lessanework, brought us a full veganism, I also appreciated the large Ethiopian Feast, allowing us to sample a wide selection of selection of vegan and vegetarian menu items. Blue Nile may be known as an adventurous options. The dishes that stand out date-night destination, but we were quick to discover the are the Tekil Gomen, which is the belts-stretching-yet-healthy midday meal possibilities. cabbage accented with a blend of Choosing any bold ethnic cuisine comes with the herbs and spices, and the Yemisir assumption that the experience should be an adventure into Kik Wat, the spicy dish of red lentils another culture and a taste of the exotic. But, the Blue Nile whipped into a delicious paste that I experience transports the diner to a different culture by the will still be thinking about next week. way you eat as much the exotic flavors. When seated you are Charles Towne, ad executive presented with hot towels to cleanse your hands, because Their Injera bread, soft and chewy, in Ethiopian dining or "gursha eating," food is traditionally allows the diner to blend with impunity shared by all from a center serving and eaten by hand. So any combination of dishes and there we were being "those people" and taking iPhone pics ingredients they desire. Whether it be of the large platter of various vegan and vegetarian selections the pairing of the ZilZil Wat beef and piled around a large circular, spongy flatbread called Injera. spicy lentils or their spicy Doro Wat Here’s how my foodie-of-the-day coworkers broke chicken and Gomen collard greens, down the Blue Nile experience: your flavor combinations are limited Joseph Schafer, arts and entertainment only by your imagination. Of course, I coordinator would be remiss if I failed to mention Ethiopian food has a transgressive the ever warm and endearing spiced Ethiopian tea. It marries streak of fun in it. It breaks the itself well with nearly every dish. Although we left satisfied, conventional rules of Western dining. the feeling avoided the heavy food coma that some lunches American parents teach their children leave you with. from a young age to eat with a fork and Overall the cuisine is light and undeniably a healthier knife, not with their hands. Eating at the alternative to other lunch staples. The individual dishes are Blue Nile literally feels luscious because very reasonably priced, but for a group the all-you-can-eat the food is eaten only by hand, with your Ethiopian feast is definitely the way to go. Kelly just had fingers, adding another tactile sense to the textural sensations one last bit of advice for a return trip to Blue Nile. “Wear in the mouth. But though I came for the food, and will return for your stretchy pants, you will leave full!” ecurrent.com / april 2013 21

food

ongoing Wednesdays Italian Wine Tastings

6-7pm. $25 Paesano Restaurant & Wine Bar, 3411 Washtenaw Ave. 734-971-0484. www.paesanosannarbor.com

Indulge in a post-work wine tasting every Wednesday at Paesano Restaurant & Wine Bar. Five Italian wines will be on hand for sampling, with a mix of tasty appetizers.

2 tuesday

Clean and green

The plant-based diet has been touted by many health-conscious foodies in print, but this month’s VegFest 2013 will bring the debate to life, offering a full afternoon of tasting, product samples and in-the-know speakers. Local restaurants and businesses will share samples of their premium vegan products (be sure to catch Sweet Mangolias’ vegan cupcakes), while Whole Foods and Meijer teach attendees how to incorporate “green” living and cooking into everyday life. Training to run a race this spring?

You won’t want to miss a lecture by Scott Jurek, a world-renowned ultra marathon champion (he ran 6.5 marathons in one day!), who’s been featured in The New York Times and CNN, about training and racing entirely on a plant-based diet. Sunday, April 21. 11am-5pm. $7/prepaid, $10/door, Free/5 and under. Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River, Novi. 877-778-3464. vegmichigan.org —MO

9 tuesday

At this event, learn how to turn a standard meal into a delicious and healthy plantbased feast. Presented by VegMichigan, this workshop is both informative and entertaining. Also held on Tuesday, April 9.

As part of the People’s Food Co-op “Healthy Living Series,” Livingston—life coach, raw food educator and yoga instructor—will speak about why consuming grains is not optimal for the human body.

7-8:30pm. Free. Whole Foods, 2918 Walton Blvd. 248-371-1400. vegmichigan.org

3 wednesday Celebrating 31 Years with Ari Weinzweig

6:30-8:30pm. $45. Zingerman’s Events on Fourth, 415 N. Fourth Ave. 734-663-3400. www.zingermanscommunity.com

Founding partner Ari Wienzweig reminisces on three decades of Zingerman’s; enjoy a selection of sandwiches, cheeses, oils, vinegar, and other products that have been the building blocks of the deli’s menu. During the meal, enjoy the stories behind each product. Reserve early as event sells out quickly.

5-11pm. Free. Downtown Home & Garden, 210 S. Ashley St. 734-662-8122. downtownhomeandgarden.com

A popular, family-friendly watering hole downtown Ann Arbor where local beers from Michigan breweries will be flowing and a diverse selection of wines will be available.

Bring your own food and host a family-style picnic or purchase local treats and snacks from various vendors. Going on through Sunday, April 7.

7 sunday Refresh Renew Rejuvenate Afternoon Tea

2pm. $20. British Tea Garden’s Roof Top Cafe, 112 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh. 517-423-7873. thebritishpantry.com

At this “Ladies Afternoon Out,” taste a variety of herbal teas and listen to guest speaker Linda Shannon, co-owner of Chartreuse Tea Co., talk about the differences between types of tea and the health advantages of herbal teas. Make reservations early, as events fill up quickly.

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Interested in brewing your morning coffee in more exotic ways? At this event, learn the secrets to successful coffee brewing using a variety of methods—take a single coffee and brew it six to eight different ways!

The Whole Truth about Whole Grains with Ellen Livingston

Bill’s Beer Garden

april 2013

1-3pm. $20. Zingerman’s Coffee Company, 3723 Plaza Dr. 734-929-6060. www.zingermanscoffee.com

Veg101 - Sponsored by VegMichigan

5 friday

22

Brewing Methods Class

7-8:30pm. Free. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tearoom, 114 S. Main St. 734-994-4589. www.peoplesfood.coop

10 wednesday Rustic Italian Cooking: A Taste of Northern Italy With Francesca Giarraffe 5:30-8:30pm. $25. Whole Foods Market, 3135 Washtenaw Ave. 734-975-4500. www.wholefoodsmarket.com

In this two-part series, a native Italian cooking instructor will prepare a diverse sample of regional cuisine. Spend the evening exploring the dishes of northern Italy and enjoy a complete rustic meal from the Boot, featuring an entree, side dish and dessert. Also being held Wednesday, April 24.

11 thursday Neapolitan-Style Pizza Night!

6:30-9:30pm. $75. Ann Arbor Cooks!

5060 Jackson Rd. 734-645-1030. annarborcooks.com

Spend the night with Italianexpert Francesca as she shares tips and tricks for how to cook the perfect Neapolitan-style pizza, straight from southern Italy! You’ll make homemade dough filled with fresh ricotta and top it with an incredible tomato-basil sauce and mozzarella & parmigiano cheeses.

Strong Ale Beer Tasting

7-9pm. $30 advance/$35 on tasting day. Arbor Brewing Company Tap Room, 114 E. Washington St. 734-213-1393. www.arborbrewing.com

On the second Thursday of each month, Arbor Brewing Company celebrates the tastes and traditions of beers from across the globe. This month, two dozen samples of strong ales will be explored, from old ales to barleywines to double IPAs. Ticket includes appetizer buffet and tasting notes.

15 monday Cocktail Class: The Forgotten Whiskey

7:30-9:30pm. $35/advance, $45/door.

The Last Word, 301 W. Huron St. 734-276-3215. www.tammystastings.com/shop

Though bourbon has come to rule the bar scene, rye whiskey is returning to its former glory as the spirit of choice. This hands-on class and tasting will teach you how to utilize rye whiskey’s spicy and dry character for cool cocktails.

