4/18 - Current Magazine

APRIL 2018| FREE

MUSIC | ART | CULTURE

wedding guide

Local couples dish on best venues, flowers, catering, music and more P12

CITY SIPS

Best local options for slaking your thirst, p6

YOUTH SPEAK OUT Talking about gun control, p18

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PHOTO CREDIT: HEATHER JOWETT

contents

April 2018 vol. 28/no. 04

6

Local Bartenders, Beer Mavericks and Alcohol Experts Share Wisdom

17 Michigan Flower

Grower’s Co-op Blooms Weekly market offers fresh options

by Trilby Becker

18 When it Comes to Gun

Control, Youth Won’t Take No For an Answer Local students find power in speaking up

by Karen Smyte

Wedding Guide

A Trio of Recently Married Couples Share Tips and Stories p 12

25 music: In the Mix with a Master

Jim Roll: Producer of enthusiasm, levity and life mastery

by Jeff Milo

31 theater: Holmes and Watson in Eerie On-Stage Search

Famous sleuths bring Baker Street to Purple Rose Theatre

by Emily Slomovits and Sandor Slomovits

33 lit: Down and Dirty The Diaries of David Sedaris

by Patrick Flores-Scott

34 art: Combing Through the Aftermath

Landscapes of Devastation exhibit @ UMMA

by Beth Solberg

41 Person of Interest 20 food:

Building Friendships at Red Brick Kitchen

Dexter restaurant attracts regulars

by Jeff Kass

23 chef’s corner:

MARCH MOST READ MARCH 2018| FREE

1. 2018 Best of Washtenaw Ballot

MUSIC | ART | CULTURE

2. Women Owned Business

Chris Huey, Beacon Grill

by Sonny Forrest

35 arts & culture 43 cannabis 45 astrology

Mike Michelon: Executive Director, Ann Arbor Summer Festival

By Cammie Finch

3. Kurupt Moonrocks Land In Michigan

46 crossword 47 classifieds

4. Ann Arbor Film Festival Hits 56 5. Takedown Wrestles With Ann Arbor’s Dark Secrets

Women-Owned

BUSINESS How Washtenaw’s leading women make their mark, p6

AAFF HITS 56

Volunteer screeners push festival limits, P16

FRANNY CHOI & SAM SAX Dynamic poets light up Literati, P34

2017

2018

BEST OF

VISIT ECURRENT.COM TO PICK YOUR FAVORITE! See details on p 47

ecurrent.com / april 2018 3

Adams Street Publishing Co. What’s your favorite Happy Hour cocktail?  New Asian-themed restaurant to open in Mark’s Carts space Mana, co-owned by brothers Ryan and Thad Gillies, who also own the Logan restaurant in Ann Arbor, is set to open to new eatery in the space at 211 W. Washington St. in late spring or early summer. The menu will be inspired

by Chinese street food and so far includes make-your-own bowls of noodles, rice or quinoa with protein and a variety of toppings like pickled vegetables, and an Asian sandwich called roujiamo made in China for thousands of years.

Publisher/Editor in Chief

Collette Jacobs (cjacobs@toledocitypaper.com) VODKA TONIC EXTRA LIMES.

Co-publisher/Chief Financial Officer Mark I. Jacobs (mjacobs@toledocitypaper.com) A CONVERSATION WITH MY OLD FRIEND, JASPER DANIELS.

Editorial

Assignment Editor: Jeff Kass

(annarboreditor@adamsstreetpublishing.com) MOJITO!!

Associate Editor Athena Cocoves (athena@adamsstreetpublishing.com) DIRTY TITO’S MARTINI. EXTRA OLIVES. Calendar Editor, Staff Writer: Star Cohen (calendar@adamsstreetpublishing.com) DARK & STORMY. Contributing Writers: Karen Smyte, Sonny Forrest, Jeff Milo, Sandor Slomovits, Emily Slomovits, Patrick Flores-Scott, Beth Solberg, Cammie FInch, Vic Tanny.

Digital Media Tech Manager: Saul Jacobs (saul@adamsstreetpublishing.com) VODKA WITH MUDDLED LEMON. Web Guru: Ashley Boardman (digitalmedia@adamsstreetpublishing.com) MOSCOW MULE.

Art/Production  Massage Mechanics on the Move Just in time to celebrate its seventh anniversary, Massage Mechanics has moved from Depot Town to a new space in downtown Ypsilanti at 7 S. Washington St. Check out the new space at their open house from 6-9pm on Friday, April 6th.  Stovetop Roasters opens cafe in Braun Ct. Stovetop, a local coffee roasting business on Jackson Rd., is opening a cafe in the Below the Bar space at 327 Braun Ct. in Ann Arbor. The cafe is slated to feature signature drinks and will highlight a new coffee each weekend. Hours are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9am - 2pm.  French restaurant opens in former Creekside Grill space The Standard Bistro & Larder, now open at 5827 Jackson Rd. in Ann Arbor, has the meats.

The restaurant features whole-animal butchery and a meat-aging process and uses scraps and bones, un-used in main dishes, for stocks, including head butcher Sam Larson’s favorite French Onion soup. Some of the space is devoted to a retail area that features a full-service butcher shop, pastas, and baked goods so patrons can take home the restaurant’s ingredients to try out recipes themselves.

Production Manager: Imani Lateef (imani@adamsstreetpublishing.com) WHAT’S A COCKTAIL? Senior Designer: Leah Foley (leah@adamsstreetpublishing.com) BLOODY MARY SPICEY!! EXTRA OLIVES. Designers: Kelli Miller (kmiller@adamsstreetpublishing.com) CHEAP BEER SPECIALS. Anita Tipton (atipton@adamsstreetpublishing.com) A FANCY AND UNIQUE HOUSE COCKTAIL.

Advertising

Sales Catherine Bohr (a2sales@adamsstreetpublishing.com) VODKA SODA. Lewis Andrews (landrews@adamsstreetpublishing.com) CUMCUMBER MELON MARTINI. Sales Coordinator Jen Leach (sales@adamsstreetpublishing.com TITO’S TONIC & EXTRA LIME.

Administration Accounting: Robin Armstrong (rarmstrong@adamsstreetpublishing.com) JACK PINE GIN, TONIC, LIME.

© 2018-2019 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.

Also publishers of: Mature

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green corner

Bring on the Bees!

Ann Arbor, affectionately known as Tree Town, is also a Bee City, one of 69 across the U.S. that have committed to welcoming the pollinators. Ann Arbor’s Environmental Commission recently created a Pollinator Sub-Committee comprised of nonprofit, government, University of Michigan, and citizen representatives who are working together to plant pollinator-friendly species around the city and to eliminate the use of neonicotinoids, chemicals sprayed on lawns and ornamental plants that are toxic to pollinators. As 90% of all plants reproduce through pollination, and one in three bites of the food we eat is created thanks to pollination, helping bees and butterflies is great “pollincy”! —TB

For more information, contact Ann Arbor Natural Areas Preservation. 734-794-6627, a2gov.org

fyi

Professor Dr. Julian Agyeman lectures on “Just Sustainabilities” Dr. Julian Agyeman, Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University, is the originator of the concept of ‘just sustainabilities‘ - the full integration of social justice and sustainability. Defined as ‘the need to ensure a better quality of life for all, now and into the future, in a just and equitable manner, whilst living within the limits of supporting ecosystems,’ Agyeman discusses urban planning through the lens of environmental justice, addressing access to fresh food and public transportation as central to the sustainability of urban centers. —TB

4-5:30pm. Wednesday, March 14.

Samuel T. Dana Building, room 1040. Free. ecurrent.com / april 2018 5

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Current tracked down bartenders, beer mavericks and alcohol experts to get their takes on what it’s like to serve Washtenaw County’s beverage-imbibers.

Bartender, Logan Restaurant 115 W. Washington St., Ann Arbor 734-327-2312 logan-restaurant.com

What’s your favorite drink to prepare?

Our cucumber gimlet. It has a bit of everything, pickled cucumbers, muddling and shaking.

What’s a strange conversation you’ve had at the bar? A

regular of ours at the bar broke down about his business and his love-life, but being here made his day worthwhile.

What’s your favorite “man walks into a bar” joke?

Horse walks into a bar, the bartender says, hey, the horse says, sure.

What have you learned about life from the behind the bar? People are genuinely interested in what we do regarding

food and drink development, which is hard to actually get into while waiting tables. At the bar, I have time to show the guests what I'm working on.

Cameron Prudhomme

What do you wish customers at your bar knew about you? During the weekdays you generally do not need a

reservations to dine with us.

Other than your own establishment, where do you like to go for a drink? Old Town Tavern and Ravens Club.

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Bloody Marys

Is it really brunch without Mimosas and Bloody Marys?

Whether you’re after an over-the-top Bloody Mary or a deal on bottomless Mimosas, these local establishments can fill your glass.

Bona Sera Ypsilanti eatypsi.com

Saturdays & Sundays 10am-3pm

$10 Bloody Mary Bar with $1 refills. $8 Mimosas with $1 refills.

Vinology vinologya2.com

Saturdays & Sundays 10am-3pm

$15 Almost Bottomless Mimosa (limit of 6). $15 Almost Bottomless Bloody Mary (limit of 6).

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Mani Osteria maniosteria.com

Sundays 11am-2pm

$15 Mimosa Unlimited. $10 Bloody Mary.

Palate

Milford, MI palateofmilford.com

Saturdays & Sundays 10am-3om

$12 gets you a Bloody Mary and a trip to the fixin’s bar, featuring 150 lbs. of bacon as well as various other, unique accoutrements.

Grange Kitchen grangekitchenandbar.com Brunch Happy Hour

Sunday, 10am – 3pm

Bourbon and Bubbles, Mimosas, Michigan Marys, Brass Monkeys $5 all day in the bar.

Guy Hollerin’s Ann Arbor Bar & Grill hiannarbor.com

Sunday Bloody Sunday

$5 Absolut Bloody Marys all day!

Salt Springs Brewery Saline saltspringsbrewery.com

Saturdays & Sundays 11:30am-2:45pm

$7 Mimosa $6+ Michelada - choose from three different beers then pick your toppings including bacon, jalapenos and more.

Pretzel Bell thepretzelbell.com

$12 Infused Vodka Bloody Mary’s

Choose from Regular Titos, JalapenoThyme, Melon- Peppercorn, AppleRosemary, Garden-Garlic, CucumberCitrus and a wide variety of garnishes including pickles, bacon, meat sticks, pickled okra, pickled asparagus, cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and, of course, pretzel sticks.

Sidetrack Bar & Grill sidetrackbarandgrill.com

Sundays Changing Brunch 11am-3pm

$6 Bloody Mary with all fixings including 30 different hot sauces, meat, cheeses, celery. $6 Mimosas.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Brewed with real Happy Hour orange peels.

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The happiest of hours are often spent at local watering holes.

We’ve got a list of bars and restaurants that hook up the fattest deals on food and drinks during happy hour.

Alley Bar

alleybarannarbor.com

Giveback Thursdays

10% of monthly sales are donated to local nonprofits

The Earle theearle.com

Monday through Friday.

5pm – 8pm 20% off items on the wine bar (food) menu, as well as most beverages by the glass. 5pm – 6:30pm – Mussels steamed in white wine, with garlic and tomatoes for $3.75.

Wine Bar Specials Monday-Wednesday All Night: Draft beers $4; Whitefish entree $12 Thursday: Featured martinis $6

Old Town oldtownaa.com

HAPPY HOUR

Sunday & Monday: 10pm–12am Tuesday thru Thursday: 12am–2am 50% off select alcoholic beverages Mondays $1 off Michigan Made Alcohol

Aut Bar autbar.com

Gayest Happy Hour:

Tuesday-Friday 4pm-7pm Half Priced Appetizers $5 Craft Cocktail of the Day

Haab’s

Ypsilanti haabsrestaurant.com

Monday-Friday 4pm-7pm

Bar Area only Food specials $2-$4 Select Bottled Beers $2-$3 Select Wine $3 Well drinks $3 Select cocktails $4

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Red Rock Barbecue Ypsilanti redrockypsi.com

Everyday 3pm-6pm and 9pm-close

Food specials with highlights of $5 wings and a $5 burger $2 off beer

Aubree’s pizzeria & grill

Two Ypsilanti locations aubrees.com

3-6pm & 9pm-Close Every Day

$6 Calzones $5 Feta Bread $2.50 Domestic and $5 Craft beers

Old German

oldgerman.net $12 Special Nights MONDAY

$12 Endless Goulash Hearty stew and a half liter of your favorite Old German beer TUESDAY

$12 Perch Fry Crispy pan-fried perch, spaetzle, half liter of beer WEDNESDAY

$12 Stroganoff Featuring a different recipe every week for the classic comfort food - plus a half liter of beer.

Thursdays Karaoke 10pm-

2am with Late Night Happy Hour with 1/2 off Wine and Well; 1/2 off food until 11pm and $3 shot specials. See website for additional happy hours.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION CONT'D FROM P6

Lori

Rusinowski

Bartender, Guy Hollerin’s 600 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor 734-769-4323

What’s a strange conversation you’ve had at the bar?

One recent strange conversation was people keeping their relatives’, or pets’ ashes in their homes...ended up involving most everyone at the bar, and we really had some laughs over an off topic..:) What stands out about the bargoing experience at your establishment? We have such a diverse group of customers,

from regulars who live nearby, to regulars who travel here regularly, to the people who are here for the hospital, to the people just out having fun. I have met so many interesting and wonderful people, some of whom I now call friends. You never really know what people are going through, and if you give them a chance to talk it makes their day, or helps them to feel better. It helps me to walk a mile in their shoes...

What’s the hardest part of your job? I think the hardest

part is when you have belligerent customers who want nothing but to pick fights with others (and I am) trying to keep everyone cool. I sometimes wish people would understand my colleagues and I are serious about our jobs. We all work hard and are not just "bartenders" or "waitresses.” We take our jobs just as seriously as others, and should be treated that way.

Other than your own establishment, where do you like to go for a drink? The local places near my house. We have

The Laundry, The Cheesecake Factory, or my living room.

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Kelsey Tinkle

Bartender, Heidelberg, Agave, Siris

200 Block N. Main St., Ann Arbor The200Block.com dine@the200block.com What’s your favorite drink to prepare? Prickly

pear margarita because it's a fruity, refreshing cocktail that reminds me of the summer time.

What’s a strange conversation you’ve had at the bar? This happened

while I was drinking, not serving. A drunk airline pilot spent an hour explaining things like how even a brick will fly if it has enough thrust, then left for the men's room, changed into his uniform, and left to board an airliner.

What’s stands out about the bar-going experience at your establishment?

10

Aside from having a few really solid bartenders and a fun crew, probably the sheer volume of our offerings. Who else locally has over 120 craft taps in one place, or over a hundred tequilas? april

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What’s your favorite “man walks into a bar” joke? A sandwich walks into

a bar. The bartender looks up and says "Sorry, we don't serve food here" What have you learned about life from the behind the bar? People trust their

bartender more than they trust their therapist.

What’s the hardest part of your job? Cutting people

off. I wish people knew when enough is enough.

Other than your own establishment, where do you like to go for a drink?

Locally, it's a toss-up between Bab's and Alley Bar. Both places have such great crews that care about their craft, and they just create a great vibe.

You can tell when people love what they're doing!

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Jacqueline

Williams

Bartender, Ollie Food & Spirits 42 E. Cross St., Ypsilanti 734-482-8050 ollieypsi.com

What’s your favorite drink to prepare? I love the classics.

Hard to say a favorite, but something like a Manhattan, because even though it’s a very simple recipe, minor changes can alter the whole profile. I like playing with small amounts of amaros and different bitters to work in subtleties for a new take on an old favorite.

What’s a strange conversation you’ve had at the bar?

I like to talk about big issues—economic policy and impending freshwater shortages. Those things can draw out a lot of strange, yet worthwhile conversations. I always try to read people, though.

I’ve had just as many informative and hilarious conversations about dogs.

