The Voice Finale

The world is the worst if she doesn't win tomorrow. Vote, use every email you have. Or buy the songs on iTunes.

In Bloom: northern catalpa

The northern catalpas (Catalpa speciosa) are blooming. These guys are native to the Ozarks but are fairly common here because they were the hot landscaping trees of the mid 19th century. They have huge heart-shaped leaves and gorgeous clumps of large white flowers. If you look down a flower you can see they are marked like a bee landing strip. Also, if you look at the underside of the leaves you can see little yellow spots. These are extra floral nectaries. When catalpa trees suffer too much insect damage, they will produce nectar here to encourage predatory ants to protect the tree.

Happy Father's Day: trumpeter swan edition

Happy Father's Day gentle readers. Just thought I'd share this sweet video of a pair of trumpeter swans feeding their cygnets at Gallup Park. Pretty cool how the parents kick up the bottom of the pond to suspend food for their kids to eat. They are such great parents. Anyway, I'm off to do yard work with the fam. Until tomorrow.

Juneberries

The juneberries are ripe! It looks like this long, cool springtime has been great for them--the berries are very plump and sweet. Here are some of the best places to grab some before all the birds and squirrels do:

Liberty and Ashley--single juneberry, see above. 

William between Fourth and Fifth--there are several juneberries planted around the Old Y Lot. 

North University--there is a single Juneberry in front of Krause. This is one of my favorite juneberries in the city. 

North University and Fletcher--there are several juneberries planted along the north side of the chemistry building. This is a great place to gather lots of juneberries. 

Diag--there are more juneberries planted along the north side of the Dana building. There are also two juneberries on either side of the engineering arch. 

Juneberries are closely related to apples. They grow to be large shrubs or small trees. Their leaves are serrated with an acute tip and a slightly chordate base. The fruits themselves look like miniature red to purple apples and taste like applesauce with a hint of blueberries. 

Sweet Dirt

I bought strawberries this morning from the farmers market in hopes to make something delicious. However, I just downed a Sweet Dirt strawberry sorbet. Nothing I make could taste this genuine. Sweet Dirt, adding to our array of ice cream aficionados, will be at the market for summer. That gives anyone enough time to try these treats. Try the basil, I dot have adjectives for it, just good feelings.

Mayor's green fest happening downtown now

The mayor's green fest is happening right now in downtown. There is a train there. 

Summer Festival

I am procrastinating a lot right now. The summer festival starts today. Some of the highlights on the calendar for the next month are Django Django, Wild Belle, Theo Katzman, and nearly every movie on the schedule (IRON GIANT?!). Also Tangle looks awesome, but it should be accompanied by Tangled.

Michigan Modern on display at Cranbrook

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An exhibit on Michigan's contributions to mid-century modern design opens at the Cranbrook Art Museum today. Michigan Modern: Design that Shaped America focuses on the contributions of Michigan designers and architects to the modern design movement. It includes some important modern architecture buildings in Ann Arbor like architect William Muschenheim's house (above). There's even a little booklet of all the Ann Arbor buildings so you could go on a tour of your own if you want.

In my two minutes of research for this piece, I learned that there is a group, a2 modern, dedicated to modern architecture in Ann Arbor.

H/T: EMWilcox

Equality On Tap fundraiser at Bill's Beer Garden Tonight

Tonight, $1 from every beer you buy at Bill's Beer Garden will go to support the Jim Toy Community Center--an resource for GLBTQA residents of Washtenaw County. You should totally check it out because it's a good cause and because you never know when people's passions will be running hot at Bill's Beer Garden.

D@RREN CRI$$ $ECRET $HOW

So Darren Criss was in town. I will try to remember to put some photos and videos when I get to my phone. Walking through the line, some of the preteens had been there for hours, even at the end of the line. The longest amount of time I heard was 5 hours, but I am sure that could be beat (I am making a mental note now to never let my children spend that much time waiting in a line). Video cameras, and some man were going through the crowd, making riley people riled up. The screams were deafening, the signs glitter filled and waving. It made me very uncomfortable but it proved that Darren Criss was a big hit. And I guess he is not over. He tweeted this earlier.

Obviously, the show has already started. There were only 100 tickets available, coveted during a time where his tour is sold-out. It's becoming a habit of famous ann-arborites having secret shows here, considering Andrew WK broke the limit of Metal Frat last month. Who else could we see perform secretly? Iggy Pop performing for Mary Sue? David S. Goyer writing for the Daily? Ann Coulter soapbox protesting on the diag? The possibilities are endless.

Did anyone make the show? Or the secret show? Then after the show it's the after party? And after the party is the hotel lobby?