Simple pleasures in Ann Arbor

I was happy to read the recent article in the NYTimes about affixing more value to the ordinary experiences of life.  It is great to read about studies that prove that experiences are more likely to make one happy than possessions, and how even ordinary experiences can make you happy.

Ann Arbor is one of the best small cities to find interesting and inexpensive speakers and activities, and this is the time of the year to sign up and mark your calendars!

Some of my favorites include:

OLLI  (Osher Lifelong Learning program)-- Join for $20/year, and check out the great opportunities for learning and social events

Margaret Waterman celebrity lectures-- Includes lunch at the beautiful Michigan Union ballroom

Ann Arbor City Club Lunch and Learn sessions-- At the Ann Arbor City Club, which is a destination in itself.  Check out their history, here

Science cafe', presented by the University Museum of Natural History-- At Conor O'Neal's.  Free and very fun, with snacks provided by the sponsor.  Science and beer..... what could be better?  Starts Oct 22.  Want to know what it is like?  Read about the first time I went, here.

Penny Stamps Distinguished Lecture Series-- Paradigm breakers, presented by the School of Art and Design.  Free, Thursdays at 5:10 during the school year.  Michigan Theater.  Includes a short organ concert before the lecture begins.  One of my first blog posts was about my visit to this lecture.  Read about why it is still one of my favorites!

I can't wait to see you there!

Bird Seed and Beer!

It's no news that Ann Arbor scores at the top of all kinds of Top 10 lists, but I would like to suggest a new rating:  a quirkiness index.

The other night we decided to run into Downtown Home and Garden because our chickadees were sitting on their empty feeders and shouting at us.  This is our favorite place to buy birdseed, because of the selection, local sourcing, and the fact that you can measure what you want, rather than buying it in large plastic bags!  (The price is also competitive.)

Old school:  measure your seed and write the weight on the sack

While we were shopping, we ran into some friends that we had not seen for awhile, and decided to hang out for a bit while the store closed, and Bill's Beer Garden opened.



We spent a great couple of hours enjoying the early evening and catching up.  And what does that score on the quirkiness index-- (your favorite 100 year old former livery stable turned urban emporium, converting to outdoor beer garden in the evening)?  I'd give it a 9.  Oh wait!

You're hungry?  Walk through the drive-through part of the store, and visit Mark's Carts for a snack or dinner.  And you can bring your food back to enjoy with that great Michigan brew.

Bring the kids!  The vibe is like a neighborhood BBQ.

And I think that makes it a 10 out of 10 on the quirky (and awesome) scale.




It's so refreshing to be away from the "cookie-cutter" chain stores and restaurants, and find an experience that is completely unique to Ann Arbor.  Thanks, Mark Hodesh!

25 year marriage SAVED.

It's that time again!!  As we are loading cucumbers in our car to head to Food Gatherers, I thought I would repost one of my favorite stories from last year.




 I recently heard a statistic that stated couples that had been together for a long time had fewer arguments than newer couples.  For anyone who has had a long marriage, this is hardly a news flash.

After all, if something hasn't been settled by now, it's certainly not going to be settled by yelling at each other (again), so life goes on, and the differences of opinion get avoided, when possible.

So what does this have to do with the gi-mungous pile of cucumbers and pickles in the picture???

Flash backwards a couple of summers when we first put in our giant kitchen garden.  It was awesome!!  Then the prolific gardener I live with, did his thing.  And the produce started coming in bushel baskets.  I'm not kidding.

So here is where the arguments started.  It seemed every time I left the kitchen, he would sneak out to the garden, and bring in a huge basket of vegetables.  Whaa?

"What am I supposed to do with those???" I asked-- to no one, (because by now, he was as far away from me as he could get).  In defense of my favorite gardener, I guess he had done the hunting and gathering, and now it was my turn.  Except I only knew how to hunt and gather too.  Problem.

Every inch of the refrigerator was stuffed with produce, and I was about ready to start sneaking it on our neighbors' doorsteps in the dead of night-- like in some Garrison Keillor story.  And I especially learned to dread cucumbers!!  Now I like cucumber salad as much as anyone-- but really.  How many cukes can one woman eat?