What’s stands out about the bar-going experience at your establishment? The attention to detail we give to each

cocktail. Every pour is measured, and nearly every drink is strawtested for consistency and quality. There are a lot of places to get a drink, but attention to detail, well-chosen spirits, and creative builds really set us apart.

What’s your favorite “man walks into a bar” joke?

Horse walks into a bar. Bartender says, “Why the long face?” …Classic.

What have you learned about life from behind the bar?

Other than your own establishment, where do you like to go for a drink? I love wine, so I like Spencer in Ann Arbor.

They also have fantastic food.

Receive free delivery or 10% off cash only pickups when you order at silviositalianfood.com

More than anything, people want to feel heard, and they know when you are pretending to listen. Allowing a person the space to tell you their truth will open up an opportunity for becoming a better human, for both the talker and the listener.

(Offer expires April 20, 2018)

What do you wish customers at your bar knew about you? I work in the non-profit sector during the day doing prison

work, and it’s hard. Sometimes, like everyone, I need a little patience because things are weighing heavy on me. I try my best to leave it at the door, but we are all human, and kindness and courtesy from customers goes a long way.

715 N University Ave, Downtown Ann Arbor 734-214-6666

chef-owned & operated since 2004

offering

chef tasting menu • local farm produce small estate biodynamic wines & craft cocktails Hours: Tue-Sat 5pm-10pm 115 W. Washington Downtown Ann Arbor • 734.327.2312 • logan-restaurant.com ecurrent.com / april 2018 11

Wedding

With wedding season bursting into bloom, Current reached out to three couples who married in the past year to hear their tips on securing venues; finding flowers, music and food; and on what made their weddings special.

guide

Quentin Married April 29, 2017

Who popped the question?

He did.

During the wedding planning process, did you ever want to elope and just get it over with?

Yes, but we wanted family to celebrate with us.

PHOTO CREDIT: SUDEEP STUDIO

How did you two meet?

Church.

Three words to describe your partner: Blessing, beautiful, soulmate.

What was your first impression of your partner?

Confident and gorgeous.

What was it like seeing her walk down the aisle? Deepest joy.

Was your wedding big or small? Small size, we just wanted family and close friends.

Three words to describe your partner: Faith in God, rock, soulmate.

What made your wedding special? Formalizing our long relationship.

What was your first impression of your partner? Jolly, simple.

Tell me about your dress!

Classic, beautiful.

Cake/sweets So Lovely, Inc (Ypsilanti, facebook/slovelyinc).

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Wedding and reception venue Sheraton Hotel (3200 Boardwalk Dr., Ann Arbor, 734-996-0600, sheratonannarbor.com).

Live pain and stress free

New Client Special

PHOTO CREDIT: SUDEEP STUDIO

$20 off your first massage

Flowers So Lovely, Inc.

Photographer Sudeep Studio.

Specializing in wedding and portrait photography with a classic and timeless style, Sudeep’s background in painting and journalism give him his images a freshness and dynamism that capture the spirit of his subjects.

Wedding coordinator?

So Lovely, Inc.

Pain Management | Relaxation | Pre-Post-Natal | Sports Massage Lymphatic Massage | Ashiatsu | Craniosacral Therapy

Dinner/catering Sheraton Hotel.

Body Conscious LLC

Music/entertainment Provided by family friend.

BodyConsciousMassageTherapy.com • (734) 929-5930

2201 Medford Road • Ann Arbor, MI 48104

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Wedding reception venue Zingerman’s Greyline (100 N. Ashley St., Ann Arbor, 734-230-2300, zingermansgreyline.com).

How did you meet? We went to the same high school (Greenhills

Wedding venue Ann Arbor Art Center (117 W. Liberty St., Ann Arbor). The art on the wall where the ceremony took place was part of a community art installation which allowed anyone, specifically catered to families and children, to come and color the wall. It was beautiful and we loved the integration of the Ann Arbor community as a backdrop to our ceremony.

Dinner/catering The Greyline chef created a locally sourced and seasonal feast.

Wedding coordinator My mom and I! We had a blast.

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Flowers - Angie Ebert from Bluehill Flower Farm did an amazing job. I cried with joy when I saw the flower arrangements! (bluehillflowerfarm.com) Photographer The amazing and hilarious Heather Jowett (1734, Abbot Ave., Ann Arbor, 757-329-1046, heatherjowett.com).

Heather Jowett creates intimate wedding and portrait photography that captures the beauty of your love story with singular style.

Hair & Makeup Imagine3 Beauty Studio (201 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor, 734-5280922, i3beautystudio.com).

Music/entertainment DJ LuFru (Luke Frutig, 734-330-6857, lufru.com).

2018 / ecurrent.com

School in Ann Arbor) but didn’t start dating until we reconnected as undergrads at UM.

Describe your wedding: An intimate and fun celebration of love! About 100 people. We wanted the people we love the most in the world and who we knew would continue to be a part of our lives for the long haul.

What made your wedding special? Being surrounded by

your best friends and family is the most amazing feeling. We also stayed true to who we are and focused on what was important to us, and that showed in all aspects of our wedding day. We tried to stay as local, sustainable and seasonal as possible. We chose flowers and food that were seasonal and locally sourced from Michigan farmers, featured beer from our favorite local breweries, and hired vendors who were from the area. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Also, our best man and maid of honor are siblings. Before Malcolm and I knew each other, we were both simultaneously best friends with the VanHemert siblings. They are the funniest people we know. Our wonderful friend from college officiated our wedding, and Malcolm’s Aunt and Uncle did readings during the ceremony. Intimate, honest, funny and emotional, it was perfect.

PHOTO CREDIT: HEATHER JOWETT

PHOTO CREDIT: HEATHER JOWETT

Married August 19, 2017

NOW OPEN!!!

ORDER ONLINE

Dickeys.com Delivery thru

Meat smoked on-site daily Home of the endless drink refill, the Big Yellow Cup Kids eat free on Sunday

*12 and under - 1 child per $10 Adult purchase

Decor My mom and I did everything ourselves with many items sourced from Hollander’s paper supply in Kerrytown (410 N. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor, 734-741-7531, hollanders.com).

Invitations Rock Paper Scissors (216 S. Main St., Ann Arbor, 734-531-6264, rockpaperscissorsshop.com).

Rehearsal dinner Zingerman’s Roadhouse (2501 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor) with farm fresh flowers from the garden of Amanda Meurmann (Gnome Grown Flower Farm, 4705 N. Delhi Rd., Ann Arbor).

Cookies from Zingerman’s Bakehouse (3711 Plaza Dr., Ann Arbor).

Sunday Brunch EAT Catering (1906 Packard St., Ann Arbor, 734-213-7011, eatannarbor.com).

PHOTO CREDIT: HEATHER JOWETT

3500 Washtenaw Ave. | Ann Arbor, MI (Across from Arborland) | 734.263.0436

Rings Custom designed matching gold bands from Urban Jewelers in Ann Arbor (since closed).

Afterparty Bab’s Underground (213 S. Ashley St., Ann Arbor, 734-9970800, babsannarbor.com).

Cake/sweets - we opted out of cake. Instead, the chef at The Greyline created a desert served immediately after dinner that included handmade raspberry and lemon sorbet with an almond biscotti. Our late night snack included an array of Washtenaw Dairy Donuts – Malcolm’s favorite donut shop since childhood.

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PHOTO CREDIT: SUD

EEP STU DIO

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Married May 24, 2017

Three words to describe your partner: Faith in God, beautiful, driven.

DEEP STU

DIO

What was your first impression of your partner? Beautiful.

REDIT: SU

What was it like seeing her walk down the aisle? I cried.

PHOTO C

Wedding reception venue: Kensington Hotel (3500 S. State St., Ann Arbor, 734-761-7800, kcourtaa.com).

How did you meet?

University Lutheran Chapel.

Who popped the question? He did.

Three words to describe your partner: Faith in God, handsome.

What was your first impression of your partner? God loving, “Rock” as

in rock solid person, soul mate.

Wedding venue: St. Luke Lutheran Church (4205 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, stlukeaa.org).

Cake/Sweets: Sweet Heather Anne (920 N. Main St., Ann Arbor, 734-913-2025, sweetheatheranne.com).

Heather Anne’s background in fine art and love of local food inspires her elegant and whimsical cake creations. She and her team of cake artists make highly personalized cakes and sweets for events of every kind.

Three words to describe your expectations for the wedding: Joy, family, fun.

Photographer: Sudeep Studio (1527 Packard St., Ann Arbor, 734-769-0014, sudeepstudio.com).

Music/entertainment: ANI Band.

Catering & Carry-Out

1906 packard st 734.213.7011

Now booking events for 2018 and 2019!

@eatannarbor

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Flowers: Sweet Pea Floral Design (122 S. Main St., Ann Arbor, 734-717-8684, sweetpfloral.com) specializes in thoughtful, unique, and modern floral designs. They especially love to create bouquets and unique floral decor for weddings in Southeast Michigan.

PHOTO CREDIT: SUDEEP STUDIO

Honest food made from scratch daily

Three words to describe the wedding itself: Awesome, my dream, parents.

feature Michigan Flower Growers’ Co-op Blooms Weekly market offers fresh alternatives to imports

By Trilby Becker

Foxy Fox Trot, Renown Unique and Sensual Touch are some of the provocative names on the marquee this week at the Michigan Flower Growers’ Cooperative. The co-op, which opens this month through October, has grown from a desire for a convenient flowershopping experience to compete with the seduction of online shopping where, in a few clicks, buyers can order flowers, with next day delivery, from anywhere in the world. The market also offers day passes for DIY brides and others who need flowers for a single event.

“We are so excited to offer a one-stop shop for wholesale buyers who want beautiful, freshly cut flowers and foliage from local growers but have struggled to find them,” says Amanda Maurmann, a floral grower and designer, who is a Board Member and co-founder of the co-op.

The impact of the War on Drugs

Fifty years ago, America grew its own flowers. Thousands of farms across the country grew soft-petaled, fragrant heirloom and native garden blooms for everything from simple table bouquets to elaborate wedding arrangements. Imported flowers were a luxury out of reach for all but the wealthiest buyers. Today, America imports 80% of its flowers, largely— strangely enough— because of efforts to combat the global spread of heroin. To curb the opium trade, the U.S. government spent billions of dollars creating and promoting Colombia’s floral industry. Once established, industrial flower farms proliferated throughout South and Central America to meet America’s demand for inexpensive blooms, while America’s once-thriving flower farms became collateral damage. Generations of Americans have grown up on new varieties of flowers that produce quickly and can withstand long trips without water.

These rugged flowers, often sprayed with toxic pesticides or rinsed in disinfectant, before being wrapped in multiple layers of packaging, travel thousands of miles, frequently arriving smelling like Tupperware.

Mirroring the Local Food Movement

In the past fifteen years, the local food movement has seen thousands of local farms spring up across the country to meet demand for fresh meats and vegetables by an educated and discerning public with concerns about where their food comes from. And now the local flower movement is beginning to bloom.

Many vegetable farmers also grow flowers, and are discovering that, despite the low cost of imports, flowers can rank among their most valuable crops.

According to the USDA, the number of U.S. farms growing flowers increased 14% between 2007 and 2015. For small acreage farms with annual sales between $10,000 and $500,000, floriculture has become the most profitable crop. Michigan is in the top five states nationally for flower production and has the infrastructure in place to increase its share of the market. The Ann Arbor and greater Detroit metro areas, with the large number of universities, hospitals, and corporations, as well as a growing wedding industry, present a strong floral market. As consumption of local food has become more mainstream, interest in local flowers has also grown, with many customers requesting that florists use local blooms, or sourcing flowers directly from farmers for their own DIY arrangements.

Local growers also find the co-op a boon to their business plans.

“Before the market opened, I spent more time in my car delivering flowers than I did growing them,” says co-op member and flowerfarmer Michael Rodriguez. “The market takes a 30% commission, but I come out ahead because of the time I save on marketing and delivery.”

Wednesdays, 8am -11am. April 11th through October 24th.

2401 S. Industrial Highway, in Ann Arbor.

Miflowers.com, @miflowercoop.

ecurrent.com / april 2018 17

feature

When it Comes to Gun Control, Youth Won’t Take No For an Answer Local students feel the power of speaking up

by Karen Smyte

Honor. Educate. Act.

Sarah Lewis had clear goals for the “Die-in” protest against gun violence she spearheaded recently at Ann Arbor’s downtown Liberty Plaza. Inspired by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas student protest in D.C. after the shooting in their Parkland, Florida school February 14th, the Pioneer junior says she “wanted to do something similar, and not only to have people lie down, but also to have opportunities for people to become engaged and take actions to make change.”

Vision achieved. Hundreds of students and local residents gathered under sunny skies for the event on Saturday, March 3.

In a moving tribute, attendees were invited to lie down on the ground for six minutes, the approximate duration of the Parkland shooting, while local students read the names of the 17 killed and 15 others injured, along with the names of 33 additional child and teen casualties resulting from shootings that occurred in the time between the Parkland shooting and the protest.

“We are finished with our leaders’ indifference to a problem that takes innocent lives every single day...”

— Clara Nunez-Regueiro, Junior at Pioneer High School.

Josie Leydenfrost, Junior at Pioneer High School.

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Atticus Tanguay, Junior at Pioneer High School.

Lizzie Williams, Junior at Pioneer High School.

Civic engagement the key to change

Before and after the “Die-in,” student speakers and local officials advocated for stricter gun regulations, and for all present to become engaged in civic life – both those of voting age and those not yet 18.

As Meg Goldberg, a Pioneer junior and co-organizer of the event, says, “Although this is a visual representation, we want people to take action because that is the way to really make change.”

Lewis urges people not old enough to vote to believe they have power. “If you can’t register to vote,” she says, you can still “contact your local and national government and elected officials to make your voice heard.”

Embracing the moment, but giving credit to others who built it

One thing local youth want to make clear is that while they feel the power of the zeitgeist, and want to fully utilize that energy, they also want to recognize that other people have been speaking up for a long time. In remarks before the “Die-in,” Pioneer junior Clara Nunez-Regueiro offered historical context to the event.

“The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s was what propagated what we now know as the “sit-in” or the “lie-in” protest,” she said.

“The Chicano Student Walkouts of the 1960’s were a factor in the now-iconic student walkout protest. The AIDS crisis of the 1980’s was what propagated what we know now as the “die-in” protest. august

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“We are finished with our leaders’ indifference to a problem that takes innocent lives every single day,” says Nunez-Regueiro. “We will not be silenced and we will never be placated with thoughts and prayers. We must hold those who are complicit in the facilitation of gun violence accountable. We are responsible for creating the change we need to see.”

Learn how two Ann Arbor teens defend their community against harsh immigration enforcement actions exclusively online @

are The kids h square

Liam Keating, an Ann Arbor Skyline High School Senior, is emphatic that congress must not ignore public sentiment. “While it’s important to make sure people are safe in schools and enact policies to (ensure that),” he explains, “there are many people who think there are too many guns in the first place, that we shouldn’t be needing to put metal detectors and security guards at the front of schools. Why should school be a dangerous place? There need to be policies enacted at a higher level that aren’t only about securing schools, but securing our country.”

Lewis stresses the youth movement isn’t about repealing the second amendment, but rather “making sure these weapons of war and mass killings are not getting into the hands of dangerous people.” Would arming teachers help? “Teachers with guns. That would be awful.”

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Why should school be a dangerous place?

2017| FRE

CULTUR | ART |

MUSIC

Black Lives Matter has been avidly using the “die-in” protest since 2012. The history books are bound to acknowledge the student gun control movement of the 2010’s, but we owe it to our predecessors to acknowledge we are but a part of the road others paved for us.”

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ecurrent.com / april 2018 19

food

Building Friendships at Red Brick Kitchen Dexter restaurant attracts regulars with tasty food and family atmosphere

When Peter Landrum opened Red Brick Kitchen eight years ago, his vision was to create, “without being too corny, a local family-friendly spot you could be comfortable coming to a couple times a week.” He’s been successful, it seems, as he describes his clientele as “70% regulars who keep coming back.”

