Current May 2015

Sound

May 2015

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of

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MUSIC B e h i n d t h e s c e n e s at T h e A r k

Al Fresco Dining

10 spots to eat and drink outdoors

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A Conversation Between p31 Bookstore Owners

Literati’s Mike Gustafson with Westside’s Jay Platt

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contents

may 2015

vol. 25 / no.5

8 The Sound of Music Behind the scenes at the Ark

By Brandon Bye

18 DIY Outdoor Dining

31 Lit feature

A tale of two picnics

By Joe Saul and Lisa Leutheuser

Book collecting, e-readers, and the rise and fall of Borders: a conversation with Jay Platt

By Mike Gustafson

26 Theater

33 Local Color

Theatre Nova: a new stage, a fresh start

By Sandor Slomovits

Katherine Yates of pot & box floral design

By Sue Dise

28 Art Beat

36 Style

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo return to Detroit

By Louis Meldman

Shinola Detroit style arrives in A2

By Jessica Knapp

online exclusives

{ }

ECURRENT.COM

5 Questions for the Acupuncturist

Eastern medicine in the Mid West Cheryl Wong and her partner Evan Lebow-Wolf have opened Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture, a $20-$40 sliding-scale clinic.

Bright Beginnings

A conversation with Joe Pug

By Jeff Milo

Joe Pug, literary-type singersongwriter, wrote his latest batch of songs with a zen-like attitude: “One of my favorite Willie Nelson quotes,” Pug says, “is thankfully, we are not in control. On this album, it turned out I was exploring the notion of defining yourself rather than letting external circumstances define you.”

Positive Vibrations

Hip-hop artist Duke Newcomb

By John Snyder

You may have seen fliers on telephone poles in Ann Arbor with Duke Newcomb’s name, encircling the image of the international radioactive trefoil symbol centered on a microphone, advertising for an event at the Blind Pig. Get to know him a little better in our profile online at ecurrent.com.

ecurrent.com / may 2015 3

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Adams Street Publishing Co. What concert are you looking forward to most?

Publisher/Editor in Chief

Collette Jacobs (cjacobs@toledocitypaper.com) several in my backyard

Co-publisher/Chief Financial Officer Mark I. Jacobs (mjacobs@toledocitypaper.com) The Stones—this may be the last time . . .

Editorial

Assignment Editor: Brandon Bye (brandon@adamsstreetpublishing.com) phish Staff Writer: Rose Carver (rose@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Lady Lamb

 Pointless Brewery & Theatre During Tori Tomalia’s bout with cancer, she and her husband Jason decided to seize the day, to follow through on a shared business plan—a brewery that doubles as an improv stage. After a successful kickstarter campaign in which the couple raised over $50,000, Pointless Brewery & Theatre’s menu will boast sketch comedy, craft beer, and classes in improvisational art.

3014 Packard Rd. pointlessbrew.com  Wolverine Brewing Co. Growing More beer? The on-site expansion will double the brewery’s size, and increase their brewing capacity. 2019 W. Stadium Blvd. 734-369-2990. wolverinebeer.com

Calendar Editor: Marisa Rubin (mrubin@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Lana del Rey Digital Media Specialist: Saul Jacobs (saul@adamsstreetpublishing.com) tHE rOLLING sTONES Contributing Writers: Lisa Leutheuser, Joe Saul, Sandor Slomovits, Louis Meldman, Mike Gustafson, Sue Dise. Jessica Knapp

Art/Production

Production Manager: Brittney Koehl (adsin@adamsstretpublishing.com) Florence + The Machine Senior Designer: Leah Foley (leah@adamsstreetpublishing.com) creed

 Strip Mall Reconstruction Redevelopment of a strip mall on Washtenaw Avenue has been approved and will connect existing retail buildings on a 5.5-acre site, across the street from the Arborland shopping center. Dollar Tree, Casual Male, Life Uniform, and Ann Arbor Thrift Shop are among the businesses currently at the location. A former drivethrough bank will be demolished, and the parking lot reconfigured and renovated. 3510 Washtenaw Ave.

Graphic Design: Imani Latief (imani@adamsstreetpublishing.com) anthony hamilton Contributing Designer: Stephanie Austin Bluegrass Breakfast @ Glass City Cafe

Advertising Sales Coordinator Kali Kowalski (kali@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Grateful Dead Sales Executive: Carrie Cavanaugh (carrie@adamsstreetpublishing.com) RUSH Classifieds: Catherine Bohr (calendar@adamsstreetpublishing.com) bassnectar (within 500 miles)

Administration Accounting: Robin Armstrong

(rarmstrong@toledocitypaper.com) imagine dragons

© 2015 by Adams Street Publishing Co., All rights reserved.

3003 Washtenaw Ave., Suite 3, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, Phone (734) 668-4044, Fax (734) 668-0555.

First class subscriptions $30 a year. Distributed throughout Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and neighboring communities.

 Jim Brady’s Restaurant Tom Brady, not that Tom Brady, rather, the grandson of Detroit restaurateur Jim Brady, has bought the former Vellum space with plans to open a restaurant. This reincarnation of the original Jim Brady’s restaurant from the 1960s will keep the diner theme while offering local, fresh ingredients. 206 S. Main St. djbistro.com  New Petstore PetPeople is an Ohio based pet supply store stocking specialized food for those furry, feathery and scaly family members.

Natural food options, pet supplies, and more are available. 3330 Washtenaw Ave. petpeoplestores. com—RC

Also publishers of:

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ISSUE DATE: JULY 1 RESERVE YOUR SPACE BY: JUNE 15

ecurrent.com / may 2015 5

green corner

Courtesy Michele Yanga

...Brings May flowers

The Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden is the crown jewel of springtime in Ann Arbor.

The garden commenced in 1922, cultivating a vast display for greenthumb bio enthusiasts and romantics alike. It includes 28 beds of peonies, some better scented than others, so beware which flower you stick your nose into. The Arb’s “Peony Ambassadors” offer rolling, informational tours, or, you can wend your way through the garden alone. Enter the Arb at the Washington Height’s entrance. Dawn til’ dusk. Nichols Arboretum, 1610 Washington Hts. 734-647-7600. mbgna.umich.edu/peonyb. Free—RC

fyi

Michigan knows mushrooms Morel season is here—as if we really needed a reason to get out and enjoy the warmer air. Between Boyne City’s annual morel mushroom festival, May 14-17, and Mesick’s morel fest, May 8-10—both festivals are attended by morel enthusiasts from all over the world—Michigan is a premier location for one of nature’s most prized fungi. And Washtenaw County plays host, too. But you have to know what you’re looking for. In the early spring, when the daytime highs reach 60 degrees and the lows don’t dip below 40, morels start to pop out on south facing slopes in open areas at the forest’s edge.

Look for ash, aspen, and old oak trees. Dead and decaying trees also make for prime hunting grounds. As the season progresses, you’ll have to venture further into the woods to north facing slopes where you’ll find bigger, yellow morels. To cleanse your bounty, soak in cold water. Halve and saute in butter. Perhaps toss in with shallots and fresh asparagus, farfalle and pecorino. False morels exist, so do some identification research before the forage. Good luck and bon appetit. —BB

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Sound of

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MUSIC I

Behind the scenes at The Ark

By Brandon Bye

Lloyd Cole plays his soundcheck ...

Curt Hamilton cues up the levels.

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f you can imagine a Bob Dylan solo acoustic record from the early 1960s and a Lyle Lovett record from the 90s,” English singer-songwriter Lloyd Cole says to sound technician Curt Hamilton, “I want the 1960s one.”

Cole came to play The Ark with a desire common among many of the musicians who have played the storied venue before him.

“I don’t want a lot of high end added,” he clarifies during soundcheck, “it should sound pretty natural. Other than that, I just want to sound like a folk singer.”

Since 1969, when Dave Siglin took the job as The Ark’s manager, The Ark’s sound technicians—all of whom, like the ushers and concessions staff, volunteer their time—pride themselves on providing first-rate sound for performers and audiences.

First impressions Before moving to Michigan in 1992, George Allen taught in the Department of Audiology at Purdue. In 1993, Allen started volunteering as a sound technician at the second iteration of The Ark—637½ S. Main St. At about half the size of the current venue, Allen says, The Ark II had decent acoustics. Allen doesn’t remember his first show behind the soundboard, but he does remember his favorite.

“The Cox Family was a bluegrass band from Louisiana,” he says. “They had a sound that was of particular interest to me—a father, a son, and two daughters. And one of the daughters, Suzanne Cox, is the person that Alison Krauss modeled her voice on.” Allen’s interest in the band connected to his background teaching speech and hearing science. “The boning structure in the head has a lot to do with the overtones that come through in the voice. So when you have family members singing together, you have overtone structures that meld nicely for some really wonderful harmonies.” A state of nostalgia takes Allen’s attention. “Suzanne Cox was there—tall and slim with beautiful voice—and I’m working the soundboard, listening, just loving it.”

Like Allen for The Cox Family and Curt for Cole, the sound tech acts as an ambassador for The Ark. “He’s there before the managers,” Allen says, “and before any of the other volunteers.

He’s there to greet the band—I always ask where they’re coming from—and he’s the last or the next man out at the end of the

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night.” For the touring musicians, who perhaps played in the back of a hardware store on the way up from Nashville, or a beer bar in Chicago the night before, The Ark is a 5-star hotel. “They know when they come to The Ark they’re safe, their needs are going to be met.” Priority number one: keep the performers happy. fter the better part of an hour, Cole and Curt have advanced from collaborating on the attunement of Cole’s vocals and guitars to discussing the color and angle setting for the stage lights.

“Basically I want to make the stage look like it’s only the size of me and the guitars,” Cole says.

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Playing host Dave Siglin, who helmed The Ark until 2008, says the best performances come when the artist and the sound tech work together. “The artist knows what he wants, and the sound guy knows what the room needs.”

Although Siglin ran sound for decades for the likes of Don McLean, John Prine, Taj Mahal, and Richard Thompson, his role extended well beyond soundtech ambassadorship. Siglin, his wife Linda, who managed and directed the venue with him over the years, and their daughter Anya, The Ark’s current program director, lived upstairs in the house at 1421 Hill Street—The Ark I. And the performers would stay with them.

When folk duo Pam Ostergren and Bobi Thomas passed through Ann Arbor and stayed with the Siglins, Thomas’ high school sweetheart, Tom Waits, came to visit for a couple weeks. Waits, before he hit it big, stayed in Siglin’s friend Barry O’Neill’s apartment.

“Tom really liked it there because it was so sloppy,” Siglin recalls. “It made him feel like he was at home.

He’d come over to our place during the day, practice the piano and hang out. I remember one day Linda, Bobi, Pam, some other people and I were playing hearts in the kitchen, and Tom was in the other room practicing the piano. Bobi said, you’ll have to hear Tom sing sometime. He’s really good. I think you’ll like him, and you should bring him to The Ark. Linda said, yeah okay. We’re playing cards, shut up and deal.”

Despite nearly missing that opportunity to book a young Tom Waits, The Ark has always prided itself on bringing in up-and-coming talent. And with Anya now booking shows, they continue to attract new acts.

This year has boasted the likes of Hey Rosetta!, The Whiskey Shivers, Shakey Graves, Brandi Carlile, and Dustbowl Revival.

“That’s why I retired,” Siglin says. “I realized I was 65 years old and not as much into the new, young music. To move it forward, we needed someone younger booking The Ark. I listened to 100 demos a month. And I have a feeling that Anya does exactly the same thing.”

loyd Cole tunes his guitars backstage as Curt readies the soundboard and adjusts the stage lights to Cole’s specifications. The floor seating closest to the stage fills up quickly, while late-comers settle into seats further back with tubs of popcorn. Just as the decision to point every seat in the house toward the stage affects the listening experience, the decision to serve popcorn was made with the listening experience in mind.

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“It was opening night at Ark II,” Siglin recalls, “September 1984. We’ve got tables and chairs and a bench along the back wall and a raised stage. And we had food—trail mix and potato chips. The performers started singing and all you could hear was CRUNCH, CRUNCH. It was the loudest food you could possibly get for an audience, but it never occurred to us. Well, that stopped after about three days.”

Curt dims the house lights. The crowd applauds.

Cole enters, picks up his Santa Cruz guitar and begins strumming.

“Curt,” he says, “could we get that little light above the music stand turned on?”

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Pat greely ran the sound board at the ark for more than a decade.

CONTINUED FROM P9 The best sound around Some artists, like Cole, require the level of expertise and professionalism requisite to run sound at The Ark. At the other end of the spectrum is Leo Kottke. “He comes in,” Bob Skon says, “pulls his guitar out and sits at the soundboard. He plugs his guitar directly into the board, plays maybe three or four bars of a song and says that’s good, just give me that up on the stage.”

Bob Skon is the chief engineer at Michigan Radio and the lead man in a trio that gigs around Washtenaw County. He points up sound design at the Ann Arbor Civic Theater and has been volunteering at The Ark since 2010. For Skon, Kottke’s easy-going soundcheck has sound-based logic to it.

“It’s always best to sit near the sound guy,” Skon says.

“The front row has its intimate advantages—you can see everything the artist is doing, you feel like you can touch them—but mostly, the sound you hear in the front row is the sound that’s coming off the performer’s monitors, which is fine for them, but not for the audience.”

Kris Truzzi agrees. “Sure, if you want the best light show, sit next to the light guy. While the PA is designed to be even throughout the room, unfortunately physics doesn’t allow for that to be perfect.”

Truzzi, family friends with the Siglins, grew up at The Ark, sitting on the stairs as a kid watching Tom Paxton.

He got his start at The Ark in 1986 and now works as a freelance audio engineer, boasting on his resume the likes of Blondie, Nirvana, Dizzy Gillespie, and Norah Jones.

From the Double Door in Chicago to the Tractor Tavern in Seattle, Truzzi gets around. “And boy do I appreciate The Ark,” he says. “You walk into most venues and it’s ‘you can set your stuff over there.’ At The Ark, it’s ‘what do you need to perform well?’ It’s definitely a performercentric venue.”