17 wednesday (un)Corked Wine Tasting with Marimar EstateSonoma County

7:30-9pm. $20. Ann Arbor Art Center 117 W. Liberty St. 734-663-7848. www.producestation.com

A selection of buzz-worthy Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from California’s Marimar Estate, presented by the winery’s sales manager Robert Salz.

Rat Pad Release

6-9pm. Corner Brewery, 720 Norris St., Ypsilanti. 734-480-2739. www.arborbrewing.com/brewery

Amateur and professional brewers create imaginative beers on Corner Brewery’s 10gallon Rat Pad brew system.

They release these brews on the third Wednesday of every month and serve them while supplies last. Anything left over after 9pm can be purchased to take home in a growler.

22 monday Ann Arbor Veg Week Various times and locations.

Sponsored by VegMichigan. www.annarborvegweek.org

From Monday, April 22 to Sunday, April 28, individuals pledge to eat only vegan or vegetarian foods to improve their health and reduce their impact on the environment.

Highlights include a screening of the movie “Vegucated” at 6:30 pm on Monday at the Ann Arbor District Library (343 S. Fifth Ave.) and a Vegan Community Potluck on Friday

24 wednesday

Welcome, spring!

Brewing Company Beer Dinner

by Robyn Cleveland (Barman at The Ravens Club)

hosted by the Humane Society of Huron Valley. Visit the website for more information.

6:30pm. $55. Grange Kitchen & Bar, 118 W. Liberty St. 734-995-2107. www.grangekitchenandbar.com

Artisanal Michigan beer makers, Short’s Brewing Company, will be featured during this dinner of hyperlocal cuisine.

Grange chef Brandon Johns is known for interesting takes on unusual cuts — think bone marrow and pork belly — and an interesting use of Michigangrown ingredients.

Asian Fusion With Chef Tom Lin

6:30-9pm. $45. Whole Foods Market, 3135 Washtenaw Ave. 734-994-2300. www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Explore Asian Fusion, the practice of combining different Asian cuisines into one meal. Enjoy grilled asparagus wrapped in eggplant and brushed with teriyaki sauce for an appetizer and finish with pan seared jumbo shrimp prepared in a ginger and mango sauce. Advance registration required; visit www.aareced. com.

29 monday Spanish Wine Tasting

6:30-8:30pm. $50. Ann Arbor Cooks!

5060 Jackson Rd. 734-645-1030. annarborcooks.com

Spanish wines remained off most dinner tables for decades thanks to antiquated wine-making practices, but the country’s vinos are enjoying a resurgence of late. At this wine tasting, enjoy some of the area’s fantastic selections of “vino tinto,” from Bobal to Graciano.

Sounds & Sights Wine & Brew Show

6-9pm. $50. The Common Grill, 112 S. Main St., Chelsea. 734-4750470. www.chelseafestivals.com

Michigan-made foods, wines and beers will be sampled and celebrated during this fundraiser for the Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights and the Sounds & Sights Festival.

food

The Vernal Equinox has just passed, which for us laymen means—it’s springtime! This time of year brings to mind re-birth and warmer temperatures. But I find myself bundled up in wool socks, sweat pants, two long-sleeved shirts and a knit cap.

Ahhh Michigan! Rather than give up and plot ways to migrate south, here’s to finding respite in other ways.

So, in trying to find a drink that really embodies a springtime feeling, I was immediately drawn to the Daiquiri, the classic mix of rum, lime, and sugar that any good mixologist should know. More specifically the Hemingway Daiquiri, which invites a bit of grapefruit juice and Maraschino liqueur to the rum and lime party.

Instead of simply revamping classics, I have gone with something original and well, more "springy"!

To me this means fresh, light, new and out of the ordinary, but just familiar enough to bring on a bit of nostalgia. Bonus, I get to play with navy strength gin (new to the Michigan market), which means 57% alcohol by volume! That standard was set in the 1800s after sailors developed a test to ensure their gin had not been watered down. The test amounted to setting it on fire and using it to ignite gun powder. While the gin itself has a bit of kick to it, the introduction of citrus, thyme, and elderflower give the drink a nice light balance that leaves you wanting more. Plus, it will no longer light on fire. Sorry cannoneers.

Seafarer's Spring Thyme Daiquiri

1.5 oz Thyme-infused Navy Strength Gin* (Plymouth or Hayman's Royal Dock) .5 oz oz fresh squeezed lemon juice .5 oz fresh squeezed white grapefruit juice (pink or ruby is too sweet) .5 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur 1 tsp. Seville orange marmalade (I use Trader Joe's) Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker, shake HARD for 15 seconds, double stain through a fine strainer (I prefer a hawthorn and mesh basket) to remove marmalade particles. Strain into cocktail glass,then garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme. *Place .5 oz by weight of fresh thyme into 750ml bottle. Let stand 1-2 days; strain to remove thyme.

If you just can't wait, gently muddle 1 sprig (per serving) in mixing glass before adding other ingredients.

ecurrent.com / april 2013 23

music music

perspective: folk Josh Ritter breaks through heartache

by Scott Recker

Breakup albums are generally brutal, packed with razor-sharp attacks and introspective self-loathing. But Josh Ritter’s recently released album, The Beast in its Tracks, walks a different line: he trades that usual dose of scorn for a clear-eyed assessment of where he was, where he’s going and the ball of emotions that come with heartache. Beast — his seventh full-length — is the first from the Idaho native since the 2011 split from his wife, fellow folk musician Dawn Landes, and it carries a powerhouse — and eerily relatable — lead single. “New Lover” is an evocative daydream of a man who is allowing a woman to heal his lovesickness, but is still curious about whether or not his ex is seeing someone. It’s poignant, level-headed and it couldn’t have been easy to write. Maybe it’s a new flame, maybe it’s the 36-year-old songwriters maturity, but, according to him, the new material basically wrote itself.

“The writing, in a weird way, was sort of a release,” he says. “Not because it was cathartic or anything like that, but because you actually get a good look at how you are on your own — how your own heart works. Sometimes there are these cross streams of pure emotion, which are not all good or bad. They are just what they really are, whether that’s rage or happiness.”

And that’s how it’s been his entire career: a matter of finding who he is at the present time, rather than trying to force a certain feel, or produce a manufactured sound. The key for Ritter is being himself.

“Each record that I’ve made has been a collection of songs that represent that period of my life,” Ritter says. “So I feel that I try to keep pace with how each album should be made and how each song should be presented, so I’m forced to stay myself.”

In 1995, Josh Ritter enrolled into Ohio’s politically conscious Oberlin College. He went to study neuroscience, but soon switched to a self-created major: “American History Through Narrative Folk Music.” Following college, he pursued his dreams of becoming a troubadour, moving to

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the East Coast, working odd jobs and playing open mics.

And then he got his break: One night he was playing an open mic in Boston, when Glen Hansard, from the Irish folk-rock band The Frames, walked in. After hearing a few of Ritter’s songs and chatting with him a bit, Hansard invited him to follow The Frames back to Ireland and open for the rest of their tour.

“He was playing down the street and he came in for a beer,” Ritter says. “I was playing an open mic for 20 people — maybe. Then, all of a sudden, I went to playing for 200 to 400 people a night. I had never been in front of an audience like that: a bunch of Irish people screaming at me. It was really, really fun.”

Recently, Josh Ritter has also indulged — and succeeded — in another creative outlet: writing a novel. In 2011, he released his first book, Bright’s Passage, about a recently widowed World War I veteran and his young son as they escape a forest fire and in-laws. Although the book received warm praise — including some from Stephen King — he learned the audience response time comparatively between writing a song and a book is very different.

“It’s learning how to perform at a slower speed,” Ritter says. “When you write a song, then play it to an audience, you can do it so quickly and get the feedback. With a novel, you have a much longer timeframe. When you’re writing, you don’t see anyone reacting during that time.”

Right now, Ritter is in the formative stages of a new novel. He’s not sure what it’s going to be about, but from the very few details he is currently able to disclose, it seems like he’s aiming to move on from heartache.

