One of the great benefits of living in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area are the endless number of great events and activities that are easily accessible. By that I mean, you can decide at the last minute to run out the door and still make it to your event on time and get a great seat.
Nothing is worse than getting to your venue and finding that you cannot park or it’s standing room only. You are not going to have that problem with these activities. While it feels like the Ann Arbor – Ypsilanti area is getting more crowded, these are activities where you can just go and show up! For me that can make all the difference between doing something fun or just staying in for the evening.
This is my list – It matches up with the things that are my idea of fun. For me is about meeting new people and making new connections and attending events related to my hobbies – music, photography, community and homes (of course). It’s also about finding and hanging out with people that have a great passion for what they do.
If you want to make your own list, the best place to make your list is here – The Ann Arbor Observer. Check it out and make a list of things that relate to your interests, get out, and have fun!
Here’s a few things on my November list:
1. Cultivate Coffee and TapHouse
Craft, Community, Cause. Cultivate Coffee and TapHouse is a community house that serves great coffee drinks and huge variety of craft beer. You can bring your own food too. They really have a comfortable community vibe.
Cultivate Coffee is a non-profit community organization and they say:
“We’re obsessed with having excellent craft (coffee & beer), about creating an amazing community (events, affinity groups, etc), and investing in worthy causes (local and global gardening programs). We invite our employees, customers, volunteers, vendors, and city to engage with us at whatever level they feel comfortable.”
While you are there, check out the community calender of events on the wall (or go to their Facebook page).
2. UMMA: University of Michigan Museum of Art
I like to visit this museum once a quarter and generally speaking you will see at least one or two new exhibits.
From their website:
“One of the finest university art museums in the country, UMMA holds collections representing 150 years of art collecting. A dynamic schedule of special exhibitions and interpretative programs connects visitors with the rich artistic legacy of the past and today’s avant-garde.”
I will be checking out –
- Paul Klee November 1, 2016 – January 15, 2017
- The Swiss-born artist and theorist Paul Klee (1879–1940) taught at the influential Bauhaus art school in Weimar, Germany. This installation features an evocative oil and watercolor painting recently donated to UMMA, Das Paar in der Dämmerung (The Couple at Dusk) which shows Klee operating at the height of his powers and embodies his inventive imagery and expressive use of color.
- Artists of the Photo-Secession– The Aesthetic Movement in America October 29, 2016 – March 5, 2017
- In 1902 Alfred Stieglitz and other Pictorialist photographers founded the Photo-Secession in New York, with Camera Work as the flagship periodical that published images by the group. Their poetic compositions drawn from contemporary life, combined with the use of expensive and labor-intensive printing materials such as platinum and gum bichromate, established these photographs as complex and nuanced works of high artistic quality. The exhibition features work by the principal Pictorialists, including Stieglitz, Steichen, Käsebier, Clarence White, Paul Strand, and Alvin Langdon Coburn.
3. Allen Rumsey Supper Club
Why not check out a new restaurant in town! Comfortable friendly throw back kind of place. Midwestern and traditional. Great ingredients, simple food Classic supper club dishes, cozy booths a jukebox filled with 45’s creating an environment that makes people feel comfortable and at home.
“Step back in time to the friendly confines and seasonal flavorings of our Midwestern roots. Allen Rumsey is a nod to the founders of the great city of Ann Arbor and the dishes of great dinners past – and present. Our retro take on familiar flavors of suppers long ago is stoked with local ingredients from native farms and nearby purveyors – including a Lazy Susan of pickles, relishes, breads and spreads and fresh Great Lakes catches.”
Makes me think of Drummond Island in the Upper Pennisula (Think 1950’s) We will see.
located in the Graduate Hotel – Ann Arbor
615 E Huron Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 769-4225
4. Farmers Market
Saturday mornings – Always on my list. Here are a few things I will be hunting for over the next few weeks at the market in Kerrytown.
- Savory croissants – from White Lotus Farms, then coffee from Roos Roast.
- Holiday beeswax candles from Bernie Bee (Phone: 313-520-6348)
- Honey and homemade wreaths from Paul and Anne of Community Farm of Ann Ann Arbor
- Special Holiday and home gifts and decorations – all kinds of unique items are available at the market. It’s a great place to shop for something special and homemade, heartfelt gifts.
5. Culinary Camp Out
Saturday, November 19th | 1pm
If you want to learn how to cook over the campfire, this is your opportunity! Everything tastes better when cooked over a campfire outdoors. Even bacon!. It’s free, it’s unique, why not check it out, I say!
In the class Campfire Cookout, Parks Naturalist Shawn Severance will demonstrate culinary creations over a campfire. Equipment, food, recipes and instruction will all be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring reusable plates, silverware, and mugs.
Park Lyndon South
18801 N Territorial Rd., Chelsea
6. Ann Arbor District Library
The AADL hosts all sorts of great events for both adults and children. If you’ll be in town during the days following Thanksgiving and are looking for something fun to do, check out one of their free workshops:
- DIY Sugar Scrubs: All adults and teens in grade 6 & up invited to make a simple sugar scrub to treat your skin. 7-8 p.m., AADL AADL Westgate Branch, Westgate shopping center, 2503 Jackson Rd.
- Winter Wreaths: All adults and teens in grade 6 & up invited to make a winter wreath. 7-8 p.m., AADL Westgate Branch, Westgate shopping center, 2503 Jackson Rd.
I would love to know what events you see coming up that look interesting, easily accessible and fun. Drop us a note on our Facebook page!
Andy