If the performers are happy, the audience is happy. And The Ark attracts a certain type of audience—a listening audience.

“Because it’s so intimate,” Truzzi says, “I hear from a lot of performers that it’s like playing for your family.”

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n stage, Lloyd Cole’s articulated guitar picking complements the clarity of his voice in a song that advises the audience to kiss his ass in Hollywood.

“I wrote that song in the late 90s,” he says, setting up a punchline, “when I was, I believed, the most brilliant man in the world.”

Curt chuckles along with the crowd and nudges a few green-lit dials on the soundboard.

“It isn’t really my best song, is it?” The audience bites again. “I wrote this next one a few years later, after I’d been knocked off my pedestal.”

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Listening room culture Pat Greeley: 1997-2010. When Greeley came on board, The Ark was evolving, adding more full-blown bands to the bill. As a result, Siglin needed people whose experience reached into more sonically complex stage set-ups. Greeley, who toured as a sound tech in the 80s and 90s with Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, had returned to Ann Arbor and started running sound at The Blind Pig. He and Siglin were softball pals in the 70s— “Anya used to shag fly balls for us at practice,” Greeley recalls—so Siglin roped him into The Ark. As The Ark expanded its booking from solo performers, duos, and trios to big-sound bands, its audience evolved, too. Greeley recalls a show where a group of drunken frat boys, fans of a band that Siglin would rather not name, bought out all of the bar stock before intermission.

“The volunteers were horrified,” Greeley says.

Bob Skon recalls a soundcheck with a band who requested that all the tables and chairs be removed from the front of the stage area. “It’s supposed to be open, they said, because our fans like to dance.” Skon checked with the house manager and gave the band what they wanted.

“It was like a mosh pit. I thought, ‘this is a little different for The Ark.’” While The Ark draws in a range of performance types, the throughline that defines the venue best is its listening room culture. Though there are no fliers promoting this

culture, no signs that say Shhhh, remember, this is a Listening Room, there are also no waitresses at The Ark, no loud banging beer bottles, no dinner service, and the moment the performer takes the stage the din of conversation goes flat. It is the difference between going out to a place that has live music and a place to listen to live music.

The sound techs take pride in continuing the listening room tradition; the visiting performers know they are coming into a ‘listening’ venue, and The Ark avoids the sterile, hear-a-pin-drop atmosphere of a church or a theater. By responding to the type of show the performer brings, the room retains a live feel. One audience stands up, fists up, singing along to a Hey Rosetta! song. Another audience holds its breath for George Winston. etween songs, Cole tunes his guitar for the fourth time of the night. “All this tuning malarky,” he says. “It’s because I care.”

Curt sits at attention behind the big bright soundboard which resembles a futuristic cockpit. He presses a red button on the right side of the board and a group of green dials to the left snap to life.

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The Ark evolves Beth Nielsen Chapman is big in Japan, and on October 22, 1998, her international applause set a new course for The Ark. To appeal to its Japanese contingent, American audio equipment company Harman International not only reserved a block of seats for the Chapman concert, but also gifted The Ark a set of JBL monitors for Chapman to play through. In the days that followed the show, communications between The Ark and Harman International lead to a partnership, one that still exists today, that resulted in a full sound system overhaul, which according to Siglin “sounded ten times better than the old system” and which otherwise would have been financially out of reach. But before the partnership was formed, Siglin had reservations.

“The way to get the best sound is to buy the best equipment you can get. To buy individual pieces that are the best, you would mix and match. They (Harman International) were offering us a huge upgrade if we used all of their product. And initially I wasn’t totally for that because every company, in their line of products, has a weak link.”

After further negotiations, Harman International agreed to fly their engineers to Ann Arbor to customize their system to the room. Just seven days after the Beth Nielsen Chapman show, Harman International’s engineers had flown in, installed and synced up the new system. “The sound leaped forward 15 years,” Siglin says. “I don’t know if you’ve seen our mixing board, but it’s better than the show. I could sit there and watch the mixing board the whole night, just listen to the music and watch the mixing board, I don’t care who’s on stage.”

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Al Fresco DINING

10 spots to eat and drink outdoors

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By Brandon Bye and Rose Carver

ere in Michigan outdoor dining is an inalienable right that we pay for while shivering and shoveling all winter. And now that it’s here, let’s talk about how we celebrate our right to dine al fresco: under expansive umbrellas and shade-giving trees, on breezy rooftop decks, while tippling something frosty, noshing something tasty, the sun and sky are a daydream reflected in our shades. And here’s where we do it:

S

ar B k ac Grill r t e id and

YPSILANTI

56 E Cross St 734-483-1490 sidetracksbarandgrill.com

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The Setup: Two fenced-in seating areas, one close enough to the tracks to feel the rumble of passing trains, the other below a cool ivy-covered brick wall.

Number of Tables: 40.

Overhead: Red, yellow, blue, and green, sun-bleached umbrellas.

To Eat: Famous handcrafted burger.

To Drink: Two Hearted.

Best For: A spontaneous midweek calorie splurge.

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rborompany C g n i y Brew robrewer Mic

720 Norris St 734-480-2739 arborbrewing.com

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The Setup: Outdoor beer grotto in a sunny, grassy courtyard. And true to the brewery’s name, sapling trees dot the area.

Number of Tables: 15-20 picnic tables, 10-15 small tables.

Overhead: Open sky.

To Eat: Poutine fries.

To Drink: Big mug of Buzzsaw IPA, brewed on site.

Best For: Throwing back a few craft brews while playing cards and board games with sunglasses on.

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onaera S

200 W. Michigan Ave 734-340-6335 eatypsi.com

The Setup: Below a brick building with red and green trim, a number of 4-top tables squeeze together for a main-drag, downtown sidewalk vibe.

Number of Tables: 10.

Overhead: Funky colored and patterned umbrellas.

To Eat: Shrimp ‘n’ grits, bacon mac ‘n’ cheese.

To Drink: Unity Vibration Kombucha Beer.

Best For: Creative dishes and friendly service.

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ANN ARBOR

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ollympkin Pu

311 S. Main St 734-913-2730 jollypumpkin.com

The Setup: A rooftop deck at once hidden and smack dab in the middle of downtown.

Number of Tables: 17.

Overhead: A few umbrellas dot the deck, and a pergola screens the wicker couch lounge area in the southeast corner.

To Eat: A truffle, shiitake, and chevre pizza.

To Drink: Every beer they offer.

Best For: Drinking nationally recognized, award-winning craft beer.

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eer o Grott

303 S. Ashley St 734-369-4212 beergrotto.com

The Setup: Street corner real estate gives Beer Grotto patrons a royal view of the comings and goings at Ashley and Liberty.

Number of Tables: 8.

Overhead: Sun and sky.

To Eat: Truffle popcorn.

To Drink: Anything by Greenbush.

Best For: Beer drinking and people watching.

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ill’s Beer Garden

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218 S. Ashley St 734-369-8001 billsbeergarden.com

The Setup: A large green gate opens to a parking lot beer oasis fringed by well-trimmed, shade-giving trees.

Number of Tables: Long picnic tables, a few round patio tables under the pavilion on the east side of the lot.

Overhead: The sun and sky.

To Eat: Bring in something Mexican, Indian, Asian, or Spanish from the neighboring Mark’s Carts.

To Drink: Bell’s Oberon.

Best For: A beer or two with the kids in tow.

a r u t n ve

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216 E. Washington St 734-369-3153 aventuraannarbor.com

The Setup: Tucked away in a brick courtyard with sleek grey table arrangements and a few potted plants for a typically Spanish natural feel.

Number of Tables: 11.

Overhead: Shaded by the building walls that make up three sides of the courtyard.

To Eat: Garrotxa, gazpacho, brussel sprouts with pistachios, honey, and créma fresca. The splurge: Paella Aventura.

To Drink: Gin and tonics with fruity Spanish twists.

Best For: Warm nights with good company and enough time to eat a slow, multi-course meal.

D ominick’s 812 Monroe St 734-662-5414

The Setup: Three outdoor options at this University mainstay: two levels of rickety, frat-like, ski-lodge-esque front porch seating, and a backyard patio equipped with a gazebo, a fountain, and plenty of picnic table seating.

Number of Tables: Lots—and standing if need be.

Overhead: Covered front porch. A pavilion shades a few tables in the back, while the majority of the backyard seating goes unveiled.

To Eat: It’s all pretty standard pub fare, with a slight Italian influence. So… Wings? Quesadilla? Pizza? Pasta?

To Drink: Sangria or the Constant Buzz (a pink boozecoolatta), both served in mason jars.

Best For: The house party feel you left behind when you stopped hanging out on South U—oh, wait.

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Aut Bar

315 Braun Ct 734-994-3677 autbar.com

Z inger De ma licat

422 Detroit St 734-663-3354 zingermansdeli.com

n esse’ns

The Setup: Like a law of the universe, Zingerman’s culinary empire is forever expanding.

With this year’s addition of a rooftop deck, the outdoor dining areas have been upped to 4: rooftop, indoor/outdoor seating behind a set of roll-up garage doors, pavilion seating, and a few tables on the walkway between the deli and Zingerman’s Next Door--a coffee and dessert shop.

Number of Tables: 13 rooftop, 40 combining the pavilion and the walkway, 13 indoor/ outdoor.

Overhead: Umbrellas, pavilion, sun, clouds, birds—careful, wear a hat!

The Setup: Braun Court, an all-brick common edged by early 20th century workman’s homes now converted into shops and restaurants.

Number of Tables: 20 plus.

Overhead: Tree branches and colorful party runners stretching from one side of the courtyard to the other.

To Eat: Chilaquiles.

To Drink: Signature Mimosas, Bloody Mary.

Best For: Mexican brunch.

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To Eat: Binny’s Brooklyn Reuben—pastrami, Swiss cheese, brinery kraut, Russian dressing, pumpernickle.

To Drink: French soda.

Best For: Bringing out-of-towners for a quintessential Ann Arbor eating experience.

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THE

PERFECT PLACE ON A WARM SUNNY DAY!

IT’S YOUR PLACE!

248.437.8000 South Lyon 734.424.1400 Dexter aubrees.com ecurrent.com / may 2015 17

T f w o o Picnics e l a T A DIY outdoor dining

By Lisa Leutheuser and Joe Saul

Few things say “Spring!” like picnicking in dappled sunlight on a grassy hill. The setting could be a trip to Kensington Metropark, with paddleboards, disc golf, and lake tours. It could be a stroll through the Arb or Matthaei. Or it could be as simple as a tablecloth laid out in a backyard on a warm day. We asked two great local businesses to help us assemble the perfect picnic—Morgan & York, for the classic European spread, and El Harissa for a North African alternative.

Morgan & York 1928 Packard St, Ann Arbor 734-662-0798

Morgan & York has everything you need for a classic picnic. Fine cured meats, artisan cheeses, condiments, breads, and an impressive wine and beer selection (or soda, depending on your preferences and your site’s legalities). Add in a salad. Cap it off with a few truffles or selections from their bulk candy bins.

We started with a baguette, accompanied by: Clementine salad — arugula, clementine sections, fennel, and chopped Marcona almonds, with a Balsamic dressing Sliced meats — Serrano ham (slightly sweet and nutty, the next best thing to Iberico, which would obliterate the budget); Rosette de Lyon (a mild, chunky salami) Cheeses — two contrasting options that pair well with the meats or work alone, Piave (a dense, flavorful Italian cheese) and Brillat-Savarin (essentially a triple-cream Brie, very spreadable, almost like mild cheesy butter) Miscellaneous — Marcona almonds, and an assortment of olives starring mild, meaty green Castelveltranos For dessert – locally-made truffles and seafoam candies If you want Morgan & York to do the work for you, you can also order from their menu of sandwiches on baguette.

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feature El Harissa focuses on North African dishes. They’re very conscious of the needs of vegetarians, vegans, and those with food allergies (items are labeled as to whether they contain dairy or eggs too). They have hot meals, salads, and a very extensive gelato section. Start with a couple main dishes that are good cold (they’re happy to help you pick, and this is not their first picnic), add some salads and hummus (they make their own), pita bread, and you’re good to go.

Here’s how they put together a picnic for us: Chermoula chicken — sliced chicken with a lemony herbaceous sauce, lovely cold

El Harissa

1516 N Maple Rd, Ann Arbor 734-585-0686

Tunisian Egg Tagine — elsewhere in North Africa, “tagine” means a stew (or the vessel it’s cooked in), but in Tunisia it’s a frittata, here with potatoes, feta, leeks, spinach and herbs bound together with egg Carthage salad — a surprisingly harmonious combination of chickpeas, figs, olives, and pomegranate seeds over lettuce Lablabi — chickpea stew, good cold or hot Olives — a must with North African cuisine, including harissa-cured black olives Dips — various things to dip pita bread into, including whipped feta cheese, spiced hummus, and their eponymous harissa sauce (here “diluted” as a red pepper-based dipping sauce) Spice-roasted mushrooms — coated with a fried chickpea batter and spice crust

Other great options for putting together a picnic:

The Biercamp and Produce Station Combo 1643 and 1629 S State St, Ann Arbor 734-995-2437, 734-663-7848

Pick up some smoked salmon, sausage, or ready-to-eat wings at Biercamp along with some pickles, and then put together an amazing set of sides at the Produce Station.

The Kerrytown Tour 407 N 5th Ave, Ann Arbor

Pick up smoked fish from Monahan’s Seafood Market or Durham’s Tracklements, then head to Sparrow Market for chicken liver pate, cheese, condiments, and bread. Let Everyday Wines recommend a picnicperfect wine. Feeling extravagant? Hop over to Zingerman’s for dessert... ecurrent.com / may 2015 19

food

goodness, and featuring the talented and knowledgable crew at Zingerman’s Creamery.