But we've had our fair share of creative problem-solving through the years, so first, we learned the age-old skill of canning.  It is actually kind of fun, and since the extended family enjoys anything pickled, we're off to a good start.  We have successfully pickled carrots, peppers, yellow beans, green beans, onions, beets, and of course pickles.  It's not particularly hard if you follow the directions-- if you want to try it, the only book you need is The Complete Book of Home Preserving, brought to you by the Ball Corporation.  It answers every question, and has recipes for everything you would possible can.  See it here, buy it at Nicola's!

But alas, the "burpless" cukes that we like best, cannot be pickled.  (Sweet Success, by Burpee, if you're interested.)  So they kept showing up, 10 lbs at a time.

Just when we were on the verge of D-I-V-O-R-C-E, (don't worry kids, just kidding....) we came across THE ANSWER.  One of our very favorite charities, is Food Gatherers.  They have a stellar rating with the folks who rate charities, (top 1%)-- and they are happy to take extra produce, and put it to good use.   In 2013, we gave 52 lbs of dukes to the "plant a row for the hungry" program, and we both have a smile on our faces, after visiting.

So drop off your extra produce, volunteer, and keep an eye out for the date of Grillin' 2015-- the most fun fund raiser of the year!!

You can't miss their entry...

Zingerman's Deli

Olive oil and vinegars-- ask for a taste!

 It was time to make pizza, and we were out of pepperoni, so we decided to head to Zingerman's for the good stuff.  My strategy for eating fattening or basically unhealthy foods is to buy the highest quality, and (hopefully), eat less of it.  If you are used to the tiny slices of the pepperoni you get sealed in plastic from  the grocery store, you really must try the real thing from Zingerman's.  The slices are bigger, and are deliciously spiced, with fennel overtones.

Fantastic cheese case

You can ask for a taste of anything before you commit to it, so you are in a no-risk proposition.







Zingerman's staff seems delighted to share tastes of their wonderful offerings, and are very knowledgeable about everything they sell.


Zingerman's also has a well-deserved reputation for being expensive, so smaller quantities keep the price in the reasonable range, as well.  While we were there, we also bought some Ursinger's German hard salami (nicely smoked, and made in Wisconsin)-- which is one of my personal favorites.  One slice of good salami can completely wake up a turkey sandwich!!

There is a reason that the international food writers love Zingerman's.  If you don't know why, maybe it's time for you to visit!

Farmer's market and marché agricole

Michigan asparagus

It's rather pitiful that the pictures of my last post have no leaves on the trees-- but in my defense, I have been much too busy 'doing' to post!


We have spent some time in southern France, and one of our favorite activities is to visit the farmer's markets wherever we are.  It was very nice to be able to go to our Farmer's market when we returned.

I think French tourists would be delighted to find our market!

Michigan flowers

French breakfast radishes

Michigan mushrooms

French asparagus

Market at Chalon-sur-Saone

Our beautiful market space

Argo Pond walk: Looking for signs of spring

Wooly Bear caterpillar on the sidewalk just past the dam

The sun was out on the last day of March, so we decided to go for a short walk around the Argo Pond.

Skunk cabbage pushing their way up to the sun at the bottom of the steps off Barton

We started at the inner parking lot of Bandemeer Park (drive across the single lane wooden bridge and follow the drive to the parking lot at the beginning of the disk golf course.  Then walk back under M-14, across the river, and under M-14 again.  This is the worst part of the walk to me, and I like to get it over with first.

Then it's time for a choice:  either stay on the sidewalk/road and walk Barton to Longshore Drive up above the river, or if you have good boots and don't mind some mud, take the steps down and walk the path that follows the river.  I like the path best, but if it's raining or icy, the road is the safest.

When you reach the canoe livery, the dam is just ahead.  If you want to add additional steps, turn left and follow the cascades to Broadway (and have a snack at Northside Grill).  Or after you cross the dam, cross the railroad tracks and head left toward town.  You are a short distance from Kerrytown, with many cute shops and lunch destinations.  