“It’s going to be big and fun,” he says. “That’s all I know.”

Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band is presented by The Ark at the Royal Oak Music Theater, 318 W. 4th St., Royal Oak, on Wednesday, April 17. $24. 7:30pm. For more information, call 248-399-2980 or visit www.royaloakmusictheatre.com.

music

music

16th Mr. B's Blues & Boogie Celebration

The Ark / Saturday & Sunday, April 13-14

The sixteenth annual Mr. B's Blues & Boogie Celebration returns to the Ark. Besides A2’s own piano giant, Mark Braun, AKA Mr. B, the weekend will also feature octogenarian blues grandmaster Bob Seeley, and pianists from both coasts; LA’s Fred Kaplan and NY’s Mark Katz. Mr. B says, “This year we have three guys—besides Bob, who is our elder statesman—coming from the same generation of pianists, with somewhat similar experiences in terms of how we came up learning how to play blues piano.” Katz has played in the bands of Greg Allman, John Hammond, Delbert McClinton, and other blues greats, while Kaplan, a member of the famed Hollywood Fats Band is renowned for his mastery of West Coast blues styles. Seeley, who has toured all over the US and Europe, is a fixture at this annual event.

7:30pm. $25. The Ark, 316 S. Main St. 734-761-1818. www.theark.org —SS

1 monday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Charlene Kaye Blind Pig

Hawaiian-born, New-York based Pop singer ‘Charlene Kaye’ is a multi-instrumentalist talent as fluent in classical piano as she is in glam rock.

9pm. $15. 18+.

Dance & Techno Factory - Necto

Every Monday features goth, industrial, synthpop and alternative dance with DJ Jinx.

9pm. $1-$3.

2 tuesday Country & Bluegrass

Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys - Wolverine State Brewing Tap Room Sweet Lindsay Lou rolls in the bluegrass for Lougrass Tuesdays!

3 wednesday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop The Protomen Blind Pig

These guys might be the only rock band in America which their bases their lyrics on the Super Nintendo video game ‘MegaMan.’ Also, they sound like Queen. How seet is that?

9pm. $14.

4 thursday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop That 1 Guy - Blind Pig

Matt Silverman, better known as ‘That 1 Guy’, performs his one man show in venues across the country using only his voice and a variety of selfmade instruments. His style combines progressive jazz and tribal beats to create a sound that is uniquely his own. 9pm. $12 advance/ $14 doors. 18+.

5 friday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Frontier Ruckus - The Ark

Michigan’s own Frontier Ruckus is looking like a strong candidate for the next breakthrough Americana band.

8pm. $16.

Laith Al-Saadi Black Pearl

The Tree Town veteran will serenade dinnergoers with Soulful acoustic rock and blues covers as well as originals. singer-guitarist.

Jazz, Blues & R&B

RJ Spangler & Planet D Nonet Kerrytown Concert House

Known as the Space-Age Swing Band, their music runs the gamut of the jazz tradition as they pay tribute to Billy Strayhorn. 8pm. $5-$25.

cont. on page 26 ecurrent.com / april 2013 25

music

Talib Kweli

Blind Pig / Sunday April 14

In the hip hop game, success among music critics does not always equal success in the commercial realm.

Talib Kweli, despite his immense talent, remains a fairly underground rapper with a commitment to intelligent rhymes that focus on topics ranging from empowerment to enlightenment. Best known for his work in seminal 90s hip-hop supergroup Blackstar with fellow, socially conscious, MC Mos Def and Cincinnati, Ohio born beat master DJ Hi-Tek, Kweli has remained prolific throughout his career, releasing dozens of albums and mixtapes as well as collaborating with some of the biggest names in the game. If that wasn’t enough to convince you, Talib also tours with a highly talented backing band that intertwines everything from Beatles covers to extended funk and soul jams into their energetic live performances.

9pm. $28 adv. /$30 door. Blind Pig, 208 N. First St. 734-996-8555. www.blindpigmusic.com —GMK

cont. from page 27

6 saturday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Misty Lyn And The Big Beautiful - The Ark

Pulling from a wealth of vivid, melancholic subject matter, her songs are cathartic and poetically rich works that stand boldly on their own, but when accompanied by her quartet, the Big Beautiful, realize new potential. 8pm. $15.

Jason Dennie Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room

Dennie is a sought-after sideman, teacher; singer-songwriter, finger-picker extraordinaire; and performer of contemporary folk, roots & bluegrass, and gospel-tinged music. 8:30pm.

Free.

7 sunday Jazz, Blues & R&B

Ellen Rowe Trio Kerrytown Concert House

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the foundations of jazz with the Ellen Rowe Trio. 2pm. $5-$25.

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8 monday Jazz, Blues & R&B

Bernhard Scully Walgreen Drama Center

University of Illinois Assistant Professor of Horn and former hornist with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Canadian Brass will perform works from his new CD ‘Dialogues en Francais’. Mr. Scully will also coach students of the UM horn studio in this 90 minute presentation.

4:30pm. Free.

see mor e

9 tuesday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Joshua James - The Ark

Based in Utah, he’s been gaining notice all over with a whispering voice that seems to get inside your mind and songs that take on big themes of family and spirituality. 8pm. $15.

11 thursday Classical & Spiritual

Shuann Chai Kerrytown Concert House

Chinese-American pianist Shuann Chai is an active and engaging performer, critically acclaimed for interpretations on both modern and historical instruments. 8pm. $5-$25.

12 friday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Joe Crookston Green Wood Coffee House

His music swirls with themes of lightness and darkness, clocks ticking, weeping willows, cynicism, hop, and the cycles of life and rebirth.

8pm. $12.

events online @ ecurrent.com

Record Store Day

Various locations / Saturday, April 20

Some people say Christmas comes early, but for audiophiles that holiday is just Record Store's tardy, unfocused older brother. Every year, bands young and old from every genre join forces with record labels and stores to fill shelves with unique, collectible vinyl—B sides, 45's, LP's, limited color runs and rare re-pressings. This year's Record Store Day Spokesman, Jack White, says Record Store Day is more than an industry event, it is a rite of passage, "it’s high time the mentors, big brothers, big sisters, parents, guardians, and neighborhood ne’er do wells, start taking younger people that look up to them to a real record store and show them what an important part of life music really is." Record Store Day will pump Encore Records, Underground Sound, and Wazoo records in Milan with exclusive material. Be sure to save your pennies and hit all three stores, because no two establishments will carry the same merchandise. For more details, visit www.recordstoreday.com-JS

Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Kim Gnagey & Karlye Walker Silvio’s Organic Pizza

Her indie-pop sound encompasses a variety of flavors, including jazz, folk, acoustic rock and R&B, combining fresh harmonic structure and poetic lyrics with simple, memorable melodies. 7pm. Free.

14 sunday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Sankara Kerrytown Concert House

Vidwan Sri T H Subash Chandran is a highly recognized percussionist from Chennai, South India. 7pm. $5-$25.

17 wednesday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Holly Near - The Ark

Almost singlehandedly Holly created a whole slice of today’s folk and acoustic music scene: politically engaged female songwriters who have spoken out for gender equality and for the freedom to love whomever they choose. 8pm. $25.

18 thursday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic Comas - The Ark

Its members came from different part of the globe, bringing together their many cultural influences to forge a unique blend of traditional Irish music.

8pm. $15.

19 friday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop The White Ravens Back to the Roots

They combine strange but melodic keyboard compositions with witty lyrics and distinctive vocals. 7pm. Free.

20 saturday Country & Bluegrass

Bill Bynum & Co. Downtown Library

With songs both traditional and original, and a sound that’s at once as comfortable as old jeans and as fresh as a new blade of grass, Bill Bynum & Co. is a band that’s easy to love and hard to quit. 1pm. Free.