Chili, Cornbread, Cole Slaw Cook-Off

4-7pm. $10. Hunt Park, Spring St. at Sunset St. 734-559-5558. annarbordems.com

The Ann Arbor Democratic Party presents a local chef competition for the best meat and veggie/vegan chili, cornbread and/or coleslaw. Attendants judge and consume.

Taste of Ann Arbor

Cauliflower, kaniwa, celeriac, grasshoppers? As area restaurants set up pop-up operations on Main Street to serve up tastes of what they do best, keep an eye out for 2015 food trends. Bite size and not so bite size snacks range in cost from from $0.50 to $4. Participating restaurants include Blue Tractor, Cafe Felix, The Lunch Room, The Ravens Club, Silvio’s, and many, many more. Sonic Lunch cafe presents live entertainment on the corner of Liberty and Main. 11am-5pm, Sunday, May 31, Main Street. mainstreetannarbor.org

2 saturday Flyaway Dinner

6:30pm. $55. Weber’s Restaurant, 3050 Jackson Rd. 734-475-2245. birdcenterwashtenaw.org

Buffet dinner with pot roast and vegetable lasagna followed by videos, awards for volunteers and staff, and a keynote speech by former Ann Arbor mayor John Hieftje. Proceeds support the Bird Center, a local

nonprofit dedicated to the treatment and care of injured and orphaned wild songbirds.

3 sunday Fromage in the Farmhouse

4-8pm. $120. Fromage in the Farmhouse, 8540 Island Lake Rd. 734-619-8100. cornmanfarms.com

Farm-to-fork dinner using the best of the farm’s spring

5 tuesday Cinco De Mayo Cocktail Class 7-9pm. $65. Zingerman’s Cornman Farms, 8540 Island Lake Rd. 734-619-8100. zingermanscommunity.com

Zingerman’s staff discuss the history of tequila, its different varieties and how to prepare tequila cocktails. The class includes tastings and appetizers.

6 wednesday Cinco De Mayo Dinner: a night in Campache 7pm. $60. Zingerman’s Roadhouse, 2501 Jackson Ave. 734-663-3663. zingermansroadhouse.com

Join the Roadhouse for a journey into the Mexican State of Campache, known for its fish markets and blending of Spanish, Mayan and Mexican cultures.

9 saturday Fruhlingsfest

Noon-midnight. ABC Microbrewery , 720 Norris St. 734-213-1393. arborbrewing.com

Whip out the lederhosen, time to grab two brews, one for each hand, and find a dancing partner. ABC Microbrewery is celebrating with brews, music, and food.

10 sunday Mother’s Day Brunch

10am-2pm. Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery, 720 Norris St. 734-213-1393. arborbrewing.com Free

Bring your mama and treat her to a feast and a brew in a special brunch.

11 monday Craft Beer Week

Arbor Brewing Company Brewpub, 114 E. Washington St. 734-213-1393. arborbrewing.com Free

Try all that Arbor Brewing has to offer-- from Strawberry Blonde, to Buzzsaw IPA.

13 wednesday Bocks & Trappists

7-9pm. $30. Arbor Brewing Company Brewpub, 114 E. Washington St. 734-213-1393. arborbrewing.com

A chance to sample and learn about more than 2 dozen bocks, doppelbocks, and Belgian Trappist ales. Also, a drawing for beer-related prizes. The price of admission includes unlimited beer sampling and a German appetizer buffet.

14 thursday Sauerkraut Dinner

5:30-7pm. $10. American Legion Hall, 320 W. Michigan Ave. 734-429-7310.

The dinner includes kielbasa, pork, sauerkraut, kiffles, mashed potatoes, dessert and beverages.

15 friday Best Served with Spring

6-8pm. $45. Zingerman’s Creamery, 3723 Plaza Dr. 734-929-0500. zingermanscreamery.com

This beer and cheese sampling features some of the newest beer releases from some of Zingerman’s favorite brewers, paired with cheeses from the creamery.

16 saturday Gluten Free

8am-noon. $125. Zingerman’s Bake!, 3711 Plaza Dr. 734-761-7255. bakewithzing.com

Learn how to make gluten free cinnamon raison walnut bread, lemon pound cake, blueberry cream muffins and chocolate chip cookies.

May Dinner/Dance: Greater Beneficial Union 6-11pm. $30. Grotto Club of Ann Arbor, 2070 W. Stadium Blvd.

734-957-0057. gbu.org

Dinner includes chicken cordon bleu, potato salad, green

GLUTEN FREE • NON-GMO • NO PRESERVATIVES • CREATED LOCALLY

Thank you to all of our loyal customers!

visit annarbortortilla.com to see where you can find our products

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/ ecurrent.com

beans, bread and butter, and homemade cake, followed by dancing to German music.

18 monday Cocktail Class: Pink Drinks That Don’t Suck 7:30pm. $45. The Last Word, 301 W. Huron St. 734-276-3215. tammystastings.com

Pink doesn’t have to mean sweet or “just for girls.” This hands-on class explores a wide range of pink drinks that vary in flavor.

22 friday Farmers Market Bounty

6-8pm. $35. Zingerman’s Creamery, 3723 Plaza Dr. 734-929-0500. zingermanscreamery.com

Spring is here and with it is Zingerman’s return to the area Farmer’s Markets. They’ve picked up the best of the spring produce, to prepare items of fresh herb goat cheese, spring green salads, and more. Gelato and cheese tastings included.

Fourth Friday Shabbat Service

6-8pm. Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor, 2935 Birch Hollow Dr. 734-445-1910. aarecon.org Free

The community is welcome to attend musical Kabbalat Shabbat services. Pizza nosh for children and childcare provided during services from 6:307:30pm. Services are followed by a vegetarian potluck dinner.

Reservations preferred, especially for pizza and childcare.

Tuesdays

Take Away Tuesdays

Ann Arbor Brewing Co., 114 E. Washington St. 734-213-1393. arborbrewing.com

Enjoy $5 off growler fills when you spend $5. Also take advantage of the happy hour deals.

All Day Happy Hour

4-11pm. Melange Bistro.

312 S. Main St. 734-333-0202. melangebistro.com Free

Half-off bottles of beer, glasses of wine and well cocktails.

Only in our bar/lounge area.

Thursdays Ofrenda

6-11pm. The Bar, 327 Braun Ct. 734-585-5440. brauncourt.com

Gorge yourself on simple creations, fueled by the chef’s passion for creating authentic Mexican food.

Saturdays

Saturday Brunch

Noon-3pm. Bona Sera Cafe, 200 W. Michigan Ave. 734-340-6335. eatypsi.com/brunch

5-9pm. Leslie Science & Nature Center, 1831 Traver Rd. 734-997-1553.

LSNC.org Free

This catered dinner is accompanied by live music and a special opportunity to see the LSNC resident hawk demonstrate flying and hunting techniques. Registration required.

Spring Has Sprung

Area Farmer’s Markets emerge from hibernation, roll out spring hours. Each market brings together farmers, plant nurseries, artisans, and food cart vendors of all varieties to offer a diversity of products ranging from homebaked bread to local honey and milk, heirloom tomatoes to duck bacon, stoneware pottery to soap, fresh-cut flowers to freshly made salsa.

Ann Arbor

7am-3pm, Wednesdays and Saturdays, Kerrytown, 315 Detroit St., 734-794-6255

Every Saturday at Bona Sera: A signature brunch menu with Fritattas and grits, (and more) and a bottomless bloody Mary and mimosa bar.

8am-noon, Saturdays, Chelsea Market, 2-6pm, Wednesdays, Bushel Basket Market, Downtown, Palmer Lot, 222 S. Main St.

Complimentary Wine Tastings

Dexter

Taste two hand selected wines from the Produce Station’s eclectic selection.

Saline

3-5pm. Produce Station, 1629 S. State St. 734-663-7848. producestation.com Free

30 saturday Mayfly: Leslie Science & Nature Center Fundraiser

food

Ongoing

Searchable events updated daily at ecurrent.com

Chelsea

8am-1pm, Saturdays, 3-7pm, Tuesdays, Alpine Street next to the Dexter District Library, 734-426-8303 9:00am-12:00pm, Saturdays, South Ann Arbor Street, 1/2 block south of Michigan Ave. 734-429-3518

Ypsilanti

9am-1pm, Saturdays, Depot Town, 100 Rice St., 734-786-8401 2-6pm, Tuesdays, Downtown, Ferris St., 734-786-8401

ecurrent.com / may 2015 21

music

Music Festival Al Fresco

Sunday, May 3

The Water Hill Music Festival might be more Ann Arbor than the University of Michigan football team eating Zingerman’s reubens while searching for fairy doors. This unsponsored, hyper-local event, in its 5th year, follows one rule: at least Photo by Christopher South one member of each performing band must reside in the Water Hill neighborhood—bounded by Miller Ave., Brooks St., Sunset Rd., and the railroad tracks to the north. On lawns and front porches, inside garages and living rooms, bands, choruses, duos, and solo acts play tuneful ditties beside handmade band signs so passerby know who they’re listening to. 2-6pm, Sunday, May 3. Rain date: Sunday, May 10. Free.

For Pete’s Sake Thursday, May 14

Folk-icon Pete Seeger called folk music “everyone’s music.” And most everyone who hangs around The Ark knows about Seeger’s musical and activist influence.

This year’s Pete Seeger tribute concert will take on a tone of remembrance, after his death last year, sharing songs of freedom, laughs, and memories.

And in Seeger’s inclusive spirit, everyone is invited.

8pm, Thursday, May 14, $10/general admission, $17/reserved. The Ark, 316 S. Main St. 734-761-1800. theark.org—RC

Ongoing: Sundays Live Jazz

6-8pm. chelseaalehouse.com/ Chelsea Alehouse Brewery, 420 N. Main St. #100, Chelsea.

734-433-5500. Free

Listen to jazzy grooves every week.

Mondays

Open Mic Night

7:30pm. The Plymouth Coffee Bean, 884 Penniman Ave, Plymouth. 734454-0178. plymouthcoffeebean.com

Show off your skills in this intimate setting.

Live Music Mondays

7pm. ABC Microbrewery, 720 Norris St. 734-480-2739. arborbrewing.com Free

Eclectic musicians fill the brew hall.

Tuesdays

Crossroad’s Showcase Tuesdays 7pm. Crossroad’s Bar & Grill, 517 W. Cross St., Ypsilanti.

734-340-5597. Free

Check out local bands during this weekly showcase!

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1 friday Michelle Held & Audra Kubat

8:30-10:30pm. Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main St.. 734-665-2757. crazywisdom.net Free

Michelle Held is one of the most refreshing artists to emerge on the Michigan music scene. Her soulful voice and incomparable style immediately captivates the listener and her creative guitar playing complements her lyrics, establishing her as a force of the next generation of poets and singersongwriters.

2 saturday Taller Than They Appear

8:30-10:30pm. Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main St. 734-665-2757. crazywisdom.net Free

Each of the four members has a style miles from the next, yet they come together with soulful harmonies, arresting arrangements and a smattering of instruments. Birdcalls, bells and bongos, woodblocks, washboards and whistles round out the guitars, violins and ukuleles.

George Bedard and the Kingpins

8pm. $5. Holiday Inn Ann Arbor, 3600 Plymouth Rd. 734-769-980. hiannarbor.com Free

Part of the Local Blues, Local Blues series.

3 sunday Marc Cohn

7:30pm. $45-$75. The Ark, 316 S. Main St. 734-761-1451. theark.org

Grammy Winner Marc Cohn is an introspective lyricist and a local favorite, sure to sell out.

4 monday Whitehorse

8pm. $15. The Ark, 316 S. Main St. 734-761-1451. theark.org

This smoldering duo brings a fusion of Canadian Folk Music, touring behind their new release “Leave No Bridge Unburned.”

8 friday Corridors

9:30pm. $5/general admission, $8/ under 21. Blind Pig, 208 S. First St. 734-996-8555. blindpigmusic.com

Rock band from Ypsilanti, with The Ryan Yunck Band, Stormy Chromer, and Gillie and The Freeman.

Bill Bynum & Co

8pm. $12. Greenwood Coffee House, 1001 Green Rd. 734-665-8558. greenwoodcoffeehouse.org

Songwriting and southern musical roots are the focus of this folk-country band.

San, Emily, and Jacob

8:30-10:30pm. Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main St. 734-665-2757. crazywisdom.net

Father and daughter San and Emily Slomovits have been playing music together since Emily was a child. San, along with his brother Laz, have played as Gemini, a folk duo, since 1973.

Lady Lamb

9pm. $10. The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale.

248-546-3696. thelovingtouchferndale.com

The powerful female lead, personal lyrics and unique voice, Lady Lamb is touring her new transcendent album entitled After.

9 saturday Indian Tabla Music with John Churchville

8:30-10:30pm. Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main St. 734-665-2757. crazywisdom.net Free

Come hear the sounds of a musical tradition that dates back over 2000 years. John has performed this music all over the United States and India.

Alberto Nacif & Aguanko 9pm. $5/student, $15/general admission, $20-$30/assigned rows.

Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. 4th Ave. 734-769-2999. kerrytownconcerthouse.com

Progressive world jazz group will debut their new release, Invisible.

10 sunday Water Hill Music Festival 2-6pm. Water Hill Neighborhood, Sunset Rd., Miller Ave. waterhill.org Free

In its 5th year, the event follows one rule: at least one member of each performing band must reside in the Water Hill neighborhood.

Life (Sciences) On Other Planets: Symphony Orchestra Concert

4pm. Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave. 734-764-2538. music.umich.edu/performances_ events

On Mother’s Day, the U-M Life Sciences Orchestra (LSO) will take its audience on a trip around the solar system with a performance of Gustav Holst’s famous suite “The Planets” and the first movement of Mozart’s “Jupiter” symphony.

music

Geographer

Friday 15, Blind Pig

San Francisco synth-stars Geographer dial it up for an eletrco-meets-indie-pop spectacular. In 2008, their song “The Morning” was featured in the movie New York, I Love You, and the band was listed in SPIN magazine’s list of “Undiscovered Bands You Need to Hear Now”. Their slow-build-and-layered-instrumental formula returns on their latest album, Ghost Modern. 9pm, Friday, May 15. $12/adv, $14/day of. Blind Pig, 208 S 1st St., 734-996-8555, blindpigmusic.com.