Jill Fyke, a teacher at Mill Creek Middle School, is one of them. She heads to Red Brick a couple times a month with colleagues on Friday afternoons after school. “The atmosphere is relaxed, and the service is great,” she says. “The pickle chips are amazing, they have great sandwiches, and the spiced chickpea appetizer made me want to go home and make them.”

From the top

That awesome service starts with Landrum himself, who typically puts in 75-80 hours a week doing set-up and working behind the bar. Though he’s often busy, he says many of the hours don’t feel like work. “I love meeting people,” he explains. “This town’s great. People come to me with their issues, problems and praises as well. I’ve gained some great friends through this place.”

Much of the staff consists of “local kids who went through Dexter High School,” including Cody Wisely, the Executive Chef, who originally started as a dishwasher. One of his popular specialties is the PEI Mussel appetizer (steamed in white wine, garlic & butter). The ten-dollar portion is generous and the flavor is tangy and savory. “They’re something we started serving more as a personal liking for myself,” Landrum explains, “and they’ve always been a big hit. We have lots of variations, especially in the summer months (when the back deck is open) and we serve them Oberonsteamed. We’ve taken them off the menu before and we’ve gotten some friendly backlash.”

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Peter Landrum.

PHOTO CREDIT: KAREN SMYTE.

by Jeff Kass

Other savory specialties include a lovely slate of fresh salads and soups, a sandwich selection that includes the Drunk Grilled Cheese (beer-braised onions, cheddar, provolone on toasted brioche) and a truly wonderful Cuban Sandwich (pork tenderloin, applewood bacon, ham, pickles, swiss cheese, spicy mustard on rustic Italian bread). Generously plated main courses are highlighted by the outstanding Seared Salmon (with wild mushroom truffled risotto) a Rustic Tuscan Pasta (penne, amish chicken, applewood bacon, tomato, asparagus, white wine, garlic, spicy red pepper flakes) and a heaping portion of Beef Nachos (homemade tortilla chips, cheddar queso, seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, onion, tomato, fresh jalapeno, crema, cilantro).

Vegetarian, gluten-free and kids’ menu options are also available.

Bar selections

The bar, around which much of the social warmth is centered, offers a combination of classic cocktails with weekly new

“creative innovations.” The eight taps flow only with Michigan-brewed craft beers. Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 3-6pm and features various drink, wine, beer and food specials. Landrum, full of energy as he mixes drinks and pours glasses of beer and wine behind that bar, continues something of a family tradition.

Peter started working in the restaurant business with his father and brother Robert, who owns Cafe Felix in Ann Arbor. David, another brother, owns Two Janes Distillery in Corktown in Detroit.

“None of us really liked the 9-5 cubicle perspective,” Landrum says. “Meeting new people every day, hearing new stories, that’s what makes work fun.”

Red Brick Kitchen 8093 Main St., Dexter.

734-424-0420, redbrickkitchen.com.

Ongoing

6 Friday Do Good Date Night

Mondays

6pm. $25. Cornman Farms. zingermanscommunity.com

Pizza Monday

7:30pm. Beer Grotto. beergrotto.com. Free

Have a fun night out while making a difference in the community. Provide support to SOS, an organization that promotes housing stability and family self-sufficiency, by sending handwritten thank you notes to their volunteers. Beer, wine and appetizers will be included.

Enjoy a free slice of Domino’s Deep-Dish Pizza and a wide beer selection.

Tuesdays

Wine Special

All Day. Bigalora. bigalora.com

Enjoy 50% off all wine bottles.

Wednesdays

Wing Wednesday

11am-1pm. Lucky’s Market. luckysmarket.com

Get over hump-day with housemade wings! Dine in the cafe with a beer, or take home for a ready made meal!

​Wine Night Wednesdays 4-10pm. E​ vans Street Station. evansstreetstation.com

Enjoy 1/2 off bottles of wine from the Evans Street list! Can’t finish the bottle? You can have it corked and wrapped up to take home. Bottles available for retail purchase as well.

Fridays

Pub Food Fridays

11am. Lucky’s Market Ann Arbor. luckysmarket.com

Pub food specials including Local Beer Battered Fish n Chips, the House Smoked Turkey Reuben, House Cut Fries, and pints!

Drink & Draw

4pm-7pm. Pointless Brewery & Theatre. pointlessbrew.com. Free

Unwind from the workweek and flex your creative muscles while enjoying exclusive Pointless craft beers. Writing and drawing prompts, doodle starters, colored pencils and markers all provided.

Woodfired Pizza at Cultivate

5pm. Cultivate Coffee & TapHouse. cultivateypsi.com

Enjoy special pop-up Wood Fired Pizza at Cultivate on Friday evenings.

Sundays

Beer & Board Games

4pm-7pm. Pointless Brewery & Theatre. pointlessbrew.com. Free

Play board games while enjoying brewed-on-site craft beer!

Games are provided, but feel free to bring along your own.

1 Sunday Easter Sunday Brunch

10am. $16.50-$37. The Polo Fields. polofieldsccmi.com

Enjoy a variety of selections including breakfast, salads, entrees, a carving station, kid-friendly items, desserts and more. The Easter Bunny will be visiting for the kids!

Ring in Spring with Oberon dinner at Ollie’s

7 Saturday

Ollie Food and Spirits invites you to an evening of seasonal plates paired with Bell’s beers. Chef Travis Schuster is creating a special four-course menu featuring locally-sourced ingredients, each paired with a limited edition Bell’s brew to bring out the lighter flavors of spring. Beer selections include Oberon Habanero Mango and Bach from the Larry’s Latest series. —TB

5:30pm. Monday, April 2. 42 E. Cross St. Ypsilanti.

734-482-8050 ollieypsi.com

Easter Sunday Buffet

10am. $12.95-$34.95. Evans Street Station. evansstreetstation.com

This delightful buffet will offer a great variety of dishes including shrimp cocktail, prime rib, eggs benedict, grilled salmon, and Vermont white cheddar macaroni and cheese.

Easter Brunch

11am. $12-$30. Relish Ann Arbor. kcourtaa.com

Celebrate Easter over a delicious meal! There will be an omelet station as well as a carving station for prime rib and baked ham.

Other buffet items will include pancakes, french toast, waffles, salads, desserts, and a station featuring kid-friendly items like chicken tenders and macaroni

2 Monday

and cheese.

Oberon Beer Dinner

5:30pm. $45-$80. Ollie Food and Spirits. ollieypsi.com

Cocktail hour begins at 5:30pm with dinner at 6:30pm. Menu items will feature a Mango Habanero Oberon with shrimp ceviche, the Oberon classic with roasted apricot pulled pork, and Larry’s Latest Bock with a homemade fig newton & bay leaf ice cream sandwich. Visit the website for a full menu.

Celebrating the French Quarter

6:30pm. $75. Sur La Table. surlatable.com

Cover the essentials of New Orleans cooking. Make dishes including Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo, Classic Shrimp and Grits, and Old School Bananas Foster. Plus, practice flambéing to create the quintessential French Quarter dessert.

Perennial Herbs

7pm. Matthaei Botanical Gardens. events.umich.edu. Free

President of the Herb Study Group, Madolyn Kaminski, will present the historical and moderns uses of perennial herbs in both culinary and medicinal disciplines.

3 Tuesday Fresh and Healthy Mexican 6:30pm. $75. Sur La Table. surlatable.com

Learn how to make healthy alternatives to traditional Mexican fare. Dishes will include Shredded Chicken Sopes with Tomatillo Sauce, Perfect Refried Black Beans, and a PineappleLime Sorbet.

Eat It to Save It: Slow Foods’ Ark of Taste 10am. $5. Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living. projectgrowgardens.org

Learn how to save delicious and distinctive foods from extinction.

Explore heritage foods that are significant to class participants’ own cultural and culinary background. Also, enjoy samples of Ark of Taste foods! Participants will each receive seeds for their gardens.

GlobeMed’s 10th Annual Benefit Brunch

11am-2pm. $12-$15. Palmer Commons at U-M. globemed.org

Enjoy a delicious brunch and learn more about GlobeMed and its’ partners; Joy-Southfield Community Development Corporation (Detroit) and Green Umbrella (Cambodia). Hear from speakers from U-M and Detroit as they discuss global health equity and social justice issues.

Springtime in Havana with Aguanko benefiting Bountiful Harvest

7pm. $15-$50. Crystal Gardens Banquet Center. bountifulharvest-mi.org

North Peak Cherry Pit Spitting Contest

Join for a cash bar, appetizers, desserts and music with Latin Jazz band, Springtime in Havana with Aguanko. Proceeds will aid in obtaining a building for Bountiful Harvest and help feed the needy in Livingston County.

Join in on a cherry pit spitting contest and enjoy craft beer from North Peak Brewing! There will be prizes for winners and participants.

Cocktail Class: All About Bitters

4 Wednesday 6pm. Beer Grotto. beergrotto.com. Free

Spaghetti Dinner

6pm. $7. Zal Gaz Grotto Club. zalgaz.org

Enjoy a special all you can eat spaghetti dinner! The chef will prepare two sauces (red meat and vegetarian) with salad and garlic bread.

5 Thursday Kombucha Brewing Class 5pm. $20. Unity Vibration. unityvibrationkombucha.com

5pm. $45. The Last Word. tammystastings.com

This class will focus on bitters, from the classics like Angostura and Peychaud’s to modern creations. Guest speaker Mike Fair from Michigan’s Black Ink Bitters will provide samples and talk about the creative process.

9 Monday Lovely Weeknight Dinners

7pm. $75. Sur La Table. surlatable.com

Learn to brew Kombucha Tea with Rachel, Unity Vibrations Cofounder and Brewmaster!

CONT’D ON P21

8 Sunday

Discover one-pan meals ready in time for weeknight dinner rush.

Learn techniques for searing, roasting, pan frying, stir frying and more.

ecurrent.com / april 2018 21

Arabic Food Demonstration

Well of the Sea

Engage in Arab-American Heritage month by learning techniques for making Northern Syrian dishes with Exotic Bakery owner Hannan ElKhatib. She will share her expertise for making food that is both healthy and tasty. This program is in partnership with the Arab American Parents Association of AAPS.

Dive into the history of Well of the Sea; acclaimed seafood restaurant that was located in Chicago’s Hotel Sherman between 1948-1972. Travel back in time with cuisine, recipes, restaurant reviews, menus, distinct dinnerware, architecture and interior design from the famous establishment.

3pm. Malletts Creek Branch. aadl.org. Free

7pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

10 Tuesday

Farmers and patrons meet-and-greet

Ypsilanti Farmers Market 3pm. Ypsilanti Farmer Markets. growinghope.net. Free

Shop for local goods while the market is indoors! Find seasonal produce, eggs, baked goods, jewelry and more.

Dosvidanya Russian Imperial Stout

6pm. Beer Grotto. beergrotto.com. Free

Indulge in the decadent flavors of this special imperial stout, with notes of dark chocolate, toffee, black cherries, and coffee. The grotto will have the most recent batch on tap along with a ‘16 vintage and ‘17 variant (rye barrel-aged with coffee).

LATF Series: Dinner & A Movie

6:30pm. St. Mary Student Parish. icpj.org. Free

Share a delicious dinner and enjoy a film pertaining to current Latin American issues.

Dinner option for $8 includes one tamale with salsa, organic casamiento, fried plantains, and curtido (veg. option available). RSVP to reserve your meal.

Coming Back to My Other Home w/Chef Ji Hye Kim

7pm. $75. Zingerman’s Roadhouse. events. zingermanscommunity.com

Chef Ji Hye Kim will pay homage to her two culinary homes; Korea and Zingerman’s Roadhouse. The menu will feature dishes like LA galbi, bibimbob, kimchi, silken tofu stew, mini burgers with Korean toppings, and a matcha chiffon cake from Zingerman’s Bakehouse.

The Whole Truth About Whole Grains 7pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Take a deep look into the nature of grains and nature’s design for them.

Discover the remarkable powers of this natural uncooked diet. This event is in partnership with the People’s Food Co-Op.

11 Wednesday The Well-Dressed Salad with Keegan Rodgers 7pm. West Branch Library. aadl.org. Free

Keegan C. Rodgers, Head Baker at the People’s Food Co-Op, will teach several basic salad dressing combi-

22

april

The Ann Arbor Farmers Market will host a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farmer meet and greet, where potential patrons can learn about CSA opportunities directly from Ann Arbor Farmers Market vendors. A CSA membership is essentially a farm subscription service. Members buy a share of a season’s worth of vegetables, meats, milk, or flowers in advance, providing farmers with the funds they need to grow their products. Members then pick up their share of the harvest each week. Ann Arbor Farmers Market vendors’ CSA members can conveniently pick up their food every week at the farmers market. – TB

Saturday, April 21 8am–3pm, 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor,. a2gov.org nations, how to properly dress a salad, and how to get the right texture and consistency with all-natural ingredients.

12 Thursday April Showers bring JP sours!

5pm-11:45pm. World of Beer. worldofbeer.com. Free

Savor an evening with one of America’s first and one of the world’s most highly regarded producers of sour beer, Jolly Pumpkin of Dexter, MI. The draft list will include the Roja Du Kriek (sour amber ale w/MI cherry juice), and the Aquamarine Dream (sour saison w/fruit), among others.

13 Friday Yoga & Tea Social

10:30am. $25. Finding Roots. findingroots.net

Participate in very gentle, beginner yoga to build strength and flexibility! Join in discussion during a Q&A and relax with a tea social after. Participants will receive a 50% off coupon for a private yoga class with Bracha, The Yoga Creative. Ages 18+.

Detroit Whisky Festival

6-10pm. $25-$50. Eastern Market, Shed 3. pulpdetroit.com

Explore the very best in whiskeys, bourbons, and ryes from around the world. This second annual festival will feature Spirit Tasting Stations, where attendees can meet representatives from well-known brands.

Receive 12 beverage samples with admission.

2018 / ecurrent.com

French Macarons 101 with Keegan Rodgers 7pm. Ann Arbor Pittsfield Branch Library. aadl.org. Free

Keegan C. Rodgers, Head Baker at the People’s Food Co-Op, leads this workshop on how to make macarons! The ingredients, instructions, and proper storage will all be covered in this class.

14 Saturday YpsiKiwanis Pancake Breakfast

7:30am-1pm. $4-$8. First United Methodist Church of Ypsilanti. ypsilantikiwanis.weebly.com

Support the Kiwanis Club of Ypsilanti by enjoying an all you can eat breakfast with gourmet pancakes, sausage, applesauce, coffee, and tea! The club is dedicated to providing support to youth by addressing the needs of the community.

15 Sunday Haab’s Dining for Dollars

11am. Haab’s Restaurant. ypsilibrary.org. Free

Support the library by dining at Haab’s! 10% of the cost of your meal will be donated to the Ypsilanti Library.

Creamery Production Tour

11am-12pm. $10. Zingerman’s Creamery. events.zingermanscommunity.com

Take an hour-long adventure to learn how local milk is transformed into delicious cheese and gelato. Taste some of the collection of cow’s milk and goat’s milk cheeses while learning about the process directly from the makers.

16 Monday Showcase & Taste of Plymouth

5pm-8pm. $10. The Inn at St. John’s. plymouthmich.org

Enjoy the best of the Plymouth community, all under one roof!

Sample food from 20 local restaurants, visit 75 business exhibitors, win prizes from the exhibitors and honor local community service award winners.

17 Tuesday Food Literacy for All: Course Synthesis 6:30pm. Angell Hall - Aud B. events.umich.edu. Free

Take part in this communityacademic partnership course at U-M. Structured as an evening lecture series, each class will feature different guest speakers address diverse challenges and opportunities of both domestic and global food systems.

