“2/3 Moved In”
August 3, 2025
Peter sent some pics tonight.. the end of a long move-in weekend.
A before shot of their studio apartment:
And a couple in-progress…
That couch is courtesy of Lisa and Claire. Incredibly nice offering!
First dinner…
Peter said tonight that they are 2/3’s moved in.
Prouda them!
Move In Together Day
August 1, 2025
Officially, today is day one of Peter and Maya’s new life together as cohabitants. I have no pictures yet.. they’ll probably be doing the lion’s share of the moving over the weekend (Aug 2 and 3), so I can’t really post anything real.. except maybe this from Zillow:
It’s a 700 sq ft studio apartment with an unusual bed arrangement.. is all I really know.
Here’s my picture of them — taken on our most recent trip to A2 last month or so — as they walk into their future. 🙂 Not really.. they’re just walking back up the hill to their place at the Escher Coop as we were taking off for the airport to fly home. (Always sneaking a pic when I can…)
Anyway.. I’m very excited for them. ‘Bout time, I’d say.
Homecooked Birthday/s Celebration
July 9, 2025
This is why we come to Ann Arbor… to see the kiddos and to experience a slice of their life. So here’s how this day unfolded:
Our basement apartment at Chez Claire-Lisa is — as I’m sure I’ve said before — lovely, quiet, comfortable and fully equipped. Fully equipped includes all the usual guest amenities, but add a fully stocked exercise gym and a laundry room.
So, this day started with a spin on Claire’s Peloton (again). This photo shows the space we walk through on our way to the bedroom/bathroom. When guests are not occupying the basement, it’s also their big screen TV room. Things to note in the photo: the Peloton over there in the corner; my traveling workout notes (I’m a weirdo); and especially that huge, plush couch, which C&L are bequeathing to Peter and Maya, sure to be the nicest piece of furniture in their new studio apartment.
The other thing I’m loving about this summer trip to Ann Arbor is the cool rain, humidity (well… only in the shade when it’s unseasonably cool, like this morning) and all the GREEN! This is the view to the backyard (could also be the neighbor’s yard.. they don’t really do fences around here).
After a leisurely morning, Jim and I went into town to hang out at Argus.. my absolute favorite corner in A2.. we sat in the green house (not sure what they call that space) and drank coffee/tea and ate croissants prob for a couple hours. We then bought a bunch of locally farmed produce and headed into Kerry Town to finish our dinner shopping at the Coop and Zingerman’s (birthday cake).
We headed back to Loch Alpine and having exhausted himself, Jim took a very long nap! I prepped dinner.. fun to make my way through somebody else’s kitchen….not hugely efficiently, but I found most of what I needed.
Dinner was some cheese and cracker apps, a sheet pan Greek chicken that’s been a fave at home (though guessed on the marinade.. and it came out great), a big salad, some fantastic bakery bread, wine, and a weird tropical birthday cake and ice cream. Yummers.
Best part of the night was Maya’s willingness to share a presentation she’d made to her company this week. It was about 15-20 minutes long (with our frequent interruptions and questions) adn it was a compelling and thoughtful look at the impact of school design (good and bad) on the well being and productivity of students. She delivered it as she did to her colleagues so it was like seeing her in her professional role.. and it was impressive. I felt so proud of her.
I do love these kids.
Dexter, Lo-Town, Trivia
July 8, 2025
[That’s the Huron River Rd that runs between Ann Arbor and points west. Loch Alpine is about 5 miles from A2 along this road.]
This lazy summer day in Ann Arbor starred Dexter and Lowertown Bar & Cafe. It also starred our darling kiddos, but they’re always the star of the show.
Day opened with another round on the Peloton. Claire’s created a nice workout space on the bottom floor .. surround by plants and flowers, a powerful fan, a place to position/charge your devices, a clear view of the big screen tv (though I didn’t have the patience to navigate that) … just step on and go. Which I did. Fun.