14 thrusday Aaron Beroksky, Chistopher Harding, and Yeonjin Kim

8pm. $5/student, $15/general admission, $20-$30/assigned rows.

Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. 4th Ave. 734-769-2999. kerrytownconcerthouse.com

These classically trained musicians take on works by Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and Tchaikovsky.

Spring Concert: A Garden of Song 7:30pm. Towsley Auditorium, 4800 E. Huron River Dr. 734-973-3300. ypsicommchoir.org Free

The Ypsilanti Community Choir presents a wonderful concert to celebrate Spring. Mayor Amanda Edmonds hosts.

Jeff Beck

7:30pm. $45-$99.50. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 800-745-3000. michtheater.org

A groundbreaking artist whose inimitable combination of primal shredding and cool perfectionism has won him eight Grammy awards and left an indelible mark on everything from hard rock and jazz fusion to rockabilly and techno, Beck has earned wide critical praise and twice been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

15 friday Mixed Nuts

7pm. Silvio’s Organic Pizza, 715 N. University Ave. 734-214-6666. Silviosorganicpizza.com Free

Paul, Rick, and Tom are three troubadours from Chelsea who entertain with acoustic originals and covers.

Geographer

9pm. $12/advance, $14/day of. Blind Pig, 208 S. First St. 734-996-8555. blindpigmusic.com

The band’s slow-build-andlayered-instrumental formula returns on their latest album, Ghost Modern.

Ultra Mega Awesome Extreme 8: All Killer!

No Filler!

Saturday 30, The Sanctuary

A group of local music enthusiasts have been putting on a spectacular show for the past 10 years called Ultra Mega Awesome Extreme. This iteration has a heaping helping of local and touring acts, many of which delve into the Chip-Tune genre, a brand of electronic music that integrates video game 8-bit sounds into its composition. Scissor Now!, The Detroit Party Marching Band, The Amino Acids, Saskrotch, and Super Thing are among the 14 acts to play. 7pm, Saturday, May 30. $10. The Sanctuary, 1501 E. Outer Dr., Detroit. —RC Lou and Pete Berryman

8pm. $15. Greenwood Coffee House, 1001 Green Rd. 734-665-8558. greenwoodcoffeehouse.org

These musicians have been playing music together since high school in the 60s. The accordion meets acoustic guitar in a quirky sound, and oddly profound songs.

16 saturday Ping Pong

9:30pm. $7/general admission, $10/ under 21. Blind Pig, 208 S. First St. 734-996-8555. blindpigmusic.com

The local band with groovy heat with explosive openers Wild Savages, Archie Powell & The Exports, and JUNGLEFOWL.

An Evening with Roger McGuinn

21 thursday Surfer Blood

9pm. $15. Blind Pig, 208 S. First St. 734-996-8555. blindpigmusic.com

Celebrating the release of their new album, 1000 Palms, Surfer Blood American alternative rock band from West Palm Beach, Florida.

22 friday Los Lobos

8pm. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 800-745-3000. michtheater.org

In part of the Legends of Rock & Roll series, these Grammy Award winners are known for their Mexican-influenced rock, in a musically versatile show.

Tim Prosser

8pm. $25/general admission, $29.50-$90/reserved seats. The Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. michtheater.org

Founding member of the folk-rock band, The Byrds, Roger McGuinn has since been inducted into the Rock ’N’ Roll Hall of Fame.

7pm. Silvio’s Organic Pizza, 715 N. University Ave. 734-214-6666.

Silviosorganicpizza.com Free

The mandolin maniac brings listeners a cornucopia of acoustic folk, pop, and originals with voice, and mandolin. Plus - a surprise special guest every time.

cont. on page 24 ecurrent.com / may 2015 23

cont. from page 23 Beverly Meyer

Movement Festival

Beverley’s rich, soulful voice reaches to the core quickly and takes you on journey, dipping and turning through blues, jazz, folk and pop, then crescendos to a jubilant tone that is matched by few.

Now known as Movement, the 15 year-old festival brings together some heavy-hitters — Disclosure, Squarepusher and Griz — and some unknown, underground bassmasters of electronic music.

23 friday

29 friday

8:30-10:30pm. Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main St. 734-665-2757. crazywisdom.net

Noon-midnight. $150/3-day pass.

Hart Plaza, 1 Hart Plaza , Detroit.

313-877-8057. movement.us

Mark Jewett

Team Love

Drawing on melodies, harmonies and rhythms throughout his life, Mark has found a way to put his thoughts and emotions into his songs in a way that is original, yet comfortable and familiar-feeling.

Team Love is an acoustic trio that plays an eclectic mix of musical styles, focusing on jazz but branching out into swing, Latin, country, and beyond.

8:30-10:30pm. Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main St. 734-665-2757. crazywisdom.net Free

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may

8:30-10:30pm. Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main St. 734-665-2757. crazywisdom.net Free

2015 / ecurrent.com

Liz Royce

7pm. Silvio’s Organic Pizza, 715 N. University Ave. 734-214-6666.

Silviosorganicpizza.com Free

Vocal firecracker Liz Royce entertains with her voice and the piano.

Ypsiarboroo 2015: Pre-Party

8:30pm-2am. $5. PJ’s Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave. , Detroit. facebook.com/intellectrecords

This is the Detroit segment of YPSIARBOROO’s pre-party weekend. You can catch 10 of the acts (and 2 special guests, Goldenboy Prevails and Will P) in one night!

Mike Vial & Peyton Tochterman

8:30-10:30pm. Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main St. 734-665-2757. crazywisdom.net Free

These themes mirror the song-

music

writer’s latest years — he left his teaching position to pursue music full time, married writer Natalie Burg, celebrated the birth of their first baby (a girl!), and took on a songwriting challenge to write a song a week in 2014.

30 saturday Ultra Mega Awesome Extreme 8

7pm. $10. The Sanctuary, 1501 WE. Outer Dr., Detroit. facebook. com/ultramegaawesomeextreme

Grassroots mega music night.

Scissor Now!, The Detroit Party Marching Band, The Amino Acids, Saskrotch, and Super Thing are among the 14 acts to play.

2 saturday Beetlejuice

Midnight. $8. State Theater, 233 S. State St. 734-761-8667. michtheater.org

The cult classic by Tim Burton, starring Geena Davis, Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, and Alec Baldwin. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetle-- be careful what you wish for in this surreal comedy-drama.

4 monday May the Fourth Be With You

2-5pm. Downtown Library: Multiple Rooms, 343 S. 5th Ave. 734-327-8301. aadl.org

May Fourth has become Star Wars Day, so dressup as your favorite characters and join the Library for an afternoon of crafts, snacks, a photo booth, and LEGO Star Wars Animation.

6 wednesday You Will Be My Son

7pm. $10/general admission, $8 student, seniors, veterans, $7.50/members. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. michtheater.org

In part of the Wine and Film Series, a story that focuses on a problematic relationship between an owner of a vineyard and his son.

Finding Vivian Maer

7-8:30pm. Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room, 343 S. 5th Ave. 734-327-4555. aadl.org

This intriguing documentary shuttles from New York to France to Chicago as it traces the life story of the late Vivian Maier, a mysterious career nanny whose previously unknown cache of 100,000 photographs earned her a posthumous reputation as one of America’s most accomplished and insightful street photographers.

11 monday Amazing Animation: “9” 6:30pm. Ypsilanti District Library, 5577 Whitaker Rd. 734-482-4110.

Ypsilibrary.org Free

This film is animation at its finest—a science fiction thriller produced by Tim Burton.

12 tuesday Every Secret Thing

7pm. $22. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. michtheater.org

Adaptation of Laura Lippman’s crime novel about 2 young women whose lives have been irreparably damaged by the events that ensued when, as 11-year-old girls, they found an abandoned stroller with an infant inside on an unfamiliar Baltimore street. The screening is preceded by a live broadcast of an introduction by Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers

and followed by his Q&A with a NYC audience and the film’s stars.

WCBN Free Movie Night

7:30pm. Arbor Brewing Company Brewpub, 734-213-1393. arborbrewing.com Free

A free movie is always shown once a month, spanning from folk-favorite to cult-classic.

13 wednesday A Year in Champagne

7pm. $10/general admission, $8 student, seniors, veterans, $7.50/members. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. michtheater.org

In part of the Wine and Film Series, a documentary on the world’s fanciest beverage.

15 thursday Thelma and Louise

7pm. $10. State Theater, 233 S. State St. 734-761-8667. michtheater.org

Screening of Ridley Scott’s 1991 feminist outlaw road movie.

Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Brad Pitt.

Maya Angelou: Creativity with Bill Moyers 6-8:30pm. U-M Detroit Center, 3663 Woodward Ave. Suite 150. 313-5933984. detroitcenter.umich.edu Free

This film is a conversation between a legendary poet and a master interviewer. The poet who wrote the collection “Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Die” will outline what creativity is to her.

16 friday Se7en

Midnight. $8. State Theater, 233 S. State St. 734-761-8667. michtheater.org

The psychological thriller starring Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey that leaves you crawling out of your skin. What’s in the box?!

20 wednesday Red Obsession

7pm. $10/general admission, $8/student, seniors, veterans, $7.50/members. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. michtheater.org

In part of the Wine and Film Series, a film that follows the the Bourdeux phenomenon, exploring what makes really good wine.

21 thursday Roar

7pm. $10/general admission, $8 student, seniors, veterans, $7.50/members. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. michtheater.org

No animals were harmed in the making of the film, but some 70 cast members were, including the star, Tippi Hedren, her daughter Melanie Griffith, and her husband and co-star, director Marshall, who called the film a “comedy of the bizarre.”

Zoolander takes the State

film

Is there more to life than being ridiculously good looking? Derek Zoolander is on a quest to find out. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson play air-headed narcissistic rivals in the tumultuous world of male modeling.

Derek finds himself in the middle of a plot to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia after being brainwashed by fashion mogul Mugatu, played

by Will Ferrell. Midnight,

Saturday, May 30. $8.

State Theater. 233 S. State St. 734-761-8667. michtheater.org —RC

Wine and Film Snobs Unite

The Michigan Theater presents four stories about wine and wine production. A postscreening wine tasting offers viewers a venue for discussion and an opportunity to quench their wine-film induced thirst for the juice.

Schedule: You Will Be My Son, (May 6 ) is a French film

about a father displeased with the notion of his son taking over his Vineyard.

A Year in Champagne (May 13) documents the story behind the world’s fanciest beverage—from its origin, to its rise as a status symbol. Red Obsession (May 20) tells the story of the Bordeaux wine empire, and how the industry evolved to handle the increased demand of fine wine in China. Sideways (May 27) is a lovable comedy-drama that follows two forty-somethings as they take a weeklong road trip to Santa Barbara wine country.

7pm. Wednesdays through May 27 .

Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. michtheater.org—RC

27 wednesday Sideways

7pm. $10/general admission,$8 student, seniors, veterans, $7.50/members. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463. michtheater.org

In part of the Wine and Film Series. A wine tasting road trip to salute Jack’s (Thomas Haden Church) final days as a bachelor careens woefully sideways as he and Miles (Paul Giamatti) hit the gas en route to mid-life crises.

29 friday Why Not Now!

7pm. Jewel Heart Buddhist Center, 1129 Oak Valley Dr. 734-994-3387. jewelheart.org Free

Documentary about the life and works of the mid-20th-century philosopher and spiritual entertainer Alan Watts.

30 wednesday Zoolander

Midnight. $8. State Theater, 233 S. State St. 734-761-8667. michtheater.org

See note above.

ecurrent.com / may 2015 25

theater Theatre Nova A new stage, a fresh start

By Sandor Slomovits

Sebastian Gerstner gets into character in Theatre Nova’s premiere: Buyers and Cellar

There’s a new professional theater in Ann Arbor and it’s called, fittingly enough, Theatre Nova. The name will be appropriate long after the theater stops being brand new, because Theatre Nova intends to present only new plays. Co-founder and Artistic Director, Carla Milarch, who came up with the name, says, “I’ve been really passionate about new plays for many years.” Milarch is a familiar name in the local theater community, having served for more than fifteen years in a number of different capacities at Performance Network—as actor, director, sound designer, dramaturge, development director, executive director, and associate artistic director. Engaging with new plays she says, “was a large part of what I was doing at Performance Network with the Fireside Festival and with my involvement in the National New Play Network.”

Last year, after Performance Network briefly closed and then reopened under the guidance of a new creative team, Milarch found herself at a crossroads. “When the board decided that they wanted to pursue somebody else’s vision for the future of Performance Network, it opened this door for me. I think it was a blessing in disguise, and now I’ve got the opportunity to start something totally fresh.”

Along with co-founder Dan Walker, another long time veteran of the local theater scene, who will serve as Producing Director, Milarch opened Theatre Nova at the Yellow Barn.

Theatre Nova is a micro-theater, seating only 77 people. “We’re deliberately small as a strategy to keep overhead low so that we can keep prices affordable and focus on the art part of it.” In keeping with that, the theater has adopted a universal policy of pay-what-you-can for tickets. “In my opinion, one of the biggest obstacles that younger people have to seeing theater is the price,” says Milarch. “You can bend over backwards, and create all these different programs to diversify your audience, but if you’re charging $40 a ticket, you’re still not going to get a lot of people who are twenty years old coming to your shows.” Hence the sliding-scale ticket pricing approach.

