The City of Ann Arbor, MI

I've lived in Ann Arbor, MI for literally as long as I can remember. Ann Arbor is a pretty unique city. I guess what makes it that way is that it's very diverse and pretty liberal. I was very priveledged to grow up here. Here are a few things that make Ann Arbor the wonderful place that it is:

This is a theater called The Ark. I played here once with a band from CHS. Although the theater mainly welcomes folk music, there are lots of different kinds of acts that come through Ann Arbor and play here.

This is the Ann Arbor Art Center. This association sells art by local artists, and also offers art classes for people of all ages. I took a summer art class here when I was much younger.

One thing Ann Arbor is famous for, in southeastern michigan as least, is its annual street art fair. Artists from all over the state, and often the country, come to Ann Arbor for four days each summer in which many many blocks of the streets are blocked off for artists to set up their boothes and sell their artwork. It is so crowded, but so much fun! Here is a picture of the fair:

This is the Ann Arbor Art Museum. They often have sweet exhibits there....I still go once in a long while.

This is Nickel's Arcade in downtown A2. There are a lot of great shops in there like a candy store, popcorn store, and a store that sells handmade women's sweaters for around $500 each.....

This is a poster advertising the Ann Arbor Blues & jazz Festival which occurs every year in Ann Arbor in early September. It's a long weekend of lots of different kinds of music. I haven't been in a few years.

This is a bunch of people rockin out at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz fest in 1972. I just put it here because I thought it was cool.

This is a poster advertising the Bird of Paradise jazz club. They have jazz 7 nights a week I think....I actually went to this mose allison and fathead newman show. It actually wasn't as tight as I thought it'd be, but that's another story.

This is a little piece of Downtown Ann Arbor. On the left is the Michigan Theater, a movie theater, which also holds performances. Actually, my High School held its graduation in this theater for many years.

This is Shaman Drum Bookshop, an independent bookstore in Ann Arbor. I worked here for bookrush (the beginning of a semester at the University of Michigan) in last August and Early September, and also in Late December. Many professors order their books exclusively through this bookstore if they would rather not support a bigger bookstore like Borders or Barnes & Noble. It's a really hippie-ish store which is loved by many. The owners of the store are family friends.

Ah Ha! I had to include a picture of University of Michigan's football stadium! Located a few blocks outside of Downtown, the stadium holds....I'm not sure how many people, but a whole lot! (as you can see). I am embarrassed to say that I've only been to one football game in all my years of living in Ann Arbor, but what can I say? I'm not much of a football girl....

And there you have it. Visit sometime-- most people would really like it there. Then again, maybe you're not most people. Hmmmm.......