This week’s Ann Arbor adventures started with a holiday staff lunch at Mediterrano, where we ate delicious food and I got to hang out with Anita, Emily, and Michael. Emily and Michael did some serious townie flexing — we were talking about York, and Emily said, “I remember when it was Morgan & York.”
“I used to work there when it was Big Ten Party Store,” said Michael, and then added, “back when all they sold was Budweiser and weird pickles,” which cracked me up.
We also did a White Elephant gift exchange. I lucked out and picked Courtney’s gift, these completely adorable little bowls and a tiny golden spoon from the Kitchen Loft. Fun fact about me: I’m a hardcore minimalist, worship at the altar of Marie Kondo, but also I have a penchant for (and collection of) tiny spoons. I gave away a wooden mixtape magnet from Ambit Art. (I also have a penchant for unique fridge magnets — here’s hoping Caron does too!)
Later on that week, I took the Washtenaw Express to Ann Arbor and walked around downtown. First, a visit to Ledog, ostensibly to drop off a couple of issues (it was featured in I Spy), but also to try some of this soup I’ve heard so much about. I ate chicken chili in the seating area downstairs, where I talked to a fella named Tom about the ways Ann Arbor has changed over the years.
Next, I took a walk around U-M to take photos for a possible collage in the upcoming issue. Saw a bunch of cool statues around the physics building, and also a couple of very chunky, very brazen squirrels.
On Friday afternoon, I found myself in North Burns Park around sunset. It was cold but still, and it wasn’t too bad as long as you kept moving, and I looked at the handsome houses and the tangle of tree branches against an incandescent sunset. Pretty town ya got here.