“We suggest $20, but I’m hoping that people who are twenty something will know that they can show up and bring a ten dollar bill and get in and see a good, high quality, cutting edge show. One of our main foci is to try to do work that Sharing space is relevant to a younger, multi-cultural, Located near downtown Ann Arethnically diverse population in and bor, the Yellow Barn has served for the around Ann Arbor.” past couple of years as a community arts Carla Milarch as Anna Theatre Nova opened in March with venue—presenting concerts, classes and in David Mamet's Jonathan Tollins’ 2013 hit off-Broadway art exhibits—and will continue to do so, Boston Marriage comedy, Buyers and Cellar, about a as well as house Theatre Nova. The two young actor hired to work in Barbra Streorganizations will be sharing the space in alternating time isand’s mall, in her cellar. (Yes, such a thing actually exblocks, enabling Theatre Nova to present six shows a year, ists.) Sebastian Gerstner, who has been seen in a variety of each running for three to four weekends. “We’ll run our local productions in the past few years was brilliant in the season for the calendar year, as opposed to the traditional one man show, portraying, among others, Oprah Winfrey, September through May,” says, Milarch. “I think that it James Brolin, and, of course, Barbra Streisand, in a hilariwill enable us to be more of a complement, rather than a ous and also touching tour de force performance. competitor to the work of the other professional theaters I and You runs from May 1-17 (see note below), in the area, which is a strong desire of ours.”

Theatre Nova, 416 W. Huron St., Ann Arbor.

734-476-6795.

I and You

The brand new Theatre Nova troupe presents their second performance of the season, I and You, the Lauren Gunderson award-winning drama. The story pairs two unlikely partners in a desperate attempt to finish a homework assignment, deciphering the poetic framework of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself.” Set a night before the due date, a jockish boy and a prickly girl must overcome their differences to get the grade. Runs May 1 - May 17. 7:30pm, Thurs-Sat, and 2pm, Sunday. $ sliding scale. The Yellow Barn, 416 W. Huron St.—RC

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theater 8 friday Much Ado About Nothing 7pm. $12. Washington Street Education Center, 500 Washington St., Chelsea. 734-475-2932.

Comedy Jam!

Twelve eager up-and-coming comedians will try their hand at the mic, doling out original material that will either leave the crowd cracking up or make those dreaded crickets chirp. Go easy on them! Even if the act goes flat, at least alcohol is served. From the refined to undefined, every Thursday night at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase.

8pm. $5. 212 S. Fourth Ave. 734-996-9080. aacomedy.com—RC

1 friday Talley’s Folley

$22-$32. Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St. 734-433-7673. purplerosetheatre.org

Angie Kane Ferrante directs Lanford Wilson’s 1979 Pulitzerwinning one-act romantic comedy. Set in a Missouri boathouse, the play concerns 2 unlikely sweethearts who settle their feelings for each other over the course of an evening on the 4th of July in 1944. Stars Rob Najarian and Aphrodite Nikolovski. Times found online.

Through May 27.

Salvage

$25-$41. Performance Network Theatre, 120 E. Huron St. 734-663-0681. pnteatre.org

A drama about a shy owner of a Detroit collectables store finds his staid existence turned topsy-turvy when a mysterious woman enters his life with valuable items that should no longer even exist. Stars Katherine Banks and Patrick Cronin. times found online. Through May 24.

Henry V

$5/student, $15/general admission.

Ann Arbor Civic Theatre Showcase, 322 W. Ann St. 517-914-9300. facebook.com/TheBrassTacksEnsemble

Themes of war, national identity, leadership, and the power of language to persuade, to change, and to evoke are present in Shakespeare’s play about a young king of England who leads his armies to France to reclaim what he feels is his.The show also runs on May 15 & 16. 8pm on Friday and Saturday, and 2pm on Sunday.

I and You

Donations suggested. The Yellow Barn, 416 W. Huron St. 734-476-6795. ouryellowbarn.com

Winner of the 2014 Steinberg/ American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award, and a finalist for the 2014 Susan

Smith Blackburn Playwriting Prize. 7:30pm Saturdays and 2pm Sundays. Through May 17.

Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild Live

7:30pm. $19-$45. The Whiting, 1241 E. Kearsley St., Flint.

Experience the naturally fun wild side of Jungle Jack Hanna and his animal ambassadors as they examine the importance of wildlife conservation. In this live show featuring many of his favorite animal friends, he shares fascinating and humorous stories and footage from his adventures around the world.

5 tuesday La Fille Mal Gardee (The Wayward Daughter)

7-10pm. $16. Quality 16, 3686 Jackson Rd. 734-623-7469. gqti.com/met.aspx

Live broadcast of the Royal Ballet production of renowned mid-20th-century Royal Ballet director Frederick Ashton final full-length ballet, a joyous 1960 adaptation of the 18th-century French comic ballet.

7 thursday Jen Zilgrino

$12-$15. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, 212 S. Fourth Ave. 734-996-9080. aacomedy.com

Local debut of this Boston based stand up comic, a brassy keen-witted humorist with an engaging stage manner. 8pm Thursday-Saturday, 10:30pm Friday and Saturday.

Katherine Altman directs Chelsea High students in Shakespeare’s sharp-tongued comedy with a high-spirited plot involving 2 pairs of young lovers. One couple, both disdainful of love, are tricked into acknowledging each other, while the other couple’s love is nearly ruined by a deception that leads to trumped-up charges of infidelity.

The play is best known for its charged banter and for the penetrating wit and often dark cast of its humor. Additional Sunday showing at 2pm. Through May 10.

12 tuesday Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles

7:30pm. $29-$55. The Whiting, 1241 E. Kearsley St., Flint.

A live multi-media spectacular that takes you on a musical journey through the life and times of the world’s most celebrated band.

15 friday Matt McClowry

8pm & 10:30pm. $11-$13. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, 212 S. Fourth Ave. 734-996-9080. aacomedy.com

Local debut of this Dearborn native, a stand-up comic known for a brand of self-deprecating autobiographical observational humor made piquant by an undercurrent of Jobean bewilderment. Preceded by 2 opening acts. Alcohol is served. Also on May 16.

28 thursday

cation of a memoir dredging up a pivotal and tragic event in the family’s history, the entire family’s reputation and precariously contrived sense of well-being is suddenly at risk.

29 friday The Boy Who Loved Monsters and the Girl Who Loved Peas

$15. EMU Sponberg Theater, Ford St. 734-487-1221. emutix.com

EMU drama professor Patricia Zimmer directs EMU drama students in Jonathan Graham’s hilarious family comedy about a boy who gets more than he bargained for when he wishes for a monster to come and eat his peas. For audiences age 4+.

7pm Friday and Saturday, 2pm Sunday. Through June 7.

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

7pm. $10. Riverside Arts Center, 76 N. Huron. 734-272-6497. riversidearts.org

An ensemble of area homeschooled high school students in Clark Gesner’s 1967 musical comedy, an appealing blend of joy and pathos wrung from the familiar antics of Charles Schulz’s Peanuts gang that concludes with the entire cast summarizing their ideas of what constitutes true happiness. 2pm on Saturday. Also on May 30.

Mamma Mia!

8pm. $29-$69. The Whiting, 1241 E. Kearlsey St., Flint.

Over 54 million people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that make Mamma Mia! the ultimate feelgood show. Writer Catherine Johnson’s sunny, funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise.

Runs the following day as well.

Other Desert Cities

8pm. $20. Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. Fourth Ave. 734-769-2999. kerrytownconcerthouse.com

Jon Robin Baitz’s award-winning 2011 Off-Broadway comic drama about a once-promising novelist who after a 6-year absence visits her family to announces the imminent publi-

Searchable events updated daily at ecurrent.com

The Philidelphia Story

$11-$22. Arthur Miller, 1226 Murfin Ave. Ann Arbor, 734-764-2538. music. umich.edu.

A willful, self-centered beauty wreaks havoc on her socialite family when she leaves her husband for another man—a classic tale that lampoons high-society and leaves audiences wanting more. May 7-10, 8pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2pm.

ISSUE DATE: JULY 1 RESERVE YOUR SPACE BY: JUNE 15

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art Detroit Industry, north wall, Diego Rivera

By Louis W. Meldman

Detroit Institute of Arts

Through July 12 the Detroit Institute of Arts presents “Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Detroit.” We, in Southeast Michigan, know Diego Rivera from his monumental “The Industry of Detroit or Man and Machine” murals covering the DIA’s Rivera Court (believed by many to be his single greatest masterpiece). The exhibition explores husband-and-wife Rivera and Kahlo’s year in Detroit— 1932-33. He was 45 years old, a world famous celebrity artist at the height of his creative powers. She was 24, almost unknown in the art world, and just beginning to find her artistic stride. Kahlo had contracted polio as a child, leaving her with a deformed leg and a defiant personality. When she was 18 she suffered a horrifying bus accident that left her other leg broken in 11 places and her foot crushed. Her collar-bone, two ribs and pelvis were fractured, and an iron rod skewered her left hip and vagina. In Detroit Kahlo underwent her greatest injury: the miscarriage of her first and only pregnancy. The grief triggered her most important artistic realizations, including the paintings “Henry Ford Hospital or the Flying Bed” and “Birth or My Birth,” both completed in 1932. The former depicts her raw, dreamy, poster-like reaction to losing her baby. The latter is a painting of her own small head emerging from the vaginal canal of a birthing mother whose face is obscured by a white sheet. It was shocking, revolutionary, and for Kahlo, cathartic.

Complications

The marriage was legendary for its volatility and its excesses in addition to its prodigious artistic accomplishment. They drank heavily. He carried a gun. Both were dyed-blood-red-in-the-wool Communists. Rivera ‘s political leanings served as the emblematic theme of his murals, which in his mind meant championing the working man, indigenous peoples and a utopian vision of the proletarian future. It also meant demonizing capitalism, industry, free enterprise and Western civilization. Nelson Rockefeller commissioned him to paint a mural on the subject of “Man Looking for a Better Future” in the atrium of New York’s Rockefeller Center. But Rivera included and refused to remove a romantic depiction of Lenin, the bloodthirsty Communist tyrant responsible for millions more murders

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Private Collection

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Return to Detroit

than Hitler. So Rockefeller paid Rivera and had the whole thing sledgehammered into powder. BraSelf-Portrait on the Bor vo. Rivera later derline between Mexico an d the United reproduced the work States, Frida Kahlo in Mexico.

Frida and Diego were notoriously promiscuous.

She slept with Leon Trotsky and other men and women.

He slept with her sister and untold other women. But for some, for Frida and Diego, at least, art transcends faults and foibles. Rivera began painting in France and became an accomplished cubist, redolent of Georges Braque, Kazimir Malevich and Juan Gris. Throughout his career he executed mesmerizing representational paintings, particularly portraits. His murals are informed by the rich tradition of the Mexican muralismos but remain distinctively awe-inspiring and revered.

The show highlights a number of large-scale studies (Rivera called them cartoons) that he prepared prior to applying the final version to the massive Rivera Court walls.

Then check out the Rivera Court afterwards, and you’ll see it as you’ve never seen it before. And then check out the DIA’s wonderful ancient Meso-American art collection to see where it all began.

Kahlo’s style defies simple categorization. Strolling through the show (more than 80 works of art), her inspiration seems drawn from René Magritte, Yves Tanguy and even Salvador Dali. It is surrealism but with a painfully personal and, at times, primitive flavor, no doubt informed by her extraordinary life story. Surreal expressionism, I guess. Perhaps an ironic twist to the story is that Frida’s work now commands more reverence than Diego’s.

Don’t miss this show. This is the only venue and it won’t be seen anywhere again in our lifetime.

Adults: $14 Tuesday-Friday, $19 Saturday & Sunday; Ages 6-17: $9 Tuesday-Sunday. Detroit Institute of Art, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-833-7900. dia.org

art

Photo courtesy of Misha Friedman

Russia’s Question

Photo 51: Is Corruption in Russia’s DNA? is a photography exhibit by Soviet Union born Misha Friedman that explores the origin of cultural corruption in Russia, where it seems to be accepted as a naturally occurring phenomenon. Friedman’s photography explores how accepting the unacceptable acts as a means of survival, integrating itself into the social and political framework of the country. Photo 51 was a nickname for the first X-ray diffraction image, a breakthrough in the discovery of DNA. Friedman’s stark black and white photographs take a deep look into the inner structures that comprise Russia. May 9-June 20, Tuesday-Saturday, Noon-7pm, Work Gallery, 306 S. State St. stamps.umich.edu —RC

1 friday Drink (c)up! Celebrating the Art and Ritual in Our Daily Life 10am-8pm. Yourist Studio Gallery, 1133 Broadway. 734-662-4914. youristpottery.com

An exhibit and sale of handmade ceramic cups by Yourist Studio Gallery resident artists.

Opening and Artists’ Reception: Friday, May 1, 5-8pm.

Show runs through Sunday, May 24. Gallery hours: Closed on Mondays, noon-6pm Tues, 10am-6pm Wednesday-Saturday, 4-8pm Sunday.

78th Annual Public Schools Student Exhibition 9-4pm. $5. Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave. 313-833-7900. dia.org

The annual Detroit Public Schools Student Exhibition features hundreds of imaginative works created by Detroit Public Schools students in grades K-12, ranging from paintings, prints, drawings, photography, ceramics, videos, jewelry and more.

Rita Malone Exhibit

5-7pm. Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. 4th Ave. 734-769-2999. kerrytownconcerthouse.com Free

“Intuitive Abstractions”is the title of the exhibit, and they are concept pieces that describe her creativity. Through May 31.

2 saturday Sophie Calle: North Pole

UMMA, 525 S. State St. 734-764-0395. umma.umich.edu Free

Following her mother’s death, French conceptual artist Sophie Calle wanted to bury her portrait and jewels on a glacier in the North Pole, a place her mother always dreamed

of seeing. This multifaceted installation, consisting of video, photographs, and a light box, documents moments of Calle’s journey to fulfill her mother’s unrealized dream. Through August 29.

AIA Huron Valley Chapter 50th Anniversary Exhibit 10am-5pm. Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room, 343 S. 5th Ave. 734-327-4555. aadl.org Free

Just outside the “closed city” of Snezhinsk (Chelyabinsk Region), a group of teenagers marked off their camp site with caution tape. Severe limits on private property in the Soviet Union made Russians prone to staking and fencing off anything they deem their own. Even years after the fall of the Soviet Union, such paranoia still governs much of daily life.

1-2pm. UMMA: Helmut Stern Auditorium , 525 S. State St. 734-764-0395. umma.umich.edu Free

Meet Me at UMMA invites people with mild memory loss to enjoy a guided gallery experience along with family members or care partners. This program is designed for people who live at home and their companions.

Guided Tour: Medicinal Plants and Gardens

2-3pm. UMMA, 525 S. State St. 734-764-0395. umma.umich.edu Free

This exhibition, featuring rarely seen archival dried and pressed plant specimens, celebrates the upcoming 2015 opening of the new Medicinal Garden

cont. on page 30

The Huron Valley chapter of the American Institute of Architects celebrates its 50th anniversary with this exhibit of photo panels of 50 buildings that helped shape our community and 50 ideas for the future.

Through May 31.

“From The Outside Looking In: Diversity and Community”

5-8pm. Chelsea Underground Art Gallery, 501 1/2 Main St. 734-277-4878. chelseaunderground.com

Artists Richard Meyer, Jeannette Gregori, and Rick De Troyer combine to show an outsider’s perspective of our world in a variety of settings.

This is the opening night.

3 sunday Closing Exhibit: Death Dogs

Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, 434 S. State St. 734-764-9304. lsa.umich.edu Free

An exhibit featuring “The Jackal Gods of Ancient Egypt” and other collected artifacts from Egypt. 9am-4pm MondayFriday, 1-4pm Saturday & Sunday.

Meet Me At UMMA: A Museum Arts Experience for Persons with Mild Memory Loss and Their Care Partners

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art cont. from page 29 at the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

6 wednesday Closing Exhibit: Sangfroid: the art of keeping cool

11-5pm. Performance Network Theater, 120 E. Huron St. 734-664-0681. pntheatre.org Free

”Sangfroid: the art of keeping cool” is the culminating thesis show of seniors Will BeDell, Anya Klapischak, Joshua Kochis, and Grace Treado. This series of interdisciplinary experiments employs performance, video, painting, installation and print media, with explorations into the sensations of vulnerability and spirituality, the un/ natural landscape and post modern Americana. Open Tuesday-Friday.

9 saturday Mine More Coal: War Effort and Americanism in WWI Posters

UMMA, 525 S. State St. 734-764-0395. umma.umich.edu Free

During World War I, the American Government used a powerful poster campaign to rally all troops and farmers, housewives and shipbuilders, “old-stock Americans” and immigrants to the cause. Propaganda, commodity, and art came together in WWI posters.

This exhibition presents rarely displayed WWI posters from UMMA’s collection.

17 sunday Men That Got Away: Chasing Queer Masculinities

3-4pm. UMMA: Helmut Stern Auditorium , 525 S. State St. 734-764-0395. umma.umich.edu Free

In this interpretive journey through the exhibition of HE: The Hergott Shepard Photography Collection, Jim Leija mashes up song, dance, memoir, sparkle, high heels, and perhaps a few quizzes from the internet to get to the heart of the matter: when the man gets away, where does he go?

23 saturday Open House and Military Memorabilia Display 10-5pm. VFW Post 423, 3230 S. Wager Rd. 734-662-3972.

Free

Display of the post’s military museum, which houses one of the largest private collections of military memorabilia in the Midwest, including uniforms dating from WWI, medals, gear, weapons, helmets, boots, patches, and personal items, along with a very large model of the U.S.S. Missouri.

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Ongoing

SculptureWalk

Downtown Chelsea, Chelsea. 734433-0826. chelsearivergallery.com

Outdoor sculptures made of various mediums are displayed around downtown Chelsea throughout the month of May.

Try It Once on the Wheel

1-2:30pm. $40. Yourist Studio Gallery, 1133 Broadway St. 734-662-4914. youristpottery.com

An opportunity to sit down at the pottery wheel and see how it feels to try throwing a pot.

Demonstrations and guidance provided.

Chelsea on Canvas

Silver Maples of Chelsea, 100 Silver Maples Dr. 734-475-4111. Free

The 4th annual Art Show/Sale at Silver Maples runs until June 25th. Art includes watercolor, oil, pastel and mixed media.

8:30am-5:30pm on weekdays, 9am-5pm on weekends.

Photographs from the Detroit Walk-In Portrait Studio

Detroit Institute of Arts , Detroit.

Free with Museum Admission. 313833-7900. dia.org

Dutch-born photographer, now Detroiter, Corine Vermeulen’s photographs share stories about the city and support of its diverse communities.

“Re-Imaging Gender”

10am. Lane Hall, 204 S. State St. umich.edu Free

This juried art exhibition features the work of 15 promising artists who take on one of the most important challenges facing contemporary art: how to render the modern spectrum of gender, going beyond the simple male/female binary to include a wide variety of identities and sexualities. Through June 26.

Flip Your Field

11-5pm. UMMA, 525 S. State St. 734-764-0395. umma.umich.edu Free

Scientist Skiniotis creates three dimensional models of cellular components that examines how we perceive light.

Medicinal Plants and Gardens

11am-5pm. UMMA, 525 S. State St. 734-764-1354. umma.umich.edu Free

UMMA will exhibit rarely seen archival plant specimens, with historic photos, and a drawing of the new garden. The exhibition celebrates the opening of the new Medical Garden at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens, aiming to explore the botanical origins of historical and current medicines, and to examine the relationship between plants and human health.

Book Collecting, E-readers, and the Rise and Fall of Borders

lit feature

Jay Platt is the proprietor of Ann Arbor’s oldest bookshop, West Side Book Shop. He is also the founder of the Antiquarian Book Fair, set for Sunday, May 17th in the Michigan Union. In business nearly 40 years, Jay has seen the rise and fall of national chains, and has sold books with prices ranging from a few dollars to over $37,000. I have loved his bookshop since opening my own just a few blocks away. Though we have different inventory (he sells used books, we sell new) many of our opinions on books and bookselling are similar. One morning, we talked for an hour over coffee about the history and the future of books in Ann Arbor.

Tell me about that first year of the Antiquarian Book Fair.

In the summer of 1976, the American Library Association was having a rare book conference. We said, “Why don’t we put on a book fair for these rare book librarians?” We had 14 dealers and hosted a reception with cheese and wine. They came for the reception, then the next two days we sat around and looked at each other and bought and sold books among ourselves. It was midJuly and we didn’t have air conditioning.

It’s grown from 14 vendors to 40. Do you imagine it growing any more?

Not in size. One year we had 54 dealers, but that was too much. It’s a manageable size. It’s good to have a show that is selective.

What’s been the goal of the Antiquarian Book Fair?

Well, the first ever book fair started in 1960 in New York. The idea was more educational: It was to introduce people to books. Since then, it’s evolved into a selling event. Some of the fairs have workshops, too. Now, it’s partly educational, partly to introduce people to book collecting. I’d like to encourage people to come to it, because a dealer said at one time, “This is the best book shop in the world” Dealers bring the best books, and it’s a great way to see interesting things. I never know what people are going to bring. There are always surprises.

It seems not everyone has subscribed to the “digital age.” Do customers comment on e-readers when they come into your store?

I don’t like e-readers and don’t use them. I think it’ll replace a certain type of book, but from a book collector point of view, you can’t collect [e-readers]. The physical book is important to a lot of people and I think it always will be. I have a sign in the shop that says something to the effect, “Just like the wheel, you can’t improve a book as a technology.” A book is a book. When I give talks on book collecting, I say, “Here’s a technology you can go back 500 years ago and know how to use it. And conversely, someone from 500 years ago could come here and know how to use it.”

Photo by Myra Klarman

A conversation with Jay Platt

By Mike Gustafson, owner of Literati Bookstore

Jay Platt, owner of West Side Book Shop, has built his life around books.

You’ve been around the longest of any current bookstore proprietor. What’s been the biggest surprise over the past 40 years in terms of the book industry here in Ann Arbor?

Borders started as a used store. I’ve known Tom and Louis Borders since 1971 when they opened a used bookstore on William Street, then on State Street. That store evolved and how it grew and became a powerhouse. My feeling is when they ran it, they had back stock and a knowledgeable staff. When K-Mart bought it, that went out the window.

The back stock was minimal and they were carrying teddy bears. The staff was too much on computers. In the end, it was a surprise to see the rise and fall of Borders.

Is it more difficult to find the rare or used books that you want?

Every dealer is afraid they are going to run out of books. This has been a complaint going back as long as there has been a book trade. “There are no good books anymore!”

Do you think there will be fewer bookstores in Ann Arbor 10 years from now?

If I had to make a prediction, I would say, that’s true.

With used bookstores, stores seldom survive. It happens occasionally, a store will get sold, but that’s really rare.

Sometimes a son or a daughter will take over. But in most cases, stores don’t outlive their owners. The way of entering the business has changed. Too many people rely on selling online as opposed to the physical act of selling books.

What’s the future of the Antiquarian Book Fair?

As long as I want to do it, I’ll do it. I’m not sure if anyone would like to take it over. Oddly enough, I had a dream last night, it was almost like a nightmare, that the fair was a disaster. No one showed up. The dealers were angry. Everyone was angry two hours into the show.

I dream a lot about books.

Antiquarian Book Fair, Sunday, May 17, 11am-5pm, Ballroom of the Michigan Union, 530 S. State St, Ann Arbor. annarborbookfair.com

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current reads 2 Saturday

Free Comic Book Day

10am-10pm. Vault of Midnight Comix and Stuff, 219 S. Main St. 734-998-1413. vaultofmidnight.com Free

Free Comic Book Day is a single day when participating comic book specialty shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops.

6 Thursday

ZingTrain Speaker Series: Bo Burlingham

8-9:30am. $50. ZingTrain, 3728 Plaza Dr. 734-930-1919. zingtrain.com Knowing that all entrepreneurs leave their businesses and all businesses get sold, given away, or liquidated - Bo Burlingham decided to write a book about how to exit your company well.

Join him in a meal and talk about his book, Finish Big. 7 Thursday

Emerging Writers Poetry Workshop

7-8:45pm. AADL: Traverwood Branch: Program Room, 3333 Traverwood Dr. 734-327-4555. aadl.org Free

Authors Lara Zielin and Alex Kourvo discuss how and when to share your writing, how to make deep online connections, and how to find (or start) a writer’s group that’s just right for you. They will also explain how to polish your prose and avoid the traps of tired text.

Cindy Shaw: Mr. Red’s Balloon

7-8pm. Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. 734-327-4555. aadl.org Free

As a special Children’s Book Week event, local author, graphic designer and illustrator Cindy Shaw, will discuss her path toward self-publishing her children’s book Mr. Red’s Balloon.

12 Tuesday

Margaret Mitchell and Gone With the Wind

7-8:30pm. Chelsea District Library Mckune Room, 221 S. Main St. 734475-8732. chelsea.lib.mi.us Free

Royal Oak historian Kathleen Marcaccio discusses Mitchell’s life and her Pulitzer-winning novel and the classic 1939 film based on the novel.

14 Thursday

Margaret Noodin: Weweni Reading

7pm. Nicola’s Books, 2513 Jackson Ave. 734-662-0600. nicolasbooks.com Free

Noodin’s poems will be proof to students and speakers of Anishinaabemowin that the language can be a vital space for modern expression and, for those new to the language, a lyric invitation to further exploration. Anyone interested in poetry or linguistics will enjoy this one-of-a-kind volume.

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15 Friday

Allison Leotta Discusses A Good Killing

7-8:30pm. Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room, 343 S. 5th Ave. 734-327-4200. aadl.org Free

Allison Leotta is a former federal sex-crimes prosecutor who creates compelling and thrilling fiction based on her real-life experience. She served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington DC, where she handled sex crimes, domestic violence, and crimes against children. USA Today praises Leotta’s stories are “as real as it gets.”

18 Monday

Fiction at Literati: Dasha Kelly and Cyn Vargas

7pm. Literati Bookstore, 124 E. Washington St. 734-585-5567. literatibookstore.com Free

Literati is thrilled to welcome two authors from the phenomenal indie press Curbside Splendor. Dasha Kelly is a spoken word artist and has appeared on the final season of HBO presents Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam. Cyn Vargas’ debut story collection On the Way explores the whims and follies of the heart.

Local Reads 36th Annual Ann Arbor Book Fair

As the paper, the ink, and the adhesive used in bookbinding ages, a book’s chemical properties change, resulting in that distinctive old book smell. And the 36th Annual Ann Arbor Book Fair promises plenty of nostalgically scented and yellowed pages.

Peruse through stacks of first editions, signed copies of old and rare collectible books, regional maps, and other Americana. Over 40 dealers from across the US tote their antique tomes to Ann Arbor for readers and collectors to admire and purchase.

11am-5pm Sunday, May 17. $5.

Michigan Union Ballroom, 530 S. State St. 734-995-1891. annarborbookfair.com

Lily King: Euphoria Reading

7pm. Nicola’s Books, 2513 Jackson Ave. 734-662-0600. nicolasbooks.com Free

Set between two World Wars and inspired by events in the life of revolutionary anthropologist Margaret Mead, Euphoria is an enthralling story of passion, possession, exploration, and sacrifice from accomplished author Lily King.

21 Thursday

Books and Banter

1:30-2:30pm. Chelsea District Library - Mckune Room, 221 S. Main St. 734-475-8732. chelsea.lib.mi.us Free

Florence Gordon is this month’s book. Brian Morton’s novel about a woman who has lived life on her own terms for 75 defiant years when she finds herself suddenly thrust into the midst of her family’s various catastrophes.

21 Thursday

Poetry at Literati: Anne Carson and Anne Waldman 7pm. Literati Bookstore, 124 E. Washington St. 734-585-5567. Free

Poetry readings from local greats.