18 Wednesday Blind Tasting Mini-Workshop: Red Wines

7pm-8pm. $15. Michigan By The Bottle Tasting Room. michiganbythebottle.com

Join for a fun, casual workshop exploring how to identify the various flavor and aroma profiles of red wines. Learn how to narrow them down through deductive tasting. More than just a “parlor trick,” blind tasting helps you zero in on and appreciate the nuances in your wines.

19 Thursday Cheers for Children Breakfast

8am-9am. Ann Arbor City Club. washtenawchildren.org. Free

Enjoy breakfast with a sense of community as the Washtenaw Area Council for Children raises awareness about their work preventing child abuse and neglect in Washtenaw County.

20 Friday Korean Fried Chicken Dinner

10am. $75. Sur La Table. surlatable.com

Learn techniques to make your own Koreatown Fried Chicken with Garlic Glaze, Korean-Style Potato Salad with Apples, and Soy and Kimchi-Braised Kale.

CONT’D ON P24

Peek into the minds of area culinary arbiters in each issue as local chefs share their unique perspective on Washtenaw County’s dining and hospitality culture.

Chris Huey Brecon Grille & Pub

by Sonny Forrest

An onomastic homage to Saline’s Welsh sister city, Brecon Grille & Pub (101 W Michigan Ave, Saline) showcases its robust Michiganbrewed beer selection alongside thoughtfully executed kitchen specialties including Deep Fried Brussel Sprouts with diced bacon and Bleu cheese Balsamic, House Braised Corned Michigan Beef Reuben with slaw (or sauerkraut), Swiss cheese on swirled rye and from-scratch “fancy” sauce, or the everclassic Fish & Chips.

Brecon Grille Chef Chris Huey shares his all-time favorite meal, and go-to spots for a night out, summing up his culinary approach in a single word.

What’s your go-to local grocery store when cooking at home? Tsai Grocery (on Oak Valley Dr. in Ann Arbor) and the

Ann Arbor Farmers Market.

Describe the moment you decided to become a chef.

I knew before I was 10 years old. Family meal was extremely important in my house and I fell in love with the idea of scratchcooking and dining with the ones you love. That love inspired me to become a chef so I could provide those experiences for others.

What’s your earliest memory of cooking? Cleaning

vegetables with my mom for family meal every day after school.

I would stand on a crate so I could be tall enough.

Aside from your own restaurant, which eatery is your favorite in Washtenaw county?

What do you love about it? Tomukun for sure! I love

their noodles and great broths.

They do an exceptional job of consistently delivering great food.

What would you choose as your last meal on Earth?

A short tasting menu consisting of lots of sushi, lots of caviar, a bowl of pho, and finishing with some rich French dishes like sweetbreads, langoustines and such. All paired with beer, of course.

u amo s F e

Th

chef’s corner

Come in & Check out out the Daily Specials

Where do you go for a night out? I like to head to Detroit

to see my chef brothers and sisters doing their thing. I frequent Chartreuse and Selden Standard. Here in town, I head to Tomukun.

What metaphor would you use to describe your cuisine? Fusion. I was trained in French technique, but I like to

fuse different regions of the world, mainly Asia, into my food.

All New Tasty Menu!

36 Beers!

2017

2018

BEST OF

36 Big Screen TV’s

$2 Coronas, $2 Tequila Shots & Live DJ

Wednesdays:

$2.75 All Pints & $6.99 Burger & Beer

Thursdays:

$2 Long Islands & $5 Coors Light Pitchers, Live DJ

Fridays:

$3 Miller Lite Bottles, $4 Jack Daniels Drinks, $2 Bud Light Beer & Wing Specials, Trivia 7pm $ Cash Prizes $

Saturdays:

College Football ALL DAY! $2 Tacos, $2 Bud Light Food & Drink Specials, $8 Mini Pitchers

Book your Private Party with us!

DAILY Happy Hour: Tuesday-Friday 5-7pm drink specials:

$1.00 off all drafts. $1.75 bottles

VISIT ECURRENT.COM TO PICK YOUR FAVORITE!

Tuesdays:

of PBR, Labatt Blue Light, Carlsberg, Heineken, Amstel Light, and Bud.

Uber 2017 Award

The # 1 Destination in ALL of Michigan

TUES- SAT 5PM - 2AM

Closed Sunday & Monday

310 Maynard St, Ann Arbor (734) 995-0100 ecurrent.com / april 2018 23

21 Saturday

28 Saturday Chelsea Farmers Market Annual Spring Fundraiser

CSA Day

8am. Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. a2gov.org. Free

Learn about the Community Supported Agriculture opportunities offered by Ann Arbor Farmers Market farmers and vendors. A CSA is a subscription to a farm to receive a weekly box of produce.

Have the opportunity to speak directly with farmers about their products and CSA offerings.

Big Green Egg Spring Fling 10pm-1am. Downtown Home and Garden. downtownhomeandgarden. com. Free

Enjoy tastings of smoked meat & grilled veggies, and find out how easy it is to be a gourmet grill artist at home! Receive a coupon to use at the store, a free bag of charcoal, and a $25 gift certificate to Ann Arbor’s Knight’s Market.

22 Sunday Canton Winter Farmer’s Market

10am-2pm. Park Banquet Lobby. canton-mi.org. Free

Shop for Michigan produce, locally produced food, and hand-crafted goods. This market is held rain or shine!

Satchel’s BBQ Sprouts New Downtown Location For those hankering for Southern-style barbecue, Satchel’s has opened a second location in the former location of Pizza Pino on lower Liberty Street. Satchel’s tasty meats, fire-smoked on an outdoor grill, are served with an array of classic Southern sides like black-eyed peas and collard greens. Generous portions and reasonable prices make this place a local favorite. Catering options available. —TB

Open 11am-10pm, Tuesday-Sunday. Closed Mondays.

221 W. Liberty St. 734-929-4240. satchelsbbq.com Food for the Soul Sundays Cocktail Class: Secrets of Single Malt 5pm. $45. The Last Word. tammystastings.com

In this tasting-focused class, explore different styles of Scotch, from butterscotch-y Speysides to peaty Islays. Note that while you will make a few cocktails, you will mostly be sampling Scotch on its own.

5pm-7pm. William Monroe Trotter Multicultural Center. trotter.umich.edu. Free

Students, faculty, and staff of all identities have the opportunity to break bread, engage in dialogue and build relationships over traditionally prepared culturally unique food expressions.

23 Monday Springtime Entertaining

7pm. $75. Sur La Table. surlatable.com

Practice creating a springinspired menu packed with local produce. Dishes will include Grilled Salmon with Green Pea and Mint Pesto, Asparagus Carbonara, and Rhubarb Upside Down Cake with Buttermilk Ice Cream.

25 Wednesday Quick Breads with Keegan Rodgers

7pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org

Quick breads are a great way to take advantage of summer’s fruit and vegetable bounty.

Learn some new techniques and recipes!

26 Thursday Pittsfield Indoor Farmers Market 3pm. Township Hall. pittsfield-mi.gov. Free

WELCOME TO ANN ARBOR!

You don’t have to wait for summer to enjoy local foods and artisan products. Venture to the Pittsfield Township Farmers Market, held indoors!

27 Friday Pasties & Beer: Liberty Street Part II

5pm-8pm. Liberty Street Brewing Co. libertystreetbeer.com. Free

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Motor City Pasty Company & Liberty Street Brewing Co. join forces to bring you the perfect combination; hearty pasties and craft beer.

10am-12pm. $20. Chelsea First United Methodist Church. chelseafarmersmkt.org

Tunk’s Kitchen will provide a delicious brunch menu with proceeds going toward food education and demonstrations for the 2018 farmers market season.

Take this opportunity to connect with local food vendors, meet with others in the community, and support a great cause.

29 Sunday VegFest

10:30am-5pm. $14. Suburban Collection Showplace. vegmichigan.org

Enjoy a day dedicated to a healthy plant-based lifestyle!

There will be food vendors, free samples, celebrity and expert presentations, cooking demos, and cruelty-free shopping. Speakers include the Detroit Lions’ Theo Riddick, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Joel Kahn, and Carline Trapp, who will discuss diet and diabetes.

30 Monday Essential Cooking

6:30pm-8:30pm. $125. The Conserva. theconserva.com

Relax with a 4-course dinner and wine pairing presented by Chef Matthew Baldridge fine-dining restaurant, The Conserva (Detroit). Baldrige will feature dishes inspired by the photography of his wife, Janna Coumoundouros.

28 Saturday Chelsea Farmers Market Annual Spring Fundraiser

10am-12pm. $20. Chelsea First United Methodist Church. chelseafarmersmkt.org

Tunk’s Kitchen will provide a delicious brunch menu with proceeds going toward food education and demonstrations for the 2018 farmers market season.

Take this opportunity to connect with local food vendors, meet with others in the community, and support a great cause.

29 Sunday VegFest

10:30am-5pm. $14. Suburban Collection Showplace. vegmichigan.org

Enjoy a day dedicated to a healthy plant-based lifestyle!

There will be food vendors, free samples, celebrity and expert presentations, cooking demos, and cruelty-free shopping. Speakers include the Detroit Lions’ Theo Riddick, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Joel Kahn, and Carline Trapp, who will discuss diet and diabetes.

PHOTO CREDIT: DOUG COOMBE

music In The Mix With A Master Jim Roll: Producer of enthusiasm, levity and life mastery

By Jeff Milo

For some musicians, entering a studio can be far more nerve-wracking than getting up on stage in front of strangers.

But studio musicians are usually calmed by the quirk, the charisma, and the casual disposition of Jim Roll. In fact, he’s so easygoing I regret I failed to resist the pun of “Rolling with it…” to sum up his approach/philosophy. Roll has been recording music since the 80’s, operating his own studio in Ann Arbor for years before becoming the manager of Willis Sound in Ypsilanti.

The 52-year-old Roll was raised outside of Chicago and was actually on track to become a star football player at Augustana College in the late 70’s before deciding, instead, to fully embrace what had already been a lifelong love of music. He first picked up a guitar to pursue being a singer/ songwriter, while also collecting any recording gear he could find so he could be his own producer. Eventually, recording other musicians became a way to pay for all the gear he’d amassed and Roll grew to become a go-to audio engineer for dozens (upon dozens!) of albums by bands in the local music scene.

For the love of the music

“I’m personally surprised at myself, each time, with how much I can fall in love with each project,” says Roll. “I’m glad I do too, because otherwise it’d be a sham. I mean, why can I listen to a song 100 times in a row for four hours while I’m mixing it? I’m sort of in a battle with myself to make (everything) sound better, or just make a song come together. I mean, I’m talking about it like I know what I’m doing; I’m really just jumping in the boat with each band and we row like crazy…”

“But when you jump in, do you ever realize you’re not the Captain?”

The above question comes from Matt Jones, who joined our interview at The Tap Room in Ypsi. Jones manages The River Street Anthology project and has frequently recorded with Roll. To his query, Roll replies, “(The audio engineer) can’t be the captain ... I never call myself

Among the many hats Jim Roll wears is solo artist.

a ‘producer.’ I’m a major support factor.

I try to be a guide. And even outside the studio I want to guide people when they’re having any kind of trouble. So that’s my ‘producer-role,’ it’s helping them through loopholes: musical and emotional loopholes.”

Hats galore

Roll wears many hats. 1.) Family man. 2.) Audio engineer. 3.) Solo Artist (his latest, Continuing Adventures of the Butterfly Kid, came out in late 2016). 4.)

Bassist for Misty Lyn & The Big Beautiful, among other collaborations. 5.) Teacher (of audio recording technology classes at Washtenaw Community College). 6.) Cubs fan. 7.) Host of the “Life Master: Master Series,” producing/editing and starring in videos that showcase his notable talents for improv-comedy. “(The Life Master) videos are, for the first time with anything I’ve ever done, where it feels like 100% who I am, or at

least that this is what I think is funny. I’m such an improviser. I do not prepare,” Roll says. He self-consciously pauses to ask Jones whether or not his comment sounds too supercilious. Jones shakes his head. “The secret, if I have a secret,” Roll continues, “is that I don’t prepare. I’m fearless once I’m in the room (with a band) and I stick with it.”

Roll attained his Masters in social work from U-M in the early 90’s and half-jokes that it was comparatively more vital to his work as an audio engineer than becoming a gear wizard. “I’m there to help (bands) cope with (being in a studio),” he explains.

“That’s almost what I’m best at. I let (musicians) know what’s normal. And then I feed them enthusiasm!”

Follow Roll’s Me Not Have You Studios on Facebook. You can hear his music at: jimroll.bandcamp.com ecurrent.com / april 2018 25

Ongoing Sundays The Wes Fritzemeier Jazz Experience 6pm. Chelsea AleHouse. chelseamich.com. Free

End your weekend on the right note! Featuring Jed Fritzemeier, Brian Brill and Wes with the occasional special guest.

The Heather Black Project 8pm. Ravens Club. ravensclub.com.

Free

The Heather Black Project plays inspired renditions of classic Jazz repertoire every Sunday with rotating special guests. $5 suggested donation.

Mondays Paul Keller Orchestra

7pm. $10. Zal Gaz Grotto. zalgaz.org

The Paul Keller Orchestra performs big band jazz every Monday night!

Jesse Kramer Trio

9pm. Ravens Club. ravensclub.com.

Free

Local drummer Jesse Kramer leads his trio featuring bassist Rob Bickley and pianist Rick Roe. $5 suggested donation.

Wednesdays Bluegrass Wednesdays

8pm. Detroit Street Filling Station. thelunchrooma2.com. Free

Local string band Wire in the Wood hosts this weekly performance and jam session. Enjoy interactive music, drink specials, tasty snacks and fun people!

Thursdays Jazz & Cocktails

7pm. Cultivate Coffee & TapHouse. cultivateypsi.com. Free

Enjoy live Jazz from local artists and a special cocktail menu.

Jazz Night

9pm. Tower Inn Cafe. towerinncafe.com. Free

Enjoy live Jazz from some of the area’s finest musicians every Thursday!

Saturdays Guy Hollerin’s Blues & Brews 8pm. $5. Holiday Inn Ann Arbor. hiannarbor.com

Check out this established blues series with drinks and dancing!

1 Sunday Jazz at Weber’s

6:30pm-10:30pm. webersinn.com.

Weber’s Ann Arbor. Free

Live Jazz with the Rob Crozier Ensemble!

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Harrington Brown Duo

The Legacy of Geri Allen

7pm-9pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. annarbordistilling.com. Free

Enjoy the unique guitar stylings of the Harrington Brown Duo!

Celebrate the life and music of Jazz legend Geri Allen (1957-2017) April 5th at The Ark. A Detroit native, Allen became one of the world’s leading pianists, with creative, improvised music. Her diverse body of work includes collaborations with artists like Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Charles Lloyd, and Betty Carter (to name just several). Teaching at U-M for a decade, Allen’s innovation left a deep impact on her students. Listen as the next generation of improvisers take the stage to pay tribute to her profound legacy. - EC

$5-$20. 8pm. Thursday, April 5. The Ark. 316 S. Main St. 734-761-1800. theark.org

Palette Scratchers Open Jam

8pm. Unity Vibration. unityvibrationkombucha.com. Free

Enjoy live music by the Palette Scratchers. If you’re a musician, bring an instrument to join in on the jam!

7 Saturday 47th Annual Hash Bash Show feat. Laith Al-Saadi 8:30pm. $25. Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com

Ann Arbor legend Laith Al-Saadi will perform with special guest The Macpodz!

4th Annual Hash Bash After Crash

8pm. $10. Club Above. club-above.com

2 Monday Music Monday: John Latini

7pm. Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery. arborbrewing.com. Free

Catch the best in live, local music at ABC’s Microbrewery every Monday! This week, listen to the blues with singer/guitarist John Latini.

3 Tuesday Detroit Street’s Got Talent 7pm. Detroit Street Filling Station. thelunchrooma2.com. Free

Share your talent whether it be music, poetry, or storytelling!

Each performer will have 10 minutes on stage. Performers should expect a small space, and must use appropriate language.

