ann arbor is overrated. » Blog Archive » Tell Us What You Really Think

Tell Us What You Really Think

“I’ll offer a reasonable and rational observation: People who want to outlaw comfy couches on porches are selfish, elitist, classist, statist, knee-jerk, pretentious, under-achieving cowards,” wrote Boulder Weekly columnist Wayne Laugesen of that town’s ban on porch couches.

41 Responses to “Tell Us What You Really Think”

And you all thought I was just making this up….

Just spoke with the Boulder city planner two weeks ago, and he told me that the median cost for a new home in Boulder is now $450K.

It has become clear to me that this is what the majority of residents want in this town, which is the biggest thing that surprised me when I moved to Ann Arbor with my brother.

Shows what I know.
posted by todd on July 6th, 2004 at 5:05 pm
Yep. I guess the greenbelt was the first step in our Boulderization (hey, it’s almost like “bowdlerization”.) Maybe they think that beautiful scenery will suddenly pop up in A2 as they pass more of these laws.

At least Boulder has a spunky alternative weekly to oppose the ban, and, according to the column, a councilmember who threatened to defy it. Where’s the opposition here?
posted by ann arbor is overrated on July 6th, 2004 at 5:10 pm
So how many newcomers to A2 are in favor of banning couch porches? How many “newcomers” (as described in the linked article from Boulder) are there in A2?

Most of the folks I know, and most of them are long time locals, could give a rats ass about banning couches on porches. Most think it’s a joke.

It seems to be more of an issue for the newcomers (if there are any) and the people who love to hate them.

Is Tony, perennially frustrated politico, Ramirez, one these so called newcomers??? I don’t think so.

Is AAIO A2’s spunky alternative weblog? I don’t think so. Shallow,? Maybe… Spunky? Naaah.
posted by mucho gusto on July 6th, 2004 at 6:56 pm
Yeah, I noticed the “newcomers” thing in Laugesen’s column too. I think there’s a slightly different dynamic in A2 with regard to longtime residents and newbies (Todd? am I right?), but most of the rest of the column applies to our current situation.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on July 6th, 2004 at 7:01 pm
(And I won’t ask you why you keep reading such a shallow blog - because I keep living in such an overrated town.)
posted by ann arbor is overrated on July 6th, 2004 at 7:03 pm
Why isn’t there an alternative weekly in Ann Arbor? It wouild seem that it could support one. BTW, I used to live in Boulder. It is indeed Ann Arbor’s future (although the cost of living in Boulder is still cheaper than AA.) Fort Collins used to be the best kept secret of the front range, but now it is being Boulderized.
posted by Lucky Jackson on July 7th, 2004 at 8:32 am
AA had the weekly, then bi-weekly, then monthly Ann Arbor Paper (with the words “Ann Arbor” shrinking to engender a more inclusive, county-wide feel). The one thing AA has over Boulder is a slightly lower granola factor…slightly.
posted by Leighton on July 7th, 2004 at 8:52 am
I haven’t exactly seen any hard-hitting local investigative stories popping up in the Ann Arbor Paper. To be honest, I’m not sure they’re on the ball enough to do something like that: 1. The Del Rio was in the listings section until about April and 2. Their own mailing address was incorrectly printed until around the same time.

In there defense, they have been looking for investigative journalists for several months now, but it doesn’t look like anyone has taken them up on their offer.
posted by AA Hater on July 7th, 2004 at 9:30 am
Granola factor??!?!?!?! In Ass Arbor? More like Pall Malls and processed cheese food factor.
posted by Mark on July 7th, 2004 at 10:55 am
Whatever happened to “The Agenda”? Is that still around, I really haven’t followed the alternative paper scene that much although I will pick up a copy of the Metro Slimes on occasion.
posted by Kozzie on July 7th, 2004 at 11:51 am
Can someone remind me why moldy porch couches on porches are less safe than, say, dry ones indoors, near elaborate living-room draperies? Perhaps Ann Arbor should ban anything but Adirondack chairs, regardless of whether they are inside or outside. At least for those under a responsible upholstered-seating-owning age of 45.
posted by Anna on July 7th, 2004 at 12:12 pm
Just about every month, Current talks about going weekly. The problem? There just aren’t enough advertisers to support it. It’s hard enough to get people to shell out for monthly ads, and to collect on the accounts, and doing so weekly would be nigh impossible. (I do get a twinge every time I see an advertiser that owes us big money running ads in the AAP or in the Daily. Either they have better lawyers or they’re going to get a screwing when the money’s due).
As far as investigative reports, few publications here have the resources to commission things like that. The best bet is the Observer, but they tend to like things on the cheerleading side. And we simply don’t have the pages or the staff (or, frankly, the vision) to be able to do things like that. Our publisher firmly believes that written content in our magazine is purely for a vague sense of prestige; he believes it’s essentially pissing money down a hole to run longer articles or anything topical.
Maybe some of you would like to take out ads across from articles? We do boast insanely low rates (in comparison), and even those are negotiable.
posted by js on July 7th, 2004 at 12:17 pm
To answer your question regarding the difference between “newbies” like myself and long time locals……I have a really limited exposure to Ann Arborites. I only meet people in my own place, together with other local business owners that I deal with from time to time.