To continue walking around the pond, cross the dam, and turn right on the sidewalk, past the Ann Arbor rowing club barn and dock.  Follow the sidewalk back to the parking lot where you will find your car.

This is a very pleasant 2.5 mile walk, that takes about an hour to do if you don't take any detours.

Argo dam releasing water downriver

I love the 8 man crew boats ready for practice, parked next to a leftover snowbank.

Retired in Ann Arbor mentioned in The Ann magazine

Yes, those birthdays just keep rolling by, and this article talks about how we are enjoying those days between celebrations.

Aging in Ann Arbor:  a warm harbor for a graying population

Ann Arbor City Club

The Ann Arbor City Club sponsors some of Ann Arbor's best activities in the spring.  This Club has a long and distinguished history in Ann Arbor, since its creation in 1951 as the Ann Arbor Women's City Club.

Prior to becoming the Club, this location was home to several prominent Ann Arbor citizens.  The original home was built in 1881, and was surrounded by blueberries and fruit trees.  Then Mr. Spooner bought and sub-divided the land, building some of the other beautiful houses in the neighborhood.  Read more of the history of the club here.

Here are some activities that you might want on your calendar:

April 2-- Lunch and learn with U of M Professor Perry Samson, on "What We Don't Know About Tornados"
April 8-- Lunch and learn with U of M lecturer Bruce Conforth, on "American Blues:  History, Style and Context"
May 7-- Lunch and learn with Research Affiliate, U of M Center on the Demography of Aging and the Population Studies Center, Amy Pienta, on "What Happens to Research Data at the End of a Project?"

Another great event is the Flea Market, on Saturday (9AM-4PM) and Sunday (noon-4PM), March 29-30.  This is one of the not-to-be-missed events of the spring!  If you love auctions or estate sales, this is your event. 

The last of the winter recipes--

Hopefully this is the last blast of winter-- now that we've officially broken the record for the most snow, I think it's time to get on with it!

In preparation for spring,  I like to take one more pass at the recipes that I seem to make only in winter-- in hopes that in a couple of days I'll be grilling salmon and breaking out the sauvignon blanc, without a backward glance.

So what are my favorite winter dishes?
First, I have to share a great new dish that I got from  Real Simple magazine:  Brussels sprouts roasted with kimchi.  First, here is my disclaimer:  I hate kimchi.  I don't mind some Korean food, and you may find me in line at Kosmo ordering a Bi Bim Bop on occasion, but I always skip the kimchi.

When I saw this recipe, I was not sure how I would feel about it, but by that time I had probably eaten a bushel of sprouts myself, and needed some variety.  This calls for 1/4 cup kimchi per pound of sprouts, so I thought it was worth a risk.  I bought a jar of Oh Gee Kimchi from The Brinery, tossed it in the raw sprouts, and put them in the oven.  When they were done, Heaven!

 

Next, I made a batch of lebkuchen cookies.  They were always our nod to our German heritage at Christmas time, but (like the Germans), we decided they were too good to only have at Christmas.  I bought extra fruit and peel mix (seasonally carried at Hillers) so I could make them through the spring.  My family is divided on them-- either you love the taste, or not so much.  Guess which camp I lead? 

Hearty soups like this chicken rice

Chicken and biscuits

And when you think everyone BUT YOU has been to the tropics (or at least Florida), and shared a picture on Facebook, make yourself a nice drink with Wolfmoon mixers:  Pineapple Jalapeño, Bombay Sapphire, and some nice juicy chunks of fresh pineapple.  You'll feel fine in no time.

Wolfmoom Mixers can be found at the Produce Station

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?

Polar vortex!

So what do we do when the temperature is hovering around zero, and we're not scheduled to escape to Arizona for another month?

Pile-o-kitties

Sleeping garden

Happy hour in front of the fire

Happy hour special drink:  Pineapple jalapeño
from Wolfmoon mixers and Bombay Sapphire gin
with lots of fresh pineapple

Laying out next summer's garden at www.growveg.com, and ordering our first seeds

 What is your strategy?

Happy birds

Maybe we'll see you at the Folk Festival or Science cafe?

Comfort food!