4 Wednesday Adam Lebeaux

9pm. Mash Bar. mashbar.net. Free

Live music with singer/songwriter Adam Lebeaux!

5 Thursday Andy Adamson Quintet 6:30pm-9pm. LIVE Ann Arbor. livea2.com. Free

Join for live Jazz and happy hour!

Wax Kings Sessions

7pm. Ziggy’s, Ypsilanti. facebook.com/ziggysypsi. Free

Dance and relax to music by Prophet Ecks, DJ Knowledge, and DJ Seoul.

A Celebration of Geri Allen 8pm. $5-$20. The Ark. theark.org

Opera on Tap is a group of artists devoted to combating opera’s snooty reputation by performing operatic repertoire in fun venues.

Dinner reservations begin at 6:30pm with the program beginning at 8:30pm.

Celebrate the legacy of the late Detroit jazz legend Geri Allen, who contributed some of the most groundbreaking and forward-thinking music of the time before her unexpected death in 2017. This performance will feature students from the U-M’s jazz program, where Geri taught, focusing on aspects of her deep legacy.

The English Beat

In Tall Buildings

Enjoy the sounds of these icons of English New Wave.

Hear songs from In Tall Buildings new album Akinetic, exploring themes of communication, loss, impulse, and vice.

Opera On Tap: Musical Mischief

7:30pm-10:30pm. Sidetrack. operaontap.org. Free

8pm. $35. The Ark. theark.org

PRISM Quartet

8pm-10pm. $17-$22. First Presbyterian Church Ypsilanti. prismquartet.com

2018 Grammy award-winning ensemble The PRISM Quartet presents a concert featuring two of the nation’s leading jazz artists, both of whom serve on the faculty of Michigan State University: saxophonist Diego Rivera and trombonist Michael Dease.

2018 / ecurrent.com

8pm. $8. Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com

6 Friday Ann Arbor Guitar Trio 6pm. YDL-Downtown. ypsilibrary.org. Free

Immerse yourself in the unique sounds of the Ann Arbor Guitar Trio. The YDL-Michigan Ave Guitar Club will kick off the evening!

Dance to some of the best talent in local bass music! Featuring Spaceship Earth, Peanutbutter Williams, Dancemyth, Cesium Swimsuit, Tek - Mazter, Johnny Gypsy Malek, and the Tetra Music Project.

Acoustic Routes 5th Anniversary Blues Bash

8pm. $15. Stony Lake Brewing Co. stonylakebrewing.com

Experience a Blues Bash featuring Shari Kane & Dave Steele plus Rollie Tussing and The Midwest Territory Band!

Birds of Chicago

8pm. $20. The Ark. theark.org

Catch the dynamic duo of Allison Russell and JT Nero who make up Birds of Chicago, a versatile group drawing inspiration from gospel, folk, and rock.

CrossBow

6:30pm-8:30pm. Conor O’Neills. conoroneills.com. Free

Experience the high-energy Celtic music of Southeast Michigan’s CrossBow!

8 Sunday Artemis Quartet

4pm. $24-$46. Rackham Auditorium. ums.org

Based in Berlin, the Artemis Quartet is known for their programs at the Berlin Philharmonie and the Vienna Konzerthaus, as well as in Munich and Amsterdam.

9 Monday Music Mondays: Travis Aukerman Trio

7pm. Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery. arborbrewing.com. Free

Catch the best in live, local music at ABC’s Microbrewery every Monday! This week, drummer Travis Aukerman presents original Jazz with his trio.

Jolie Holland & Samantha Parton 8pm. $15. The Ark. theark.org

Members of The Be Good Tanyas reunite with new music!

10 Tuesday Pub Sing

7pm. Wolverine State Brewing Company. aactmad.org. Free

Join the Ann Arbor Morris dancers for an evening of rousing choruses, drinking songs, sea shanties, and English folk songs.

Song leaders are welcome and encouraged. This is a participation event, not a concert!

Balkan Dance Party 7:30pm. $5. Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com

Enjoy home-made Turkish coffee for sale by Douglas Lane Allen, dance lessons and leading with Rick King, and live music with the band!

Nessa

8pm. $15. The Ark. theark.org

Nessa re-imagines the ballads and dances of the UK and Europe, uniquely blending elements of classical, folk, jazz, funk and world music to create rich, complex musical hybrids.

11 Wednesday Paul VornHagen & The American Songbook of Jazz 7pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Behind The Curtains: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

7pm-8:30pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Saxophonist Paul VornHagen presents the American Songbook of Jazz, including pieces from American composers such as Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart, and Thelonious Monk.

Join Walter Everett, Professor of Music at the University of Michigan, for an analysis of the Beatles’ iconic album. Professor Everett is the author of the twovolume study, The Beatles as Musicians, and of The Foundations of Rock.

Zander Michigan

The Slackers

9pm. Mash Bar. mashbar.net. Free

The best in local music with Zander Michigan!

12 Thursday Tom Sharpe

7pm. WCC - Morris Lawrence Building. wccnet.edu. Free

Tom Sharpe of Mannheim Steamroller is an internationally recognized composer, performer, and recording artist. Join for a percussive symphony that blends Sharpe’s orchestral background with world music instrumentation and cinematic imagery.

8pm. $15-$18. Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com

A night of the best in Reggae, Ska, and Rock with The Slackers, J Navarro & The Traitors, and Dirty Notion.

13 Friday ARABIQA Concert with Karim Nagi

7pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

All are welcome to enjoy music and dance from around the Arab world. Karim Nagi, a native Egyptian, performs with a collection of instruments and demonstrates dances from Egypt and the Near East.

music Don Campbell at Green Wood Coffee House

8pm. $20. Green Wood Coffee House. greenwoodcoffeehouse.org

Don Campbell is a contemporary/ country crossover and folk-rock singer/songwriter whose presentation of music supports the story in the song and welcomes the audience on board for the ride.

The Jazz Epistles featuring Abdullah Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela 8pm.$26-$54. Michigan Theater. ums.org

The two iconic South African jazz legends Abdullah Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela reunite and perform as part of a tour that puts them on the same stage for the first time in 56 years.

Paledave Album Release 8pm. Zal Gaz Grotto Club. paledave.com. Free

Hear the new album performed live along with other Paledave favorites! The show will open with special guests Annie & Rod Capps!

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CONT’D FROM P27

StickMan Band

8pm. Ypsi Alehouse. ypsialehouse.com. Free

Acoustic duo the Stickman Band brings a mix of bass guitar, ukulele and soulful vocals to create a unique blend of funk, blues and rock.

14 Saturday Annual Chamber Music Recital by Dexter Community Orchestra

2pm. Dexter District Library. dextercommunityorchestra.org. Free

Enjoy this special chamber music presentation that happens only once a year!

Danzones Y Tangos: A Caberet Café

7:30pm. $40. Plymouth Arts & Recreation Complex. michiganphil.org

Events

April 13-15: Teacher Training Workshop Adaptive Yoga Moves for Any Body!

Check the website for more information!

2030 Commerce Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103 | a2yoga.net | 734-216-4006 Monday 9:30 - 10:30 AM 6:00 - 7:15 PM 7:15 - 8:15 PM 7:30 - 8:30PM Tuesday 9:30 - 10:30 AM 11:00 - 12:00 PM 6:00 - 7:00 PM 6:00 - 7:00 PM 7:15 - 8:30 PM 7:15 - 8:30 PM Wednesday 9:15 - 10:30 AM 9:15 - 10:15 AM 6:00 - 7:15 PM 6:15 - 7:15 PM 7:30 - 8:30 PM 7:30 - 8:30 PM Thursday 9: 15 - 10:30 AM 9:15 - 10:30 AM 6:15 - 7:15 PM 7:15 - 8:30 PM Friday 9:15 - 10:30 AM 9:30 - 10:30 AM 5:30 - 6:30 PM Saturday 9:15 - 10:30 AM 9:30 - 10:30 AM 11:00 - 12:15 PM 11:00 - 12:00 PM Sunday 9:00 - 10:15 AM 9:15 - 10:15 AM 10:30 - 11:30 AM 10:30 - 11:45 AM

Classes (H) Hatha Flow (H) Heart-Centered Hatha Yoga (V) Vinyasa (H) Gentle/Restorative Yoga Classes (H) Hatha (All Levels) FREE CommUNITY Yoga: On~A~Flow Vinyasa (DW)* (V) Vinyasa: Movement Flow NIA (V) Vinyasa (H) Pre-natal Yoga: Mommy Time Classes (H) Heart - Centered Hatha Yoga (V) Vinyasa (V) Ashtanga: Primary Series / Foundations (V) Vinyasa (H) Hatha Flow (H) Gentle/Restorative Yoga Classes (H) Gentle Yoga & Meditation (V) Vinyasa (H) Hatha Flow (V) Vinyasa Classes (V) Vinyasa (H) Gentle/Restorative Yoga FREE CommUNITY Yoga: On~A~Flow Vinyasa (DW)* Classes (V) Vinyasa (H) Yoga for Stress & Trauma (No Assists) (H) Traditional Hatha Yoga (All Levels) FREE CommUNITY Class: NIA (DW)* Classes (V) Heart - Centered Vinyasa Yoga (H) Hatha Yoga Foundations (Great for beginners) NIA (H) Pre-natal Yoga: Mommy Time

Teacher Juliana Carter Ana Tina Teacher Carter Ana Isa Megan S. Wendy Juliana Teacher Carter Raina Wendy Juliana Ana Tina Teacher Dina Samantha Mary Jo Teacher Wendy Lora Ana Teacher Samantha Lora Natasha Ana Teacher Natasha Carrie Megan S. Juliana

$20 for a New Student 7 Day Trial Pass** * Donations Welcome: CommUNITY Class **(Washtenaw County Residents, starts 1st class visit for 7 consecutive days)

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Experience a sample of Latin America’s rich musical expression through rhythms, passion, tangos, and coffee!

Colin Stetson: Sorrow — A Reimagining of Górecki’s Third Symphony 8pm. $20-$44. Michigan Theater. ums.org

Stetson takes on the mammoth task of reimagining Górecki’s symphony for an expansive and contemporary sonic palate, drawing on a uniquely constructed 12-member ensemble of electric guitars, synthesizers, drums, strings, woodwinds, and soprano.

Fruit Bats & Vetiver

8pm. $20. The Ark. theark.org

17 Tuesday Tagore on Soul and Strings

7pm. $10. Towsley Auditorium, Washtenaw Community College. wccnet.edu

Tagore Beyond Boundaries presents a concert by the GRAMMY®-award winning Pioneer High School Orchestra and Choir, accompanied by classical maestro Rajeeb Chakraborty in Sarod Concerto.

18 Wednesday David Roof

9pm. Mash Bar. mashbar.net. Free

Live music with singer/songwriter David Roof at Mash Bar!

19 Thursday The City Of Trees 2 Album Release Party

9pm. Ziggy’s. facebook.com/ziggysypsi. Free

Celebrate the release of Dre Dav’s new album with performances by Mercel Ke’von, Drew Denton, Keep it G, Medallion Life, and Flight Team Ent.

20 Friday Classical Bells Concert: “A Walk in the Park”

7pm. $6-$10. St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. stfrancisa2.com

Enjoy Michigan’s premiere handbell ensemble! This group of seasoned professionals, led by artistic director, Darlene Ebersole, has performed in concerts nationwide.

Fruit Bats (Eric D. Johnson) and Vetiver (Andy Cabic) join forces to perform two intimate solo sets at The Ark featuring their original songwriting.

The Jazz Chameleons

Cory Wong (Of Vulfpeck)

Mountain Heart

9pm. $15-$20. Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com

Expert guitarist Cory Wong (Vulfpeck) is a versatile composer, arranger, producer, and collaborator, working on shows like NBC’s “The Voice,” playing alongside Ben Rector, Gene Simmons, Questlove, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Bootsy Collins, and Blake Shelton.

15 Sunday Brennan Andes & Friends

5:30pm-7:30pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. annarbordistilling.com. Free

Hear Macpodz bassist and vocalist Brennan Andes collaborate with a rotating ensemble of local talent.

16 Monday Music Mondays: Wire in the Wood

7pm. Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery. arborbrewing.com. Free

Music Mondays presents local bluegrass favorite Wire in the Wood.

8pm. Unity Vibration. unityvibrationkombucha.com. Free

Enjoy live music with the Jazz Chameleons!

8pm. $35. The Ark. theark.org

Mountain Heart is known for exploring the boundaries of acoustic music through their unique take on bluegrass. The band has gained legions of loyal fans as a result of both their superlative musicianship and live performances.

Post Animal

8pm. $12-$14. Blind Pig. blindpigmusic.com

Enjoy the psychedelic sounds of Chicago’s Post Animal!

21 Saturday Record Store Day

11am-5pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Celebrate with a pop-up record fair in the Downtown Library lobby, with vendors slinging used records and music-related gear.

At 2pm, Matt Jones and the River Street Anthology will host a listening party upstairs.

Alex Arnest & Eric Nachtrab

7pm-9pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. annarbordistilling.com. Free

Live Jazz in the intimate setting of Ann Arbor Distilling’s tasting room!

Laura Rain Duo

6pm. Mash Bar. mashbar.net. Free

Live music with the Laura Rain duo!

Mr. B’s Blues & Boogie Celebration

7:30pm. $30. The Ark. theark.org

A night full of blues & boogie woogie piano with Mr. B

Verdi Requiem

8pm. $18-$70. Hill Auditorium. a2so.com

Enjoy the beautiful sounds of The UMS Choral Union featuring Indra Thomas (soprano), Susan Platts (mezzo-soprano), Sean Panikkar (tenor) and Gary Relyea (bass).

22 Sunday Murray Perahia, piano

4pm. $12-$80. Hill Auditorium. ums.org

Experience the incredible musicianship of pianist Murray Perahia for this special solo concert.

John Gorka

7:30pm. $20. The Ark. theark.org

After 14 critically acclaimed albums, countless national and international tours, and collaborations with the likes of Nanci Griffith, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ani DiFranco, Lucy Kaplansky, Patty Larkin, and many more, John Gorka is releasing “True in Time,” a 12-song collection.

Experience his new music at The Ark!

23 Monday Music Monday: John Latini

7pm. Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery. arborbrewing.com. Free

24 Tuesday Vinyl Tuesday

6pm. Arbor Brewing Company. arborbrewing.com. Free

Purchase a record from Encore Records, Underground Sounds, or Wazoo Recs and receive a coupon for $1 off a 16oz draft!

DJ Batzdorfer will be spinning records in the Brewpub game room. Feel free to bring your own vinyl to play, sell, or trade.

Take a Chance Tuesday: House of Hamill 8pm. The Ark. theark.org. Free

House of Hamill presents unique new fiddle tunes and exciting, unpredictable original songs while breathing new life into traditional music.

WCC Jazz Showcase

7pm-9pm. Towsley Auditorium. wccnet.edu. Free

Steve Somers features the Ypsilanti Youth Orchestra Jazz Ensemble, WCC Jazz Combo with special guest saxophonist Bobby Muncy, and Artist in Residence, legendary bassist Marion Hayden.

7pm-9:30pm. Ypsi Alehouse, Ypsilanti. ypsialehouse.com. Free

Bring your voices and instruments! Each participant will have an opportunity to perform two songs (or for ten minutes).

26 Thursday Sam Amidon

8pm. $20. The Ark. theark.org

Dive into a deep synthesis of folk songwriting and experimental improvisation with Sam Amidon!

27 Friday Dan Orcutt

Vocal Recital

As heard at the 2018 Ann Arbor Folk Festival, brothers Page Burkum and Jack Torrey sing and play the guitar, their voices fitting together as a duo. The band has released their debut album “You’re Dreaming,” and saw their song “Mississippi” featured on Twin Peaks.

All are welcome to enjoy this concert by student vocal soloists at Concordia University!

Nancy And Beth

8pm. $30-$50. The Ark. theark.org.

Enjoy the sharp songwriting abilities of duo Nancy & Beth with special guests Megan Mullally and Stephanie Hunt.