Brother Joscephus & The Love Revolution The Ark

These guys play jazz-fueled music, featuring complex arrangements with a gritty soul and a gospel heart. 8pm. $20.

21 sunday Jazz, Blues & R&B

Bucky Pizzarelli & The Michéle Ramo Trio - Kerrytown Concert House

A superior guitarist appreciated by swing musicians in particular, Bucky Pizzarelli has been a fixture in jazz and the studios since the early ‘50s. 7pm. $5-$30.

cont. on page 28 ecurrent.com / april 2013 27

music cont. from page 27

22 monday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Saturday Looks Good To Me - Downtown Library

Born as a basement recording project in the year 2000, the local band Saturday Looks Good To Me brings together the jubilant fun of Motown and Northern soul with an indie approach. 7pm. Free.

23 tuesday

to their Midwest roots. 8pm.

Free, w/ nonperishable food donation.

26 friday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Laurie McClain Green Wood Coffee House

McClain brings passion and humor to the stage, performing original songs as well as unique covers of other excellent songwriter’s gems. 8pm. $12.

27 saturday

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop

Known for poetic, gritty lyrics, driving instrumental work, close and powerful vocal harmonies, their original compositions cover a variety of topics and styles while holding fast

One of Detroit’s best rock bands ignites a pop-rock explosion that A2 begs to get hit with again and again. 10pm. $5 21+ / $10 under 21.

The Potter’s Field - The Ark

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Killer Flamingos Cavern Club

2013 / ecurrent.com

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Heywood Banks - The Ark

This songwriter-comic-singerpoet-musician has become a cult hero and a pop icon, with a show that appeals to college students, stoners, businessmen, yuppies, rednecks, punks, kids, and/or your grandmother. 8pm. $25.

28 sunday

29 monday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop The Milk Carton Kids The Ark

This harmonizing, minimalist duo, uses two guitars and two voices to create a new combination of back-porch Americana and classic folk. 8pm. $15.

30 tuesday

Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop

Jazz, Blues & R&B

Deep music for your mind and feet from this Ann Arbor psychedelic rock band. 10pm.

Free.

UNESCO proclaimed April 30th to be celebrated as “International Jazz Day.” Come and explore the history, meaning, impact, and legacy of American jazz while enjoying selections from some of A2’s greatest jazz musicians. 8pm. $10-$20.

The Dang Deluge Elks Lodge

Vincent York ‘s Jazzistry Kerrytown Concert House

film Marnie

7:30pm. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org

TCM’S Ben Mankiewicz and actress Tippi Hedren host this special screening of the Hitchcock classic Marnie for TCM’s Classic Film Festival-Road to Hollywood series.

11 thursday M-agination Film Festival Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys in the mid-1940s

Experience Music History

The history of twentieth century popular music in America is as diverse as it is unpredictable — the striking artistic differences between genres as created and subsequent evolutions has shaped the musical landscape of today. With that concept in mind, the Ann Arbor District Library presents

America’s Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway, an eight week series featuring

documentary film screenings and discussions led by University of Michigan Professor of Musicology and Director of Research Mark Clague. Throughout the series, concerts performed by some of Ann Arbor’s most talented musicians will be presented at both the Library and at the Kerrytown Concert House. With genre topics ranging from rock music to bluegrass to swing and latin jazz, America’s Music series offers an interesting perspective on musical history for fans of all genres. Wednesdays through April 24. 6:30pm. Free. Downtown Library, 343 S. Fifth St. 734-327-4200. Visit www.aadl.org for information about specific documentaries. —GMK

7 sunday

29 monday

M-agination Films is a studentrun film production group at the University of Michigan.

In production, students are responsible for writing, directing, camera work, editing, and everything in between. We select and projects from student submissions each semester and screen them at the Michigan Theater in April.

22 monday Vegucated

6:30pm. Free. Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave, Downtown, Multi-purpose room 343.

734-327-4265. www.annarborvegweek.org

Part sociological experiment, part science class, and part adventure story, the award winning documentary Vegucated showcases the rapid (and

The Invisible War

6pm-8:30pm. Free. Downtown Library, 343 S. Fifth St. 734-327-4265. www.aadl.org

AADL will host a screening of the powerful 2012 documentary that won the U.S. Documentary Audience Award at the 2012 Sundance Film. The film also appeared on numerous yearend best lists, including in The New York Times, Time, and the National Board of Review. The Invisible War is a groundbreaking investigative documentary about one of our country’s most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within our US military. Today, a female soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire with the number of assaults in the last decade alone in the hundreds of thousands.

9 tuesday

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour

Car Wash

Ignite your passion for action, adventure, and travel. Journey to exotic locations, paddle the wildest waters, and climb the highest peaks. From an exploration of remote landscapes and mountain cultures to adrenalinefueled action sports, films in this year’s world tour are sure to amaze the explorer within.

WCBN-FM presents a screening of this 70s funky film classic with Richard Pryor as an owner of a LA car wash and one of the grooviest soundtracks ever!

7pm. $15 / $12 with Student ID. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. www.michtheater.org

8pm. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. www.m-agination.com

comedic) evolution of three people who share one journey and ultimately discover their own paths in creating a kinder, cleaner, greener world, one bite at a time. Vegucated follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. Following the film, Dr. Kahn will speak about the cardiac benefits of vegan nutrition and mind-body practices. also shows Tuesday, April 23.

9pm. Free. The Tap Room at Arbor Brewing Company, 114 E. Washington St. 734-213-1393. www.arborbrewing.com

see more

events online @ ecurrent.com

ecurrent.com / april 2013 29

theater

Variations on a Theme Michelle Mountain at The Purple Rose

by Sandor Slomovitz

The Purple Rose Theatre’s spring production, opening on March 28th, is Moises Kaufman’s 2009 Tony Award nominated play, 33 Variations. The variations referenced are Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations, one of the most celebrated works ever written for piano. The play is set in the present, and in 19th century Vienna. Its characters include Beethoven, and the music publisher Diabelli, who wrote the waltz theme upon which the Variations were built. The contemporary characters are musicologist Katherine Brandt, and her adult daughter, Clara. Katherine is obsessed with unraveling the mysteries of the Variations, but pays little heed to her daughter, and is also attempting to ignore her own struggles with ALS. Purple Rose’s Artistic Director, Guy Sanville, and actress Michelle Mountain, who will portray Katherine, talked about the play. Mountain began by recalling her love hate relationship with Beethoven.

Mountain: When I was a kid, every Sunday morning—this can’t be true, but in my memory it’s true—I woke up to really loud Beethoven and my dad conducting away in the living room. (Laughter) I like Beethoven now.

Who will play the piano in your production?

Sanville: We’re not going to have a live pianist. [The way the play is usually produced.] For one thing, a piano in a small space can be overpowering.

I can see that.

Sanville: There’ll be some [pre-recorded] piano music, but we’re going to do variations on the variations, and explore them with other instruments. There are a lot of interesting things that we can do that will support the play viscerally. We have one of the best music schools in the country right down the road. I’m sure we could have found a couple, three piano players. (Laughter) But the play isn’t about the music. It’s about a woman and her daughter.

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Michelle Mountain, right (she plays Katherine Brandt), Richard McWilliams, left (who plays Beethoven) and David Bendena, right (who plays Beethoven’s assistant, Anton Schindler) Sean Carter Photography

Michelle, you’re playing the mom. I don’t know you well, but I’m guessing you’re not the kind of mom that you’re portraying here.

Mountain: Hopefully I’m not that kind of mom. But the more I’ve been working on it, the more I believe I share a lot of personality characteristics with Katherine.

I can imagine being so completely immersed in my own work that I don’t see my children. I don’t live that way, but it isn’t that hard to extrapolate there. My real mom self is probably way too, “Did you eat? What did you do today?”

