Get into the Holiday Spirit at the State Theater

Sat, 12/01/2007 - 10:26am by lola

Take a break from holiday shopping and take advantage of the Twisted Christmas series at the State Theater. Every Sunday in December at 3:30 PM, starting December 2, relax with popcorn while watching Christmas classics and not-so Christmas classics.
The twisted line-up includes:
December 2 How the Grinch Stole Christmas
December 9 Die Hard
December 16 Bad Santa
December 23 Scrooged

For more traditional Christmas cheer, visit the Michigan Theater on December 9 and take part in the Christmas Sing-Along and watch A Muppet Christmas Carol.

Stop by the library on your way downtown and pick up good reading material. We've got a great holiday collection in the Downtown Youth Department that will get you in the mood for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

Buy Indie in Ypsi

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 9:18am by manz

If you survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday why not try a handmade Saturday? This Saturday from noon to midnight is the fourth Shadow Art Fair at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti. There you’ll find all things handmade- from t-shirts, coffee, purses and jewelry, to art, zines and soap. This year also features “Shadow Brew.” It's not too late to take the Handmade Pledge this holiday giving season, and the Shadow is a good place to start. Of course... you could always make your own gifts too!

The Play Ground

Fri, 11/23/2007 - 2:19pm by Albert

Wow, we are stuffed from our Thanksgiving dinner and not interested in cruising around town to check out bargains. A nice walk, visit with family and some music can make us happy. Luckily, Saturday night we can settle down with some smooth music from Mr. B at The Ark. This solo concert celebrates the release of Nine Pianists: Our Town, Our Time, a live recording made at Kerrytown Concert House. Proceeds from sales of the CD go toward the construction of a special bike Mr. B is planning to ride across the state next summer - pulling a piano! We would like to see that.
The Ark, 316 S. Main. Saturday, November 23, 8pm.

The Play Ground

Thu, 11/15/2007 - 9:48am by Albert

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library is a wonderful source for interesting and informative talks and exhibits. Last year presidential advisor Brent Scowcroft gave his perspective on national policies and last week Thomas DeFrank revealed 16 years of private conversations with President Ford. Tonight, Barry H. Landau will discuss his new book, THE PRESIDENT'S TABLE which is a wonderfully illustrated history of presidential dining and entertainment. It is a complement to the current exhibit, "Art of Diplomacy:Head of State Gifts."
November 15, 7:30 pm, 205-0555.

Making Hot Career Connections at Hot Shots

Mon, 11/12/2007 - 6:05pm by Sancho Panza

Looking to get your career off the ground? Michigan Works! and ETCS have teamed up with Ann Arbor Spark in association with the Mega Partnership to produce Hot Shots—a series of opportunities for job seekers to meet up with employers from across the country. Attendees can view a sampling of available positions ahead of time, and browse the list of participating companies. The next Hot Shots event will be held at Vinology on Wednesday, November 28, from 5-7pm. Participants should register ahead of time at the Ann Arbor Spark website.

Is Consumerism Sustainable?

Fri, 11/09/2007 - 7:39pm by remnil

Our consumer culture often produces several unfortunate side effects. Given all those negative effects, can we sustain our consumerism for much longer? That compelling question will be addressed by none other than Kai Ryssdal, host of the NPR business & finance program Marketplace, in a panel discussion next week. Kai will be joined several other notable folks at the event, which is co-sponsored by Michigan Radio and the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

Interested? The panel will be held on Friday, November 16th, from 11.00a to noon at the Ross School of Business. Find out more on Michigan Radio's events page.

The Play Ground

Mon, 11/05/2007 - 6:34pm by Albert

This November 11 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Jewish Book Festival of Washtenaw County. This is a week long, community wide, celebration of Jewish Books.
Featured authors include Stephen Fried, Charlotte Mendelson, Dennis Ross, Andrei Markovits and Naftali Bendavid. On Sunday, November 18 there is a Local Author Brunch. There will be hundreds of books for purchase throughout the festival.
Contact the Jewish Community Center for more information. 2935 Birch Hollow Road, 971-0990.

A High School Musical of a Different Sort

Thu, 11/01/2007 - 4:03pm by Sarah T

There’s something perfect about a person expressing their innermost feelings through spontaneous song and tap dancing. Agreed? I thought so. Then you shouldn’t miss Pioneer High School’s performance of Thoroughly Modern Millie November 3, 4, and 9-11. The dance moves are up to you, but brush up on the lyrics by checking out the soundtrack at AADL. Tickets can be bought at Morgan & York or at the door.

How's Your Smile?

Wed, 10/31/2007 - 12:31pm by MarilynG

If the cost of dental care is keeping you from visiting a dentist, come to the UM School of Dentistry's free Dental Health Day on Sat., Nov. 10 from 9am to noon. The dental services provided will include oral exams, oral cancer screenings, diagnostic radiographs, and oral hygiene evaluation and education. It takes place at the UM School of Dentistry on 1011 N. University. Parking is available in the Fletcher Street Parking Structure. No appointment is necessary.

If you’re in the market for a dentist, instead of looking through the Yellow Pages, check out the Health and Wellness Resource Center, or, if you want to read up on tooth whitening, use Medline, a great source of health information. These are just two of the many databases available through the library's web site.

Family Dancing at the Firefly Club!

Tue, 10/30/2007 - 9:43am by iralax

One of the best kept secrets for family fun in Ann Arbor is at the Firefly Club, 637 S. Main, starting around 5:30, running until 8:00 every Friday and Sunday evening. Susan Chastain, owner, singer and organizer of great jazz music 7 nights a week, doesn't advertise Easy Street Dixieland Jazz on Fridays, or Phil Ogilvie's Rhythm Kings on Sundays as being great fare for kids. But, this kind of brassy jazz from the 20s & 30s appeals to all ages and is a lot of fun to dance to. Children can see a variety of instruments played by some of the best jazz musicians in town. It's a great way to introduce kids to one of America's unique musical forms. AADL has a fine collection of jazz cds, dvds and books for readers and listeners of all ages.