Then Jim and I headed to Dexter, a tiny town (pop 4500) 4 miles west of Loch Alpine (L&C’s rural, deer and lake-rich neighborhood). Dexter is just darn sweet. It sits, as well, along the Huron river. Its downtown has a critical mass of bakeries and essential merchants, the residential areas are tidy and awash in flowers and fresh cut grass. We sat outside at Joe and Rosie’s and drank coffee/tea, ate muffins, did puzzles and watched small town life happen.
Peter summoned us at noon and we picked him up (again, at the loading dock), and headed to El Limon, a Mexican restaurant, again on Plymouth, close to his office. Kept it short, as he was busy and was going to be spending the end of his day at the optometrist getting fitted for new glasses and his first set of contacts! He lost his own glasses (sad) and has been wearing Maya’s (for a month or two!), which only approximate his prescription.
After lunch, we dropped Peter back at his office and Jim and I whiled away the afternoon at Loch Alpine. Around 5, we met Peter and Maya at their newish neighborhood hangout: Lowertown Bar and Cafe.
Lowertown Bar & Cafe is a hybrid neighborhood space, serving Hyperian coffee and pastries during the day, and a wide selection of beer and craft cocktails in the evening.
Lowertown is more than a location – it’s a community revival. This neighborhood predates much of downtown Ann Arbor, with the oldest commercial building in town just steps away.
Where morning coffee meets evening cocktails in Ann Arbor’s historic northside.
Tuesday night offers a rousing Trivia competition and we were there for it. In fact, we got 2nd place in the first round (and won a gift card!) and we came in 6th in the second round. Looked like about 20 teams, some very large.
Maya and I had walked over to a nearby Indian restaurant to pick up to-go dinners, which was wonderful. Lo Town only serves drinks.. people bring their own food.
A nice shot of Maya…probably conferring on a correct answer of some sort.
After all that excitement, we headed to that ice cream place (the one we’ve noticed for the last 5 years, the one with the very long lines) at Liberty and 1st. Fantastic ice cream (the line moves fast) on a warm night. Heavenly. We drove them back to their car and we headed home.
A2 in the Summer
July 7, 2025
Gotta love a town where folks are still displaying their Kamala signs (signs with a touch of hometown pride).
Jim and I have Lisa and Claire’s home — a home we know and love — to ourselves for the week. Started our first morning with a phone call from Lisa, (all the way over in Germany) who checked in to make sure everything was good but mostly needed me to fetch some info for her. That was our wake up call, though it wasn’t that early.. we’re still on California time.
Now up, had a great workout on Claire’s Pelaton, showered then headed out to lunch (it was that late..). We’ve now mastered ePark Ann Arbor.. a very cool phone app that is the fastest and most convenient way to pay a parking meter ever. We tried a new place (to us): First Bite, on Main Street between Huron and Washington. Lovely spot.. all healthy and thoughtful. Sat inside, but nabbed an outside table when one opened, had bowls and soups.. easy breezy. After lunch, we strolled down Main to the Himalayan store so I could show Jim one of my favorite stores in town and have him look at one of the videos that runs on a large screen in the back of the store promoting the various trips they coordinate to Nepal (in case P&M want to do that as a graduation gift). The owners were the first, I believe, couple to marry at the top of Mt. Everest. How ’bout that!
We dropped into State and Liberty — that men’s clothing store that specializes in stretchy, athletic-cut suits (odd garments, those). Peter needs to get sized for a suit we bought him (via gift card) for Christmas last year, in time for a wedding next month in Scotland. (Hurry up, Peter!) Then walked up to Sweetwater in Kerry Town and sat there for another couple hours drinking coffee/tea, doing puzzles, blogging, clearing email and tabs.. whatever. Productive. (Or not.)
This is what I mean. Chill. Jim and I occupy ourselves leisurely during the day and, depending on the day, will meet up with Peter and/or Maya for lunch or a walk or dinner, as their schedules allow. We are up for anything at anytime. We might service P’s car, or at least gas it up, maybe clean it. How great is that? Everyone’s happy: win win win win.