Another thing I share with Katherine, I really can’t stand being unable, or incapable. Ugh. I get annoyed when I don’t do things well. So then this physical deterioration [of ALS] is going to be fascinating because I know already it’s gonna just piss me off. I don’t like being helped; I don’t like asking for help. It’s much easier for me to say, “Can I help you?” than to say, “Could you please help me?” This script is incredibly well written. The more I look at it, the more I love the way things are revealed, just kind of touched upon, and then they come back around.

33 Variations plays until June 1.Thurs.-Fri., 8pm; Sat., 3pm & 8pm; Sun., 2pm. $27. Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St. Chelsea, 734-433-7673. www.purplerosetheatre.org

theater and kidnapping their guidance counselor to do it. The cast will be made up of members of the Ensemble and actors who have helped make TNTP a sucess over the last three seasons.

The show will run through April 28th.

To Test Deep Wells, Passing Trains Kathleen Beardmore and Matthew Steward (front) with Dana Denha and Nick Boyer (back) took first place for A2CT’s production“Leaving Iowa.”

Leaving Iowa for Wisconsin

According to critics, The Ann Arbor Civic Theatre’s production of Leaving Iowa is nothing short of fantastic — the play recently won first place in Michigan’s American Association of Community Theatre Festival and will travel to compete in the regional competition in Wisconsin on April 18th - 21st.

In celebration of the victory, a public performance of the award winning play will take place on Saturday, April 6th in the A2CT Theater. The play is a comedy about a young man who drives across Iowa in search of a proper resting place for his father’s ashes. He eventually reconciles his past and present in the center of the United States. Proceeds from the event will help fundraise to pay for the acting troupe’s upcoming trip to Wisconsin. Free, donations welcome. 8pm. A2CT Studio Theater, 322 W. Ann St. Call 734-971-2228 for more details. www.a2ct.org—GMK

Theater

4 thursday Darius Milhaud’s Oresteian Trilogy

Reserved seating $60 - $10. 7:30 pm.

Hill Auditorium , 825 University, Ann Arbor. 734-764-2538.

This work, relates the bloody chain of murder and revenge within the royal family of Argos.

Kenneth Kiesler will lead the University Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Choir, University Choir, Orpheus Singers, UMS Choral Union, and Percussion Ensemble. The show will be presented In French with Englsih subtitles.

Dance MFA Thesis Concert: Looking Back, Moving Forward

$5. 8:00 pm. Dance Building, Betty Pease Studio Theater, 1310 N. University Ct. Ann Arbor.

Dancer-choroegrpahers J. Lindsay Brown and Jessica Post will present their MFA thesis pieces to the public. Support these talented young students as they prepare for careers in dance.

The show will run through April 6th.

Good People

$27-$41. 7:30 pm. Performance Network Theater, 120 E. Huron St. Ann Arbor. 734-663-0681.

This 2011 Tony nominee is a touching and funny look at America’s great economic divide, and it’s just added a slew of new dates. The play will now run through April 7th. For more details, visit tickets.performancenetwork.org

5 friday Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White

$15 regular admission, $12 students

and seniors, $9 for MAINSTAGE patrons. 7:00 pm. Quirk Dramatic Arts Building, Eastern Michigan University, 124 Quirk Hall, Ypsilanti.

734-487-1220.

Unable to escape to the north where they can marry, Julia, an African American seamstress and Herman, a Jewish baker n 1918 South Carolina keep their long-standing love affair a secret. This poignant, historical drama by Alice Childress, will run through April14th. For more details visit www.emich.edu.

130 W. Michigan Ave. Ypsilanti.

(734) 961-8704. www.thenewtheatreproject.org.

The New Theatre Project will be moving on after one last production, the Michigan premiere of this hilarious play by JC Lee. Pookie and her fellow misfits are determined to make their movie a reality - even if it takes blowing up police stations,

$5. 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Betty Pease Studio Theater, 1310 N. University Ct., Ann Arbor. 734-763-5461.

This evening-length dance recital features performances by Allie Harris (Drowning Wisteria), Julia Smith-Eppsteiner (I know it when I see it), Cara Zonca (What We Cannot Feel) and Katie Muth (The Earthworms are Unaware) The show will run through April 20th.

27 saturday Shrek the Musical

$15 Adults / $10 Seniors and PHS Staff. 7:30 pm. Schreiber Auditorium , 601 W. Stadium Blvd, Pioneer High School.

One of only two schools in the US to be offered this opportunity, the Pioneer Theater Guild will be working wiht a revised script and score to create its own costume and set design, original choreography and direction. Performances will run April 27, 28, May 3, 4, and 5.

August: Osage County

$26 /$10 with a UM Student ID. 8:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Walgreen Drama Center, Arthur Miller Theater, 1226 Murfin Ave., Ann Arbor. 734-764-2538.

A vivid portrait of familial dysfunction, this fiercely funny Pulitzer Prize winning play has been called “the most exciting new American play seen in years,” by the New York Times.

This performance runs through Sunday, April 7th. Runs Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm

12 friday Clutter

$6 advance/students/seniors, $7 doors. 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Riverside Arts Center , 76 N. Huron St., Ypsilanti. 734-944-2787

From Around Here Productions and Two Twelve Arts Center present a staged reading of Clutter, a new play by Brian Cox. A talk-back will be held after each performance.

18 thursday The New Theater Project’s Final Play: Pookie goes Grenading

$15, $10 for students and industry.

8:00 pm. Mix Studio Theater,

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Kayla Romberger: “Astronaut Ice Cream”

art

Bernadette Witzack

artbeat “MFA Thesis Exhibitions”

Alilsha Wessler, “Compass”

by Louis Meldman

The University of Michigan School of Art and Design is now presenting its annual Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibitions. Student shows are always fun, frequently wild, and sometimes a great way to spot an upand-coming talent who’s still affordable. And it’s a good way to observe long term trends in academic art and design. This semester all the exhibitors are women – a trend?

Two shows are running through April 5 at the Slusser Gallery. The Slusser is inside the awesome A&D Building on North Campus. Also running through the 5th is one exhibit at Work.Ann.Arbor on State Street near the State Theater, and two shows are open through June 16 in the Special Exhibitions Gallery of the mind-blowing Kelsey Museum of Archaeology on State Street across from Angell Hall.

At the Slusser is Belongs to Whom, by Siyang Chen. Chen came to UM from Tsinghua University in Peking where she earned a B.A. in industrial design. Some artists seek to elicit delight or amazement. Chen strives to produce “confidence” by deconstructing the ephemeral and evoking what is permanent: love, friendship, sharing. She believes that confidence can be conveyed in new media art, illustration, product and interaction design – anything!

In this show Chen questions authority via two and threedimensional designs of authority icons: a jade seal, a monogram logo, money itself. Also at the Slusser is Phenomena, by Jessica Joy Goldberg. Jessica Joy, as she goes by, is an experimenter par excellence. She combines art and science to create interactive installations, “infect spaces” and prompt “child-like curiosity.” “Phenomena” is culled from hundreds of her paintings from the past nine months, all exploring the interface of the deliberate, the spontaneous and natural phenomena (like evaporation). For her, this exploration calls into question her role as the maker.

At the Kelsey is 100 Ways to Avoid Dying, by Kayla Romberger. Romberger came to Ann Arbor after a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from the University of Montana. She is concerned with the borders between urban spaces and the countryside. Through drawings, prints and object-making she teases and pokes fun at the anxiety, even paranoia that arises at the possibility

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that pastoral life may become nothing more than a place in the imagination or a vacation destination. “100 Ways” is a site-specific instillation using the archeology museum with its motifs of excavation, documentation and display to juxtapose the stuff of survivalists – tin cans, foodstuffs, matches, bullets, batteries. In my case, that’s the stuff of a round of golf. Romberger was awarded a Rackham International Research Award and is concurrently enrolled in the interdisciplinary Museum Studies Certificate Program. Also at the Kelsey is From Afar It Is An Island

by Alisha Wessler. After her B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago Wessler began a dual program here: M.F.A. and Museum Studies. She is drawn to the collecting and arranging of objects – personal and public – in order to create surprising narratives. Her own paintings and drawings result from the accumulation of infinitesimal detail, scenes frozen in time, cross-sections of singular moments. These moments are not only historical or archeological, but psychic, probing the depths of the unconscious.

Using psychoanalytic and other pseudo-scientific imagery she brings about what Freud called a “transference” of emotional memory from patient to doctor, or in this case between artist and viewer. It sounds a bit abstruse, but for me it worked. The Kelsey is an especially effective setting for this exhibition, and as always, always, always it is worth a stop, with or without special exhibits.

Down the street is New Painting by Bernadette Witzack at Work.Ann.Arbor. Witzack has both a B.A. in Fine Arts from Chicago’s Beloit College and an M.A. in Public Service from Marquette. She thinks of herself painting the way a jazz musician improvises. The result is saturated color next to muddled hues, jagged scratches adjacent to graceful contour lines, geometric shapes merging into organic forms. If you’ve never gone into Work, this is a perfect opportunity.

New Exhibits

4 thursday

The New American Museum: How We’re Reinventing the Big Box with Sacred Stuff

Free. 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Rackham Graduate School (East Conference Room), 915 E. Washington St. 936-6678. ummsp.lsa.umich.edu/

This presentation contrasts the past museum experience that strove to emulate European aristocratic culture with diverse convergent practices that may lead to the emergence of the new American museum.

6 saturday Ann Arbor Women Artists Open House

$5. 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Ann Arbor Women Artists, 4844 Jackson Road Suite 100. 734-239-1895. www.annarborwomenartists.org/

For the first time in our 62 years, the Ann Arbor Women Artists (and a few good men) have a home! Come celebrate this wonderful achievement.

This vibrant new space is being used for meetings, workshops, rentals, figure drawing and a communal studio. All proceeds benefit the new space. The event is open to the public and will include food, drinks, live music, and a silent auction.

7 sunday Hands-On Workshop: Comic Artists Forum With Cartoonist Sally Carson Free. 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Ann Arbor District Library , 343 South Fifth Avenue. 734-327-4265. www.aadl.org

Guest cartoonist Sally Carson will demonstrate how she organizes her thoughts, ideas, and sketchbooks so that they become useful tools. See how to create an Affinity Diagram, a great way to generate and organize as many ideas as possible. Sally’s first comic, The Skids, is an autobiographical tale about her days as a New York City bicycle messenger just after 9/11.

8 monday New Classes at the Ann Arbor Art Center

Prices will vary per course for members and non-members. Full schedule of course times available online. Ann Arbor Art Center , 117 W. Liberty Street. 734-994-8004. http:/ www.annarborartcenter.org

With the changing of the seasons, the Ann Arbor Art Center is changing its courses, offering studio art classes and workshops to both the professional artist and the beginning student. Their course catalog offers a variety of creative opportunities for artists to develop their talents and meet

new people. New classes will include Drawing in Pubs, Fabric Surface Design, Figurative Realism Painting, Passport to Art, Ceramic Sculpture, Sketching at RoosRoast Coffee, En Plein Air, Pottery Mosaics, Watercolor at CIL, Color Pencil, DIY Printmaking, Teen Jewelry Making, Teen Intro to Painting Teen Fashion Fundamentals and Parent and Child Painting.

See the Ann Arbor Art Center’s website for more details.

art

13 saturday

Drawing Lab: Sketching Cloth And Drapery

Free. 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Ann Arbor District Library , 343 South Fifth Avenue. 734-327-4265. www.aadl.org

Did you know there are seven basic folds in drapery? Whether you’re drawing a tablecloth or clothing, these folds reappear over and over. Pat Candor of College for Creative Studies demonstrates the finer points of drawing cloth/drapery that are easy and fun.

18 thursday Ann Arbor Public Schools Annual Student Art Exhibit Ann Arbor District Library, 343 South Fifth Avenue.

734-327-4265. www.aadl.org

“Floating Paper,” part of METAL’s first line of furniture

Furnished with an Iron Fist

The fine artists at METAL has been hammering away in their foundries since fall on a new and unique project soon to be unveiled. METAL’s first line of furniture. These floating structures, wrought from 5/8 inch steel, will come in three sizes. The furniture looks great—minimalistic assemblages of almost-organic textures and crisp lines. The pieces can be put to various uses, as benches, stools or display tables—they kowtow to a person’s creativity the same way hot steel is bent to METAL’s will. The furnishing will be unveiled at “Machinamentum,” a celebration of METAL's first two years of existence. Ann Arbor graphic designer and artist Mark Benglian will display his mixed media work during the event, which will be catered by Chef Norman of Detroit. Free. Saturday, April 13. METAL, 220 Felch St. (800) 613-6385. www.metaloffmain.com—JS

Each year the Ann Arbor Public Schools come to the Ann Arbor District Library to showcase the work of their students. Once again, the developing talents of students from across the city will be shown throughout the Library. Both two-dimensional and three-dimensional art in many mediums will fill the display cases and cover the walls. Come and enjoy the wonderfully creative projects of the students of kindergarten through fifth grade art classes.

Exhibit runs through May 26, 2013.

ongoing 18th Annual Exhibition of Art by Michigan Prisoners Sun. & Mon., 12-6pm; Tues.-Sat., 10am-7pm. UM Duderstadt Center Gallery, 2281 Bonisteel Blvd.

734-647-7673. www.prisonarts.org

The exhibition sheds light on the talents found behind prison walls and encourages the public to take a second look, inspiring dialogue and awareness. Despite limited resources, exhibition artists create work in a rich range of styles, mediums and themes.

Runs through April 3.

Ruth Gilmore Langs: the MOCEAN Paintings Regular gallery hours. Free.

The Ann Arbor Arts Center, 117 W. Liberty St. 734-994-8004. www.annarborartcenter.org

Ruth Gilmore Langs explores her childhood in the Florida Keys through these large, bright and vibrant oil paintings. The exhibit runs through Sunday, April 7.

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art

cont. from page 33 Subverting Modernism: Cass Corridor Revisited

4pm-7pm. EMU University Art Gallery, 900 Oakwood st., Ypsilanti.

734-487-1268. www.art.emich.edu

With a 1960s revolutionary spirit, the Cass Corridor artists, who worked in a run down area near Wayne State University, overthrew Modernism and ushered in Post-Modernism, exploring such themes as industrial and post-industrial Detroit, existential vulnerability, the human need for shelter, the persistence of the life force, and the presence or absence of order in nature. Exhibit runs through Friday, April 26.

With my iPhone and Eye 7-9pm. Free. Washington Street Gallery, 306 S. Main St. 734-761-2287. www.wsg-art.com

Nina Hauser has blended traditional photography with fine art for some time. She has touched upon many subjects— from landscapes, to the world as seen by her dog, Theo. Her newest exhibit covers what she calls hybrid photography.

Exhibit runs through Sunday, May 5.

see mor e

and add

“Big Triumph / Majestic Land”

5-8pm. Free. Chelsea River Gallery, 120 S. Main St., Chelsea.

734-433-0826. www.chelsearivergallery.com

Endi Poskovic’s work is about the real world—he depicts real objects, animals and nature.

But it’s surreal as well. His landscapes seem like something out of pulp sci fi, and he tags his work with hybrid words culled from foreign languages so that his images resemble propaganda posters from another reality. Runs though Saturday, May 11.

Michelangelo and the Medici

2-3:30pm. Free. Detroit Institute of Arts. 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit.

313-833-7900. www.dia.org

For more than 70 years, photographers have found inspiration for their work from the people, city streets, and automobile culture of Detroit.

This exhibition includes select photographers who, through their personal vision and photographic skill, have captured subjects, past and present, specific to Detroit, its changing landscape, architecture and auto industry. This exhibit runs through Sunday, June 16.

your own events online @ ecurrent.com

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3 wednesday Meet Author David Potter 7pm. Free. Nicola’s Books, 2513 Jackson Ave. 734-662-0600. www.nicolasbooks.com

Meet local author and U of M professor David Potter for a reading and discussion of his book, ‘Constantine the Emperor’. This biography of one of history’s most pivotal figures focuses not only on Constantine’s conversion to Christianity, but follows him up through the ranks of the Roman army to his reign as one of the most influential leaders in Western history.

4 thursday Leading a Healthy Lifestyle & Maintaining Motivation

7-8:30pm. Downtown Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. 734-327-8301. www.aadl.org

In this Health & Wellness lecture, John Farah and Nelson Williams, authors of Let’s Pick It Up A Bit: A Guide To A Running Lifestyle, discuss fitness as a lifestyle, including ways to get in shape and get healthier.

They will also review general run-training concepts and answer questions about the training plans in their book.

Penny W. Stamps Speaker Series Paola Antonelli: Perspectives 5-7pm. Free. Michigan Theater, 603 East Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.art-design.umich.edu

Antonelli is senior curator in the Department of Architecture and Design and director of research and development at the Museum of Modern Art. Her goal is to insistently promote design’s understanding, until its positive influence on the world is fully acknowledged and exploited. She is currently working on several shows on contemporary design; and on Design Bites, a book about foods from all over the world appreciated as examples of outstanding design.

7 sunday Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance

2-3pm. Saline District Library, 555 N. Maple Rd., Saline. 734-429-5450. www. saline.lib.mi.us

Author Sandy Novacek will speak about her late husband’s memoirs of the Czech resistance against the Nazis and the Communists. Books will be available for purchase.

Registration requested.

9 tuesday Panel Discussion: Race And Religion

7-8:30pm. Downtown Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. 734-327-8301. www.aadl.org

Join as leaders from different

everything else religious, racial, and ethnic groups reflect on the high and low points of how their traditions have dealt with issues of race, racial justice, and racial healing. This event is inspired by this year’s Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads which focused both on the theme Understanding Race as well as the awardwinning book The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander.

10 wednesday Science Café: Race and Immigration

5:30-7:30pm. Conor O’Neill’s Traditional Irish Pub, 318 South Main St. 734-764-0478. www. lsa.umich.edu/ummnh

Please join Bridgette Carr of the Human Trafficking Clinic at the U-M Law School, John Garcia of the UM Institute for Social Research, and Laura Sanders and Ramiro Martinez, co-founders of the Washtenaw Interfaith Council for Immigrant Rights as they discuss how issues of immigration, law, race and ethnicity are interwoven in people’s lives.

11 thursday ‘We Can End Racism’

7pm. U of M Rackham Amphitheatre, 915 E. Washington St. 734-936-1875.

FestiFools

Photo by Myra Klarman

Downtown Ann Arbor / Friday & Saturday, April 5-6 There’s no better way to shake off the wintertime blues than getting a little “foolish” during the 7th annual FestiFools celebration. This rite of spring allows the public to express themselves by throwing on funky garb and parading imaginative sculptures created over the past months down the streets of A2. Get into the spirit early with FoolMoon on Friday night from 7pm-12am, when hand-made, illuminated sculptures carried by enthusiastic teams dance down Washington and Ashley Streets. There’ll be candlelit treats, shadow puppet performances, live music from Theo Katzman and Dan Henig and more. Then don’t miss the FestiFools’ parade on Saturday down Main St. in Downtown A2! Thousands of “fools “ turn out to frolic with irreverent papier-mache puppets. 4-5pm.

Downtown Ann Arbor. www.festifools.com—JG

Multi-media artist damali ayo (the lowercase is intentional) presents “We Can End Racism!” Using art, photos, videos, humor and unforgettable stories, ayo shows the solutions to one of our culture’s toughest topics and leaves her audiences energized and feeling empowered and hopeful.

12 friday Poetry Celebration With Renowned Poet Jon Sands

7-8pm. Downtown Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. 734-327-8301. www.aadl.org

Brooklyn-based poet Jon Sands, known for his electrifying readings, joins Ann Arbor’s own nationally-renowned poet and beloved teacher, Jeff Kass and several local talented teens for a special evening of powerful poetry readings to celebrate National Poetry Month!

UMS Season Launch Party 4:30-7:30pm. Free. Michigan League, 2nd Floor, 911 N University Ave. 734764-2538. www.ums.org

Join the University Musical Society as they launch the 2013-2014 season in style.

Free and open to the public, this event is a great way to discover which of the world’s greatest artists will be performing right here in Ann Arbor.

Light hors d’ouevres and cash bar. No RSVP required.

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everything else cont. from pg 35

13 saturday The Lake Effect: Building a Resilient Future

10am. $5. UM Museum of Natural History, 1109 Geddes Ave. 734-764-0478. www. lsa.umich.edu/ummnh

This live program covers the origins of the Great Lakes, their early use and eventual abuse and attack by invasive species.

The program concludes with information on how you can get involved locally to help preserve and protect the Great Lakes.

Mom2Mom Consignment Sale

9am-2pm. $1. Liberty School, 7265 N. Ann Arbor St., Saline. 734-754-3302. www.mom2momconsignmentsale@ gmail.com

This is a large Mom2Mom Sale that is department-style - all clothing is in one room and is sorted by gender and size.

There is a separate room for toys and large items.

18 thursday Race Card Project

10am-3pm. Diag, Central Campus.

734-647-4411. www. theracecardproject.com

The U of M is the first American university to partner with

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award-winning journalist Michele Norris on her innovative Race Card Project. The project gathers participants’ six-word descriptions of their views on race written on postcards or online forms. Selected contributions will be displayed on the U-M Diag. A similar selection will be displayed from April 15-19 on the array of large screens in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library.

Pop Trivia

YDL-Whittaker Branch Library, 5577 Whittaker Rd., Ypsilanti. 734-482-4110. www.ypsilibrary.org

Teams range of 4–6 people compete to see who’s the brainiest in town. Questions are provided by the National Trivia Association and range from pop-culture to literature. Snacks will be available throughout the competition.

Register your team today. Visit the website for full rules and regulations.

20 saturday 2013 Ann Arbor Orchid Festival

Sat. & Sun., 10am-4pm. Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. 734-647-7600. www.aaosonline.org

The Society is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2013 with tropical and hardy orchids for sale and on display, orchid

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raffle, orchid-growing supplies, and related items. Also, free educational talks, photo opps, demonstrations both days, and more.

21 sunday Earth Day Festival

12-4pm. Free. Leslie Science & Nature Center, 1831 Traver Rd. www.a2earthday.org

Celebrate the natural world at the annual Earth Day Festival.

This free, family-friendly event features displays from 40 local environmental, non-profit, and governmental organizations; live animal demonstrations; hands-on activities; product and toy testing; live entertainment; green building and commuting technologies; energy topics; water awareness; sustainable agriculture; and more. Visit the website for a full schedule of activities.

25 thursday Saving the Earth, One Bite at a Time Presentation

7pm. Free. Workantile, 118 S Main St. www.annarborvegweek.org

Come and see this entertaining and engaging presentation about how you can change your life and save the planet, one bite at a time!

27 saturday Neighbor Day

2-3:30pm. Free. Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair, 115 E. Liberty St. www.826michigan.org

826michigan celebrates GOOD’s Neighbor Day event by inviting it’s Ann Arbor neighbors--including the nearby retail neighbors and local residents— to enjoy refreshments. Meet 826michigan staff members and volunteers, try your hand at some of 826micihigan’s writing exercises, use the button machine to make your own customized neighbor buttons, and enjoy 20% off student-written publications.

28 sunday Fourth Annual Dawn Farm Ride for Recovery

8am-2pm. Registration is $25 until April 1 / $30 after April 1. Dawn Farm, 6633 Stony Creek Rd., Ypsilanti. 734-4858725. www.dawnfarm.org

The Ride for Recovery is a family fun and fitness event and a fundraiser for Dawn Farm.