I can say that two of the older owner-families that I know from Dominic’s and Washtenaw Dairy represent what I was expecting before I moved here. They are hard-working, salt of the earth people who are very old-fashioned, and incredibly kind. The represent the community that I would hope that Ann Arbor strives to be.

As to the newbies….one good example that I know of are the Greff’s, owner’s of Arbor Brewing Company. They are also very old school. Hardworking, charity and community oriented, environmentally friendly, and would give you the shirt off of their backs if they could help you out. Great people, and a real asset to the community if you ask me. I am proud to say that both of our sales numbers (us and Arbor, that is) have increased every year for the last four. There is more room for places like ours.

I have had really good experiences with the people of Ann Arbor, both old and new….but the point of my constant postings on Urban Planning is that I would like to see more places like Dominic’s and Arbor Brewing, not fewer. It is becoming more and more difficult for locally owned shops to open in Washtenaw County and, more importantly, for these shops to STAY open.

I would like to think that many share my sentiments.
posted by todd on July 7th, 2004 at 1:59 pm
It may seem strange that I share todd’s sentiments and agree with him about the folks he mentioned. From my POV these folks are the norm around here and the snooty rich white bitches that Charmie refers to are the rarity and most live in the high rent suburbs of Treetown, if at all.

Yeah, a lot of the hard working, local business supporting, liberal voting, enviro friendly, folks earn a good living and live in nice old houses in town, but by no means do those factors ($$+ nice home) make those people unfriendly snobs. I believe that if one lives here long enough the positive attitudes that those people bring to the city can rub off on the rest of us.

I’ve lived here (and Ypsi) a long time, was a renter and lived on unemployment and low paying jobs. When my wife and I got married (25 years ago yesterday) we though we’d be here for a couple of years and them move to Seattle. We’re glad we stayed.

I realize the negatives of A2 (and it’s communal ego is one) but for a city its size and location it offers a lot of what other cities lack. A2 might not have a dozen places to eat that are open 24 hours, but we have the Fleetwood. We might not have a zoo, but the city has beautiful parks and a some great museums. The Dairy is the original neighborhood coffee shop. There are townie bars and student joints. We might not have the Cannes Film Festival, but we have one of the oldest in the world that shows at a restored movie palace. Ann Arbor certainly isn’t Chicago, SF or Boston, but I don’t think it makes any pretense at being those places, nor does it want to be. Most of those pretenses and criticisms fo not being like those places come from people who don’t have a stake here and don’t understand the gestalt of Ann Arbor. Yeah, A2 isn’t everything, but those folks who make comparisons are expecting way too much from a midwest farm town that would be nothing without the UM. (sarcasm). So what if you don’t have 10 places to get a burger after midnight, 20 used record stores or a half dozen tattoo parlors?

Oh, todd? A couple more years and Leopold’s will achieve the Dominics status. I’m sure you know that success isn’t easy and doesn’t come overnight.
posted by mucho gusto on July 7th, 2004 at 3:12 pm
The thing is, I was just biking through the OFW, and there really aren’t even all that many couches around… a fraction of porches have them. More common is equally eyesoreish or more-ugly cheap unupholsetered plastic chairs and their ilk. Moreover, things like bikes chained to porch railings and litter seem to be much more obtrusive and unattractive features of houses, not to mention some poorly-maintained homes, bad architectural additions and “improvements” (dirty, faded vinyl siding, for instance) and of course the awful 1960s-era apartment buildings shoehorned in-between old houses. I’m curious why upholstered couches were singled-out, as they seem to be the least of the eyesores in the neighborhood, especially as they are usually rather drab colors and are nearly unnoticable from the street. What an idiotic proposal, even from the perspective of property-value-obsessed homeowners.
posted by Brandon on July 7th, 2004 at 4:41 pm
Probably for a couple reasons - mostly because they don’t want to offend the powerful landlords. But I think it also has to do with control. Porch couches promote socialization at non-approved hours and among non-approved people. It’s not just the couches that they don’t want to look at - it’s the students sitting on them.

I say we all put Day-Glo spraypainted plastic lawn chairs on our front lawns if this passes.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on July 7th, 2004 at 5:28 pm
Right– I think they are lacking logic if that’s the case, though, as nonupholstered furniture does and will allow just as much outdoor socialization, albeit a bit less-comfortably.
posted by Brandon on July 7th, 2004 at 5:36 pm
Once again mucho gusto speaks my sentiments perfectly.
posted by Bez on July 7th, 2004 at 7:53 pm
Please don’t tell anyone that. Agreeing with me will ruin your reputation
posted by mucho gusto on July 8th, 2004 at 1:21 pm
It is true what Mucho Gusto has to say. It doesn’t really matter that Ann Arbor has no decent restaurants, because there are plenty of other cities that do; just wait for a vacation to eat out. And should you decide to stay, you will be rewarded by all of those “great museums” (which are where, exactly???!?!?). Oh, and the mediocre fatty meals of the Fleetwood. Hell, now the decision of whether to stay or go is so much more difficult.

I might go and purchase that $309,000 house across the street from the Dairy, and then I can have daily doses of sugared heavy cream — that will make life worth living.
posted by Morbidly Midwestern on July 8th, 2004 at 2:21 pm
Part of me wants to smack the above poster over the head with a full bottle of Stroh’s and smear hippie hash all over their face.
posted by Brandon on July 8th, 2004 at 3:11 pm
AA Hater’s comments about the Ann Arbor News are right on! The rule of thumb seems to be that when one subscribes, the paper never comes, and when one has no interest in subscribing, their phone solicitors are on you like there’s no tomorrow.

Lifer
posted by Lifer on July 8th, 2004 at 3:52 pm
Lifer, AA Hater was actually talking about the Ann Arbor Paper, not the Ann Arbor News, FYI.
posted by Brandon on July 8th, 2004 at 4:03 pm
“Part of me wants to smack the above poster over the head with a full bottle of Stroh’s and smear hippie hash all over their face.”

Just please, please don’t come near me with any Clancy’s Fancy Sugar Sauce. Calm down and eat some cheese.
posted by Morbidly Midwestern on July 8th, 2004 at 4:33 pm
Morbidly Mid-

art museum - s. u and state
natural history & planetarium - geddes
kempf house center for local history - division
hand-on museum - ann st
Michigan Artrain - n main
cobblestone farm & museum - packard
MI antique fire equipment - cross in ypsi
Ypsi historical - huron in ypsi
ypsi auto heritage - corss in ypsi

after that we leave the small local area, but check out the awsome planes over in (i think) willow run, after that you need to head towards detroit, but the DIA is worth the 45 minutes. Ther is also a motown museum in detroit, and many others.

Food-

try the prickly pear on main, its my favorite place to eat in town

you wrote “It doesn’t really matter that Ann Arbor has no decent restaurants”, but actually Mucho was saying there aren’t lots of places to eat that are 24/7, not that there isn’t good food in this town! READ! also, there is a list in one of the comments sections on aaio that lists all the late night food, I think we figured you had options up till 2 or 3am, even till 4am you get pizza house too.
posted by Just a Voice on July 8th, 2004 at 5:20 pm
The UMMA is a very good museum. The Bentley on North Campus is too. The one with the Egyptian mummys on State is cool.

Ann Arbor has good restaurants. The Earle is good and the bar menu is kinda cheap with smaller portions. Palio’s Italian is better than most in town. Prickly Pear is very good, Ayse’s on Plymouth Road. On the cheap end, Sabor Latino, Bella Napoli in the Colonnade shopping Center. and the buffet at Asian Garden on S Maple is alright too. Zingerman’s Roadhouse is a bit pricey but the food is very high quality. You won’t find any better grease that Krazy Jim’s or the Fleetwood.

Morbidly Midwestern would be much happier anywhere else, but then would be unhappy there too. Some people are never satisfied and go through life always with a frown
posted by eastsider on July 8th, 2004 at 5:33 pm
So just go, Morbid. Spare us your whiney ‘tude. You obviously don’t belong here.
posted by mucho gusto on July 8th, 2004 at 5:36 pm
Morbid’s comments are indicative of overindulged, spoiled, suburban kids who want life handed to them on a platter, gold preferably. Go drive your SUV to Chicago for something to eat. Sheesh! what a lazy f***.
posted by mucho gusto on July 8th, 2004 at 5:40 pm
I heard something solidly right about the DIA, the Motown Museum, Sabor Latino, and the Prickly Pear, good advice to any “newcomer.” The rest was a bunch of nasal Michigan-accent screeching, and will hardly serve to entice anyone into believing this burb possesses sterling qualities.
posted by Morbidly Midwestern on July 8th, 2004 at 5:57 pm
All the more reason for you to take a flying f***