Peter was ready for us at 4:00, so we picked him up from the usual spot (a service dock behind a North Campus building) and off we went to take a good long walk along the Huron River in Gallop Park.
A great data dump was had as we dodged Canada Geese (and their green slimy poop). Me: over the moon to be strolling with the boy, hearing his stories and updates. He had a coop work shift that night and would miss dinner, so we stopped at a place new to Jim and me, Rapport, another eatery/pub in the strip mall along Plymouth that is so often his destination for meals, as it’s close to North Campus. He had some fried food and a beer, me a cider, Jim an iced tea.. and lots more stories. Excellent. We dropped him at Escher in time for his 7pm shift and we headed over to the Burnt Toast to take Sarah out for dinner.
Sarah suggested Mediterrano.. on the outskirts (or so it seemed) and we had a fantastic dinner and some great catch up with her. Returned to the Burnt Toast (love that place) and had some of her rhubarb pie. Hung out for about an hour, then headed home.
Today had some sun, some overcast, no rain, but warm (high 70s). Warm enough to sweat even if not exerting much energy. We’ve not been in A2 much in the summer (ever, except for me back in 2019). Peter sings the praises of the upper midwest summer.. so that was one reason we decided to go now. Also: lightning bugs.
Nashville Layover
July 6, 2025
Jim’s and my departure (from home) this day was at 6:30am. We decided to drive (rather than Uber) and we parked in the new south economy lot (nice, as long-term airport parking lots go). Flew SWA.. a California staple.. and arrived in Nashville in time for some meal.. who knows.. probably lunch. We found a place called Ole Red which offered mediocre food, but live music.. Nashville, after all. It was cool. We sat there for probably 90 mins.
Our flight to Detroit was delayed so our arrival was a bit too late to make dinner with Peter and Maya. We did see a nice sunset from the plane. We got into Detroit at around 10pm.
Peter and Maya had been backpacking with friends over the holiday weekend way up in the UP, somewhere along Lake Superior (where mosquitoes and biting flies are all the rage) and made a point to get home in time to see us (took them 10+ hours!). But by the time we got to the Escher Cooperative, it was 11:15. About all they could muster was to hand over the Honda keys to us and say goodnight. We were beat, as well, and headed to Lisa and Claire’s.
Lisa and Claire are in Norway. We get to use their comfy, well-equipped home for the week. Lucky us! Got in and settled and, for me, to bed by 2:15 (eastern time). Ahhhhhhhh.
Last Day of Spring Trip to A2
March 14, 2025
Damn.. last day. I could stay weeks more. I love Ann Arbor and all it offers (like, you know, Peter and Maya for starters). Don’t like last days.
It was a great one, though!
Started at oh, dark, 6:10. That’s a full moon setting. Don’t be fooled by the brightness of this photo.. it was dark. I’m on Sarah’s porch waiting for Lisa to pick me up.
Lisa and I are joining MJ for their thrice weekly walk (Mary Jo, who she’s been running — now walking — with several times a week for 28 years!). They are both marathon runners. I enjoy joining them when I’m in town (not for marathons, not for runs). This day, Stephanie joined as well.
We parked at Sweetwaters in Kerry Town and walked down to the same river access point across from Casey’s Tavern. Their route is slightly different than my other river walks this week, but it’s still a 3-4 mile fast walk in 30-degree weather. INVIGORATING.
MJ and Steph then left for work, Lisa and I had coffee & a scone at Zingerman’s. I was back at the BT by 8:00am. Nice way to start a day!! (Remember that, Kari.)
I had to wait an hour for breakfast, so got cleaned up, then joined all those cute prospective grad students again and heard about their various wooing events from the day before.
Today’s cafe experience was a new one — Avalon — on Main, near Liberty. Sat for hours there, then met Lisa at the BT. We had some time to kill before heading off to a Tesla protest .. so went first to a very nice gallery, run by the local artists’ guild…
… where an artist friend of L&C’s had some pieces. Hard to see bc of all the reflection, but here’s an example of her water colors.. this one of the Nichols Arcade (a well known shopping area in A2) that won first place in this most recent exhibit:
Then we sat at the TeaHaus for an hour or so drinking unusual teas (I had chocolate chili, subtle but pretty good).
and THEN, it was time to go protest at the Ann Arbor Tesla dealership! I’m guessing there were about 300 people there. Each week the number grows, having started with one woman and a sign a few weeks ago.