There will be opportunities to participate at various fitness levels, including rides from 10 K to 100 K and 5 or 10 K runs/ walks. Routes are along scenic, country roads and through a local Metro park.

current trendz

Geek chic

Ann Arborites show off their thick-framed specs Photography by Emily McAlister

Want to see more A2 street style? Visit ecurrent.com/style

ecurrent.com / april 2013   37

crossword Puzzle Shmuzzle Across 1. Grass or snow, e.g.

5. Isle of Napoleon's exile 9. Not in bottles 14. Representation 16. Yogurt-based Indian Jewel stew 17. Department of urology?

19. Org. that permits Pete Weber's post-roll "crotch chop" 20. Action film in which Hans Gruber quotes Plutarch 21. Jazz singer Carmen 24. Maj. with credits for studying credit 26. Michele on Broadway 27. 99% of the toys baby Julius owns, e.g.?

31. Drink gingerly 32. Funk style 33. In order (to) 36. Woody Allen's whole thing?

41. Years in Latin class 42. ___ Claire, Wisconsin 43. Hefty reference: Abbr.

45. Total jerk lawn care guy?

50. Manti who got awfully defensive when asked if he was gay 53. Sounds like a small dog 54. Helps someone get their battery going?

55. Bit out of a book 58. TV show that Gerald Ford was the first president to appear on 59. Meager cream cheese portion?

65. Jazz crooner Mel 66. Magazine that started Occupy Wall Street 67. "___ the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you": Hamlet 68. It's white and innocent 69. Big name in unhealthy quarts

18. Sommelier's suggestion 21. They're on the mic 22. Good dishes 23. Turn yellow, as a banana 24. Shade near nude 25. Formed sides, as for teams 28. CA airport with a See's Candies store 29. New Orleans hrs., during the Super Bowl 30. Ornamental Japanese fish 34. "Share ___ and a song" 35. What Obama was shooting in that one picture 37. Needle workers?: Abbr.

38. London's Old ___ theatre 39. They may result in RBIs 40. "Star Wars" race 44. Residents, e.g., briefly 46. Big talk 47. Kind of heart valve

Down 1. MLB injured reserves, briefly 2. Tape deck abbr.

3. "Oh gawwwd" 4. Certain arm candy, in tabloids 5. It dwarfs Vesuvius 6. Glass City marathon segment 7. Song parodied by "Fat" 8. Developer chemical, in photography 9. Pejorative for a certain farmer, once 10. Quick bite 11. Error partner 12. Venetian love 13. Mei Xiang or Tian Tian of the National Zoo 15. Like ears

38

april

2013 / ecurrent.com

48. Goes on after getting fed up 49. Remove by cutting 50. Checks 51. Common action movie protagonist 52. Autumn clothing color 56. She plays Hermione 57. Stink to high heaven 58. Part torn from a paycheck 60. Smartphone, somewhat outdatedly

61. Deep Blue corp.

62. Homer's frenemy 63. Ejaculate 64. Starter starter?

for crossword answers, go to ecurrent.com

classifieds PAYMENT

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Payment must be received before an ad can be placed. We accept checks, cash, money orders, and credit cards (MasterCard, American Express, or Visa) Sorry, no refunds. Misprint results in credit toward next ad.

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FREE CLASSIFIED ADS One (1) free 20-word classified ad per issue. Free ads include noncommercial concerns, free services, products being sold for less than $150.

Line Classifieds $20 for 20 words or less. 40¢ per each additional word.

Box Classifieds $30 per column inch. One column = 1.4519" Photos can be placed in box or line ads for an additional $5 per photo.

DEADLINES Ad copy must be received at NOON on the 15th of the month prior to publication.

CONTACT INFORMATION Mail: Current Classifieds. 1120 Adams Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604.

Phone: 419-244-9859.

Fax: 419-244-9871.

Email to: classifieds@ecurrent.com

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HELP WANTED

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2013 federal postal positions - now hiring! $13.00$36.50+/hr., Full Benefits / Paid Training. No experience. Call today!

1-800-593-2664 Ext. 141

------------------------------------We’re looking for a freelance writer and a freelance photographer.

Paid gigs for Current & Ann Arbor Family magazines. E-mail us at aspcsocialmedia@gmail.com

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Become a founding member of SOPHIA (Study Organization for Philosophy, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Action). Twelve UM students will be enough. looking4sophia@gmail.com

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

April 13, Mom2mom Consignment Sale.

Liberty School, 7265 N. Ann Arbor St., Saline. 9-2pm, $1.00 entry.

More info at: mom2momconsignmentsale.com

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

------------------------------------Meet the Midwives! An open forum to ask questions about the midwives at New Moon Midwifery, home birth, waterbirth, doula support or options in childbirth.

Mondays, 6:30-7:30pm at the Center for the Childbearing Year ~ 722 Brooks St. Ann Arbor, Mi 48103. Free. For more info call 734-424-0220 or go to www.newmoonmidwifery.com

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,

Homebirth Circles A social gathering and discussion group for families who are considering homebirth, planning a homebirth or have birthed at home. Sponsored by the Midwives at New Moon Midwifery. Mondays, 7:30-8:30pm at the Center for the Childbearing Year ~ 722 Brooks St. Ann Arbor, Mi 48103. Free. For more info call 734-424-0220 or go to www.newmoonmidwifery.com

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Prenatal, postnatal, Swedish, and sports massage. Nationally certified.

Clinic on A2’s west side. Chair or table. 17 years experience. Holiday Gift Certificates or on-site events.

Call Carol: 734-368-2138

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STRESS REDUCTION, DEEP TISSUE, CMT. 14 years of

experience, intro massage special $45/hour AA Northside. Call Jane 734-741-0761 ------------------------------------

Moms- get fit and have fun! Come workout for FREE every Friday at 1 pm. Details at http://www.facebook.com/ MomentumBeachbodyFitClub

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BecomE a doula!

DONA International birth and postpartum doula training and professional certification at Center for the Childbearing Year www.center4cby.com

Allie Roberts, pre-med student at UM

How do you juggle school and dressing well?

Well, you happened to grab me on the day where I was actually looking nicer than usual. Most of my classes are a little bit later in the day, which is nice, so I can get dressed up. But there will always be sweatpants days at the library.

How would you describe your style?

I mostly dress in classic pieces. This outfit is kind of me experimenting more with trendier pieces, but for the most

part I dress classic.

What are your favorite A2 stores?

I really love Urban Outfitters and Pitaya. I work at Gap at the mall, so that's my go-to place for jeans and t-shirts, and Francesca's has really cute scarves and jewelry.

You're originally from Columbus.

Has A2 style influenced you?

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It definitely has. In high school I was an athlete, so I was not super girly. And I grew up in a suburb, so it wasn't very diverse. But when I got to college I started branching out a little more. Being in A2, where everybody comes from different places and has a different look, is kind of a good way to pick up on new ideas.

FOR SALE

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www.ecurrent.com

style sense

Photo by Emily McAlister Interview by Alia Orra

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Get fit and have fun! Come workout for FREE every Friday at 1pm. Details at http://www. facebook.com/fearlessandfit

Check out our new website

style sense sponsored by:

CAMEL’S MILK HAS HELPED MANY CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. We ship milk anywhere in the US to members of DDA.Become a member today and help a child.

570-649-6970 Monday-Friday.

Call between 12 & 1

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*Our style spotters, Natasha Barros and Emily McAlister, roam the streets of A2 to find the chicest (or craziest) looks. Vote on their Style Sense candidates at Facebook.com/CurrentMagazine — winners are awarded a $100 Bellanina Day Spa gift card.

Come and spa...

201 N. Fourth Ave. 734-327-1000 www.bellaninadayspa.com

ecurrent.com / april 2013 39