27 Wednesday

Heidi Pitlor: The Daylight Marriage Reading

7pm. Nicola’s Books, 2513 Jackson Ave. 734-662-0600. nicolasbooks.com Free

With the intensity of The Lovely Bones, the balance of wit and heartbreak of The Descendants, and the emotional acuity of Anne Tyler’s work, The Daylight Marriage is at its heart a novel

2015 / ecurrent.com

Trio of Storytellers

Emily Shultz, Robert James Russell, and Joseph Horton combine forces for a fiction-forward event.

Shultz will read from her new suspense, science fiction novel, The Blondes, which has been blurbed by the likes of Margaret Atwood and Stephen King. Russell is a prolific writer, appearing in a range of journals, and he most recently published the collection Don’t Ask Me to Spell It Out. Horton is a professor in the U of M English Department, and a graduate of its Helen Zell MFA in Creative Writing Program. Readings followed by a Q & A. Wednesday, May 6, 7pm, Literati Bookstore, 124 E. Washington St. 734-585-5567. literatibookstore. com Free about what happens when our intuitions override our logic, with a page-turning plot that doesn’t reveal its secrets until the very end.

May 29, 2015

The Trauma of Everyday Life

7:30-9pm. Crazy Wisdom Tearoom, 114 S. Main St. 734-665-2757. crazywisdom.net

A discussion of renowned psychiatrist Mark Epstein’s book exploring the transformational potential of trauma through an interpretation of the Buddha’s spiritual journey as grounded in Buddha’s personal childhood trauma.

ONGOING: Mondays:

Monday Evening Book Group 7pm. Ypsilanti District LibraryWhittaker: Conference Room 1C , 5577 Whittaker Rd.,Ypsilanti.

734-482-4110. ypsilibrary.org Free

Joining a book group is a great way to meet new people and experience the fun of discussing a book together.

Fridays:

Mystery Lovers Book Group 2pm. Ypsilanti District Library Whittaker: Conference Room 1C, 5577 Whittaker Rd., Ypsilanti.

734-482-4110. ypsilibrary.org Free

Join other amateur sleuths once a month to discuss mystery novels.

ts More event a e n li n o com ecurrent.

local color

Local Color Katherine Yates of pot & box floral design

By Sue Dise

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote And bathed every veyne in swich licour Of which vertu engendered is the flour… …Then, hey nonny nonny hey hey! It’s that time of year, dear Reader, when my man Geoff-y Chaucer and I rejoice in the return of spring (which cranks up a bit later in the year here in Michigan than it does in Canterbury), and we once more enjoy the sights and smells of flowery delights. While my thumb is decidedly gray when it comes to successful gardening, there are among us talented people who have a magical touch when it comes to showing flora off to her best advantage.

Enter Katherine Yates, lead designer of Ann Arbor’s Pot & Box, a florist with a true artist’s eye.

“I’m constantly amazed by plants,” Yates declares. “I get a lot of inspiration from nature...I’ve always gotten so much from being outside, and I’ve always felt the need to help others appreciate what you can get from nature.”

Natural history

Yates has spent most of her life getting in tune with the natural world. While studying at U-M’s School of Natural Resources, she worked part-time at a flower shop. “The designer there was just awesome, and I would watch her work and she would show me tricks of the trade... I learned a lot about flowers and how to take care of them.” Botany classes taught her which varieties of plants are available during our changeable seasons, important information for her clients. “If someone is planning a spring wedding, I know what I can go outside and forage for. A lot of brides will come in and say ‘I really want local flowers’. We’ve got local suppliers, small farms, farmers markets. We also have a cutting garden here.”

That emphasis on locally sourced products is one of the elements that make Pot & Box stand out from other florists. Yates began assisting Lisa Waud, owner of Pot & Box, several years ago. It’s a business that has been getting national attention on wedding websites and bridal blogs for its imaginative designs. When Waud decided to expand to

Katherine Yates’ natu ral aesthet rocks, pod ic—moss, s—comes through in bouquets. her floral

Detroit, she told Yates, “Katherine, you’re now in charge of the Ann Arbor studio.”

That creative reputation presents an opportunity for Yates to bring her talents to the fore, particularly when the commission gives her free rein. “Clients will often say, ‘We know you do good work, so go for it!’ It’s definitely more challenging. However, there can be something more satisfying in that, as well, because if you’ve got something in your head that you’ve been thinking about, and you haven’t had time to bring it into fruition, then you can start and say, ‘Hey, this is a great opportunity for me to see about this idea that I’ve had in my head—can I actually make it work?’”

Ideas like a forest theme or a storybook character can inspire intriguing designs that aren’t necessarily confined to flowers. “I will start thinking of different things that remind me of woodland. What do you see in the woods? You see bark, you see tree branches, you see different colored leaves, you see moss, you see rocks. For Peter Rabbit, I see soft colors, lavenders, blushes, light blues, light yellows, but I also see a ton of vegetables.”

This is not your FTD-style florist. A Pot & Box creation is more likely to feature dried leaves grouped with succulents than baby’s breath and orange blossoms. Yates admits, “I really love bringing in non-floral items. I love working with sticks and pods, moss and rocks...I did a bridal bouquet where the bride said ‘Feathers!’, and I got so excited.”

As she prepares for a busy season of brides and outdoor fetes, Yates reflects on the ephemeral quality of her craft. It is an art form that is almost literally here today and gone tomorrow. Does she ever get wistful about the temporary nature of her creations? She muses, “There’s something so satisfying about creating something like a bouquet or arrangement and then stepping back and saying ‘My gosh, I love this’, and then, once you send it to the client, you let it go.” pot & box floral design, 3756 Plaza Dr, Ann Arbor, 734-368-2130 ecurrent.com / may 2015 33

everything else Soccer In The City

Maroon and white smoke-bombs pour over the raucous Northern Guard Supporters (Detroit City FC fans) as they relentlessly beat the drum, wave flags, and chant their songs in support of their beloved Le Rouge. Oh, and there’s a soccer game happening, too. Detroit City FC, an NPSL team, the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid, play three rowdy home games this month.

7:30pm, Saturday, May 9; 7:30pm, Friday, May 15, 7:30pm; and Friday, May 29.

Cass Technical High School, 2501 2nd Ave, Detroit, $10/adults. Free/ages 5 and under.

Vintage Volkswagen Car Show

Old Bugs and Minibuses are the pride and joy of VW collectors and will be on glorious display in Ypsilanti’s Riverside Park.

Originals, customs, race cars, drag cars, kit cars, dune buggies, trikes, ratrods and daily beaters—this car show, presented by Everything Volkswagen, started in 1987 and celebrates all things VW.

9am-3pm, Sunday, May 17. $5. Riverside Park, 1 W. Cross St., Ypsilanti. mvvc.net

Ongoing Thursdays

The Impact of Major Presidential Decisions

10-11:30am. $10/per lecture. Rave Cinema, 4100 Carpenter Rd. 734-998-9351. olli-umich.org

Every Thursday, all month long, delve into topics with U-M experts.“FDR: Preparing the Country to Go to War.”“Harry Truman: Containment and the Cold War.” April 9 through May 14. Presented

by Oscher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Saturdays

Back to the Moon

2:30pm. $5. Museum Of Natural History, 1109 Geddes Ave. 734-764-0478. lsa.umich.edu/ummnh

Narrated by Tim Allen, this is a behind-the-scenes feature on the $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE, the largest incentivized prize in history, to return robots to the Moon.

Two Small Pieces of Glass

12:30pm. Museum Of Natural History, 1109 Geddes Ave. 734-764-0478. lsa.umich.edu/ummnh Free

While attending a local star party, two teenage students

34

may 2015 / ecurrent.com

learn how the telescope has helped us understand our place in space and how telescopes continue to expand our understanding of the Universe.

Saturdays & Sundays

The Sky Tonight: Live Star Talk

$5. Museum Of Natural History, 1109 Geddes Ave. 734-764-0478. lsa.umich.edu/ummnh

Bright stars, constellations, planets, and telescopic objects in the current night sky will be discussed. Then leave Earth and fly out into space to examine the planets and other distant objects. 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm Saturdays, 1:30pm,` 3:30pm Sundays.

3 sunday Ypsi Area Street Rods Show and Shine Car Show

9am-4pm. $10. Riverside Park, Depot Town, Ypsilanti. 734-483-4444. cityofypsilanti.com

This car show will get your motor running, with a bunch of makes and models of Volkswagen.

5 tuesday Show & Tell for Grown-Ups

6:30-8:30pm. AADL: Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room, 3090 E. Eisenhower Pkwy. 734-327-4555. aadl.org Free

Show & Tell events for adults are sweeping the nation, with recent publicity of the trend in the Wall Street Journal.

Described as The Moth Radio Hour meets Antiques Roadshow, these events focus on connecting people through their personal histories.

7 thursday Nature Walk

7-8:30pm. Barton Nature Area, W. Huron River Dr. 734-327-8301. aadl.org Free

Learn about native plants and animals, and about the diverse natural features of the area.

Meet in the parking lot off Huron Drive, just north of the Bird Road intersection.

9 saturday Recycling Plant (MRF) Open House: Recycled Wind Chimes

10am-noon. Ann Arbor’s Material Recovery Facility, 339 E. Liberty St. 734-663-9474. ecocenter.org/education/mrf-open-house Free

Hear the sound of repurposing old bottle caps, lids, silverware, and metal cans through these creations! Make your own recycled wind chime to hang on your patio or porch.

10 sunday

taurants join the festivities by offering Ladies Night food and drink specials.

16 sunday FOXFEST! Music & Art Festival

Take in the tunes and the art at this off-kilter fest.

Butterfly Festival

10am-2pm. Museum of Natural History, 1109 Geddes Ave. 734-764-0478. lsa.umich.edu Free

Explore the beautiful and fascinating world of butterflies at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History!

Watch live Monarchs and take a close look at how they travel through each stage of their life cycle.

20 wednesday Behind the Scenes in the Museum of Zoology Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. 7:30pm.

734-677-3275. mbgna.umich.edu

Free

Slide-illustrated talk by U-M Museum of Zoology Bird Division collection manager Janet Hinshaw.

24 sunday Buddha’s Birthday Celebration

3:30-8:30pm. $5-$12 for evening celebration, earlier events are free.

Zen Buddhist Temple, 1214 Packard St. 734-761-6520. zenbuddhisttemple.org

Treat the mothers and mother figures in your life to a guided wildflower hike through Black Pond Woods and the LSNC grounds, or take the hike yourself in their honor.

15 friday

30 saturday

1-2:30pm. $5/person, Free/ all mothers. Leslie Science and Nature Center, 1831 Traver Rd. 734-997-1553. lesliesnc.org

Love Stinks!

8-10pm. $15/advance, $18/door.

Michigan Union, 530 S. State St. 734-265-0740. olconline.org

Join Out Loud for a concert about rebuke, rejection and survival. Selections include “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”, “You Keep Me Hanging On” and “I Will Survive”. Runs the following day as well.

Ladies Night Out

5pm-midnight. Downtown Ann Arbor. 734-668-7112. mainstreetannarbor.org Free

Retailers stay open late and roll out the red carpet with shopping discounts, special offers, snacks, photos, goody bags, raffles and more. Res-

road trip

8pm-1:30am. $10. The Tangent Gallery, 715 E. Milwaukee, Detroit.

313-886-7860.

The program begins with meditation and a dharma talk by resident priest Haju Murray and the traditional “Bathing of Baby Buddha” with sweet tea, followed by a lecture-demo on “An Introduction to Meditation” and an evening chanting and lighting of traditional lotus lanterns, along with scriptural readings by representatives from other area Buddhist groups. 

Mother’s Day Wildflower Hike

everything else

Mayfly - Our Annual Fundraising Event!

5-8:30pm. $150/individual, $250/ couple. Leslie Science and Nature Center, 1831 Traver Rd. 734-997-1553. lesliesnc.org

Current and potential supporters gather for an upscale evening to celebrate Leslie Science & Nature Center and to ensure our continued success. Wandering the beautiful grounds under twinkling lights, guests enjoy drinks and a catered meal set to live music while mingling with LSNC’s staff as they provide up-close interactions with our live birds of prey and Critter House animals. The evening culminates with a demonstration flight by our amazing raptors.

Techno Comes Home

Photo by Douglas Wojciechowski

Noon-midnight. May 23-25. $150/ 3-day-pass.

Hart Plaza, 1 Hart Plaza, Detroit. 313-877-8057.

Movement.us

Recognized as the birthplace of techno music, Detroit has been getting down to beats and bass since the mid 1980s.

Twenty years on, the Detroit Electronic Music Festival kicked off in 2000. Now known as Movement, the 15 year-old festival brings together some heavy-hitters—Disclosure, Squarepusher and Griz—and some unknown, underground bassmasters of electronic music. The genre has come a long way since Belleville, MI native Derrick May’s “Strings of Life” - widely credited as the first-ever techno song. Check out the latest beats at the Movement electronic music festival. —RC

Taylor Swift at Ford Field

7pm. Saturday, May 30. $136$750. Ford Field, 2000 Brush St. 313-262-2000.

The mega-pop star Taylor Swift embarks on “The 1989 World Tour” in support of her fifth studio album “1989.”

Hear the hits as well as her new-pop sound, which evolved, believe it or not, from Nashville roots. She’s added synthesizers and sings about the wickedness paparazzi and ignoring haters. —RC

George Benson

8pm. Friday, May 8. $100-$376.