Some pics.
We basically marched back and forth in an elongated circle the length of the very long Tesla property. It was quite satisfying. Some chants, mostly just pissed off white senior citizens. Not all old people, but that sure seems to be what makes up a lot of the opposition these days. Educated boomers. Some signs:
And a dog, just to show it’s not all retired white people.
Lisa and I, after all our marching and chanting, then headed over to Bill’s Beer Garden to meet P&M, but because it was a sunny, warm (70-degrees by late afternoon!) Friday, and because there were thousands of prospective grad students in town, Bills’ line wrapped around the block and we couldn’t get in. When P&M arrived, we decided instead on Grizzly Peak (a bar/restaurant). We hung out for about an hour before Peter had to head out for a department reception (an event also related to wooing new students to the Mech E department.
Lisa had to run off to another gathering, so Maya and I got to have an evening together. We hung out at Literati for a long time looking at books, then had dinner at the Pacific Rim .. probably Peter and Maya’s favorite A2 restaurant:
Peter dropped by after his event and helped us eat this….
… Pacific Rim’s famous hot chocolate cake with cherries and vanilla ice cream.
And that’s a wrap on another great day.
River, Cafe, Dinner Redux
March 13, 2025
If it’s Thursday in Ann Arbor — day four of my visit — it must be a good day for a river walk, time in a cafe and dinner with my peeps.. on this, another sunny, cold day.
Today’s version of the perfect day: another warm and wonderful breakfast at Sarah’s, this time with a crop of prospective grad students here to evaluate if Ann Arbor is the place they want to spend the next 6-7 years of their academic careers. These kids were German studies and comparative lit students, whose prospective departments put them up at the Burnt Toast (lucky them, much more charming than a hotel). They were impressive, passionate kids. I (of course) thought about Peter who lost out on the wooing aspect of grad school selection due to Covid. He’d been scheduled to fly in during the annual March university-wide grad school evaluation process and go through exactly what these students were going through, but for the Covid breakout of 2020. Instead, he accepted U of M, sight unseen. He’d gotten to visit U of Colorado (Boulder) and loved that experience, before everything shut down that year. There were more besides, but U of M checked all the boxes. Glad it did!
I wrote about all that here: https://lifeofwry.com/2020/03/20/umich/ It’s about as accurate and prescient a post as could be written!
After breakfast, I set out on what I thought would be the same river walk as yesterday, but I got a bit lost (I know, hard to do when following a river). I couldn’t find the spot where we’d crossed the river, so retraced my steps and crossed in a different location. It was about the same distance, as it turned out, as I missed the crossover spot by mere feet (just around a corner). Today’s walk was equally beautiful..
As you can see, the sun is melting the ice. It was a lot less solid than just yesterday. So sunny, a guy was running in shorts. It was definitely not that warm.
I headed over to (again!) the Lowertown Bar & Cafe.. this time for coffee and reading. Starting Leah’s book again (Maya’s mama)…
I got all bogged down in “an” vs “a” historian. The cover, as you can see, uses “a,” while the text within the book uses “an.” I’d just argued (online) the day before with Marty, in a photo I’d posted on FB about my staying in “an” historic hotel in Grinnell, about the proper article (he favors “a”), so this was most amusing to me! (And distracting.. as I didn’t get very far in the book.)
Headed back to the BT and then off to meet Lisa and Claire in Loch Alpine. We logged into the weekly Indivisible zoom at 3:00… always incredibly rich in current political info, brilliant in strategy, and totally inspiring. Completely admire and respect founders Leah and Ezra; they are a staple in my activism these days.
Claire then had a meeting, so Lisa and I took Scout for a (3.7 miles) walk. Yet another part of the Huron and more riverside parks…
Good ol’ Scouty.
We returned and got started on dinner (they did, I just sat and watched).
Then the kiddos came over.. more talking..
More hanging out with Scouty…
More wonderful times with these two..
Returned home, not too, too late.. hoped to run into Sarah and Gus.. but no… so headed up to bed.
Wintry River Walking and More
March 12, 2025
More Ann Arbor comfort time.. a leisurely get up, another lovely breakfast with and by Sarah, and then Lisa and Claire picked me up and we headed down to the Huron River. As a defining town feature, the Huron River is pretty nice. There are countless parks along its shores, a just tons of trails that follow it. This day we parked in front of Casey’s Tavern on Depot and joined the river for about a 3-4 mile walk.
It was cold (like in the low to mid 30s at about 11:00).
Still smiling, though!
Some nice wintry, icy shots of the Huron… (that near surface is solid)..
I love all the browns and grays of a midwestern winter day:
This was cool.. the city of Ann Arbor makes available Narcan (naloxone), which can be accessed easily and used free of charge if you are experiencing an opioid drug overdose.
After an hour or so of brisk (both temps and pace) walking, we had a great lunch at Casey’s Tavern. First time for me. Love finding new places. Enjoyed a reuben sandwich, fries and a dark beer. Yum.
After they dropped me back at the Burnt Toast, I headed out again in search of a new cafe. Tried, but couldn’t find a new one with good wifi and enough seating (where I could hang out for a couple of hours), so ended up at the Sweetwaters at Washington and Ashley. Just fine.
Headed back to the BT and turned right around to pick up Maya at work (Quinn-Evans on Main Street), then Peter at work, and off we went to Lowertown Bar and Cafe again. Beers, cocktails, and I had a spiked hot chocolate. Not my photo, but it’s the table we sat at, so I grabbed it off the website:
They were supposed to then go to a string quartet concert at the Hill Auditorium and I was going to drink with Sarah (LOL), but they decided to blow off the concert and spend the evening with me. Lucky mom! We decided on the Earle for something quieter than Mani the night before. Old style restaurant with a piano accompanist.. we were probably there well over two hours. Such a nice time.
Down Days are Good Days
March 11, 2025
My objective in spending time in Ann Arbor is to see Peter and Maya.. with a huge caveat. They are working full time and have all kinds of activities and commitments, so get together opportunities happen when they happen. This is 100% a-ok with me; I am not there to be entertained. I use the non-Peter/Maya time to take walks, go to cafes, write, read, catch up, do puzzes, see Lisa and Claire, and in between all that, hang out at the Burnt Toast and talk with Sarah. When Jim’s with me, we try to do other slightly more formal things like explore Detroit or other neighboring towns, explore U of M.. whatever we can find.
This morning I hung around the BT for the morning, then wandered to town and spent a couple early afternoon hours at Zingerman’s, browsed a couple shops, including State and Liberty (where we got Peter a Christmas gift card for a suit) and the Himalayan Bazaar (where I got an idea for a graduation gift).
Around 4:45, I headed out to meet Peter and Maya — post work — at the relatively new Lowertown Cafe (near Northside and Broadway Auto). On my way down there, B.A. called to say the car was ready (nice!) and I made it down there before they closed (or near enough). Drove across the street, parked, and met those fantastic kids for beers. Peter even treated (nice!). Lowertown’s a pretty nice spot! We even drank outside.
After that we had a great, if noisy, dinner at Mani Osteria, and after that spent some time at the B&B talking about our country’s march toward authoritarianism. The kids wanted a Gus fix, but he and Sarah were nowhere to be found.
In spite of the sunshine and the fact the temps are rising (Lisa said the days are 30 degrees warmer this week than last!), Ann Arbor’s still decked out in holiday regalia (as was Grinnell). Must be too cold to get up on cranes to take everything down, yet. This is what a downtown city street looks like in the winter…
This is what I’d consider a perfect (or at least perfectly acceptable) way to spend an Ann Arbor day.
Life of Wry 