Missy Raines brings her stellar upright bass-playing and crystal clear vocals to Green Wood Coffee House on April 27th. Missy’s band, The New Hip, ties together the best of country, folk, bluegrass, and rock. Charming, warm melodies highlight Missy’s relatable lyrics, accented with lush vocal harmony. GreenWood’s intimate listening room is the perfect environment to hear this truly inviting music. Reservations strongly recommended, seating limited. - EC

$15. Friday, April 27. Green Wood Coffee House.

1001 Green Rd. 734-665-8558. greenwoodcoffeehouse.org

25 Wednesday Open Mic Night

Catch the best in live, local music at ABC’s Microbrewery every Monday! This week, listen to the blues with singer/guitarist John Latini.

7pm. Concordia University. emsweb.cuw.edu. Free

The Best in Bass & Bluegrass

6pm. Mash Bar. mashbar.net. Free

Live music with Dan Orcutt!

The Cactus Blossoms 8pm. $22. The Ark. theark.org

Cedars ft. Dan Bennett

7pm-9pm. Ann Arbor Distilling Company. Annarbordistilling.com. Free

Enjoy local music in Ann Arbor Distilling’s intimate tasting room!

Nadim Azzam, After Hours Radio, Kanem X, May Moons

9pm. Club Above. club-above.com. Free

Celebrate the end of winter with an eclectic group of local rock bands!

28 Saturday A2 JAZZ FEST Spring Series: Tim Flood Quartet 7pm. LIVE. livea2.com. Free

Come out for the very first concert of this year’s A2 Jazz Fest Spring Series, featuring the Tim Flood Quartet. Active in the Jazz scene since the 1990s, bassist Tim Flood has worked extensively with several generations of creative musicians including Jacob Sacks, Peter Kowald, Jacob Garchik, Roswell Rudd, and countless others.

Parker Projection

8pm. Unity Vibration. unityvibrationkombucha.com. Free

Enjoy kombucha and live music from Parker Projection!

Danilo Brio & João Luiz

29 Sunday Jimmy Webb

7:30pm. $26-$46. The Ark. theark.org

Jimmy Webb American songwriter, composer, and singer known worldwide as a master of his trade. His songs have been recorded or performed by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Judy Collins, Isaac Hayes, Art Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt, R.E.M., Michael Feinstein, and Carly Simon.

WEMU Jazz Brunch

10:30am-12:30pm. $300. Ann Arbor City Club. wemu.org

Enjoy live music by saxophonist Vincent York alongside an elegant brunch. Seating is limited.

Admission is priced for two and benefits WEMU.

30 Monday Music Mondays: Dede & The Dream

7pm. Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery. arborbrewing.com. Free

Music Mondays presents singer/ songwriter Dede and the Dream.

8pm-11pm. $10-$35. Kerrytown Concert House. kerrytownconcerthouse.com

Two of the greatest instrumentalists of the young Brazilian generation join forces in a stunning program featuring virtuoso guitar and mandolin.

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theater Holmes and Watson in Eerie On-Stage Search

World famous sleuths bring Baker Street to Purple Rose Theatre

by Sandor and Emily Slomovits

David MacGregor, a Detroit-born playwright and screenwriter, has had five plays produced at the Purple Rose Theatre since 2006, including last year’s revival of “Vino Veritas.” Performances of his sixth play there, “Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear,” begin March 29th and run through May 26th.

The play features familiar Arthur Conan Doyle characters: Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Irene Adler; but also Vincent Van Gogh and Oscar Wilde, among others.

Current spoke with MacGregor about his inspiration and vision for the show.

Did you read Sherlock Holmes when you were a kid? Yes. Back in the day,

there were book sales, and the last day of book sales was ‘bag day’…

Whatever you could fit into a bag…

For a dollar. You could get 50, 60 books into a grocery bag. So, my brother and I, being poor kids, we’d toss in whatever and when we got home we’d spill all these books out. One time we picked up The Collected Sherlock Holmes and I started that and said, “This is really good.” I really liked the character, I really liked the format, I liked the detective genre.

What I liked about it is what I think most people like; the idea that through accurate observation and logical deduction, you can make sense of the universe. There is order and there’s structure. If you can perceive accurately and think deductively… I mean, I know that’s a lie!

There’s more things in heaven and earth, Horatio… Right. There’s chaos,

there’s random stuff that happens for no reason. But it’s a really—take your pick—pleasing illusion or delusion. That’s what detective stories are. So, I’d always wanted to write a Sherlock Holmes play.

David MacGregor, playwright and screenwriter.

You’ve long been working on a scholarly book about Sherlock Holmes. How did the play happen?

I had this epiphany, “You know how you’ve always wanted to write a Sherlock Holmes play? Do it. Now. When you’re fed up with [doing] research [for the book], you can just make stuff up!” I was already immersed in the world, and more importantly the language, so I just started typing. And it unfolded like clockwork.

I was a couple of weeks away from finishing it, and I saw Guy Sanville, the Artistic Director of the Purple Rose, and I can tell you our conversation verbatim.

“So, are you working on something?”

“Yes.” “Can I see it?” “Give me a couple of weeks.” “What’s it about?” “It’s a Sherlock Holmes play.” “Dude, I’ve been looking for a Sherlock Holmes play.”

Do you need to be a Sherlock Holmes fan to like your play? If you’ve never

read a Sherlock Holmes story or never seen a Sherlock Holmes play or TV show, it works. It’s an action-adventure-comedymystery-romance. If you’re up on your Sherlock Holmes, there are all kinds of smaller things in there.

Inside jokes? Yes. Right now, in art, in plays, there are two roads. One, very topical, very hard hitting, very dramatic, commentary on the culture. The other way is escapism. I wouldn’t say mine is completely escapism. Mine is more about what people have in common, it is more a bringing together than a “here’s all the differences between us” type of story. It is a love story, after all.

$12.50 - $25, contains adult language and content. March 29 - May 26, Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St., Chelsea.

734-433-7673, purplerosetheatre.org.

Searchable lists updated daily at

ecurrent.com ecurrent.com / april 2018 31

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lit Down and Dirty with the Diaries of David Sedaris

Beloved comedic writer reads his journal entries

by Patrick Flores-Scott

I remember exactly where I was when I first heard David Sedaris on NPR’s This American Life. It was the late 90s. I was illegally parked behind Denny Hall on the University of Washington campus. Sedaris was reading a story about doing drugs and failing out of college. It was gut-wrenching, sad, chock full of dark humor. And his voice. High-pitched and androgynous, full of a kind of heartache that made the story immediate and visceral.

Many authors reluctantly tour to support their writing, Sedaris, on the other hand, writes his stories for the purpose of reading them out loud. Touring is not an obligation, it’s the final step in the process, one he loves. Perhaps more than any other author, it’s impossible to separate David Sedaris’ own reading voice from his voice on the written page.

Sedaris whittled 164 physical diary entries down to one, five-hundred page volume.

Early entries introduce the reader to the starving artist-college dropout, working the lowest forms of menial labor and doing too many drugs in Raleigh, North Carolina. From there he attends art school in Chicago. He soon loses interest in sculpture and finds a passion for observational, comedic writing— and a passion for performing his writing.

He moves to New York, finds work as a department store Christmas elf, writes plays and falls in love. Creating more and more opportunities to read his writing publicly, he’s discovered by NPR’s Ira Glass, which leads to a reading of the SantaLand Diary on Morning Edition and, from there, his career takes off.

Roots of the famous essays

Many of the diary entries are fodder for stories that would end up in future bestsellers such as Barrel Fever, Naked, Holidays on Ice, and Me Talk Pretty One Day. However, this collection is more than the sum of its parts. Read from beginning to end, Theft by Finding adds up to a brilliant memoir. We watch Sedaris toil, survive and thrive, all the while wryly observing and commentating on a world that seems to be doing everything it can to beat him down. And when these written observations, and that voice, lead to his triumph, we can’t help but cheer.

$52+. 7:30pm. Saturday, April 14. Nicola’s Bookstore presents An Evening with David Sedaris, Michigan Theatre, 603 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor. 734-668-8397, michtheater.org.

One Week of Classes FREE! Email us for a promo code a2mixstudios@gmail.com

From struggling artist to Christmas elf

Those lucky enough to nab a ticket to An Evening with David Sedaris, will hear the author’s iconic voice reading, primarily from his newest book, Theft by Finding, Diaries 1977-2002.

734.786.1260 2007 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

PATIO GUIDE may 2018

Personal Training Semi-Private Training Trampoline Fitness Strength Classes Mix Total Body Zumba Yoga

Try the only trampoline classes offered in Ann Arbor!

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Mix up your workout for Maximum Results! ecurrent.com / april 2018 33

art

Combing Through the Aftermath

Photography exhibit illumines landscapes of devastation

by Beth Solberg A plaque on the wall at the UM Art Museum explains that the exhibit, Aftermath: Landscapes of Devastation, “invites viewers to consider photography’s role in mediating the aftereffects of a crisis wrought on the land and its inhabitants.”

Given the current moment’s saturating levels of exposure with upsetting news and images, natural crises might be difficult to contemplate. However, consider that visitors’ personal sense of information overload can make the exhibition more meaningful. Indeed, Aftermath asks viewers to look at photos unhurriedly, not as consumers or “users,” but as detectives, searching for clues about the photographer’s intent, and about the meaning of the disaster itself.

Aftermath, assembled in one room, covers both natural and man-made crises.

The images are arranged according to the length of time elapsed between the occurrence of the event and the creation of the photograph, a conceit that makes it easier to formulate questions about the images. In many photos, only traces of the disaster remain, while in others the crisis unfolds in front of the camera, as in the iconic photo of a mushroom cloud forming over the first hydrogen-bomb explosion.

Disaster’s many faces

The photos vary widely in style, from straightforward and journalistic to openly artistic, critical, propagandistic or even touristic, ranging from smaller disasters that seem almost personal to easily recognizable global crises.

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Margaret Bourke-White’s 1952 black and white aerial photo of a near-drowning on the beach at Coney Island, New York, presents dramatic contrasts, symmetry and balance, showing hundreds of people on a beach clustering around a swimmer who has presumably just been pulled from the water. The camera’s elevation allows the photo to incorporate interesting visual features, most strikingly the play of light and shadow cast across the beach from the ocean. While the faces of individuals are impossible to distinguish, the photo highlights the privileged, impersonal perspective of the photographer, suggesting that access to capturing this imagery can turn even a crisis into an appealing photo.

Focusing on lower Manhattan

The exhibition also pairs two photos of the wreckage at Ground Zero, shot

by David Seccombe and Peter Turnley shortly after the attacks. Both photos, taken from down in the rubble, close to the subjects, underscore how the attack transformed the constructed environment, turning skyscrapers into jagged heaps of concrete, metal and glass. In Seccombe’s photo, the Gothic metal façade of one of the towers has been sheared from the building, but remains intact, tilted toward the sky, recalling the spire of a European cathedral, perhaps proposing a reference to the attempt to damage sacred Western institutions.

Aftereffects in the southwest

One of the most intriguing images is Patrick Nagatani’s 1990 “Japanese Children’s Day Carp Banners, Paguate Village, Jackpile Mine Uranium Tailings, Laguna Pueblo Reservation, New Mexico.”

The background features a cemetery on a reservation of the indigenous Pueblo tribe. In the foreground, three illustrated Japanese Children’s Day carp banners undulate from wooden dowels. The superimposed carp banners add a layer of complexity to the photo: they reference both the internment camps for JapaneseAmericans in New Mexico in the 1940s, and a traditional Japanese holiday celebrating children’s happiness. Taken in 1990, forty-some years after the internment camps were vacated, the photo mourns for two distinct groups of victims of American racism, brought together unexpectedly in the desert.

Despite being a relatively small exhibit, Aftermath offers a feast of ideas, perspectives, histories and scenes for the visitor to consider. Time spent in this exhibition allows one to travel the world, traverse history and appreciate the impact of crisis through a photographer’s eyes.

On view through May 29th.

UMMA, 525 S. State St., Ann Arbor.

734-764-0395, umma.umich.edu. Free

arts & culture

Have a Blast and Help Build a Museum Odyssey Aviation is hosting the Yankee Air Museum’s annual gala dinner in their executive jet hangar, styled like a nightclub for the event. Vintage airplanes, like the P51 Mustang, are open for revelers to tour at their leisure, drinks in hand. Moveable Feast will cater a seasonal four-course dinner, followed by a Visionary Award presentation to legendary auto exec Bob Lutz, a performance by Detroit stand-up comic Billy Ray Bauer, and a live auction. Proceeds go toward construction of a new museum at the Willow Run Bomber Plant. —TB

$250/per person, $450/per couple, $2250/table of ten.

5:30pm, with dinner at 6:30pm. Saturday, April 14.

734-483-4030, yankeeairmuseum.org.

Angels in America: Millennium Approaches The U-M School of Music, Theater and Dance presents Tony Kushner’s Tony award and Pulitzer-prize winning first installment of his epic play about AIDS and homosexuality during the Reagan era. The ground-breaking play contains strong language, sexual content and nudity as well as a characterization of Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and mentor Roy Cohn.

- JK

$30/$12 w/ student ID. Sunday, April 1st, Thursday, April 5th - Sunday, April 8th. 7:30 pm (Thurs.), 8pm (Fri., Sat.), 2pm (Sun.). Arthur Miller Theatre, 1226 Murfin Ave., Ann Arbor.

734-764-2538. Tickets.smtd.umich.edu

Searchable lists updated daily at

ecurrent.com

Fools Light Up The Night FoolMoon, an Ann Arbor tradition for decades, draws kooks and spooks from every barn and boulevard to celebrate Light after Dark.

The night sky glows with interactive installations, laser shows, and a kaleidoscope of luminaries. Revelers enjoy a beer tent sponsored by Grizzly Peak, DJs, live performances, and spontaneous displays of gaiety! If you created your own luminary and want to wind through the streets on the way to the parade being led by a stilt walker, a samba band, or a giant jellyfish, meet at 7:45 at one of these three locations: Ann Arbor Farmers Market, UMMA or Slauson Middle School. —TB

8pm. Friday, April 6. Corner of Washington and Ashley St.

Penny Seats Theater Hunts for Good Will The Penny Seats Theater Company presents its annual dinner theater show at Conor O’Neill’s Pub. This year’s production is Matt & Ben, a romantic comedy featuring two of America’s favorite straight guys, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, as they create the beloved film Good Will Hunting. Writers Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers question gender stereotypes and relationships by featuring women in the leading roles. Show-only tickets or combination dinner-and-a-show tickets available. —TB

$12, show only . $25, dinner-show. 8pm. April 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21, 2018. Conor O’Neill’s Pub, 318 S. Main St. 734-846-3801. pennyseats.org. ecurrent.com / april 2018 35

arts & culture Ongoing Sundays [misc] Game Night

4pm-7pm. Graduate Ann Arbor. graduatehotels.com. Free

Play board games and cards in the lobby! Relax with an extended happy hour and 25% off appetizers in the Allen Rumsey Cocktail Lounge.

[misc] Sunday Open Play Euchre 6pm. Banfield’s Bar & Grill. banfieldsbar.com. Free

Participate in this weekly Euchre Tournament! There will be rotating partners. Come alone or with friends. This is tournament style play. Players must stay for the whole game!

Mondays

[misc] Knitting Night at Cultivate

6pm. Cultivate Coffee & TapHouse. cultivateypsi.com. Free

All ages and levels welcome at this weekly craft gathering!

[health & wellness] Weekly Meditation Sitting

7pm. Washington Street Education Center. chelseamich.com. Free

A group meditation with a short discussion on topics of interest.

Everyone welcome.

Tuesdays

[health & wellness] “Being in Tune” Community Meditation

12pm-12:30pm. The Ark. aacfm.org.

Free

Drop in for a weekly 30-minute mindfulness meditation in the warm, inviting environment of The Ark. Teachers from AACFM rotate leading each week.