Motorcity Casino, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit. 866-782-9622. motorcitycasino.com

Over the years, the ten-time grammy award winning guitarist, songwriter, and singer George Benson has moved from jazz to pop to R&B. Foreshadowing his successful career, the Pittsburgh-born Benson released his first single when he was just ten years old. Now, Benson brings his finely tuned brand of soul jazz to The D. —RC

Searchable lists updated daily at ecurrent.com

ecurrent.com / may 2015 35

style sense

Shinola Detroit style arrives in Ann Arbor

By Jessica Knapp

T

he comeback narrative dominates discussions about the city of Detroit, and few stars have risen as fast as Shinola. It’s hard to believe that it was just two years ago that the Detroit-based company sold its first watch. Today, you can buy Motor City-assembled watches, bicycles, and leather goods around the globe. Shinola has stores in New York, Los Angeles, London, and Chicago, and sells through luxury retailers like Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales. And Shinola’s newest outpost will open in Ann Arbor this month.

The Ann Arbor location on Main Street, housed in a former Selo/Shevel gallery space, will embrace the original details of the building, stripped down to expose the original brick and white oak. The Ann Arbor location will emulate the community feel of other Shinola stores, with a coffee shop and a 2,000 square foot lounge area in the basement.

The space will be available for events, with plans to host DJ nights and college radio broadcasts.

Ann Arbor was a clear choice for Shinola’s new retail shop, according to Creative Director Daniel Caudill. Over the 2014 holiday season, Shinola hosted bus transportation to and from its flagship store off of Cass Avenue in Midtown Detroit every 30 minutes from Ann Arbor. Shinola’s staff was impressed to see the bus nearly full with every trip.

Caudill attributes Shinola’s success to the company’s commitment to quality and the timeless, classic design of its products. “What’s interesting is that we attract customers from no particular demographic. It’s a pretty diverse mix. Some of our customers are buying a watch for the first time, others are watch enthusiasts.” All their customers, however, must come from a means-to-spend demographic—mens watches start at $500.

36

may 2015 / ecurrent.com

Visiting Shinola headquarters in Midtown Detroit, it’s clear that the enthusiasm for the city and a commitment to collaboration infuses all elements of Shinola’s operations.

200 of the company’s 350 employees work in Detroit, and both the watch and leather goods assembly are completed on-site. A communal lunch area is used by everyone— designers, factory workers, and marketers.

Caudill says the close proximity of all employees of lends itself to the products’ high quality. “Everything is under one roof. The designers can work with the factory to tweak every product until it’s absolutely perfect. You can’t get that if you’re manufacturing is in China. Everyone on the team is able to refine the product.”

The company also touts internal promotion of its employees. The first watch assemblers are now supervising the line. Shinola employs a train-the-trainer model and ensures that every factory employee understands each step of the process. “We want people to grow here. We want Shinola to be around for a very long time,” says Caudill. “I want to retire from this company and I want everyone here now to be able to retire from this company.”

Detroit is a strong brand element for Shinola, with the city’s name printed underneath its logo. But the company didn’t locate here with the intention of promoting the city.

“When the founders were looking for a place to locate the company, it was just about where to manufacture the watches,” says Caudill. “We came here and realized that Detroit has a great pool of talent. There’s also an ease of doing business in the Midwest. People want to see you succeed.”

It looks like the success story isn’t going to stop anytime soon. The company’s growth has been exponential. In its first year, Shinola manufactured 50,000 watches. That number more than tripled in the second year, producing 170,000 watches. In 2014 Shinola introduced wallets, backpacks, and leather-bound notebooks, an obvious complement to the watches. The leather goods are also an efficient extension of its manufacturing operations in Detroit.

Which begs the question—can we expect additional products from Shinola?

Caudill confirms that they are looking into introducing new products, but can’t reveal anything specific. “But it’s so exciting,” he says, “it’s so exciting I literally can’t even tell you.”

Shinola, 301 S. Main St, Ann Arbor

health

health events ONGOING Thursdays

Candlelight Yoga

7:45-­8:45pm. $10. Peachy Fitness, 2385 S. Huron Pkwy. 734­-681­-0477. peachyfitness.com

A luminous Yin Yoga session.

Great for relaxation, meditation and getting ready for a deep peaceful sleep.

Wednesdays Family Matters at Dawn Farms

6­-7:15pm. Zion Lutheran Church, 1501 W. Liberty St. 734-­485-­8725. dawnfarm.org/programs/

Dawn Farms offers a six­ session, skill­building support group for family members, loved ones, and friends of those struggling with addic­ tion. The group allows you to share your stories with those who understand.

Saturdays and Tuesdays

Qigong Healing Movement

$15/drop in, $25/both Saturday and Tuesday, $80/any 10 classes.The Yellow Barn, 416 W. Huron St. ouryellowbarn.com

Join others seeking healthy mind and body for gentle, easy ­to ­learn movements which promote relaxation, coordina­ tion and inner vitality. 10:30am­ 12:30pm Saturdays and 7-9pm Tuesdays.

Tuesdays

Deepening Mindfulness Meditation

10­-10:30pm. $150. Aprill Wellness Center, 107 April Dr. 734­-276-­7707. mindfulnessmeditationmichigan. weebly.com

This short course is appropri­ ate for those who have had a mindfulness­-based course, have a contemplative practice, or want to renew or refresh their practice.

2 Saturday

Group Run at Kensington with Mizuno

7:30-­11am. Kensington Metropark, 2240 W. Buno Rd., Milford. 810-2259123. runninglabstore.com Free

Test out Rider/Inspire shoes as well as some trail shoes to try out for free. Running will start at 8 am.

3 Sunday

37th Annual Burns Park Run 8:30am. $5/Fun Run, $22/regular 5K,10K (Mar 16th ­May 1st), $27/ late 5K,10K (May 2nd and 3rd) Burns Park Warming Hut, 1700 Wells St. burnsparkrun.org

Winding through a beautiful old Ann Arbor neighborhood near the University of Michigan campus, the tree­lined Burns Park Run loop course has been a favorite of beginner and world class runners alike.

The Burns Park Run is a long standing and successful fund­ raiser, organized and staffed

by volunteers, that supports Burns Park Elementary PTO programs.

3 Sunday

Time to Remember Memorial Gathering

2­-3:30pm. AADL: Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room, 3090 E. Eisenhower Pkwy.

734­-327-­4555. aadl.org Free

The staff and volunteers of Arbor Hospice’s Grief Sup­ port Services cordially invite you, your family, and friends to honor the memory of your loved one at this Memorial Gathering. You are encouraged to bring a photo of your loved one to display on a Memorial Table during this program.

Light refreshments will be served.

13 Wednesday

College Success for the ADHD Student

7­-8:30pm. Downtown Library: Multi­Purpose Room, 343 S. 5th Ave. 734­-327­-4555. aadl.org Free

Most ADHD students have difficulty with the transition from high school to college; in fact, the vast majority drop out of school. Join ADHD Coach Michael Thompson and learn the answers to key questions.

17 Sunday

Girls on the Run

A2 Acupuncture Cheryl Wong and her partner Evan LebowWolf have opened Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture, a new $20-$40 sliding-scale clinic. Wong grew up in a household where Chinese medicine was practiced and now makes the same medical practices that aided her more accessible. She has a Master of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine, both from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA. Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture, 2500 Packard St #100, Ann Arbor, 734-780-7253, annarborcommunityacupuncture.com See interview with Cheryl Wong at ecurrent.com.

7-11am. North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. girlsontherunsemi.org Free

A 5K fundraiser to empower girls.

19 Tuesday

The Physiology of Addiction

7:30-­9pm. St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center Auditor, 5305 Elliott Dr., Ypsilanti.

734-­485-­8725 . dawnfarm.org/programs/education­series

The physiology of the brain and body is altered by use of alcohol and other drugs and also changes when a person enters into recovery. Learn all about this topic and more at this presentation.

26 Tuesday

In the Doctor’s Office: Recovery Friend or Foe?

7:30-­9pm. St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center Auditor, 5305 Elliott Drive, Ypsilanti.

734-­485-­8725 .dawnfarm.org/programs/education­series Free

Primary health care settings are natural places for addic­ tion care to be provided, and studies have demonstrated improved outcomes when people in recovery receive regular health care delivered by recovery ­proficient providers.

However, health care provid­ ers are often poorly equipped to meet the needs of this population and relapse is not uncommon.

MAY 30, 4 - 7pm Yoga & Creativity: Express Yourself Expressing ourselves creatively can be one of the most fulfilling yet challenging things we do. Explore how yogic practices and concepts like presence, non-attachment, and ritual can free us and help us find our creative voice.

7-9 PM: FREE SPECIAL GALLERY OPENING FOLLOWING WORKSHOP (FREE) Carter is a filmmaker, painter, writer and yogi.

He has been teaching across the country and loves to explore creativity in everyday life.

734.216.4006

2030 Commerce Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 PLEASE GO TO WWW.A2YOGA.NET FOR MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION

ecurrent.com / may 2015 37

Across 1. Nana’s fellow 7. “Make ___ for Ducklings” 10. Civil rights org.

14. Eaglets’ shelters 15. Burning anger 16. Baseball team that plays in the shadows of the CN Tower 17. Health scare of 2002-’03 18. Fruity wine, briefly 19. City 30 miles north of Des Moines 20. Tabby perched atop an IRS return?

23. From the top 24. His Twitter handle is @ SHAQ 25. Head of Chelsea 27. Film ratings for the whole family 28. Kernel holder 30. The Ivies, e.g.

32. “The Late Late Show” host Corden 34. Traffic directors 35. Cassette emporium?

38. Baker’s tin 39. Cards of tomorrow 40. Playful pond slider 41. Phillies’ div.

42. Wee, in Scotland 45. Bud 46. Chunk of grass 50. Clock setting, for short 51. Paranoid Labour opponent?

55. Call to a scalawag 56. “Mob Wives” wife “Big ___” Raiola 57. Office reminder “sticky” 58. Have a problem with one’s sister, say?

59. Whole slew 60. “Problem” singer Grande 61. Cruised 62. Hunting permit application datum: Abbr.

63. Church maintenance man Down 1. Thing unscrewed at the pump 2. Put up again, as art 3. Mountain ridges 4. Kitty’s cry 5. Anne McCaffrey’s “Dragonriders of ___” 6. “___ often is the case ...”

7. Get wrinkled with age 8. Come up 9. Gossipy gal 10. Hector’s archenemy 11. Tight pants giveaway 12. Caustic cleaners 13. ___ Ronald Reagan (carrier) 21. “Check,” in poker 22. Ukulele standard

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may

2015 / ecurrent.com

2

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26. Takes too much junk, briefly 28. Lies, damned lies, but not statistics 29. It could be bad news 31. “Nobody ‘___ You” (Bob Dylan) 32. Practical joke 33. “Another” caller 34. ___-Alt-Del 35. Crisp snack served with hummus 36. Go nuts 37. Orange soda 38. Really jump off the page 42. Strafed

54

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44

43. Spanish wool 44. “The Valley of Amazement” author 47. “Check,” in poker 48. Looping video clips that are only a few seconds long 49. Word with grinder and donor 50. When some dinner parties start 52. Target of some “I Can’t Breathe” protests 53. Some auditors, for short 54. Era in some fairy tales 55. Ice Bucket Challenge cause, briefly

for crossword answers, go to ecurrent.com

HE IS RISEN

1

©2015 By Brendan Emmett Quigley (www.brendanemmettquigley.com)

crossword

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Services

Beginning Tai-Chi with SUN SHEN: Mondays, Tuesdays or Thursdays at 7pm. $55/mo.

2466 E Stadium Ann Arbor www.sunshen.org

Massage: Walk-in appointments available. Free parking. Make some time for yourself! Come in stressed leave refreshed. RelaxStation.

734-623-1951​

------------------------------------Eve & Mother Earth’s The organization’s mission is to recycle. Join us in the celebration!

Erase carbon footprints. Visit eveandme.org

Events

Great Lakes Family Wellness Expo, FREE Admission, April 18 (Howell) and June 13 (Farmington Hills), Call 810-225-9801 or visit GLFWE.com!

EDUCATION

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Are your children interested in Astronomy?

Do they like observing the moon, planets and stars? GO TO: www.youngastronomer.org

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

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

Got an older car, boat or RV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1- 800-758-2204 -------------------------------------

Sell your structured settlement or annuity payments for CASH NOW. You don’t have to wait for your future payments any longer! Call 1-800-391-0460

Massage Therapist: Currently hiring therapists to work at RelaxStation in downtown Ann Arbor to accommodate our already established clientele. Free parking, flexible hours, great team!

734-623-1951

------------------------------------CASH for sealed, unexpired DIABETIC TEST STRIPS/STOP SMOKING PRODUCTS! Free Shipping, 24hr Payments! Call 1-877-588-8500, Español AvailableTestStripSearch.com.

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Got Knee Pain? Back Pain?

Shoulder Pain? Get a pain-relieving brace -little or NO cost to you.

Medicare Patients Call Health Hotline Now! 1- 800-419-3684

Give Hope. Become a Foster Parent. Attend a free training today to learn more! For more information: www.judsoncenter.org or 313-255-8272.

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Reduce Your Past Tax Bill by as much as 75 Percent.

Stop Levies, Liens and Wage Garnishments. Call The Tax DR Now to see if you Qualify 1-800-8412298

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WANTED TO BUY

call

Catherine at 419.244.9859

to sell your stuff!

ecurrent.com / may 2015 39

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DONATE TODAY!

SUPPORT AAPS and its students!

Participate in a GREEN community effort to fund student enrichment at Ann Arbor Public Schools since 1993.

MEMORIAL DAY

50% OFF EVERYTHING

SALE

Monday, May 25th 9AM-5PM

EVERYTHING in the store is 50% OFF! No discounts or coupons accepted during 50% off sales.

No Donations accpeted that day–Please donate another day!

CLOSED Sunday, May 24th in lieu of Memorial Day 2015.

SHOP: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm | Sat 9am-6pm | Sunday 11am-5pm DONATE: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm | Sat 10am-5pm | Sunday 12pm-4pm FIND US: 2280 S. Industrial Hwy | 734.996.9155 | a2ptothriftshop.org &52.)452% s 4/93 s ,).%.3 s #2!&43 s "//+3 s (/53%(/,$ '//$3 s !.$ -/2%

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