Michigan Theater
“This month’s I Spy is the Michigan Theater with the new high rise looming in the background,” writes Michael McGraw.
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Fake Ad and I Spy
Former Le Dog Location
“Finally, I got the I Spy clue! It’s the old Le Dog location on Liberty [at] Thompson,” writes Linda Kentes. “They had that wonderful lobster bisque!” “I still miss walking a block from work to get soup” from the stand, notes Spencer Thomas.
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“Mt. Whitmore Family Ski Resort”
We received 153 entries correctly identifying the Fake Ad for Mt. Whitmore on page 57 of the November Observer.
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Anns’ Arbor Plaque
“Lovely, but highly unlikely,” says Dave Bicknell of the plaque’s romantic tale. Still, “when I … moved here for grad school in 1987,” writes Susan Whitlock, “I came upon that plaque … and decided I was in the right place: few cities can claim such a feminist origin myth.”
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“G.I. BBS: Serving Those Who Serve”
People are funny. Okay, maybe not all 131 of you who correctly identified the Fake Ad for the Government Issue Bulletin Board System (GIBBS) on page 73 of the October issue, but enough to give us a few chuckles.
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T.D. Usdull, CPAS
We received 161 entries correctly identifying last month’s Fake Ad, which featured an old joke about accountants being dull.
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Avfuel Logo
“I Spy the Aviation Fuel company sculpture west of the southeast area Bicentennial Park!” writes Kathryn Powell, referencing August’s clue. It’s “one of the many features that make this global headquarters campus look like a nice place to work.”
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Tree of Life
I spy “the ‘Tree of Life’ statue on the corner of State St. and North University,” writes Catrin Koselka.
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Spendthrift
“‘This isn’t Lycra U’ is very cute,” writes Steve Worden, “and using a U and you for (w) for the record, is one of your cleverer name arrangements.”
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A Greco-Roman Mural on Summit St.
“I spied with my little eye a mural at the entrance to [the] building at 124 W. Summit St.,” writes Isabel McEwen. It’s “in a little garden that backs up to the train tracks on the east border of … Water Hill,” says Dyke McEwen. “I visit friends nearby,” adds Dave Bicknell, “and always look to make sure it’s still there.”
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State Line Fireworks
While the team at Fake Ad Central was collating this month’s responses, the Czar happened to get his water quality report, and did something few people have probably ever done: read it.
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Concours de Médiocrité
“The most obvious giveaway is the date of June 31—it ain’t happening. Much more interesting, though, are the (at least in some way self-contradictory) instances of wordplay. ‘Competition in Mediocrity’—chef kiss left! ‘Pedestrian automobiles’—chef kiss right! … The nod to the previous month’s winner (Merry Muilenberg) is the 1926 Muilenberg Model X.”
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Red Hawk Bar & Grille
“RIP Red Hawk,” says Elise McCoy. “You were my family’s favorite.”
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Liberty St. Dunkin’
“Dunkin’ … for breakfast?” questions Mary Adams. “Nah—leave it for the kids. Why have Dunkin’ when the Dairy is less than a five-minute walk away?”
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Kiddie Land
“Us Ann Arbor long-timers know that this is a Fake Ad for a non-fake business, perhaps with some poignance.”
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Echelon Kitchen and Bar
March’s photo shows “a column outside the new Echelon Kitchen and Bar that just opened,” writes Dyke McEwen. It’s on the “southwest corner of Main Street and Washington,” says Debbie Onderdonk. “The building in the background is Cafe Zola.”
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