[dance] Tuesday Tango

9:30pm. $5-$10. Studio of Movement Arts. somastories.net

Drop-ins welcome at this Argentine Tango Class! You don’t need to have a partner to attend.

The studio is located above the People’s Food Co-op.

Wednesdays [misc] Trivia Night at Corner

7pm. Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewry. arborbrewing.com Free

What better way to relax than with trivia and craft beer? Two games, at 7pm and 8pm. Make a night of it and stay for both!

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[comedy] Comedy Jamm

8pm. $5. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase. aacomedy.com

See beginners and comedy vets cut loose on the Comedy Showcase stage!

Fridays

[dance] Swing Dance Party

8pm. $4-$5. Riverside Arts Center. riversidearts.org

Free beginner lesson (8pm-9pm) covers the swing basics and and other dance moves every week.

Open dancing follows at 9pm, featuring two different swing DJs every week. Dance styles include lindy hop, east coast swing, charleston, blues, and balboa.

1st & 3rd Fridays

[misc] Talent Night at Sweetwaters

8:30pm. Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea. sweetwaterscafe.com. Free

Show your unique talent in a supportive environment.

Featured artists perform from 8:30-9:15pm. Open Mic starts at 9:30pm. All submissions must be original and family friendly.

1 Sunday

[art] Luminary Workshop

10am. Workantile. wonderfoolproductions.org. Free

Make a luminary craft for the FoolMoon event on April 6.

Supplies will be provided along with coffee, music, and merriment! There is a suggested $10 donation.

2 Monday

[film] Kagemusha

7pm. $8-$10. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org

Watch this epic tale unfold as part of the “Enter the Samurai” Film Series sponsored by U-M Center for Japanese Studies.

Pocket Piano Workshop [misc]

7pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Pocket Pianos are fun, simple synthesizers that can be played by both beginners and experienced musicians. Experiment with their wide variety of sounds.

3 Tuesday

[art] Bookbinding Workshop with Christine Darragh

5:30pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Spend an evening with Christine Darragh of Dark Oak Bindery creating your own hard-cover journal. This is a great beginner class, with no experience necessary.

4 Wednesday

[poetry] Student Poetry Reading

6pm. Institute for the Humanities. lsa.umich.edu. Free

In celebration of National Poetry Month, all are invited to this special reading featuring U-M student poets.

[poetry] One Pause Poetry Salon 8pm. Argus Farm Stop. argusfarmstop.com. Free

This poetry salon is (literally) a greenhouse for poetry, nurturing an appreciation for written art in all languages and encouraging experiments in creative writing.

Share a poem or sit back and listen. $5 suggested donation.

5 Thursday

[literature] Grown Folks Story Time

7pm. Bookbound Bookstore. bookboundbookstore.com. Free

Re-visit the nostalgia of having a story read aloud! This event is not for children. There may be profanity, wry humor and pseudo-intellectual banter! Light refreshments provided.

[misc] Take Back the Night Ann Arbor 7pm. University of Michigan Union Ballroom. tbtnannarbor.org. Free

Stand against sexual violence, share resources with local organizations and above all else, support survivors and help them to celebrate their healing. The evening will feature key-note speakers as well as musical entertainment.

[comedy] Joe List

8pm. $10 - $16. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase. aacomedy.com

Boston comic Joe List has been featured on “Late Show with David Letterman,” Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham,” NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and “Comedy Central Presents Joe List.” Additional shows at 10:30pm on Friday and Saturday.

6 Friday [art] Written Into Rock Opening Party 6pm. Ann Arbor Art Center. annarborartcenter.org. Free

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Have a complimentary beer and join the opening party for Written Into Rock, an exhibition curated by Gina Lacobelli.

[misc] FoolMoon 2018

8pm. Downtown Ann Arbor. festifools.org. Free

In the heart of downtown Ann Arbor, all are invited to this community light festival from sunset to midnight. See more info on pg. 35.

[dance] Materia Obscura

8pm. Betty Pease Studio Theater. smtd. umich.edu. Free

Experience Materia Obscura, a Master of Fine Arts in Dance thesis performance by Fabiola Torralba.

The 60-minute performance guides audiences through a multi-sensorial weaving of movement, sound, and imagery through fragmentation and idiosyncrasy.

7 Saturday

[art] Intro to Watercolor: Create Your Own Galaxies!

10am. $48.87. The Guest Room. facebook.com/theguestroom306

Painting galaxies is a great introduction to many fundamental techniques of watercolor. Leave with your very own set of quality materials to take home!

[theatre] Purple Rose Concert Reading

10:30am. Chelsea District Library. chelseadistrictlibrary.org. Free

Join for a reading by Purple Rose performers. Share your feedback with the cast, playwright, and Artistic Director Guy Sanville.

[film] Korean Cinema Now: Jane

1pm. $7-$10. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org A special screening by the Nam Center for Korean Studies at the University of Michigan. See this action-packed film about a group of misfit runaways that come together as family.

[theatre] Making a Scene Improv Workshop

1pm. $20-$25. Ann Arbor Civic Theatre. a2ct.org

Jump into this hands-on workshop led by David Widmayer; local actor, theater director, and director of A2CT’s Civic Improv Ensemble.

Participants will be coached in exercises for building longer, deeper, character-driven improv scenes.

8 Sunday

[misc] Solidarity Not Charity

1pm. Riverside Arts Center. riversidearts.org. Free

The Mutual Aid Disaster Relief (MADRelief) Training Team will explain how natural storms turn into unnatural disasters. Make connections and talk principles of grassroots direct action humanitarian aid and crisis response.

[misc] Coloring with Cats

[theater] Menopause The Musical

Enjoy cat “zen,” de-stress, and help homeless cats from the community. Coloring sheets and supplies provided, along with snacks and soft drinks, though you may also bring in non-alcoholic drinks and snacks of your choice.

Laugh along with this hilarious musical parody set to classic tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s!

5:30pm. $10. Tiny Lions Lounge & Adoption Center. tinylions.org

[comedy] 8 Pointless Minutes: A Long Form Improv Jam

7:30pm-9:30pm. Pointless Brewery & Theatre. pointlessbrew.com. Free

Play in a long form jam! Sign up for a spot when you arrive. Each group will be formed by the host and will get eight “pointless” minutes on stage. All experience levels welcome. Come to watch or to play.

9 Monday

[film] CJS Film Series: Ran

7pm. $8-$10. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org

The U-M Center for Japanese Studies presents this 1985 tragedy/action film as part of the “Enter the Samurai” Film series.

10 Tuesday

[environment] Stewards’ Circle

7:30am. Bruegger’s Bagels. stewardshipnetwork.org. Free

Interested in learning more about how to care for natural areas?

Join for an informal discussion with volunteer and professional land stewards, plus others interested in nature. This month’s topic is “Simplifying Field Work.”

11 Wednesday [poetry] An Evening of Poetry and the Written Word

7pm. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room. crazywisdom.net. Free Exercise your poetry skills at this hands-on workshop. All writers are welcome to share and discuss their poetry or short fiction.

Bring six copies of your work.

[film] Film Screening: The Virgin Suicides

7:30pm. $8-$10. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org

A special screening of the cult class as part of the Science on Screen Film Series. At its core, the Virgin Suicides is a mystery story: a heart-rending investigation into the impenetrable, life-altering secrets of American adolescence. Stay for a Q&A after the film!

8pm. $45-$65. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org

12 Thursday

[environment] Earth Day 2018 Celebration 10am. Washtenaw Community College. wccnet.edu. Free

Join local non-profits, businesses, WCC departments, and government organizations to address solutions to today’s environmental challenges.

[poetry] Open Mic & Share Poetry Series 7pm. Bookbound Bookstore. bookboundbookstore.com. Free

Celebrate National Poetry Month with an open mic! Poets are encouraged to share their own work along with a favorite poem by another author. All styles of poetry and levels of experience are welcome. Tea and light refreshments will be provided.

[misc] Terrarium Workshop

7pm. $44.28 - $65.39. University Flower Shop. uniflowershop.com

This workshop will guide you through creating your own beautiful terrarium featuring six succulents, stones, soil, and moss. Light refreshments will be provided. Bring your own vessel or one will be provided for an extra fee. Recommended container size: 6x6”

[misc] UMMA Student Late Night!

7pm. University of Michigan Museum of Art. umma.umich.edu. Free

Organized by U-M students for U-M students, this event will be a fun-filled, late-night creative explosion. The evening will feature hands-on art making activities, original performances, music by WCBN DJs, a photo booth, free food, and more.

[dance] Senior Dance Majors Performance

8pm. $7. Betty Pease Studio Theater. smtd.umich.edu

The Department of Dance at the U-M School of Music, Theatre, and Dance presents “Show Without ____,” with choreography

by Julia Dooley, Melanie Holt, Monica Miller, Abigail Worth, and Meredith Ziegelmeyer.

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arts & culture CONT’D FROM P37

13 Friday [comedy] Breaking (The) News

8pm. $12. Pointless Brewery & Theatre. pointlessbrew.com

Experience this new show

by The League of Pointless Improvisers, as they take the stage to pull a headline from the news. Enjoy an improvised show inspired by that headline, broken open and ripped apart in hilarious ways. Additional show at 10.

[misc] Friday the 13th Adult Ghost Hunt 9pm. $20. 1 Town Square, Wayne. waynehistoricalmuseum.wordpress. com

Join for a paranormal hunt. Must be 18 years or older. All proceeds go to the Wayne Historical Society. Must arrive 15 minutes before start time to check in. Times begin promptly on the hour.

You may bring your own ghost hunting equipment. No drugs or alcohol allowed. Additional hunt at 11pm.

14 Saturday

[misc] Storytelling Workshop with Jim May

1pm. Chelsea District Library. chelseadistrictlibrary.org. Free

Writers, storytellers, teachers, and more are invited to this workshop led by Jim May, EMMY award-winning storyteller and author. In Partnership with the Ann Arbor Storytellers Guild.

[literature] The Detroit Neighborhood Guidebook 4pm. Nicola’s Books. nicolasbooks.com. Free

Join for a panel presentation featuring contributors to The Detroit Neighborhood Guidebook. Edited

by Aaron Foley, this new release is a guide to Detroit, with essays

by Zoe Villegas, Drew Philip, Hakeem Weatherspoon, Marsha Music, Ian Thibodeau, and dozens of other esteemed writers.

[theater] Opening Night: Gruesome Playground Injuries 8pm. $10-$25. trustArt Studios. kickshawtheatre.org

Kickshaw Theatre, Ann Arbor’s pop-up professional theatre, presents Gruesome Playground Injuries. The show will run Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 4pm, April 12-29.

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15 Sunday

[misc] Annual Meeting

2pm. Cobblestone Farm & Museum. cobblestonefarm.org. Free

This membership meeting will feature an update on activities, light refreshments, and speaker Nancy Bryk. Tours of the house will be offered afterwards.

[health & wellness] It’s a Matter of Heart: Environmentalism, Mental Health, and Being Human

3pm. Rackham Building, 4th Floor. naturelearningcommunity.org. Free

Anthropologist Jon Young and therapeutic intervention specialist Kathleen Lockyer from the 8 Shields Institute will share their experiential understanding of deep nature connection. They will discuss how nature relates to neurobiology, the capacity for developing connections with other people, and the health of community.

[film] The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour 7pm. $12-$15. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org

Ignite your passion for the outdoors, adventure, action, and travel! This special film festival will exhilarate with amazing bigscreen stories and inspire you for your next adventure.

16 Monday

[misc] Electric Bikes with Human Electric Hybrids

7pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Jim Summers of Human Electric Hybrids will answer questions about electric bikes. Topics will include cost and energy efficiency, carrying capacity, legislation regarding electric bikes in Michigan, and whether you can add a motor to a bike you already have.

[dance] No Space

8pm. Betty Pease Studio Theater. smtd.umich.edu. Free

Join for an evening of new dance works by first year Master of Fine Arts candidates Megan Bascom, Lenard J. Foust, Kelly Hirina, and Nicole Reehorst.

17 Tuesday

[literature] The Pioneer Americanists

4pm. Hatcher Graduate Library The Gallery. events.r20.constantcontact.com. Free

Join J. Kevin Graffagnino, Clements Library director and curator, as he examines early book collecting practices of 16 noteworthy specialists who created the Americana field from the late seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries.

[health & wellness] Cultivating Mindfulness to Support Recovery

7:30pm. St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center. dawnfarm.org. Free This presentation will describe theory and research supporting mindfulness, demonstrate mindfulness techniques, and review the evidence of its positive effects on recovery.

18 Wednesday

[art] Artists Meet and Greet

6pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

This series is dedicated to presenting professional development gatherings for artists, designers, crafters and freelance creatives. Come connect with the local arts community, the Art Center, and attend topical discussions by guest speakers.

[literature] An Evening with David Sedaris

7:30pm. $52-$62. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, David Sedaris has become one of America’s preeminent humor writers.

[comedy] Full Metal Jokers, Comedy and Craft Beer

7:30pm. $10. Pointless Brewery & Theatre. pointlessbrew.com

Full Metal Jokers present a mix of local comedians and national headliners, all with hilariously unique perspectives on life.

Comedians will include Abdallah Jasim, Brandon Young, Loyd Digg, Myles De Leeuw, Jon Mullinix, Jin Kim, and Dan Thomas.

19 Thursday

[misc] Ikebana: Japanese Flower Arranging 1pm. $20. Matthaei Botanical Gardens. events.umich.edu

Create your own seasonal Ikebana arrangement with guidance by a certified instructor. Reservations are required: a2ikebana@ gmail.com.

[theater] Cold Blood

7:30pm. $28-$54. The Power Center for the Performing Arts. ums.org

The magnificent creative team of Charleroi Danses in Belgium brings Cold Blood, a poetic journey that is filmed before your very eyes.

[comedy] Gary Gulman

8pm. $12-$16. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase. aacomedy.com

Boston’s Gary Gulman has appeared on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno, “The Late Show” with David Letterman, “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Inside Amy Schumer,” and “Late Night” w/ Seth Meyers.” Additional showtimes at 10:30pm on Friday and Saturday.

[poetry] Open Mic

6:30pm. Serendipity Books. serendipity-books.com. Free

Gather for a night of local talent!

To reserve a 5-minute spot for showcasing your poetry, prose, or other creative work, call 734-475-8732 ext. 503. Spaces will also be saved for drop-in sign-ups.

[theater] Into the Woods

8pm. $8-$14. Kreft Center for the Arts Black Box, Concordia University. cuaa.edu

Enjoy this modern retelling of several fairy tales that combines fantasy and drama. With music

by Stephen Sondheim, the lyricism and humor of this production will transport you beyond the everyday.

20 Friday

[poetry] An Evening With Marcus Wicker

arts & culture 22 Sunday

[film] Film Screening: Detroit Unleaded with Rola Nashef 1pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Join Dearborn-based filmmaker Rola Nashef for a screening of Detroit Unleaded. This 2014 comedy tells the story of Sami, a cashier who navigates love and intrigue while running his Arab immigrant family’s gas station in Detroit. Stick around for a discussion and Q&A with the director!

[theater] NJFK: Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit

project among other artists and supporters. Space is limited, so the first 12 to sign up via the website get a spot!

23 Monday

[misc] Confronting Race & Poverty in Schools & Classrooms

5:30pm-8:30pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Community members are invited to engage with keynote speaker Dr. Richard Milner from the University of Pittsburgh about inequities in Washtenaw County.

24 Tuesday

1:30pm. $11-$13. Michigan Theater. michtheater.org One of Southeast Michigan’s most highly regarded cultural treasures returns with a funfilled, empowering musical revue, suitable for all ages.

[comedy] Open Stage

7:30pm-9:30pm. Pointless Brewery & Theatre. pointlessbrew.com. Free

[poetry] How to Read Poetry Like a Professor 7pm. Nicola’s Books. nicolasbooks.com. Free

Join retired U of M-Flint professor Thomas C. Foster, the bestselling author of How to Read Literature Like a Professor, for a presentation of his newest book.

