Darren Criss, one of my favorite “Glee” stars, paid a visit to Bill’s Beer Garden, one of my favorite local spots. What are the odds?! Bill’s Beer Garden officially opened for the season on May 2, 2013, the day these photos were taken.
Top Photo: Left to right: Phillis Engelbert, Crystal Conway, Brian Carbine, Darren Criss, Andy Sell.
Bottom Photo: Bill Zolkowski, proprietor of Bill’s Beer Garden, with Darren Criss
This squirrel was drinking water from the middle of this manhole cover as if it were a bowl.
Source: squirreltakesadrink
A firetruck juxtaposed with a juggler….curious site on the Diag this afternoon, indeed.
Source: jugglerfirea2
1 For Me, 1 Fro-Yo!
What might we have here? Ahh…..it’s Yoggie’s….the latest new frozen yogurt joint! I say “latest” because it’s no secret that the frozen yogurt industry comprises many of Ann Arbor’s pop-up businesses, even more than bubble tea. U of M students love their yogurt! Lifespans of such frozen yogurt joints range from months to years. Lab Cafe, Amer’s, and formerly, Yogo Bliss (whose space has been replaced by Insomnia Cookies) are some other local frozen yogurt destinations.
I admit that upon first reading the name, “Yoggie’s,” I misinterpreted the pronunciation. Moments later, I overheard a young lady pronounce the name as “Yogi’s” (as in “Yogi Bear”). It would make more sense to me for the name to be spelled with one ‘g,’ but oh well, not that important…
I snagged a free sample of the mango flavored yogurt and savored its creamy, almost orange-push-pop-like, taste. Remember orange push pops? They are those treats kids eat - or at least used to eat - which often feature prints of Flintstones characters on the bottom stick/holder. Anyway, I’d like to try more flavors.
A couple people on twitter also proclaim their taste bud approval of Yoggie’s flavors.
Construction Finally Wrapping Up
Construction is finally wrapping up on Fifth Street. For awhile, the construction seeped into my permanent perception of Downtown Ann Arbor, partially because I don’t own a vehicle and walk everywhere and partially because, well, I got so used to detouring around the area; I think I temporarily forgot there was any other way. I don’t have to mention that Earthen Jar and Jerusalem Garden must be ecstatic to no longer operate under partial camouflage.
I caught a distant glimpse of the entrance to the long anticipated and speculated underground parking garage that all this construction hoopla was for. What I believe is the yet-to-open parking garage’s entrance kind of reminds me of a Manhattan subway system entrance.
Note: Am I the only one who finds the company name, “Spartan Barricading” funny? I only derive humor from this because the company is doing work in Ann Arbor. It sort of sounds like MSU Spartans are obstructing the way of U of M Wolverines. Just a thought….Please note that I love all my Spartan friends and am not heavily invested in sports rivalries.
What is it about photographing squirrels that Ann Arborites, and especially Ann Arbor tourists, love? Walk anywhere near the Downtown vicinity and there is a safe bet you will site at least one individual with an Android photographing…What else? A squirrel! There’s no denying this phenomenon has been broaching the realm of cliché for quite awhile. After all, “Everybody’s doin’ it!”
Not to mention that the local squirrels are notoriously overweight due to the influx of treats tossed them by tourists (and not-so-tourists).
So why is it these chubby, abundant animals are so sticky and infectious to local smart phone psyche? Is it that a person is simply prone to favoring cute, cuddly things? Or is it that one wants more of a squirrel after innocently walking by a silent trashcan, only to have a sudden burst of a scurrying little creature explode out of it in her face! (Or maybe that’s just me…once.)
Whatever it may be, I have spent a lot of time mocking people taking photos of squirrels. I’ve even pondered creating a blog featuring photos of people who are taking photos of squirrels.
A couple days ago, however, I had a moderately enlightening experience. While taking photos of Diag scenery with my camera, a squirrel scurried toward a tree. I figured, “Hell, why not take a pic and see what all the hype is about?” So, I took the plunge and shot it…then discovered that I relished the challenge of keeping up with the creature to take more shots. It seemed to even ‘play’ with me at certain points, scurrying from one end of a tree, behind the tree, then to another end of the tree, all while intermittently making eye contact with me. There was a fun reward in catching a clear photo of the squirrel alerted by a bunch of noisy goth kids, causing it to stand on its hind legs and eagerly stretch its neck and head to see what all the racket was about.
So, even though the whole squirrel photography phenomenon is old news and seemingly not very clever/original, I’m not opposed to partaking in it again. I also won’t shake my head at others who partake in the pastime.
Here are a few shots I snagged:
