Sava's Restaurant

We recently discovered a new favorite in Ann Arbor, Sava's Restaurant.  It all started a couple of weekends ago, when we headed down to the Folk Festival at Hill Auditorium an hour early, with the intent of having a drink and a snack before the show.  We gazed at the lines outside Ashley's and The Red Hawk, and decided that we wouldn't make it to the show on time, so we headed away from the crowd to where we thought no one else would be-- Sava's Restaurant.

Surprise!  There was also a line at Sava, but we snagged 2 great seats at the bar, and proceeded to enjoy our drinks and great hors d'oeuvres, noting the fabulous service by the bartender, during a very hectic hour.

Black and bleu filet bites and halloumi cheese 

We were back the next weekend for Sunday lunch, as a table of 4.  We had a short wait, which we wisely used to go shopping for new sun glasses at SEE Eyewear.  (Now is a perfect time to buy, as all sunglass frames are $99.)  Is it time to update your glasses, but you hate to pick them out?  Go in and ask the trendsetters who work there for help.  Yes, they're young and trendy, but they are magicians in surveying the entire store and picking out the glasses that you will love.  (And I have to admit, that I am always pleased when a stranger approaches me to tell me that they love my glasses.)

We were in the same neighborhood again on Friday at lunch time, and again, had great food and service.

BLT and a side of the famous mac and cheese

 After checking their website, I noticed that they were awarded an 2014 OpenTable diners' choice award.  They are open 7 days a week, from 8AM to midnight, so I also nominate them for one of the hardest working groups in the city, as well!

Veg hash and eggs done perfectly to order

Sava is #18 on the new list, "23 reason Ann Arbor is the best food town in all the land".  Notice the mac and cheese as pictured here, is also in the photo of the BLT above, that Mr. Retired in Ann Arbor ordered.  I should also say that we frequently make homemade mac and cheese, and are very critical of restaurant offerings.  I'm almost a little disappointed to report that this is as good as the one from our kitchen;  both creamy and very cheesy-- and bonus! made with good quality pasta, instead of cheap elbows.

After all the places I have visited in Ann Arbor, I was amazed that 6 of the 23 locations on this list were new to me.  I'd better get busy!!

I personally think that Hediye's Breakfast from Cafe Zola should also be on the list.  What do you think they missed?

Love!

Happy Valentine's Day!  My amaryllis are in full blossom-- 

Thanks to Mark the Amaryllis King, at Downtown Home and Garden for such fabulous bulbs!

And here's my vote for the most romantic spot in Ann Arbor:  The Villa of Mystery.  

Michigan Hockey

It's snowing HARD again, and we are grateful not to have to commute to work, but there are only so many days that you can stay home.  Last weekend we were getting symptoms of cabin fever, so we decided we had to get out!

Thanks to the ticket give-away at our great financial adviser Vintage Financial Services, we won tickets to the Michigan hockey game.  (If you're curious about fee-only investment, but don't want to be sold anything, check them out.)

 I used to go to hockey games in college, and have watched Great Lakes Invitational several times since then-- but I had forgotten how much fun it is!  One of the best parts, in my opinion, is that there is no fighting.  So what you see is good solid hockey.  The pep band and the student section was also fun to watch and hear.   (You can tell the choreography has been worked on for years!)

There are 6 more home games, so you still may be able to get a couple of tickets before winter is over-- check out the schedule here!  

I just discovered the master schedule of all the Michigan teams, and am planning on going to some of the other sports this spring.  I'm ready for baseball!  Who are you going to cheer for?