Do you play in a band, do improv, write poetry, belly dance, or have some other talent you would like to perform? The Open Stage is a great place to try out your latest

Matt & Ben

by Mindy Kaling & Brenda Withers

7pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Celebrate National Poetry Month with renowned poet Marcus Wicker. Join as he discusses his life, poetry, and newest collection, Silencer.

21 Saturday [misc] Ann Arbor Death Cafe

10:30am. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room. crazywisdom.net. Free

Eat cake, drink tea, and talk about death. This event has no agenda and participants guide the conversation. This is not a grief support group, but a way to further the cultural conversation about the one thing everyone has in common.

Conor O’Neill’s Irish Pub

April 5,6,7,12,13,14,19 & 20 Dinner @ 6:00 p.m.

Show @ 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: www.pennyseats.org Dinner + Show: $25 Show Only: $12 PRODUCED WITH SUPPORT FROM:

ecurrent.com / april 2018 39

ROAD TRIP Celebrate National Poetry Month in K-zoo Get your National Poetry Month fix with the fifth annual Kalamazoo Poetry Festival. Events include a “Your Turn Open Mic,” a “Nasty Women Poetry” reading from “an unapologetic anthology of subversive verse,” and a music/poetry hybrid performance from The Last Gasp Collective. - JK

Free. April 6-7. Venue Schedule available @ facebook.com/kalamazpoetryfestival. [misc] Unlikely Conductors: The Role of Native Americans in the Underground Railroad 7pm. Ann Arbor District Library Downtown. aadl.org. Free

Join Heather Bruegl, a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, and learn about the important role that Native American people played in the Underground Railroad.

25 Wednesday

Affordable Vet Services Nominate Us as Best Vet of Washtenaw!

[poetry] An Evening of Poetry and the Written Word

7pm. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room. Free

Featured Reader Jan Worth-Nelson, editor of Flint’s venerable East Village Magazine, produces a steady stream of published stories and poems. All writers are welcome to read poetry or short fiction afterward at the open mic.

26 Thursday

Celebrating 11 years

[poetry] Poetry with Zilka Joseph & Robert Fanning

7pm. Bookbound Bookstore. bookboundbookstore.com. Free

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Join for a night of poetry with celebrated Michigan authors Zilka Joseph and Robert Fanning!

[comedy] Matt McClowry

8pm. $10. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase. aacomedy.com

Matt McClowry has been surprising audiences for nearly a decade, putting a sharp edge to universal topics like family, relationships, and modern life.

28 Saturday

[misc] The Sugar Rush 5k: Krispy Kreme Challenge

8am. $24.99-$45. Gallup Park. thesugarrush5k.com Participate in this sweets-

themed 5K fun run that partner with nonprofit organizations. All participants receive a custom race bib, donuts and finisher’s medal.

[literature] Independent Bookstore Day 9am. Nicola’s Books. nicolasbooks.com. Free

Celebrate the importance of local bookstores! There will be treats and surprises throughout the day, a story time at 11am, giveaways, and exclusive literary items available for one day only.

[misc] Enlightened Soul Expo

10am. Skyline High School. holisticpsychicexpo.com. Free

Visit over 100 vendors of holistic & metaphysical products and services! There will be readers, mediums, medical intuitives, aura photography, energy work, crystals, jewelry, essential oils, and more.

[art] Learn Hand Lettering

12pm. $71.76. The Guest Room. facebook.com/theguestroom306

Kristen Drozdowski of Worthwhile Paper will lead a hands-on workshop in the fundamentals of lettering by hand with a focus on modern script lettering.

29 Sunday

[theater] Musical Theatre Senior Showcase

4pm. $28. Lydia Mendelssohn Theater. smtd.umich.edu Enjoy this unforgettable revue featuring a wide range of talent from the Musical Theatre Department’s graduating seniors. An essential element in launching students into their professional careers. The Showcase previews in Ann Arbor before making its way to New York where it is performed for agents and casting directors.

person of interest

by Cammie Finch

Mike Michelon Occupation: Executive Director, Ann Arbor Summer Festival

How did you first get involved with the Ann Arbor Summer Festival? I first discovered the festival while

visiting for student orientation the summer before my freshman year at UM. I was wide-eyed, taking in all the activity and incredible energy. At the time, I thought this was just another night in Ann Arbor! At UM, I studied Theater, primarily focused in the Design & Production and Arts Administration curriculum. Prior to working for the Summer Festival, I worked in the programming and production department at UMS.

How do you go about curating such a jam-packed program for the festival? It’s a team effort! We comb

through artist submissions and a community wishlist, look at national and international trends, talk to our peers at other presenting organizations, see lots of performances, and engage a local advisory group. It’s different every year: new artists, events, and experiences. I get excited every May when our program guide arrives and we can start circling ‘can’t miss’ events for people asking for recommendations.

What do you think is Ann Arbor’s best-kept secret?

Summertime! And not just because the festival is taking place. The parks and trails, kayaking the Huron River, and the restaurant patios opening up. My fiancé Rachelle and I enjoy being active and engaged in the Ann Arbor community, Michigan Athletics, and seeing performances.

What is one thing that most people don’t know about you? As a kid, I performed shows for my family –

primarily American songbook with some spoken word and stand-up comedy. Unfortunately, video evidence exists!!

Where are your favorite places to meet with friends? Lately, Spencer for its rotating seasonal menu,

Knight’s Downtown for a post-performance cocktail, and RoosRoast for a morning coffee.

What do you miss most about Ann Arbor when you’re away? The people – the rich conversation and relationships

that come with living in a city with a world-class university and a vibrant arts and culture scene.

2018 Ann Arbor Summer Festival, June 8 - July 1. a2sf.org.

30% off during April

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Spring Special Order Event

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(734) 665-2796 • threechairs.com ecurrent.com / april 2018 41

Cannabis Hash Bash 2018 The largest smoke sesh in Michigan

by Vic Tanny

The annual event that puts Ann Arbor on the map as a midwest cannabis mecca is back for its 47th year on the Diag at UM. Billed as “the largest free pro-cannabis festival east of the Mississippi,” Hash Bash draws crowds upward of ten thousand people. Expect activists preaching to the crowd at high noon on Saturday, April 7, as smoke rises above central campus.

The Festival and the Bazaar

The demonstration morphs into a festival vibe just two blocks south at the Monroe Street Fair, now in its 17th year. Vendors line the street near the Michigan Law School selling everything but cannabis (there are plenty of unsanctioned street vendors for that) while local bands and musicians perform on a central stage just outside Dominick’s.

This annual public display of affection for marijuana is something every self-medicating herb- lover should experience.

Though the smell of cheeba is commonplace if you’re strolling the streets of any West Coast city, recognize this rare opportunity to participate in overt public cannabis consumption in the Midwest (without facing prosecution) and carpe diem.

More info on Hash Bash can be found at www.hashbash.com More info on the Monroe Street Fair can be found at www.monroestreetfair.com

Hash Bash and the Monroe Street Fair University of Michigan Diag / Monroe St. Saturday, April 7, 11am - 6pm

Medical Cannabis Cultivation 5pm. $30. Om of Medicine. omofmedicine.org

Seminar with dj Short On the day after Hash Bash cannabis culture guru and world renowned geneticist, DJ Short, will be hosting a seminar with topics covering basic and advance growing techniques, therapeutic aspects of cannabis species of different strains, quality selection, and industry ethics, among others.

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APRIL

free will astrology © Copyright 2018 Rob Brezsny

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Are you an evolving Taurus or an unevolving Taurus? Are you an aspiring master of gradual, incremental progress or a complacent excuse-maker who secretly welcomes inertia? Will the theme of your next social media post be “The Smart Art of Compromise” or “The Stingy Glory of Stubbornness”? I’m hoping you will opt for the former rather than the latter in each of the three choices I just offered. Your behavior in the coming weeks will be pivotal in your long-term ability to be your highest self rather than your mediocre self.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If you fly in a passenger jet from New York to London, the trip usually takes more than six hours. But on January 8, 2015, a powerful jet stream surging across the North Atlantic reduced that time significantly. With the wind’s extra push, several flights completed the trip in five hours and 20 minutes. I suspect you’ll have comparable assistance in the course of your upcoming journeys and projects, Gemini. You’ll feel like the wind is at your back.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Actor Keanu Reeves’ career ascended to a higher level when he appeared as a lead character in the film *Speed.* It was the first time he had been a headliner in a big-budget production.

But he turned down an offer to reprise his starring role in the sequel, *Speed 2.* Instead he toured with his grunge band Dogstar and played the role of Hamlet in a production staged by a local theater company in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I admire him for being motivated more by love and passion than by fame and fortune. In my estimation, Cancerian, you face a choice that in some ways resemble Keanu’s, but in other ways don’t. You shouldn’t automatically assume that what your ego craves is opposed to what your heart yearns for.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A Leo sculptor I know is working on a fortyfour-foot-long statue of a lion. Another Leo friend borrowed $30,000 to build a recording studio in her garage so she can pursue her quixotic dream of a music career. Of my other Leo acquaintances, one is writing a memoir of her time as a black-market orchid smuggler, another just did four sky dives in three days, and another embarked on a long-postponed pilgrimage to Slovenia, the land of her ancestors. What about you? Are there any breathtaking challenges or smart gambles you’re considering? I trust that you can surf the same astrological wave.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): How sexy is it possible for you to be?

I’m referring to authentic soul-stirring sexiness, not the contrived, glitzy, counterfeit version. I’m alluding to the irresistible magnetism that wells up in you when you tap in to your core self and summon a reverent devotion to your life’s mission. However sexy it is possible for you to be, Virgo, I suggest you unleash that magic in the coming weeks. It’s the only foolproof strategy for attracting the spiritual experiences and material resources and psychological support you need.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to my analysis of the cosmic omens, your impact is rising. You’re gaining influence.

More people are tuning in to what you have to offer. And yet your stress levels also seem to be increasing. Why is that? Do you assume that having more power requires you to endure higher tension? Do you unconsciously believe that being more worried is the price of being more responsible? If so, stop that nonsense right now. The truth is this: The best way to deal with your growing clout is to relax into it.

The best way to express your growing clout is to relax into it.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Eighty-three-year-old author Harlan Ellison has had a long and successful career. In the course of publishing hundreds of literary works in seven different genres, he has won numerous awards. But when he was in his thirties, there was an interruption in the upward arc of his career. Walt Disney Studios hired him as a writer. During his first day on the job, Roy Disney overheard Ellison joking with a co-worker about using Disney characters in an animated pornographic film. Ellison was fired on the spot. I am by no means predicting a comparable event in your life, Aries. On the contrary. By giving you this heads-up, I’m hoping you’ll be scrupulous and adroit in how you act in the early stages of a new project -- so scrupulous and adroit that you will sail on to the next stages.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The immediate future will challenge you to revisit several fundamental Scorpio struggles. For best results, welcome these seeming intrusions as blessings and opportunities, and follow these guidelines: 1. Your control over external circumstances will increase in direct proportion to your control over your inner demons. 2. Your ability to do what you want will thrive to the degree that you stop focusing on what you don’t want. 3. Your skill at managing and triumphing over chaos will be invincible if you’re not engrossed in blaming others.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I’m about to say some things that sound extraordinary. And it’s possible that they are in fact a bit overblown. But even if that’s the case, I trust that there is a core of truth in them. So rejoice in their oracular radiance. First, Sagittarius, I want to tell you that if you have been dreaming about a miracle cure, the next four weeks will be a time when you’re more likely than usual to find it or generate it. Second, if you have fantasized about getting the help you need to at least partially fix a seemingly irremediable problem, I urge you to ask for it more assertively than ever before. Third, if you have wondered whether you could ever retrieve a lost part of your soul, the odds are more in your favor than they’ve been in a long time.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The French government defines books as an “essential good,” along with water, bread, and electricity. Would you add anything to that list of life’s basics?

Companionship? Stories? Deep sleep? Pleasurable exercise and movement? Once you identify your “essential goods,” I invite you to raise the level of reverence and care you give them. Take an oath to treat them as holy treasures. Boost your determination and ability to get all you need of their blessings. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to enhance your appreciation of the fundamentals you sometimes take for granted.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Buckingham Palace is the home and office of the Queen of England. It has been the main royal residence since Queen Victoria took the throne in 1837. But in earlier times, the site served other purposes.

The 17th-century English lawyer Clement Walker described the building occupying that land as a brothel, a hotbed of “debauchery.” Before that the space was a mulberry garden where silkworms tuned mulberry leaves into raw material for silk fabrics. I see the potential for an almost equally dramatic transformation of a certain place in your life, Aquarius. Start dreaming and scheming about the possibilities.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Poet Carolyn Forché is a role model for how to leave one’s comfort zone. In her early career, she earned writing degrees at placid universities near her childhood home in the American Midwest. Her first book mined material about her family; its first poem is addressed to her grandmother. But then she relocated to El Salvador, where she served as a human rights advocate during that country’s civil war. Later she lived and wrote in Lebanon at the height of its political strife. Her drive to expand her experience invigorated her poetry and widened her audience. Would you consider drawing inspiration from Forché in the coming weeks and months, Pisces? I don’t necessarily recommend quite so dramatic a departure for you, but even a mild version will be well rewarded.

ecurrent.com / february 2018 45

THE NOSE KNOWS Across 1. Like a church-going VIP 6. Go like Mikaela Shiffrin 9. The Raiders home, in 2019 14. Oscar-nominated director for “Get Out�

15. Punk rock icon Gordon 16. Show jubilation 17. Start of a one-liner by 23-Across 19. Bad feeling 20. Not forthcoming 21. Preposition that comes in handy in palindromes 22. Lacking direction, electrically 23. Comic with the TV show “Important Things�

27. Goes downhill fast 29. Conde ___ 30. Irreplaceable string 31. It has a campus in Kingston: Abbr.

32. Snapdragon, e.g.

35. One-liner, part 2 40. Knot things up 41. Namely, in Latin 42. T-shirt order 43. “Oh fuuuuu...�

45. Tennessee range, briefly 47. One-liner, part 3 51. Some brothers 52. Smack 53. Indian rule 56. Bubbe’s pancake 57. End of the one-liner 60. Suffered humiliation 61. Hill tender 62. Post-war agreements 63. Points in 62-Across 64. “Yoo-hoo!�

65. Zoo regulars (presumably if the nanny can’t think of anywhere else to take them)

46 

  april

Down 1. Bigger than big 2. Star of Netflix’s “The Outsider�

3. Lose water 4. Big Blue’s QB, familiarly 5. Swimsuit model Alexis 6. Hula outfits 7. Passer of bad checks 8. Sends a quick word 9. Italian scooters 10. Ship overseas 11. Catholic ___ 12. Asian mountain range 13. Rear end 18. Rather interested 22. Vigorously, poetically 24. Direction that becomes its opposite when an “O� is added to its front 25. Israel’s Golda 26. Sign on the cross 27. “Stop everything�

28. Big name in hotels 31. Pretzel brand 32. Comic with the 2018 stand-up special “Tamborine�

33. Notepad part 34. Rugged vehicles 36. Ones against all odds?

37. 42-Across, e.g.

38. Attach (onto) 39. It’s captured on a lot 43. Noah on the Knicks 44. Regal birds 45. Not that good, tbh 46. Thing debunked on Snopes 47. B equivalent 48. Say a few words in public 49. Coke purchase 50. Bonn river 54. It’s down when the chips are down 55. “New Girl� girl 57. Faux cry 58. Right on the money 59. Not of the cloth

2018 / ecurrent.com

FOR CROSSWORD ANSWERS, GO TO ECURRENT.COM

Š2018 By Brendan Emmett Quigley (www.brendanemmettquigley.com)

crossword

Homeward Bound Rescue League

classifieds PAYMENT Payment must be received before an ad can be placed. We accept checks, cash, money orders, and credit cards (MasterCard, American Express, or Visa) Sorry, no refunds. Misprint results in credit toward next ad.

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