Read the book before you give us a review, dickhead
posted by mucho (nasally screeching) gusto on July 8th, 2004 at 6:00 pm
Since when do Michiganders even have a real accent (other than Yoopers)? I thought we were neutral, average, TV-friendly American-sounding. When I lived in Colorado, I didn’t notice them talking any differently.
posted by Brandon on July 8th, 2004 at 6:12 pm
There is a clearly defined Michigan accent, it is a vowel-quality thing exclusively though, and probably more class-defined than anything else — although I hear it in Jennifer Granholm’s speech, and she is not even from here.
posted by Morbidly Midwestern on July 8th, 2004 at 6:39 pm
Hey, this is exactly where Morbidly Midwestern belongs (this weblog, that is.) As for the Fleetwood, most of you know I far prefer Abe’s (although the food is still pretty fatty.) I see the Fleetwood as A2’s idea of a seedy late-night diner; Abe’s is the real thing.

I don’t know if the Chicago accent is similar to the Michigan one, but I’m often asked where I’m from by people in the Midwest who are surprised when I say Chicago - they had guessed Britain or Germany. I guess I have a strange accent. But out East they think I have a “Midwestern twang.”
posted by ann arbor is overrated on July 8th, 2004 at 6:55 pm
Michigan vowel-quality? Emphasize the “A” in theater.
posted by Fertile Jim on July 8th, 2004 at 7:21 pm
Oh, now I get it. Diner fare is only good if it isn’t too fatty.

Talk about overrated elitism. I guess Ann Arbor just can’t get anything right.

I suppose Ypsi short order food is just greasy enough and only cooked with canola oil.

South Beach whiners
posted by Anonymous on July 8th, 2004 at 7:26 pm
Yes, it is Willow Run that has the Yankee Air Force and Museum. IF you like planes that is. They have a flying B-17 (that you can take tours on), B-25 and C-47. Roush (the racing guy) flies a P-51 out of there. They have some static planes from the Vietnam War (B-52, F-4, F-84, A-7(?) and a couple others). They also have a museum with a bunch of models and memorabilia from the Bomber plant that used to be at Willow Run. The DIA is nice but I think the the Toledo Art Museum is a little nicer. As far as Ann Arbor’s museums go, there’s the U’s Art Museum, Natural History Museum and a couple others. Pretty nice in their own right.

As far as food goes, there is decent Middle Eastern in Jerusalem Garden and Ali Baba’s. There is decent Mediterranean in Mediterrano. There are a few Chinese and Thai Restaurants. The Japanese at Yotsuba is pretty good.
posted by Kozzie on July 8th, 2004 at 9:07 pm
Willow Run ehh? I was recently shocked by someone I feel to be “in the know” that he will not go to certain parts of Wllow Run without a geiger counter………
posted by stella on July 9th, 2004 at 7:32 am
I had not heard that about Willow Run. Keep in mind that it’s been a factory for a long time, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised there is some waste there.
posted by Kozzie on July 9th, 2004 at 9:27 am
Couple things:
First off, the UMMA blows. It’s pretentious, manages to pay too much for lesser works, and tends to focus too much on piddling works from relatives of donors. If you’re looking for art, well, Toledo is solid, if small. Grand Rapids is OK if all you want is glassworks, and the DIA is the place to be for German Expressionism (even if the rest of their collection is pretty mediocre). But still, if you want visual arts, go to Chicago and take a look at their museum of contemporary photography. The Art Institute is nice but also pretentious and over-rated. The lack of clear progression and tremendously poor lighting and positioning weigh against it, even if it does have many important pieces. In Ann Arbor, the Natural History/Planetarium and the Hands-On are the only ones worth mentioning. Hands-On is especially nice under psychotropic influence. (But the Kempf house? Please. “Let’s all look at a perfectly preserved house once owned by boring rich people!” Worst tour ever, and I say that as someone who had to go multiple times through my public school education).
As far as Fleetwood/Abe’s, Fleetwood wins hands down. The Bomber is the best diner currently open in Ypsi, and Gianni’s whupped Abe’s stupid until Gianni’s shut down. Abe’s is and has always been second rate, even if it does have the Ypsi cache to attract hipsters.
posted by js on July 9th, 2004 at 2:55 pm
And Gianni’s was much better when it was the College Dog. I can’t recall a coney place where you could also get Chinese food (if you wanted).
posted by Kozzie on July 9th, 2004 at 4:35 pm
I like both Abe’s and the Fleetwood, but I’ll admit the futuristic prefab diner architecture of the Fleetwood, as well as the outdoor seating, wins hands-down. One of the coolest establishments in Ann Arbor (yes, there are a few yet).
posted by Brandon on July 9th, 2004 at 9:32 pm